Does your website need a Trust Seal?

There are so many companies competing online, that potential customers have the luxury of checking out your website any time they want and then choosing who to do business with.

Your site better impress and engage your visitors!

How are you going to differentiate your organization and stand out from the crowd? One way is to add a Trust Seal to your website.

What's a Trust Seal? 

It's a "badge" on your website that shows potential customers/ donors/ volunteers/ clients your commitment to them. It builds trust and shows the value you offer.

Where on your website should your Trust Seal appear?

It must be present on more than your Home Page! Actually, it should be on every page, showcasing why your company is worth doing business with, donating to, buying from or volunteering for.

What should my Trust Seal look like?

It must be well-designed, a quick-read and easy to understand. Want to take it a step further? Add a hyper-link to a page of more information.

What should your Trust Seal say? Here are some suggestions:

Your Company Guarantee

Your Commitment Message

Your Mission Statement

or

Your Satisfaction Information

Create a message that portrays your unique value. 

Differentiating yourself by promoting your commitment to your customers is extremely important. A Trust Seal is one of the many elements to include on your website to turn it into a powerful marketing tool.

Part 2 of my series:

Lisa's Website Insights for creating websites that Impress & Engage

5 elements of a great website.

With a great website, you should get:

The sales results you want.

The security you need.

The online presence you deserve.

1. Mobile Optimization

If your website is not mobile-friendly, you may lose business. 

At the very least, you'll be ranked lower in mobile 

Google search results.

More and more people look at websites from their cell phone or tablet and not their desktop computer. A great website should accommodate this form of viewing with a true mobile-responsive solution that works on any device, both horizontally and vertically.

2. Content

Content is important for the user experience and SEO. It should be concise and meaningful. Compelling content that's useful and “speaks to your audience” along with easy navigation encourages potential customers to take action.

3. User Experience

Visitors are coming to your site for a reason. What they're looking for should be easy to find, not a frustrating scavenger hunt.  Site architecture, design and website features all contribute to an engaging experience for your visitor.

4. Security and Technology

Close to 40% of small business have been cyber attacked. 

Your site should get regular and seamless updates. In this day and age, it's important to be proactive, not reactive!

5. E-Commerce

Do you take payments or donations on your website? Your site should make it easy for your visitor to make a payment while ensuring everyone's data is secure. Is the web firm you hire truly knowledgable when it comes to security and PCI compliance requirements? They better be!

Of course, these aren't the only things to consider, or for your web design firm to be experienced in; but it's a great start towards a powerful online marketing tool for your business.

Part 1 of my series:

Lisa's Website Insights for creating websites that Impress & Engage

Stop Chasing Prospects and Close More Business.

I know this to be true from my own experience...the more face-to-face interactions I have with prospects, the more likely I am to close the deal.

We've all set up our sales stages: Lead, Prospect, Assessment, Proposal, etc. But are they effective for closing the deal? With this plan, we aren't always sure who's really interested in moving forward. Who is a time waster and who is a real opportunity?

It's a scary thought, but stop chasing prospects. Schedule each meeting with your prospects at the end of the current meeting.

WHY? If your prospect doesn't want to schedule time with you, it could mean they probably don't want to move the business relationship to the next level.

It's a lot easier for a prospect to say NO to someone they've had one meeting with, received a couple of emails from and an occasional voice mail, but when you're engaged with your prospects they come to learn your true value, face to face. 

At each meeting, my prospects get to know me. They see what it would be like to work together, they find out more about my personality and my genuine interest in their business. At the same time, I find out the same about them. You can't do that with email and voice mail.

When they schedule their next meeting with me, I know they're interested in continuing our business relationship…YES!

IT WORKS BOTH WAYS. After a meeting or two you might discover that this prospect is not one you want to do business with, and that's OK, because the money isn't always worth the headaches. I've walked away from business when I knew they weren't going to be a good fit for our company, and I was glad I found out sooner rather than later.