Let Me Ask You One Simple Question, Is Your Website Worthless?

Did you know, The Sharper Image specialty retailer, known as a leading source of new, innovative, high-quality products that make life better and more enjoyable, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection?

According to the company, they plan to conduct business as usual while resolving its problems and developing a reorganization plan. However, they are suspending the acceptance of Gift Cards, Reward Cards, Gift Certificates or Merchandise Certificates as a form of payment.

How can The Shaper Image think they are conducting business as usual? It's a sad day when you discover you have spent your HARD EARNED money on a product or service that is essentially WORTHLESS!

Customers purchase and use gift cards, reward cards, gift certificates and merchandise certificates for the following benefits:

Value

When used properly gift cards can be an innovative way to drive new customers to a business, track and manage sales, bring customers back for another purchase and additional advertising.

Customers look for these same benefits when they visit your website. In fact, many potential customers will visit your website to learn more about your products and services long before they contact you directly.

Now that you have spent your HARD EARNED money, it's hard enough to conduct business as usual without having to worry about your website. Take a deep breath and answer these questions:

1. When was the last time you updated your content?

A website that contains outdated information and broken links does not give your customer a reason to revisit, you've got to add fresh content regularly.

2. Do you track or analyze your website traffic?

Analytics help you learn about where your visitors come from and how they interact with your site. This information makes it easy to improve your results online.

3. Is your website hard for a customer to navigate?

Even if you provide great content a website that is hard to navigate will frustrate your customer.

4. Do you provide an opt-in option for your potential customers?

Capturing their email address will allow you to repeatedly market to potential customers.

5. Do you follow the KISS (keep it simple silly) strategy?

Too many choices, colors and graphics will confuse your customer. You only have approximately 4 to 7 seconds to capture the customer's attention before they click off your site.

6. Are you promoting someone else's products and services?

If you are using banner ads or Google AdWords, customers may overlook your products or services because they see the ads before they see your content.

7. Is your website making or leading you to money?

Your website should immediately develop trust and confidence which will bring you new customers and prospects.

8. Does your website convey expertise?

Your website should position you and/or your company as the obvious expert in your field.

What I'm leading up to is this: Is your website worthless?

You decide!

29 Aug 2008 00:36:12

Labor closes website ahead of state polls - The Canberra Times

LIVENEWS.com.au Labor closes website ahead of state polls The Canberra Times, Australia - BY NICOLAS PERPITCH West Australian Premier Alan Carpenter has ordered the shutting down of a Labor Party website that detailed the indiscretions of former ... Labor website attacks Buswell's character Carpenter shuts down chair-sniffing website Buswell website pulled -

More details: http://canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/labor-cl~.aspx

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