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In today’s world, getting found online has become a monumental task. With millions of websites and the whole world at the click of a mouse, getting found online has become a mission in itself.
The following 5 website design tips can help your professional services firm stand out from the competition and start to attract new customers. Ready, Set, Go!
#1. Looks Matter - We Judge the Book by its Cover
Have you ever landed on a website and questioned the credibility based on its look? This happens quite often. Unfortunately, when it comes to websites, we do judge a book by its cover and independently of the great content a website might offer. If the website does not look appealing or is hard to read, you are likely to have a high bounce rate, which means potential customers come and immediately GO!
When designing your website or making updates, it is important that you:
- Use vibrant images
- Utilize white space to give your audience a visual break
- Exploit some of the common expectations of users for: buttons, navigation, and linking behaviors
- Provide a comprehensive user experience
If you are unsure about how your website is performing, please feel free to reach out for a free website assessment or read our eBook 10 Tips that will Drastically Improve Your Website.
#2. A Sense of Humor Doesn’t Hurt
One of the biggest mistakes I see professional services firms make is that they talk all about business while offering little entertainment value for their customers and potential customers. Although as a professional services firm you need to project a professional image, allowing your team’s personality to shine through your blogs and product descriptions can make your content more digestible to your potential customers. A small joke, a fun image, or some cool allegories can go a long way towards giving your company that competitive edge over a sea of mundane content.
It is important to note the marketing square at this point. Your content should serve one of the following four purposes: entertain, inspire, educate, and convince. (Reference the square below by smartinsights.com)
A good balance of content can make your website more vibrant, helping you to beat your competitors in capturing potential customer attention.
#3. Make Your Content More Interactive
As a professional services company, it is very easy to get caught in the trap of talking too much about yourself and not speaking enough to your customers. Find new ways to engage potential customers with content that is different in form. Instead of just blogging, try a witty infographic, a short video explanation, an engaging email, or an interactive quiz. It is important to get your message across in different media to keep your audience interested in reading/listening/viewing your content. Otherwise you risk blending in too much with other professional services.
If you keep your focus on providing value for your potential customers - speaking to their needs, pains, and expectations - you are more likely to delight them and move them towards giving you their business. Again, here is a step where allowing your personality as a company to shine through can be helpful. Be fun, witty, sarcastic (but not too sarcastic), geeky, or inviting. Find your own voice and use different media to communicate your value. The more human and approachable you portray yourself as a company, the more likely you are to attract customers that will already feel connected to you.
#4. Social Media Helps - But it's Not All About You
I cannot overemphasize how often companies make the mistake of assuming that social media is not relevant for B2B. Social media often becomes an afterthought and something they do reluctantly and with little thought just to "keep up with the times." On the contrary, social media can be a huge asset if you are targeting your content properly.
Use social media to engage with potential customers, answer questions, and listen in on the conversations that include a problem your product may be able to solve.
Don’t just talk. Listen. Preparation is key - that way, you already know how to answer any questions potential customers may have. Be sure to have social media as an outlet not only to hear about your product from yourself but also to let others hold the microphone for your brand. Share other people’s content when it is relevant and reply to other’s comments and concerns about industry news in general. The more tuned-in you are, the more credible you come across to potential customers.
You will effectively become a thought leader by listening and providing real value versus throwing out a sales pitch at every turn.
#5. Emotions are the Center of Everything
As a professional services agency, it is very easy to get caught up on the business aspect of everything and forget that you are dealing with people who are often guided by their emotions (even in business). If you can empathize with your potential customers and meet them in their emotional headspace, you can often derive great results. If they are experiencing anger and frustration, acknowledge their feelings and describe the ways your solution will help them address these pain points and make them feel better.
In creating content, identify the emotions of your potential customers and write with that emotion at the forefront. Put yourself in their shoes and you may be able to reach a new level of understanding of how to speak to them.
Below is a YouTube video by Google that does a stupendous job at connecting with the emotional headspace! Note how this video engages you - even though it’s just an ad for Google in general
How did you feel after watching it? Did you feel a connection to the ad? Get goosebumps? This is the power of emotion. Keeping you engaged, interested, connected, and fulfilled.
Ultimately, it is very important to keep these 5 tips in mind when advertising your professional services firm. With these 5 easy tips you are sure to start making an impact on your marketing.
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