No matter the nature of your new business venture, one thing’s for certain – your website matters. More today than ever before, your website is your business’s first impression before a whole host of potential customers. With it, you will display who you are, what you stand for, why you exist, and perhaps most importantly, what you can offer those potential customers.
Of course, making that good first impression requires more than simply having a website. You’ll want to make sure you have the information your customers are looking for, displayed in a clear, concise, and easily navigable manner. If this seems daunting, don’t worry, we’re here to help.
For Fort Collins exists to see your small business succeed. We know how tricky it can be to be sure you have everything you need for a new business, so we’ve made it a point to gather the resources necessary for the journey. Here, we’ll lay out the essentials you’ll want to include in your business’s website along with a simple downloadable checklist to be sure you don’t miss anything.
Small Business Website Must-Haves
Including the right content on your website is a bit of a balancing act. Too much information and you’ll lose those potential customers in a sea of noise. Too little content and those customers will leave unconvinced to do business with a business they know nothing about. To be sure you have the right information about your business, remember the 5 Ws.
Who are you? This will include mission and vision statements. Tell your customers who you are as a business, what you stand for, what you value (queue: value statements), where you’ve come from, and ultimately, why you do what you do. This is where you’ll introduce your value proposition – the value you provide your customers that sets your business apart – that you’ll want to diffuse throughout the rest of the content on your website.
What do you offer? What goods or services does your business offer? List them and describe them. More than that – how will those goods or services help solve a problem your potential customers may be facing? You have the opportunity to position your business as a solution to those problems, ultimately presenting value to and for your customers.
Where can customers find your goods and services? If you have a brick-and-mortar location, provide information on how to get there. You’ll want to present this free of burden, for instance, “Located right in the heart of downtown,” or, “Just a short 15-minute drive from…” Help your customers envision themselves arriving at your establishment.
Similarly, if you sell your goods or services online, guide your customers clearly to where they can find them. You’ll want to use clear CTAs (calls to action) such as, “Shop Now,” or, “View Our Inventory” – leave no obstacles between your customers and your goods and services.
Why is your business important? What sets your business apart from alternatives? What makes your product or service more suitable for their needs? Why are you more qualified to provide those goods and services? This is an opportunity to differentiate your business, whether it be through price point, quality, sourcing, experience, or a combination of these and other things. This is also an opportunity to include customer testimonials.
When and how can you be reached? Your customers will need to know your business’s hours of operation. If they have questions about who you are or what you offer, they’ll need to know how to reach you. Set aside a space in your website for hours and contact information whether that be a separate page, in your website’s footer, or better, both.
A Simple Checklist for Covering All Your Bases
You know your business better than anyone. All you have to do is communicate that information to your customers so they can know you, too. To help you be sure you’ve got all the right information, we’ve put together a simple downloadable checklist of all that’s been discussed above. With our checklist of website essentials, you can be sure you have everything you need to provide a valuable and efficient online experience for your customers.