Your Website Looks Great, But Does It Work?

By -

RHC Marketing Moment:

Back to Basics- Your B2B Website Looks Great But Does it Work?

By Desiree Grace, Special Projects Consultant


Your graphics are fabulous, your people look clever, and the new logo is smart, BUT, are you functional? We see a lot of websites that look great but don’t have a solid foundation. One example of critical importance is a solid cross-reference.

Many companies hesitate to put a cross-reference on their website. They fear the competition will use it, they fear if the cross isn’t perfect, it will irritate customers. Newsflash—the competition has already figured out how to cross your products and the customers are more irritated if they cannot self-service a basic requirement such as a cross-reference. You can and should use a disclaimer that the reference is form, fit, and function equal, or, if there’s a doubt, offer to send a sample or a salesperson. Viola! A sales lead!

A well-done, efficient cross-reference will save your people and your customers time. Often a customer will do the cross themselves and simply place the order. No muss, no fuss. This also drives customers to your website where they will see your latest press release, new product announcement, or other juicy news.

We at River Heights Consulting have heard from many distributors and end-users about the angst associated with sub-par cross-references. Those folks with sub-par cross-references do a good job of sending customers to their competition. Don’t let this be you.

Other areas where your website can be a super sales tool include a rep agent locator, an after-hours emergency number, a tool to build a bill of materials with suggestions for commonly forgotten items, such as the plumber’s tape or the pulling lube, or the fasteners. Yes, I snuck an after-hours emergency number into that list. When folks have a true emergency, they want to know somebody understands and is willing to help. Be that supplier. 


Desiree Grace is an advisor, consultant, and mentor with 30+ years as a senior leader in the electrical
distribution and manufacturing sectors. Desiree leads and supports special projects for River Heights

Consulting. She builds brands, grows revenue and motivates teams, facilitates strategy and execution, and offers special expertise in helping international companies enter the North American market.  Experience with Fortune 100 companies, private start-ups, and mid-market businesses enables Desiree to help a variety of B2B organizations improve market share, revenue, and profits. She is a sought-after speaker for topics such as professional development, sales leadership, industry trends, and team leadership and motivation. You can connect with her at www.linkedin.com/in/desireecgrace.


...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Dance of Onboarding: Integrating New Hires into Your Corporate Culture

By -
Image
Have you ever tried to waltz or swing dance with someone who couldn't match your rhythm or didn't know the steps? It can become a clash of styles or cultures, or, worse—somebody gets their toes stepped on. A similar thing can happen when a new hire doesn't quite 'get' the culture. Much like dancing, though, skills can be learned. I recently facilitated a panel on Cultural Quotient (CQ) where we discussed best practices for increasing CQ. This involved intentional learning, self-awareness of physical cues such as body language and personal space, and the willingness to adapt to new cultures. I have some amusing stories about what not to do based on experiences with insensitive former colleagues. However, it's more productive to focus on how employers can improve the onboarding experience and subsequently enhance retention and employee engagement by welcoming people into their corporate culture. Maybe someday in person, over drinks, I'll share a funny story o...
Read more

50 Questions for Distributors

By -
Image
Last week I wrote an article titled “Six Questions that Demand an Answer.”  Sharing the article with a few trusted advisers, I received one consistent bit of feedback best summarized by this response. “Frank, I agree these are questions we must ask ourselves; they caused me to pause and ponder.  I used them as an exercise with my team to think about our overall strategy.  I believe taking the time to think about our business from an outside perspective to be justified and worthwhile.   Sometimes it’s hard to do this subjectively.  I would like to see more questions just like these.” The following is my first round of questions.  I have put them into categories to make them easier to digest.  Some will apply to your position, some will not.  I suggest spending a moment visiting these topics with members of your own team. A note:  The readers of this blog come from a variety of backgrounds, hold a diverse collection of positio...
Read more

Life Lessons in Value with Guest Blogger, Desirée Grace

By -
Image
My 11-year-old wants to earn money this summer. Preferably by babysitting. Since I want to encourage my budding businesswoman, we started by discussing our Target Market and the 4 Ps of Marketing: • Target Market:   4 neighbors with 3+ little kids who could likely use help • Product:   My daughter’s services (we’ll refer to her as E) as a babysitter or Mother’s helper. • Place: Within walking distance of our home. • Promotion:  We made a flier detailing her qualifications: o Completion of a babysitting course at the local community center o Straight A student o Safety Patrol during her 5th grade year o First-degree black belt o Completion of all Red Cross swimming courses o Good with kids and animals o Cute picture of my kid dressed appropriately and smiling—underlining the responsible and friendly aspects of her personality o We also rehearsed “the approach” aka introducing yourself, smiling, looking adults in the eye, and extending a hand for ...
Read more