Technology & E-Business Expansion
By Dan Kaplan

Many companies agree that a website is a very strong sales vehicle resulting in increased sales. However, after investing a substantial amount of money in building an elaborate Website, the disappointment settles in when they begin to realize that their website does not produce the results they hoped for, and that it does not match their needs and expectations. What people fail to realize is the fact that having a beautiful Website does not guarantee an increase in sales, and will not improve efficiency or customer relationship management effectiveness. Yes, I will agree you must have an attractive, professional looking website, otherwise you will immediately lose credibility with your prospects. However, your website also needs to be:

1. Informative – Your website must speak to your prospect’s needs, wants, desires, and address their concerns. If your website is not informative, and if it does not sell to your prospects, then you are dramatically reducing your chances of closing the sale.

2. Traffic directive – Your website should lead clients easily through the sales funnel. If you do not have an easy navigation system, and if your sales prospects are getting lost – they will easily become frustrated. Frustrated prospects do not become happy customers.

3. Marketable – Sales are rarely completed upon the first introduction, whether it is in person, over the phone or on the Internet. You have to gain your prospect’s attention and keep their attention. If you go to smcdata.com, you will notice that I continually update my site, and add new articles and case studies to entice prospects to visit my website often. You may want to add an e-newsletter, or a special report, or offer a free e-Book, or e-Course as a lead generating strategy to capture your prospect’s contact information. Once you have their information, you can then email them or snail mail them, or make follow up phone calls that will eventually close the sale.