It’s not easy running a business website. The competition can be tough, the demands of your website visitors are more strenuous than ever, and it’s a game that doesn’t allow you to sit still for too long. Still, this is the game that you sign up to play when you enter the online world. Despite the fact that there are plenty of external forces that can harm your website (such as competition and so on), in actual fact, most of the harm stems from the business operator. They make mistakes that harm the quality and trustworthiness of their website, and ultimately harms their profits. Below, we take a look at five common mistakes. Make sure you’re not making any of them!
Low-Quality Media
Your products and services might be outstanding, but if someone is stopping by your website for the first time, how are they to know that? You only have a few seconds to establish your credibility to someone who doesn’t know anything about that. Alas, many companies fail this first test almost instantly, simply by using inadequate photos and videos. If yours are of a low standard, then it’ll be obvious to an experienced internet user, which, at this stage, is just about everyone.
Insufficient Usability
You’re in the business of whatever it is that you sell or the service that you provide. You’re not in the business of website design and usability. Sometimes companies get away with this, but at other times it shows. They have a website that pushes the customer away, or is simply too complicated to make sense of. If you’re going to have a site that works for everyone, then you need to have an eye on the user experience. If you think yours somewhat lacks in this department, then get help from UX 4Sight. They’ll help to ensure that customers understand what your website is all about.
Too Salesy
It’s always important to understand that the customers you’re trying to reach are marketed to all the time. As such, they’ve become pretty aware of when something is far too salesy. If your web copy is full of jargon, and never uses a simple phrase when there’s a much wordier and more complicated option available, then they’ll see through it. If you have to use complicated language to get people to buy, then it’s perhaps time to rethink what you offer!
Annoying Aspects
It doesn’t matter how good your products and services might be: if you’re annoying your website visitors, then they won’t stick around long enough to discover it for themselves. Things like too many pop-ups, notification and newsletter sign up requests, and — especially — autoplay videos all frustrate web users. When the success of your business website hangs in the balance, don’t make it more difficult by annoying your visitors!
Failing to Progress
Finally, make sure you’re progressing and keeping up with the latest internet practices, designs, security, and so on. Your site might look great now, but it won’t be long before it seems outdated!
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/office-625893_1280.jpg8501280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-06 08:00:082019-06-06 04:04:315 Mistakes With Your Business Website
When you come up with an idea for an amazing website, it may seem impossible to convert the concept into the real thing. Especially if you lack experience in the field, building and maintaining your own site can appear to be a humongous task that’s daunting to even start. Hopefully these helpful tips can get you set in the right direction to exceed your expectations and become the most successful website you could ever have imagined.
Choose The Right Name
When coming up with the right name for your website, many different ideas will pop into your head (some much better than others). It should be a fairly simple process, so try not to over complicate things by spending too much time thinking of something unique and outlandish. Stick to a couple of keywords and keep it short so it’s easy for users to remember, and less likely for them to misspell when searching in their browser. Make sure that you search beforehand to check whether the name has already been registered by another owner, and claim it as soon possible if it is available as they generally sell very quickly.
Make It Accessible
Ensuring your website is accessible is a vital aspect of the process, as you must make steps to be inclusive of every type of user. There are a few simple ways that you can make your site usable by every person with any type of disability or impairment, whether this be hearing, vision or motor skills related. When you add any images to your website, attach alt text that explains whatever is happening inside the picture so that anyone with a visual impairment can listen to a description instead. Remember to keep text dark in colour, preferably black or dark blue, and allow it to stand out from the background by opting for a lighter shade such as cream or white to enable it to be easily read. If you can, add the option of resizing the text so each user can alter the page to their own personal preference.
The Perfect Design
There are a few key principles that constitute to an excellently designed website. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the user, and think solely about what they might want or expect from your site. Each of your pages should have a specific purpose, and the design should reflect this. Keep the same colour palette throughout the site, alternating between different shades to make it sophisticated and aesthetically pleasing. Use bright colours exclusively for buttons or small areas, as they can be garish and overpowering when used too heavy handedly. The size of headings and body text should be notably different, and navigation menus should be clear and very easy to use to ensure there’s no unnecessary over complications. Ensure that any design features are translated efficiently when loaded in a mobile browser, as a large amount of your users will be visiting your site from their smartphone or tablet.
Image To Text Ratio
Anyone will admit that scrolling through a site that’s all text and no pictures is a dull and boring experience. Equally however, page after page of photos without any meaningful information can be uninteresting after only a couple of clicks. Finding the right balance between text and images is hard to master, but it will ultimately depend on the purpose of your website when it comes to deciding on which ratio is best. Stick to a few high quality images that depict what you really want to show people, and pair these with some really useful blocks of text that sum up your main points without rambling on for too long.
Add Loyalty Options
A user that visits your site once is a massive plus, but it’s better if you’re aiming to convert each person into a loyal and regular visitor. To do this, you should build a feature into your site that allows users to enter and submit their email address. However, it’s not just as simple as adding a box with the text ‘sign up via email’, as you need to give a lot more in order for your visitors to be able to trust you with their personal data and actually want to receive updates and information. Make it a focal point of the home page, and include it in a smaller size on each of the individual pages on your website. Don’t be too bland with the text, allow your users a little taste of what they will be getting by explaining briefly, such as ‘sign up to receive our weekly newsletter, updates, and more..’. This way you can catch their attention and be informative and convincing in just a short piece of text.
The Importance Of White Space
White space can help to emphasize different aspects of your site, and also add a feel of sleek and modern design to each page. By having a white background behind text, you can allow the user to focus their attention on the words themselves and help to keep information clear and accessible. Trying to fill your page from corner to corner with moving gifs, colourful text and a ton of photos will not only make for an immature design, but will make the user lose trust in the credibility of your website and information. Stick to what you need and keep it classy by emphasizing each section with negative space and restore some peace and harmony within your colour palette. Though it may appear minimalist, it still won’t have the opportunity to feel basic as you can then allow your main assets to catch the visitors attention and shine.
Test It
When you think you have your website close to its final stages, now is the time to consider doing some kind of testing. You should carry out several different experiments across your site to see how easy it is to navigate around, and whether all of the different sections and buttons operate properly. Your website has to fits its intended purpose with its content whilst still providing something extra through its layout and design, so bare both of these aspects in mind when doing any kind of testing. Be sure to include other users in your tests, whether this be colleagues or family and friends, as you need to be able to gain a different viewpoint and perspective that only another human with their own thoughts and feelings can offer.
Generating Traffic
Even if you have the most beautifully designed website that provides the user with the perfect experience, you simply will not get any visitors unless you generate traffic. Becoming a popular site takes a fair amount of time, but optimization is achievable if you think logically. If you can’t figure it all out yourself, does an SEO agency make sense for you? They have the means to force you to work your way up search results in the web to have a much better chance of being noticed and visited. Use some specific keywords in order to be included in the relevant pages, and ensure that none of your links or pages are broken. By being towards the top of a users search engine, you are more likely to be seen as not many people go further than the 2nd or 3rd page of results when online.
Measure Success And React Accordingly
When you release your website onto the internet, you have to put measures in place in order to track visitor statistics. It will be helpful to find out how many users view your page each day, and what those users look at on your website. Being able to monitor how each visitor interacts with your website will allow you to assess whether each page is serving its purpose, and whether there’s anything you might be able to do to improve their experience. When you have gathered this data over a period of a few weeks or months, analyze the positive and negatives and decide upon some changes you will make to allow your website to perform better. By regularly checking your visitor statistics, you can stay always up to date with the changing wants and needs of the user, and help you stay on top of your game.
Hopefully the information above can help you create the most amazing website, that succeeds in every way possible. Consider every aspect of the users wants and needs at each stage of the design and implementation process, as they should be your main focus throughout. Be ready to put in the work and stay on top of maintaining the site after its completion by carrying out regular rigorous testing, and you can ensure that your site makes it to the top and stays there for as long as possible. Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy yourself. The web is an amazing place to network with other like minded individuals and show off your skills, so switch on your laptop and get creating.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/black-and-white-books-connection-251225.jpg7131200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-06 07:00:412019-06-06 03:55:34How To Ensure Your Website Exceeds Expectations
As a leader, being understanding of mistakes and even merciful when possible is often the right strategy to take. Your team needs room to grow and if you come down too hard on all problems, you create a culture where people simply aren’t willing to bring your attention to those problems, so they fester.
However, you also have to show courageous leadership and even be confrontational when it comes to the serious issues. Otherwise, you have no authority and you create an environment where everything is permissible. With that in mind, here are some failures that you cannot tolerate as a leader, and how you should combat them.
Preferential treatment
This is a problem that you’re going to see in almost every workplace. Exceptional team leadership means being able to delegate, to discipline, and to praise evenly across the board, regardless of personal chemistry or whether you and a colleague don’t see eye-to-eye. However, your discipline isn’t always the problem. The other managers and team leaders can fall prey to the temptations of preferential leadership. You have to be able to spot the signs of it and to ensure that the leaders beneath you know that is simply is not permitted. Otherwise, you may have to find other leaders who won’t fall into the same trap.
Passing the buck
As mentioned, a culture where your team feels free to communicate and report misconduct in the workplace is important. You have to create that culture of accountability yourself. The best way to do that is to hold yourself responsible when possible. If your team fails to meet a business goal, rather than blaming them, apologize for your role in making that failure happen. Be forgiving with small mistakes, as mentioned, so your team is more willing to take accountability. There will be those who try to pass the buck onto others, and you may have to make an example by reprimanding them for doing that rather than simply taking the blame, themselves.
Theft
Employee theft comes in a lot of different shapes and sizes, and it’s not always targeting you directly. However, whether it’s a stapler, a filing cabinet, or cash, you cannot tolerate an employee who rips you off, rips a client off, rips a supplier off, or rips one of their colleagues off. Implement different approaches to prevent theft as best as you can but be willing to address the problem and nip it in the bud as soon as it happens. People who are willing to steal from those they work with cannot be trusted in any capacity and should be let go. It doesn’t matter if they’re working in the mail room or if they’re with you for the daily briefing in the executive team every day.
Drug use
Alcohol and drug abuse are a sad fact of modern life. It’s a disease that’s spreading through society, affecting countless individuals, families and, yes, even workplaces. Effective, empathetic leaders will provide pathways or help in finding treatment for substance abuse, but that doesn’t mean that they will tolerate it in their workplace. Addiction is a dangerous condition, one that can endanger the safety of the others in the workplace. Finding the right method to test for it and removing the affected individual, if found, from the workplace is the first priority. How you choose to help them or not comes after that. However, it is important to show empathy to the stresses and troubles of your team where and when that’s possible.
Digital misconduct
Nowadays, a business is often most vulnerable in its digital spaces. Most businesses that suffer a major data breach do not survive past two years. For that reason, you have to make it as clear as possible to your team that digital security protocols simply must be followed. Those who neglect their duties or who willingly allow unauthorized access to sensitive data cannot be tolerated. Working with an IT security provider can help you close the vulnerabilities that they open and, furthermore, can help you realize when employees have been tricked or negligent or when they have intentionally contributed to the vulnerability that comes with a data breach.
Harassment
Workplace bullying, discrimination, or harassment of any kind is a noxious weed that takes root deeply and spreads fast if allowed. It creates a culture of intimidation, fear, and coercion that can irreversibly impact the sense of trust and team identity that you work hard to build. As such, you must act to stamp it out as hard as possible, with no reprieve for the culprits no matter their position or personal/working relationship with you. The best way to combat harassment is as a team. Provide safe, anonymous ways of start HR reports, provide tips on how to identify and report it, make sure that it’s clear you have a zero-tolerance approach to harassment. If you fail your duties to provide an environment where harassment is treated seriously, your business is liable for the damage suffered.
Safety snafus
Every workplace has its safety issues. Even in an easy-going, secure office, slips, trips and falls and fire hazards still exist. It’s important to make sure your team is aware of the workplace safety policies and practices that you have in place. It’s just as important to make sure that they never cut corners when it comes to worksafe practices. If they undertake any actions that endanger themselves or others in the workplace, they need to be trained in safe practices from the beginning. In the case of a breach that could cause serious harm, you may want to consider further punishment. The consequences of allowing someone to be seriously injured on your watch are too great to simply let it slide.
As a leader, there are going to be situations that test your resolve and demand hard decisions. It’s important that you be aware of the risks and have strategies in place to deal with them so that you’re able to effectively show that authority when you need to.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/business-2879465_1280-1.jpg8471280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-05 20:00:522019-06-05 14:12:52The Failures A Leader Should Never Tolerate
Buying a business and being your own boss is like living the dream. However, without carefully stepping into the new business and considering every little detail, your dream could easily turn into a financial nightmare. Here are some critical aspects to consider when starting down the path of small business owner.
If it’s profitable
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to ask the previous business owner the right questions, including:
Why are you selling?
What condition is the building in and are there any repairs that need to be made as soon as possible?
What the sales system looks like and what the target demographic is?
What is employee turnover like?
Who are your vendors, and what is your relationship with them like?
All of these factors can impact your new business’s bottom line, and you don’t want to enter into an unprofitable business from the start because you overlooked an important question or two in the preliminary stages. Determine the risks before jumping in with both feet, and you’ll thank yourself later.
If it’s in a good location
When you take over an already-established business, you inherit everything that goes with it, including its shortcomings. If your business involves customers coming in person to your brick-and-mortar, you want to make sure the location is good and going to attract the right customers. Also consider other factors against it, like the cost of rent compared to other favorable locations.
If the location you’re inheriting is not ideal and you want to purchase a commercial property and move the business, it’s wise to enlist the help of an experienced real estate lawyer, like Watts Law Firm PA. They can help you navigate the complex process with ease, advise your purchase, and if need be, help solve any legal conflicts.
What kind of branding and marketing already exists
Branding and marketing are crucial in today’s connected world. A business’ social media presence can make or break them, just as one bad piece of PR can. Decide if you want to keep with the established branding or if you want to totally rebrand the business. Keep in mind the pros and cons of rebranding before deciding:
Pros: Established brand awareness, retention, and satisfaction among previous and repeat customers; one less task to think about on your plate. Cons: Possibly inheriting poor branding; don’t get to personalize your business to your liking.
Either way, it’s good to know what kind of marketing efforts have been made and are currently underway, if any. This way, you can understand what worked and what didn’t for the target demographic, which will give you a jumpstart on your own efforts.
If your financing is secure
Yes, buying a business is a huge expense – it isn’t a secret. You want to ensure you’re coming out of the gate swinging in order for your new company to be a success. Avoid the financial headaches and stress by securing your funding far in advance and having a plan to pay back any loans. You can acquire funds by taking out a bank loan, a loan with a financing company, or using your home as collateral for a home equity loan. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to a financial advisor to set up a savings plan if that is the route you want to take.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/tim-gouw-79563-unsplash.jpg8021200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-05 17:00:522019-06-05 13:50:16What To Know When Buying A Business
Operating a small business is no easy feat and certainly not for the faint of heart. There are employees to hire, train, and keep on top of, expenses to cover, meetings to plan, clients to acquire, and so many other day-to-day aspects of the business to stay on top of. With so many different elements of your company to consider on a daily basis, it can be easy to get lost in the stress of it all and be consumed by those worries. How great would it be if you could take some of that stress off your plate and save the headaches? Here are four tips for small business owners that you might not have considered yet, which can save you time, hassle, and hours of unproductivity caused by worrying or planning.
Set up an LLC
If you haven’t done this already, the first thing you should do is keep your business finances separate from your personal self and set it up as its own taxable entity. Even if you’re a self-funded, self-employed business of one employee—yourself—this is still critical. Registering your business as an LLC involves a cost, yes, but it’s not as much as you would expect, and it will protect your business from any legal trouble that might come your way. Also, you won’t have to worry about company finances creeping into your personal finances, which is a huge plus come tax season.
Use accounting software
A good number of small businesses don’t have the capital to hire an accounting department, which is fine but can also lead to trouble if the accounting isn’t taken care of properly. If your business is looking to save money in this area, consider buying accounting software instead of hiring a team or person to take on this task until it’s necessary. There are a wide variety of software programs available at a number of price points; it wouldn’t make sense not to take advantage and utilize them fully.
Have a lawyer on retention
As much as you might not want to think about it, sometimes dealing with other companies and clients can get messy, especially when it comes to payments. If your small business relies on contracts with clients, or clients paying for work that has already been completed, or both, you might feel better knowing you have a lawyer on retention to escalate and sort out any issues. CharlestonLaw.net has top-rated employment lawyers who can help protect your business.
Invest in quality marketing
Many small business owners can think they can get away with cutting corners and saving costs on marketing efforts because “how hard can it possibly be?”. That is until they try to do it themselves and get little to no return. Unless you are educated in the field and stay on top of marketing trends and strategies, marketing is best left to the experts and professionals.
How small businesses can advertise is constantly changing, between Google algorithms and social media playing a huge role, it can be challenging to understand and keep re-educating yourself on successful strategies. Is that something you want to add to your to-do list when there are probably a hundred other tasks you should be worried about already? Invest in a freelancer or small marketing company (depending on the size of your business and your marketing needs) to take this off your mind and get the results you want.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/office-620817_1280-1.jpg8501280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-05 16:00:242019-06-05 13:29:584 Small Business Tips To Save You Stress
A VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS | Call or text now for a FREE consultation: +1 (770) 765-3692 | 
It’s not easy running a business website. The competition can be tough, the demands of your website visitors are more strenuous than ever, and it’s a game that doesn’t allow you to sit still for too long. Still, this is the game that you sign up to play when you enter the online world. Despite the fact that there are plenty of external forces that can harm your website (such as competition and so on), in actual fact, most of the harm stems from the business operator. They make mistakes that harm the quality and trustworthiness of their website, and ultimately harms their profits. Below, we take a look at five common mistakes. Make sure you’re not making any of them!
Business Programs