_edited.png)
Small business owners have it rough! We begin a business with little to no money, no real knowledge of marketing, and not enough money to hire help. This can cause many small business owners to panic or have them ready to give up. Being the CEO, product maker, website builder, etc. can be a huge workload. Websites typically can present the biggest challenge a small business owner can face. Some have never built a site before, and others aren’t sure of what to include on their site.
Your website is where your customer will land to purchase your product or gather more information on your brand. Information can include who the owner is, what you’re selling, what does it do and how does it work. This is vital information for someone who will become a potential customer. But how do you know what information to provide them with if you’re just starting out?
It’s not as complicated as you may believe!
3 things that every small business needs on its site:
#1: A Blog
More recently, I was searching Instagram for a small business that created press on nails, I discovered a small business that created beautiful nails. After finding the item I wanted to purchase, they asked for your nail size. I had no idea our nails could be labeled under sizes so I went look for a blog post or size chart with how to obtain that information. Unfortunately, I had to leave her site to find how to measure my nail size.
This is a great example of providing information for your customer, so they never think of leaving your site for even a second.
Creating a blog for your small business is a great addition to your website. A blog on your site provides your customers with answers, so they don’t seek anyone else to answer their questions. You can provide your customer with information about your product/service, the benefits of using/having your product, etc.
#2: High Quality Images
Starting out, small business owners barely have any money to play around with so buying a high-priced camera for the best pictures isn’t always in the budget. Some people may believe this is a setback but that is far from the case.
We live in times where our own phones have just as much capability as some of these higher-priced cameras. But how do we utilize them to capture the best pictures for our product?
It all boils down to lighting, angles, and experimenting!
Knowing how to use natural lighting or even a ring light in your favor can truly produce magic. You may have to try a photo from every direction possible to see which way to make the light catch your product on its “good side.”
If you are struggling with finding ways to get the best photos, don’t be afraid to experiment with different camera settings to see what works best for your camera.
We live in times where our own phones have just as much capability as some of these higher-priced cameras. But how do we use them to take the best pictures for our product?
It all boils down to lighting, angles and experimenting!
Knowing how to use natural lighting or even a ring light in your favor can truly produce magic. You may have to try a photo from every direction possible to see which way to make the light catch your product on its “good side”.
If you are struggling with finding ways to get the best photos, don’t be afraid to experiment with different camera settings to see what works best for your camera.
#3: Contact/Customer Service
One way to provide great customer service and receive raving reviews is to provide your customer with an easy way to contact you. I know! It sounds like something we should all know but many small business owners miss this part.
Your customer comes to your website to obtain information or refers to your FAQ’s but is still left without an answer, that’s when a contact form comes in handy. Creating a contact form for your website builds a bridge from your customer to you!
They now have a direct way to contact you when they need information that has yet to be provided to them.
The key to a contact form is to put that question on a priority list! What do I mean by this? Make sure you give the customer contacting you a time frame of when they should hear back from you. So, having a message that says “I’ll respond in 24 hours” takes away the mystery of when they will receive an answer.
The number one rule to a contact form is to respond by or before the time frame given to your customer. After all, outstanding customer service is what will bring them back for more!
#4: An About Me Page
An about me page is another vital way to bridge the gap from a business owner and their customer. When someone is coming to your website for the first time the only thing they are aware of is what you’re selling.
However by the time they leave your website they should have learned who you are, what your business is, and why you’ve created this business.
This is a great start to creating an about me page on your site. Inform the customer of your knowledge on the field your product/service falls under. For example, how long have you been making jewelry? These are things people are curious of when discovering a new brand.
Your about me page doesn’t have to be a full-page essay on your whole life, however, it needs to be a brief summary of your expertise and what fueled your passion to be in the business you’re in.