You make a good first impression.  You’re a business owner who does a lot of networking events.  You are out at lunches, chamber meetings, association seminars.  You work the referrals you get from other clients.  And you wonder if you really need a Web site.

I have met you when I am out networking.  When I tell you I work on marketing communications projects, including Web sites, you don’t seem to think that it is important for your business.  You’re doing just fine getting referrals and changing them into business.
So how does your Web site fit?

Your Web is your second impression.  You made a great first impression, but now I have your business card and I am sitting in front of my computer.  I’m nosy, so I type in your Web address and check you out.  And your Web site is a mess – it doesn’t look or sound like the intelligent person I just met.

Your Web Site Takes the Place of a Brochure

There was a time when a printed brochure was your second impression.  It was saved and filed, used when the customer needed your services.  Now, we have the big file drawer called the Internet.  Your customers look for you when they need you.  They save your business cards but throw away the brochure.

Your Web Site Reinforces Your Message

When we met at the meeting, your elevator message was compelling enough for me to visit your site.  Unfortunately, you lost me when your site wasn’t as impressive as you were in person.

Your Web Site Doesn’t Wear the Latest Fashion

Your site went live over three years ago and you haven’t changed it since.  The navigation is out of date, the colors are dark and hard to read.  Just as you would get a new suit or outfit when the cuffs are frayed or a seamed ripped, you should keep your Web site wearing the latest fashion.

Search Engine Optimization has improved a great deal in the last few years.  Google is now how people find you.  Are your pages optimized?

Your Web Site Needs to Be Current

Have you moved, has a person left your organization, have you dropped an affiliation?  You need to clean your site of dated information.  The impression dated information leaves can hurt your business.

Your Web Site Promotes Other Aspects of Your Business

Your elevator pitch only told me about one aspect of your business.  On your site, I now find that you do several other related products – products that I need.   This happens to me a lot.  I talk to someone at a networking event and give them my card.  Later, I’ll get an email saying that they had visited the site and discovered the other things we do. Turns out that we never had a long enough conversation with the customer to understand all their needs.

Your Web site should reinforce that first impression.  And it should reinforce those second and third impressions that occur after each sales meeting or service call.