escalator design fail

4 Simple Web Design Techniques for Better Lead Generation

Roses are FF1919, violets are 1C86EE, Futura is a controversial font choice but Comic Sans is just wrong.

But seriously, why is great web design still such a big deal and how does it translate into better sales results?

Great Design Knows the Visitor Already

Even if you’re a new business you will have some sense of your ideal customer. So make sure you do your research and form an accurate, detailed picture of the customer by answering questions like:

  • What do they do on a typical day?
  • What are their biggest challenges/pain points?
  • What information do they use to make a purchasing decision and how is the decision made?

Knowing your visitor means knowing what to put on the page. If your customer can’t approve the purchase themselves, for example, then you need cater for their information needs and those of the boss.

Great Design Knows a Mix of Content is Best

 

A website needs a compelling proposition, a good story. This very rarely (read almost never) happens via large blocks of text. A website must cater to readers and scanners, but prioritise scanners because they are the large majority of site visitors.

Scanners will pause on page where there is a break in text, this happens with:

●     Links

●     Images

●     Videos

●     Infographic/Stats

●     Downloads

 

 

 

 

confusing floor tiles

 

So if you want them to take away one or two key points, use something other than text to convey that point. Think about what gets people’s attention and weave that into your compelling (product) story.

Great Design Knows That People Do Business with People

 

Seems sensible right? So many websites forget this by:

 

●     Using 100% obvious stock imagery

●     Not having a clear way to contact a real person

 

tree in front of garage door

Everyone on the web has a mobile phone, and all phones have a camera function. Take photos of your team, your work environment, your city, take photos of real things that will connect your customers to you.

There are some amazing news tool out there for automating Q&A, service issues and lead generation but you must still provide an opportunity to talk with a real person.

Prioritise other contact methods on your website if you need to, but make sure they can talk to a real person when they need to. Even just having the option makes converting a visitor into lead more likely.

Great Design Keeps Asking, “So What?”

So now that we’re clear that on your website you need to:

  • Know your ideal customer
  • Use a mix of interactive content to reach them
  • Emphasise connection on a human level

You must still give them a clear reason and a method to take the next step.

 

The all important call to action needs your consideration. They’ve read down the page, maybe they’ve even clicked on a link or two, but they have not moved into the lead category.  

drawer design fail

Compelling (product) stories should lead to good business opportunity and a well-designed website should help you do that.

Right when they are about to ask, “so what?” give them something good in return. Insight they can’t get elsewhere, a stat they’ve never seen before, a report they didn’t have to do themselves.

Avoid Design Fail

Avoiding #designfail with these 4 important techniques is really about applying common sense when designing your website, because lost business is no laughing matter.