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thepromometrovista-blog · 7 years

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The Top 5 Reasons Promo Products Work!

For businesses of all shapes & sizes

We get this question all the time at Metrovista. Every “good” small business owner wants to know that they’ll get a return on what they spend. The truth is that, although they are an investment, promo products work!

In fact, there is a science behind why that do. YOUR customers are hard-wired to respond positively to your promo products. Want to know how we know?

In fact, there is a science behind why that do. YOUR customers are hard-wired to respond positively to your promotional products. Want to know how we know? Read this blog from Sage World that lists 25 shocking facts about promotional products.

Then, consider these 5 reasons why promotional products will work for any business.

1. They fulfill the “Give and you shall receive” Mantra.

Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) did a study that found that 85% of consumers who received a promotional product ultimately did business with the advertiser. Why? It’s just human nature to want to give back to someone who gives to us.

It’s why Influencer Marketing works so well. Yet, promotional products are influencer marketing on a much smaller scale. Take Norah by Earth for example. A natural pet product supplier that caters to dog owners across the U.S., Norah by Earth saw an easy way to meet a need while getting their brand message across.

To advertise their best smelling dog shampoo and dog shampoo for odor, the company sent influencers the items you see above, along with a plastic bag holder in the shape of a bone! It makes a dog owner’s nightly walk around the neighborhood much easier. It’s small. It’s affordable. And it’s very effective.

2. Promo products demand Attention.

If you are giving things away, people will be attracted to you. For example, if you have a booth at tradeshow and handing out FREE items the word will get around and you will draw in new prospects for you to meet. This is especially true if you create something memorable or unique.

Take for instance our own promotional calendar for 2017. It’s just a regular old desk calendar. Yet, the bright, eye-catching graphics and inspirational messages make it an instant conversation piece. Sometimes, just investing a little more in design is enough to make your product stand out for months, or even years in some cases.

According to L.J. Market Research, 60% of customers who receive a promotional product keep it for up to two years! Also, 80% of ALL U.S. consumers own a promotional product and 31% of them own bags.

3. They have more longevity than other marketing efforts.

They have more longevity than other marketing efforts.

How long does it take for someone to delete an email? 5 seconds? 7 seconds? At the most 10? But how long does it take YOU or anyone you know to throw something away? If you’re anything like me, it’s at least 12 months. (I still have a branded beach mat in the backseat of my car that was given to me last summer –one of these summers I’m going to remember to use it the next time I go to the beach!)

Our minds are hard-wired to save things. This is especially true if we were given something for free.

Of course, you have to make your product useful in some way. Grocery bags, sunglasses, rain ponchos, flashlights. All of these things are easy to brand and almost impossible to throw away!

And if anyone every does try to get rid of it, usually they give it to someone else. That’s double exposure for you, and you didn’t even have to pay the shipping fees.

4. They provide repeat exposure.

According to PPAI 73% of those who used the promo product that they had received stated that they used it at least once a week. Many promotional products are items we all use on a daily or weekly basis. This is repeat exposure that leads to greater awareness over time. The more they see your brand, the more they will think of your company.

Whether they’re thinking of you while they’re walking their dog at night, shielding from the rain on the way to their car or grocery shopping, the effect is the same. Stay top of mind, and you will stay on top of the food chain in your industry.

5. They create an instant sense of goodwill.

When you reach out to a new prospect or a customer you could improve their perception of your brand. 52% of those who received a promotional product, according to L.J. Market Research, are more likely to think highly of both you and your business.

Get your brand in the hands of your customers today. The impressions that promo products receive increases brand awareness, exposure and sales – for an investment that is pennies on the dollar!

Need assistance picking out what works for your company? Send a quick email to [email protected] or call us at 407.331.5100 and we’ll be able to give you some ideas at no cost to you!

We also offer expert web design and graphic design services, along with custom banners and direct mail printing!

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thepromometrovista-blog · 7 years

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Go Big or Go Home

5 Big Brands That Are Mastering Print Direct Marketing in the Digital Age

If you’re asking yourself, “Does print marketing even work in 2017?” this report from Forbes should sum things up. The answer is an absolute yes!

At Metrovista we always tell our clients to go big when it comes to direct mail. We want their postcard or brochure to be the biggest thing in their prospects’ mailbox, whether they are sending a postcard, sales letter or product portfolio.

Imagine your direct marketing piece as the Subject Line of an email. If the envelope isn’t big enough to get attention, does it really matter what is written inside?

Just as you should spend a lot of time writing a good email Subject Line, you should also spend a good amount of time on the size of your print marketing piece, the teaser copy inside and (of course) the quality of the graphics.

Not only do you need a stand-out message, but you also need stand-out design. The bigger the better!

This month, we wanted to share with you 5 examples of incredible direct mail pieces that are helping companies make tons of ROI – yes, even in 2017.

Chipotle

Uses Direct Mail to Restore their Public Image

Sometimes direct mail is not only smart but necessary. After the brand experienced nationwide backlash from the 2016 salmonella crisis that hit a Denver location. Not much could be said to fix the issue, and the company reporter its first quarter loss. Customers from Boston to San Diego assumed their food was unsafe.

They had to find a way to let people know it wasn’t. So, they offered free food! With an oversized direct-mailer and simple, high-resolution images of the burrito bowl, a best-seller, the image was sent loud and clear. It must have worked because Chipotle stock is slowly inching back up.

Florida Hospital

Builds a Brand that Lasts

The medical industry and direct mail marketing go together like peanut butter and jelly. Most dentists and doctors we work with have a monthly dedicated direct mail budget. But we often look to the big guys, like Florida Hospital, to remind us how to do it right.

Friendly, inviting images of smiling doctors and key staff members promise the patient they will be in good hands. Clean lines and simple content reinforce that promise in a way that is easy to understand. “The Right Care. Right Here. Right Now.” Can it get any simpler? Yet it works so well. We follow similar formulas to help our medical and dental clients attract their attention of their target prospect, whether through direct mail or their digital presence.

Jeep

Masters the Art of Subliminal Messaging

This is a brilliant example of how to send “clunky” mail or a mail piece with a grabber item that sends a subconscious message about your brain.

The keychain in the shape of a jeep reminds people of the simple fact that they need a place to hold their keys and those keys might as well be to a Jeep. It’s simple, yet sophisticated.

Bed Bath & Beyond

Keeps ‘Em Coming!

We might not all have the direct mail budget of Bed Bath & Beyond (that sends out these big-ticket mailers at least once a month). However, we can all learn something from the home goods chain. When you get a Bed Bath & Beyond postcard in your mailbox, it’s almost guaranteed to be the biggest item in the pile. Our brains are wired to give more value to items larger in size, so we are more inclined to keep it on our dining table or fridge to use for later.

Also, by providing customers with such a flexible offer (20% off ANY item) they make it appealing to anyone – a mother in search of that new zucchini spiralizer or a new college student buying his or her first set of dish towels. It stands out against every item in the mailbox and appeals to every customer it reaches. This is a clear direct mail win.

5. GAP Inc. Pivots Towards Personalization

They also know their audience very, very well. Most people who frequent this clothing retailer have been loyal to them for years, as GAP had its heyday in the 1980s-1990s and caters to the baby boomer crowd. To make sure these boomers feel the love, they send GAP credit cardholders special gifts, like this birthday offer below. Who wouldn’t stay loyal to a brand that knows exactly what day its thousands of card holders were born? The 25% off is literally the “icing” on the cake of having a big name like GAP remember your special day.

No matter how many people Instagram posts or Tweets dominate our news feeds, our brains are still wired for print. The average customer sees thousands of advertisements online each day. Yet, one well-designed postcard or brochure in their mailbox can be more powerful than all of these messages combined.

Forbes drove this report home in 2015, claiming “Science clearly shows paper can be more impactful and memorable than digital.”

The question is not whether to run a direct mail campaign. It’s how to do it in a way that delivers you more ROI. Contact us to learn more about our direct mail printing services. We also offer web design, custom banners and promotional products!

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thepromometrovista-blog · 7 years

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Google’s Mobile First Index: 5 Experts Weigh In

If there’s anything you get from this post, let it be this: the idea of maintaining two separate websites is a thing of the past. Thanks to the mobile first index, desktop and mobile are now forever joined in Google’s eyes. They are peas and carrots, peanut butter and jelly, Ginger Roger and Fred Astaire.

Google’s mobile index is quickly becoming (or some would say already is) the primary index.

Companies must now optimize for mobile devices first – or allow their website to be buried at the bottom of hundreds of sites competing for their customers and their profits. Yes, design an attractive website. But before that, design a site that is mobile-friendly and optimized for every device you can imagine: Galaxy S5, Nexus 5X, iPadPro and basically anything with a glass screen or LCD.

If you run a business site, here are 5 things you need to know about Google’s Mobile-First Index:

1. Most Customers Find You FIRST on Mobile

The whole idea behind Google’s Mobile-First initiative is to align the way users find your site with how it is built in the first place. People are already using smaller devices more often than desktops. We just need to catch up to the chase.

“’Mobile optimized’ and ‘prioritizing mobile’ are consequences of the mobile first mantra and not components of it. Mobile first means the first experience new users will have with your product will be on a mobile phone.” – Julien Veneziano from Fueled

2. User Experience Trumps Quality Content

In Google’s eyes, as of 2017, the #1 thing that will provide a good user experience is not the quality of content on a site but HOW that content is presented. If it reads well on both a projector screen and an iPad, then you’re going to pass Google’s test. If not, well, try again.

“If the sites in Google’s index aren’t mobile friendly, then a significant portion of their searchers don’t have a great experience. This is much like … going HTTPS. Though they might not technically be ranking factors, they do affect user experience which is very much a ranking factor.” – Chris Hornak, Owner of Blog Hands

3. Responsiveness Is Essential, Not Optional

From embedded videos to surveys and the use of flexible grids and CSS media queries, web sites that respond to user’s behavior will be ranked much higher than those that are made according to a template or the designer’s “vision” alone.

“If you haven’t already done so, create a responsive design website, implement structured data in your mobile version, consider user experience and conversion optimization, and plan out your link building strategy.” – Sam Alexander, SEO Strategist from CThru Media

4. Mobile-First Means Mobile-First SEO Too!

So, you’ve optimized your website for search engines. Your meta descriptions, heading tags and alt tags are in place. You’re good to go, right? Think again. Mobile pages will soon be indexed separately from desktop pages, so make sure your SEO plan includes a mobile-friendly user agent to tell you if your URLS and other elements line up from mobile to desktop.

“Even though Google announced that the mobile-first index is months away, mobile pages are being indexed separately from desktop. To make sure your SEO features exist across platforms, make sure you crawl your site with both a desktop and mobile user agent. I think the most important is Googlebot Mobile since Google owns the majority of the search market share, even though most crawlers give you the option to crawl with Bingbot Mobile too.” – Austin Bay, Independent SEO Consultant

5. Beware of Pop-Up Penalties

Pop-ups on desktop are annoying, for sure, but often effective. Neil Patel himself, SEO guru and founder of HelloBar, uses them on his site. But you know where you won’t find them? On his mobile site. He has videos and strong CTA buttons but no pop-ups. If Neil Patel’s not doing it, I wouldn’t do it either.

“One big tip, do not use pop-ups on mobile versions. Pop-ups that cover the majority of a mobile screen immediately after a user lands on a page can earn a google penalty.” – Bradley Shaw, SEO Expert Brand Inc.

One of the first things we do with every client is ensure they have a quality site that is optimized for every device and every customer that wants to find them online. The cost of not having a mobile friendly site, in 2017, is just too high. This is true whether you are a roof repairman or an e-learning development company.

No matter how tech savvy your customers are, getting on board with the mobile first index will protect your bottom line. As a web design company, we take pride in both expert branding and expert optimization that keeps our clients up to speed in today’s digital marketplace.

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thepromometrovista-blog · 7 years

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5 Tips for Creating a Brand Logo

A company’s first brand logo design is hardly ever its last. The progression of design is reliant upon skepticism. Frustrating? Of course. Rewarding? Ultimately, yes.

Designing a logo is as daunting as writing a cover letter for a new job. The only difference is that instead of having an entire page to describe yourself, you have one image to capture who you are as an entire company.

A brand logo not only has to properly speak for who your company is, but what your company does for your consumers. This can be done with strategy and a bit of psychology. Color combinations and images that invoke human emotion can help sell your brand through your customer’s senses.

You should not be able to separate your logo from your brand. They are one in the same and cannot exist without the other.

How can you make sure your brand logo is fulfilling its strategic purpose and its emotional purpose?

Here are 5 things to keep in mind when designing a brand logo:

1. Know your purpose and your audience’s purpose.

Why was your company created? Your logo should spark your consumer’s interests and therefore their desire to buy into your brand. Your consumers need to see themselves in your logo because they understand your purpose.

A brand logo should communicate your brand in the same way words do. With that said, everyone interrupts words differently. How can you make sure people are “reading” your logo correctly? By offering a clear stance on your services.

Consider The Swag logo. The Swag is a company that makes reusable containers for produce that are not only natural but extend the freshness of groceries. The font of the logo is inviting and simple, much like natural products are designed to be. The illustrated vegetables suggest the purpose of the Swag bag being for those who live a healthy lifestyle, those who grocery shop, and those who cook.

The Paint Manager, a residential painting company, created their logo to be reminiscent of a professional painter’s pallet. The multi-colors of the pallet are easily identifiable with The Paint Manager’s painting services and creative liberties.

2. Know who you’re designing for.

Who benefits from your brand? Who is your demographic? When you know who you want to react most predominantly, design a logo for their senses. Just like any other type of content creation you need your consumer to experience your purpose through emotional response. Your logo should not do any less.

Disney does this with the Cinderella castle outlined behind the text. The fantasy of the castle evokes childlike happiness, imagination, and fond memories of Disney in every capacity. Nike’s whole logo is shaped like a feeling, like an experience. Nike’s logo elicits the “swoosh” factor of speed and athleticism.

Physicians Weight Loss’s logo represents the feeling of meeting the goal of their business and their patients. They execute this by having an indistinguishable person, making it clear that their patients can be either men or women, as the main figure. However, around the figure’s white silhouette is a wider green silhouette. This shows the progress of weight loss to a happier self as indicated by the victorious up-reach of the arms. The green in the logo represents growth in their journey partnered with Physicians Weight Loss.

Tostitos uses their brand logo to suggest what their consumers should use their products for- enjoying life with food and company. The two T’s in their name resemble two people sharing a Tostito chip and salsa together. Tostitos successfully appeals to many audiences feeling of social interaction and fun- there aren’t that many people who don’t want to enjoy good food and good people!

3. Know your industry but be different.

Logos should always represent a direct correlation to your brand and your industry. In addition to your industry as a whole, a brand logo needs to serve as a contextual association between your company and what you offer to your consumers.

Consider Target’s famous bullseye logo. Not only is it recognizable without any supporting text, the bullseye represents how Target is different from other competing stores like Walmart and Kmart. The bullseye, like playing darts, suggests to their customers that no matter what they are looking for, Target is your bullseye destination. No matter what you need, you’ll hit the bullseye and find it at Target.

Target’s customers can associate Target’s bullseye with all their needs being met. I buy it.

Amazon presents a similar idea. Amazon’s logo is an arrow reaching from the ‘a’ to the ‘z’ of their name. Consumers naturally associate the arching arrow with a smile. While this is an appropriate interpretation, the stretch length of the arrow is just as important. Having it reach from the ‘a’ to the ‘z’ is supposed to suggest that consumers will find “everything from a to z” on Amazon.

4. Know simplicity is adaptive.

Logos, as a part of your branding, need to be easily adaptable to fit any product, image, or content your company produces. With that said, simplicity should be the foundation of designing a brand logo.

Norah by Earth, a naturally-derived shampoo for dogs with skin irritations, chose a very simple design for their product line. They created their formula for a Golden Retriever suffering from unrelenting hot spots. They used the silhouette of the Golden Retriever to tell their story of origin wrapped in a leaf that represents their philosophy of natural ingredients. The logo is small and simple enough to be placed on their bottles, branded images, and other merchandise. The image is also compact due to the genius use of the negative space created in the leaf. Simple, small, and effective.

5. Know how to stand the test of time.

A good brand logo is timeless. Successful logos like Coco-Cola and Mercedes both have changed very little over the past 100 years. Not only does a classic logo design defy the lifespan of expiring trends, it creates a familiarity with your company. Familiarity, as you know, evolves into brand trust. Brand trust is the foundation of customer loyalty. Without customer loyalty, your company doesn’t have a reliable source of continued prosperity.

Think to yourself:

Does your logo tell the story of who you are and what you represent?

Does your logo elicit an emotional response from your targeted consumer?

Does your logo stand apart from others in your industry?

Does logo transcend evolving generations?

If you answered “no” to any of those questions consider our graphic design services. Our designers know how to make any brand come alive!

Helping you create your identity is what we do. You have the company, let us help you brand it!

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thepromometrovista-blog · 7 years

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Socializing Your Company: Social Media B2C Marketing Strategies for 2017

If you’re lucky enough to run a Business to Consumer (B2C) Company, you’re lucky enough to develop personalized social media B2C marketing strategies. Daunting? A little.

But does this allow for creative expression? Absolutely.

Social media B2C marketing strategies are your company’s legitimate excuse to execute your creative vices. Unlike B2B marketing, where you have to align your language to industry expectations, B2C marketing allows you to speak directly to your customer.

Social media was designed to showcase the personality behind a brand– the “who” behind your business. It is the only marketing avenue that is designed by your consumers, for your consumers and for their interests. Use it to find the customers that share yours!

Once you have found the social media platform that works best for your niche, you can conquer your market online.

Not sure where to start? The chart below, from AddThis.com, breaks down the strengths of each platform pretty well.

No matter your platform of choice, it is your social media manager’s job to ensure engagement that will not only prompt interest but relay the “who” of your company.

How do they achieve this goal? We reached out to 11 industry experts for their social media B2C marketing strategies. Here is what they had to say:

1. Put content first.

Thomas Jelneck, President and CEO of

On Target Web Solutions, Inc.

“Very important consideration: you have to pay to play. If a business is particularly visual, I’d probably gravitate toward investing more money and time on Instagram. Attractive photos and useful and engaging hashtags can help increase visibility on individual posts for Instagram.

The greatest success that we have seen is content creation. Infographics and videos offer compelling content. A well thought out editorial calendar and content plan can help yield leads over time.”

For example: Physicians Weight Loss has to make their content stand out on social media. By using similar fonts and colors, they make their images brand-unified. Each image is also careful designed to represent healthy living, the realization of weight loss goals and messages of inspiration.

2. Show off what your company is doing.

Zac Halloran, Founder of

Twill

“We always put being authentic first. You have to connect with your customers and readers, so be real – just like they are.

For Twill, where every product purchased, another is given to a local friend in need, we thrive on authentic content. Our content on Instagram and Snapchat shows our live drop-offs of blankets to local organizations in our community, so customers really see how they are helping give back.”

3. Make your customers want to buy your product.

Marvin Beckmann, Social Marketing Expert

Which platform is best for conversions? Instagram? Twitter? Facebook? According to Beckmann, the answer to this question depends entirely on your target consumer.

“Generally speaking, Facebook Ads is still the way to go for B2B. By gathering Pixel data with Facebook ads you can also reach People more effective on Instagram with your ads.

[For B2C] by using influencer marketing strategies, conversions will rise. A recommendation from another human being (maybe even one we admire) has a higher priority for the human brain than a normal picture ad. These type of ads work well on Instagram and Snapchat for the B2C market if presented in a natural and personal environment, but if done right can also work well for companies.”

For example: Dollar Shave Club reached out to YouTuber Matt Stonie, who has over 2 Million subscribers to his channel, talk about their product in the beginning of his “50 Donut Challenge” video.

4. Invite your customer in on your business.

Albizu Garcia, CEO and Co-Founder of

GAIN

“Co-creation is not about trying to come up with the cleverest marketing tactic. It’s about your brand and your customers creating value together. For example, collaborating with your fans during your creative process, or product ideation phase, is an excellent way to reduce risk when bringing new ideas to market.”

By now we have all seen Lay’s million dollar “Do Us a Flavor” contest. Not only do these semi-regular competitions promote interaction directly from customers. They give even more customers the opportunity to voice their opinions by buying and reviewing a flavor.

Engage with customers long before you launch a new product or service. These collaborative marketing tactics are great fuel for meaningful interactions with the people who matter most – your consumers.

5. Get followers by creating conversations.

Matt Hensler, Founder of Hensler

Integrated Marketing

“Social media is a great starting point for consumers to be acknowledged, but it is always best for businesses to take customer questions or concerns to a private conversation – whether that is a direct message, email or phone call. Twitter is a great customer service tool, especially for larger brands that have constant needs for customer interactions… Engagement is the #1 technique to convert their followers.”

Norah by Earth is a specialized dog shampoo that uses Twitter to reach out to other dog lovers: rescues, therapy dogs, and even international dogs. By commenting on other users’ posts, Norah by Earth creates a stronger presence online, and their customers take notice!

6. Build an interactive community.

Michael Johnston, Group Sales and Strategy Manager from

Schrole Group

“We use social media for increasing the amount of teaching candidates that go through our system to our schools.

We did this by creating an open community for teachers to reach out to each other. Through research you we were told that most international teachers teaching around the world felt isolated….so we created a community on Facebook that they could then use. It is helpful to us because it gives us a pretty large distribution when we do need to market to teachers.

Also it allows us to slowly help our teachers learn about the new ways that recruitment can work, we can show them that they do not have to pay massive recruitment fees, attend job fairs, etc.”

7. Create an RSVP event.

Sarah Nelson, Senior Account Manager from

StayListed

“Hosting events are the quickest way to convert clients from social media.

Events can be really simple. For example; a pet market would create a Facebook event titled “Celebrate Your Best Furrriend”, “National Cat Day”, “Doggie Nutrition Extravaganza”. They would notate small discounts in the event… 5% off dog food, etc. And promote the event by sharing it, tweeting it, etc.

There are a couple reasons why this method works. • Events share easily across social media. If someone shows interest in an event, it gets posted to their wall and seen by others. They also come up on friends, and friends of friends, event feeds. The person who showed interest doesn’t need to manually share anything. • People actually do want to share events. No one wants to go to an event on their own. Even if it’s something as simple as going to a store to take advantage of a sale.”

8. Take customers behind the scenes.

Slisha Kankariya, Coufounder of

Four Mine

“We use social media to provide behind the scenes looks at how our jewelry is crafted, how our company is growing and sneak peeks into how our company is growing and adding more products. This enables a customer to feel connected to the company on a more personal level, and connect on a personal level beyond what the traditional marketing can do. It also helps real people on our team connect with real customers.”

9. Turn incentives into subscriptions.

Vanessa Penagos- Pino, Director of Content and Inbound Marketing for

1800PetMeds

“Drive traffic to a dedicated landing page offering a discount or option to sign up and win something can help in gaining leads from these channels. Doing so also allows marketers to capture additional information about their prospects and most importantly, market to these leads later on.”

For example: Daniel’s Lawn Service used shareable content (i.e. cute puppy photo) and paired that content with a clear incentive. They found a cute way to offer their customers a discount for leaving a review.

10. Repurpose reviews as content.

Victor Clarke, owner of

Clarke, Inc.

“If you have a good testimonial from a customer, put the video on Facebook. Get online testimonials on your Twitter page because they are likely to be one of the things prospects who are checking you out will find. Instead of telling people how great your business is, let your customers do it.” For example: La Carraia Gelato, an Italian company opening their first location in the U.S., shared their positive Italian reviews on their Orlando Facebook page. Now, every new follower will know how highly their gelato is rated by their Italian customers.

11. Reach your demographic through video.

Howie Zisser, Digital Marketing Associate from

Matchnode

“The best B2C technique is using paid social promotion for videos. Videos help the consumer connect to the brand and help them form an identity and relationship with the brand. Videos can be used to create Facebook Custom Audiences based on those who watched 75%+ of the video. Then using that audience, you can retarget those people with additional information and value.”

For example:

Purina partnered with Buzzfeed to promote healthy dieting and taking on the responsibilities of having a dog. Their video does two things: 1. It promotes their product. 2. It helps them reinforce the way they define their brand – a company that loves dogs and promotes their proper care.

Bottom line?

When developing your social B2C social media marketing strategies for 2017, make sure the “who” of your company is consistently and accurately represented. Also, whenever possible, involve your customers in the content, the reviews and in the incentives you offer. Get your customers involved and you will see your engagement and your conversion numbers rise!

Remember, what you say is who you are. Get socializing! Or, contact us if you need help. We are an expert web design company that also offers direct mail printing, graphic design and custom banners and signs!

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thepromometrovista-blog · 7 years

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Get Found Online

7 Small Business Website Tips for 2017

Designing a bad website can be like showing up to a first date with spinach in your teeth. From outside you seemed to have such potential, and then you opened your mouth and immediately turned off a potential suitor.

Instead of turning away potential customers, design your website to invite them in, enticing them with colorful content and helping them buy your goods or services with ease.

Here is a list of tips on how to create a website that will not only attract clients and customers, but will help you interact with them in the long haul.

1. Choose Your Domain Name Wisely.

Pick a name, any name. Actually, just pick your business’s name. This one may seem obvious but when selecting a domain name, avoid opting for a name that is too cute or clever Instead, choose a domain that is just that- obvious. For example, if you are a dog trainer, floridadogtrainer.com is MUCH better than pawfectorder.com.

While the 2nd is cute for a blog post, it will leave searchers confused when looking for a trainer online. Confusion=lost sales.

Having your service in your domain name also carries an SEO benefit. Google ranks sites higher in search when the domain matches the search terms your customers are using. Want to make more money and close more sales? Make your domain name clear. Also, buy several variations of your domain name – in case someone else already tries to purchase it, or your server company goes out of business.

2. Tell us about yourself!

Don’t hide behind your computer screen. Instead, include an “About Us” or “Meet the Company page feels personal. This is called the KLT principle – when people know, like and trust you, they are way more likely to do business with you! This is especially true with industries like medicine, real estate or finance, when you have a direct impact on the livelihood of your clients.

How do you help people trust you as soon as the click on your site? Include headshots and bios that name your accomplishments, credentials and testimonials. Also, be sure to include this information “above the fold” which means the customer can see all of this information without scrolling their mouse. Putting faces to your company adds credibility, comfort, and most importantly trust for you customers.

Look how Ms. Wonderful Hair’s site uses the KLT Principle to sell their quality beauty products. Seeing is truly believing with this site! And believe it or not, the company founder is featured dead center of this “above-the-fold” personable product display.

Also on their “About Us” page, Ms. Wonderful Hair went one step further by creating a video that invites customers to take a sneak peek on the photo shoot, in which real women try on Ms. Wonderful Hair’s products. The best part is that videos don’t have to be professionally done to create this effect. In fact, sometimes a simple iPhone video performs better, as it makes you more relatable to your target prospects.

This is something that can help gain you an edge over your competitors. A customer that can find personality within a company is more likely to choose them over their competitor.

3. Publish content that attracts your audience:

There should always be more than just the able bones of your website. Give it some fluff with content like social media posts or blog posts. Not only can these posts showcase your and your company’s personality; they also open the door for conversation between you and your audience.

Social media and blogs welcome comments from their readers. You can engage and converse with your customers or potential customers easily through this medium. This establishes a comradery between your business and the people interested in it. Additionally, great content attracts viewers! In facts, 56% of marketers say that “personalized content [for your audience] promotes higher engagement”. People will click on your site (giving it high SEO ranking) and share your posts (links back to your website).

This blog page for Ribshack Foods offers seasonal recipe guides and insider BBQ tips from the experts. This kind of content will get your company noticed. Want to take the effect even further? Share that content in different ways across different social media channels.

4. Repeat, Repeat, repeat!

Repetition makes your brand easily recognizable. Stamp your logo on things that are easy for internet searches to recognize. Blog posts, social media posts, different locations through your website’s pages. In addition to your logo, find color schemes and fonts that are somewhat similar to one another for social posts.

By doing this you’re creating a familiar image for potential customers. Without this kind of consistency, your viewers will be left with the same view of your company as a whole- inconsistent and sloppy.

Repetition also comes in your schedule of posting content. Be consistent. Every Wednesday? Every two days? Hubspot states that 75% of traffic on blog posts come from older blogs. These blogs are considered evergreen content. That means they will likely always be relevant; think tips, guides, how-to, etc. The most traffic from blog posting is considered to be with 16 blogs a month.

For a smaller business, that is a bit much. Post at least one a week consistently is key because sooner or later, someone will refer to an old post and give you some new traffic.

5. Please make your websites purpose known and easy to navigate.

Make sure you tell your potential customer directly on your site why it’s your services they are in need of (I’m talking as soon as they land on your site.) Using a concise and direct explanation of your products or services will clear any misunderstandings potential clients have of your business’s purpose.

Use a design that is simple for any user to guide through. Include menus at the top of your site explicitly stating what a site visitor will find there (about us, products, services, shopping cart, specials, etc.).

If you offer something that involves e-commerce, include easy access to your online shopping cart and checkout directed right on your website. You need something like CubeCart. CubeCart not only sets up your ability to sell online, it also gives you reporting on sales, item views, and even an option for accounting.

This will cut out confusion for your customer and for your own records. Cutting out confusion will almost always guarantee business.

6. Use strong calls-to-action.

Use your buttons or calls-to-action to entice readers by being the solution to their problem. Good CTA examples include: “Publish Better Content Today” or “Start Selling” or “Claim Your Free Report”.

These are much stronger and effective calls-to-action (CTAs) than phrases like “Learn More” or “Call Us.” Focus on how the visitor will benefit from your offer, and make that direct benefit your CTA. Additionally, noting limited time offers, deals, and sales also encourages clicks to your page.

Grey Goose Vodka used their call to action “Discover a cocktail tailored to your taste”. This is a great example of enticing a potential customer into trying their product; peaking their interest by making it personal to their interests.

7. Do what you know and love.

This last step is for the business owners that don’t have the time, patience, or desire to put together a site and its contents, which is completely understandable! In fact, the reason you’re a small business owner is because you’re passionate enough about something to do it for a living.

You shouldn’t have to worry about marketing it online. With that said, if you are not interested in running your website but also recognize its importance, consider hiring a digital marketing manager like Metrovista.

We are a web design company that can also run your SEO, social media campaigns, fill in your content, and ensure your business is gaining as much online traffic as it deserves. So go ahead, get back to your job while we expand it online.

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