There you are, waiting to meet your girlfriend’s parents for the first time… There you are, about to be interviewed for a job… There you are, about to sell your product to a potential customer. A few thoughts may be going through your mind: “Do I look decent? I hope they like me. Do I have everything to succeed? Don’t choke, don’t choke… Well at least I look good….”
All of these thoughts are focused on one thing: The first impression. Meeting your girlfriend’s parents for the first time, you don’t want to look like a sloppy, irresponsible adult; you want to look like a well-dressed nice guy, who would never even think about hurting their precious daughter’s feelings. When being interviewed, you don’t want to look like you don’t care about the job; you want to look like you can impress any of their clients, and seal the deal with a wink of an eye.
The same first impression can be applied with a website. Some people don’t find their website to be important. Remember times are changing. Your website is equally as important as your office (if not more important). Your target customer will research your business online before calling or visiting your business. So what is the first thing a potential client sees… YOUR WEBSITE! When landing on your website, you want your visitors to have a great first impression. A few thoughts to consider when designing your website: Is it clear who we are and what we do? Can they access my contact information easily? Are the colors appropriate from my brand and target consumer?
I always like to think of the KISS mantra when looking at a good web design: Keep It Simple Stupid. Keep your design simple, clean and organized. Your logo should be easily visible to your visitors. Incorporate a noticeable menu that links to your various pages, such as, services, products, about us, and contact info. This allows visitors to easily access information on your website. Color scheme is another important aspect of the website. Use 2 or 3 colors that work harmoniously with one another. If you don’t have an eye for colors that complement each other, call us and we’ll be more than happy to help 🙂
Now I don’t want to be contradictory here, but you need to catch their eye, while keeping the design simple. You may ask: how the heck can I catch someone’s eye while also being simple? When I say simple, be simple with organizational part of the web design, like placement of tabs, information, and the logo. When it comes to the actual design of the website, a way to catch a person’s eye is to give them something that highlights your business/work. Like a slideshow highlighting the best items of your portfolio! This will allow the visitor to see the results you produce for your clients. Colors are also an important factor of capturing a visitor’s attention. Use colors to accent/highlight important information such as phone numbers, contact forms or special. The correct use of colors can direct the visitor to sections of your website you want them to pay closer attention to.
In the end, know that your website is as important as your front store or office. With enough thought and hard work, your site should look great…. Hopefully you’ll impress your girlfriend’s parents (or should I say website visitors). 🙂
