The truth is, we live in a visual world. There are aesthetic indicators that influence our feelings about things we interact with, often without us even realizing it. A pleasing visual is the first step in establishing the worth of your brand, and also sets the stage for the experiences your customers then have with your brand.
For years I’ve wanted software companies to show their screens on their sites. It should be Rule #1 in any guide on “How to Market Software.” Instead, they get in the way—with lots of words . . . cute graphics . . . faceless-people illustrations . . . and stock photos. But we are buying a tool—and a quick glance at the screen will tell us almost immediately if we want to start using the software. Right? Right!
Do you know where your site is hosted? Where your domain is hosted? Where your email is hosted? Do you know if you are paying for that hosting directly via your own credit card? Do you have sign-in information for each of these sites and know how to access the information you need? Has your developer ever shared all this with you, and shown you what you need to know?
It’s easy to get lost in all the details of digital marketing. It’s complex; there are a lot of channels, choices, rules, costs, and varying opinions on what you should do for your business. It gets even more complicated when you endeavor to combine the efforts of your marketing and sales departments.
When you visit a site, you do exactly what your customers do. You have an immediate reaction. It’s either, “These people understand me, they look like they’re at the top of their game, and they make it easy for me to get my questions answered, fast.” Or, “Ugh. Totally off-target. This site looks old and abandoned. I can’t even tell what they are selling, much less get my questions answered.”
As the digital transformation continues to evolve, many business owners find themselves having to hire and manage people to fill technical role—jobs they may not be that familiar with. This can make it difficult to (1) hire the right people and (2) effectively manage them once they are on board.
Zhivago Partners provides full-service Digital Marketing Management and Revenue Coaching for mid-sized companies.
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