Small businesses make the UK economy tick. Smaller businesses do need to look at things slightly differently when tackling business web design. That’s why this week we are dedicating our time to you, all of you smaller businesses out there, and giving you some bespoke guidance on website design So there’s no reason why you can’t be small and think big!
3. Small businesses make the UK economy tick. Smaller
businesses do need to look at things slightly
differently when tackling business web design. That’s
why this week we are dedicating our time to you, all
of you smaller businesses out there, and giving you
some bespoke guidance on website design So there’s
no reason why you can’t be small and think big!
4. Simplicity has far greater reach
than complexity
Sometimes the simpler the format, the easier the
formats the more user friendly the end result is. If either
you as a business, or your intended customer groups are
new to using web based services, then keeping it simple
– both visually and functionally – can really help. Why
make a process take 5 clicks of the mouse, when you can
do it in 2! Why have complex photograph slideshows or
Flash pop ups that can slow a site down in key
areas, when a clean simple design can make it easier
and simpler. It’s worth starting with simple concepts and
growing them slowly as your company and site hits
grow, rather than jumping straight in with complex
ideals.
5. Small is not invisible; it’s intimate
You may think that being a small business means
you lack visibility in comparison to the bigger
players out there. There may be some truth in the
fact that those bigger companies will have a wider
reach and established customer base, but you too
have a distinct advantage. Being a smaller business
can mean a more intimate and personalised
relationship with your customer. A more bespoke
approach that keeps your customers at the heart.
That is a real selling point that you can promote on
your site itself as well as through it’s processes and
functions e.g. using blog space or customer
feedback techniques.
6. Be penny wise and pound conscious
You’re a small business, so you really should not be
spending a disproportionate amount of your
marketing budget on big and complex website
projects. There are plenty of excellent cheap
website design options out there that do not
compromise on quality. So take the time to
understand what you need and what your planned
expenditure is. Remember, the nature of web
development means you can constantly change
and update your site as and when your business
needs it.
7. Learn from the big-guns
One of the key benefits of being a younger or
smaller business, is that many bigger players in the
sector will have already made the mistakes or
great moves that you can learn from. Do take the
time to check out your bigger competitors and see
what they offer through their sites. What works
well? What fails miserably? And research what
their customers feedback on their web processes
via customer endorsement sites. You can always
hone and adapt the positives to suit your site and
your business accordingly, but also you can avoid
the traps they fell in to.