what makes a great site
Develop a clear picture of the target customer or client
Our goals for our site can only be achieved by satisfying the visitor. Which entails compiling everything we know about our clients and customers so that we can feel relatively certain we are meeting their needs. Who are our target customers, really? What are their shopping habits, both online and off? Be specific and write down the answers to the following questions.
- Where do our target customers live and shop?
- What are their tastes?
- What is their budget?
- What is their demographic make-up?
- What personality or business characteristics do our clients have?
- What interests do they have in common?
- What do they read?
- What other sites do they visit?
- What blogs or newsgroups do they frequent?
Develop a clear picture of the target customers’ decision criteria
When shopping for a car, you may evaluate the car’s price, styling, fuel economy, etc. For some of us, styling may be most important. For others, it may be performance and fuel economy. What are the key factors that our target customer will weigh before making their purchase decision? Be specific and write it down. Is it:
- price?
- speed?
- stability?
- reputation?
- quality?
- service?
- selection?
- creativity?
Finally, highlight areas of convergence between the factors that are important to clients and those that our company is particularly skilled at addressing. For example, if we know that rapid service is a key decision criterion, and we offer unparalleled speed, then that point must be prominently and convincingly conveyed.