Think back to the
wonderful 80’s, or was it the early 90’s, and I’m sure you
will recall a television spot for a camera company in which
the great Andre Agassi confidently utters, “Image is
everything.” Were truer words ever spoken?
As in most
facets of everyday life, you are judged, right or wrong, by a
host of controllable factors. What you wear, what you drive,
even what type of watch you wear can instantly change how
people, shallow or not, perceive you. Let’s face it, in
business you have to instill confidence if you hope to get the
sale. No question. You don’t go to a business meeting in jeans
and a t-shirt. You dress to the nines hoping your stylish
appearance will help get things started on the right foot. So,
it has always intrigued me how people in business seem to
forget about “Image” when it comes to marketing their business
online.
Your website, for example, should be a direct
extension of your offline business. In other words, your
online image should mirror your offline image. How many times
have you seen a company that you know for a fact is a
reputable, well respected business, that represents itself
with a less then admirable website? What do you think this
tells people who have never seen your physical location but
instead are judging your company based on this one visit to
your site? It’s like showing up for that meeting in jeans.
Wrong message.
Your website can make you look like a
couple of part-timers working out of the garage or a complete
staff of 50 in a downtown high-rise. Forget about whether
either of these scenarios is true. On the web it is all about
perception and image. It is about giving that prospective
client a confident feeling as they walk through the doors of
your business. That’s right, when they click on your site,
they are walking right up to the receptionist, assessing
his/her appearance and demeanor, looking at the artwork on the
walls, the polished floors and the tasteful seating area.
Imagine if 500 to 1000+ people walked into your physical
location everyday. Wouldn’t you do whatever it took to make
sure you set the right impression? Yet this exact opportunity
is missed everyday on the web. You just don’t get the luxury
of seeing the “less-than-excited” look on that
“now-gone-forever” visitor.
A website should do the
following: Instill thoughts of professionalism, confidence,
and most importantly, credibility in the site visitor’s (
prospective customer’s ) mindset, while giving that visitor a
clear understanding of your company image. If it does not
currently do this, you are better off without a website. At
least this way you aren’t starting off at a loss. 500 to 1000+
customers visiting you every day. Can you afford to disappoint
them? After all, “Image is Everything.”
Author Name: Jon BurgessAuthor Email: jon@yellow7.comAuthor Website:
http://www.yellow7.com
