|
|
|
Carwash Websites A Brochure Or Storefront
f you are looking to impression a customer will have
establishing an Internet of you. This valuable first
presence, the title of this impression is not something that
article is the question you need should be left to “Phil…that
to ask yourself before you lay computer guy” to define.
down any of your hard-earned
money. Why? Because understanding The purpose of this article is
the different approaches to how a not to convince you that you have
website might work will define to get your carwashing business
the level of commitment and online. It’s focused on changing
effort you will apply towards the your perception regarding how
success of your Internet your website should function. It
marketing campaigns. looks to help you make an
informed decision on the path you
Make no mistake about it; there will take in establishing your
is definitely a certain level of Internet marketing presence.
time and financial commitment
when establishing a “successful” The Digital Brochure
Internet presence. I’m not saying
that you have to take out a The most common perception that
second mortgage and hire I’ve come across is that a
dedicated staff to manage your website can only act as an online
website but you do need to ensure brochure. Its function is to give
that it’s professionally built visitors fundamental information
and well maintained. A about the business, details about
half-hearted Internet campaign its commitment to high levels of
could actually be more of a service, hours of operation and
detriment than a benefit to your where it can be found. Oh yes…and
business. In many cases, your a “Contact Us” link. In its
website will be the first simplest form, a website can act
as an online brochure but with
just some extra commitment, a Like the streets and highways
website can act as a virtual that lead to your brick and
extension of your brick and mortar business, a website also
mortar business. This gives you a has this infrastructure in the
real opportunity to get in front form of links from other websites
of those consumers who are online that lead to your own. The
and surfing the Internet. “highways” would be the search
engines or online-yellow pages.
The Operational Storefront Streets and avenues would be
incoming links from other smaller
I’m going to ask you to change sites.
your perception on how a website
should function by having you Traffic and Customers
envision it as an “Operational
Storefront”. Don’t think of it Whether physical or virtual,
simply as an online brochure but these highways, streets and
treat it as full fledged business avenues bring consumers who have
with roads that lead to it, needs to be met. You look to meet
traffic with car counts and these needs by offering services
customers with a need and who are which sell to a “percentage” of
willing to spend money to fulfill that traffic. If all things are
that need! equal that percentage will
generally remain static. How do
Why? Because a website has all you increase sales? You either
the same attributes as that of a add new services to attract new
business based on brick and customers and increase your
mortar: percentages (conversion ratio) or
you build and redirect new roads
Roads, Streets and Highways to your business to increase the
car counts in that traffic. Graphics & Design Centric
Developers
This process works exactly the
same way in the virtual world. By Internet Marketing Centric
making your website interactive Developers
and providing services through
your site, you look to satisfy For the carwashing industry,
the needs of your visitors. The choose the latter. The former’s
more services that are available main priority is the look and
on your website, the greater the feel of your website and will
chance you will capture that allocate most of your resources
visitor and convert them into a to design. The latter’s focus is
customer. to ensure your website is
marketable and will fulfill the
The big advantage in the virtual needs of your target audience.
world is that through creative They will also have the skill
marketing, you can build new sets to customize an Internet
roads that lead into your website marketing campaign based on the
and increase your traffic needs and goals of your business.
count…something that is nearly
impossible in the physical world. A Storefront to Sell
I would like to make a quick One of the most powerful ways you
comment about the creative attract customers is to take
marketing process and how it ties advantage of the precious real
in with the type developer you estate on the front of your
choose to design your website. building. Through your
There are two types of design storefront, you show them how you
“houses”: can fulfill their needs by
“displaying” your products and
services, provide price leaders, homepage defined that need and
implement discount programs and addressed it by giving visitors
anything else that pulls that what they want or do they have to
consumer off the road and into go through “barriers” such as
your facilities. animated “splash” pages or “About
Us” type homepages (please read
On the Internet, your website’s my cautionary note at the end of
homepage is the “storefront” to this article regarding splash
your virtual business! When a pages).
visitor travels a road to your
website and looks into its More cases than not, I find that
window, does it invite them in by when interviewing a client for a
“displaying” the products and new website, their primary focus
services you offer? Does your is to put out a great design
homepage make them look twice by without any consideration for the
showing them the great discounts needs of the visitor. Remember…a
that are available? Does it allow website is a marketing and sales
them to quickly navigate to the tool for your business and not a
products and services they are canvas to express your artistic
looking for? Does it let them creativity. I’m not saying that
know that they can immediately it shouldn’t have a clean and
satisfy their needs by making it professional look but I do stress
easy to purchase online? that it should first and foremost
address the needs of your target
Visitors That Have Needs audience. I know that I might
sound a little critical in this
That’s right! Just like a area but there are so many
consumer walking through the websites that miss this mark.
door, a visitor comes to your Satisfying the needs of your
website with a “need”. Has your target audience is one of the
most fundamental principles in
establishing not only a Splash pages are graphical or
successful Internet marketing animated introductory pages
campaign but any type of designed to set the mood for your
marketing campaign. website and invite the visitor
in. The truth is that up to 71%
From the traffic being generated of visitors leave a splash page
to the marketing concepts before they set foot inside a
involved, the parallels that can website and in most cases, are
be drawn between a physical and not search engine friendly. I
virtual storefront are endless. can’t say enough on how I’m
Just as vast are the against these things. There’s a
opportunities that could be had huge list of reasons for this but
when a creative Internet don’t take my word for it. Just
marketing campaign is visit these sites and they’ll
implemented. Part of this give you the gory details:
understanding is to know that a
website can go far beyond that of an online brochure. It can become size="-2">http://www.websiteoptim
a virtual extension of your ization.com/speed/tweak/splash/physical business; enabling you font>
to capture the new generation of online consumers. size="-2">http://www.netmechanic.
com/news/vol3/promo_no13.htmA cautionary note regarding t>
“Splash Pages”
About the Author:
CITADELNETWORKS is qualified to help you, the carwashing business owner, to get online. With experience as carwash operators, installers and distributors, we understand your unique business needs and the customers you service. Jeffrey V. Lemire CITADELNETWORKS, Inc. http://www.citadelnetworks.net http://www.carwashnetwork.net
Read more articles by: Jeffrey Lemire
Article Source: www.iSnare.com |
|
