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B2B Website Design: 5 Tips for Success

May 2, 2016

Salespeople are a valuable asset to any company. There’s nothing quite like the face-to-face interaction and knowledge they offer. But don’t forget about your digital salesperson… your website! In fact, this is probably the first point of contact someone will have with your business. Depending on your B2B website design, this could either be helping you or hurting you! So, how do you make sure your site keeps prospects moving along the purchasing cycle?

Stay true to your brand. Everything about your brand should come through in your website. A consistent look and feel not only conveys professionalism, but it also helps build that oh-so-important trust with prospective clients. (Need some pointers? Check out our Branding 101 post.)

B2B web design
Achieving a customer-centric B2B website design. Source: The Market 8 Blog

Establish your business goals and align them with your customers’ needs. While there are many specific goals a business might have, the overall goal of any B2B website can probably be boiled down to this: converting visitors into leads. But what about that visitor’s needs? What information does he want? What problem does he have that you can solve? (Our blog post on market research has some advice on helping to better understand your buyer.)

The visual on the right (from The Market 8 Blog) shows how achieving this balance results in a customer-centric website:

Create a defined flow throughout your website. The design and navigation of your site should ultimately lead visitors to a certain action (based on your goals). We like to lay out a foundational wireframe first–it’s kind of like a road map to determine the best flow before actually building the pages.

Clear calls-to-action are also really helpful in moving prospects along the purchasing cycle, which can be a lengthy one in the B2B world. This could be anything from signing up for an e-newsletter, downloading a high-value piece of content (in exchange for contact info), or calling a salesperson. Notice how we didn’t mention the word “buy” there? That’s because a B2B website isn’t necessarily about pushing a purchase right away. It’s about nurturing a relationship and providing valuable content. On that note, make sure there’s always a clear way to get in touch with a real person―whether it’s via phone, email, or live chat.

Keep it informative yet easy to understand. The buying process for B2B is much more complex than that for B2C. It can involve multiple approval stages and often some type of personal interaction with your team before a purchase is actually made. It’s also based on facts rather than emotion, so make sure you’re providing plenty of useful information on your website. Charts, videos, blogs, and other visual presentations can help translate technical jargon into an easier-to-digest format. Remember, it’s still a human being on the other side of that screen! Use the same language your customer would use to describe his needs. (Again, this is where some market research might come in handy.)

Responsive Web Design
The Old Town T-Shirts website adapts to a mobile device with a user-friendly, expandable navigation menu. (Website design by Prairie Magic Design)

Be responsive. If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you’re probably familiar with the term responsive web design. In fact, you might be tired of hearing it. But these days it’s hard to get by without having a website that’s optimally displayed on any platform/device. According to a recent Google survey, 42% of B2B researchers are using mobile devices during the  purchasing process! So make sure your site is built to adapt and respond whether it’s viewed on a desktop computer, tablet, or Smartphone.

That’s one reason why we like to use WordPress for all our web designs, including B2B. Most of their themes are automatically mobile-friendly. In particular, the Genesis Framework from StudioPress is our go-to theme.

Got questions about B2B website design? We’re happy to help! Otherwise, stay tuned for our next blog post when we’ll shift gears and talk B2C web design.

Filed Under: Blog, Digital Design, Websites Tagged With: B2B web design, B2B website, Medium Business Websites, Small Business Websites, website design

Capture More Leads With a Customer-centric Web Design

April 18, 2016

Customer-centric Web DesignWe’re going to play a little pretend today.  Start by closing your eyes and envisioning yourself in your favorite store. What do you like most about it? The displays? The lighting? The friendly associates?

There are just certain things a brick-and-mortar store can offer to enhance the entire customer experience: attractive merchandising, a well-planned layout, and someone who’s always a few steps away just in case you have a question (even though you’re usually “just browsing” right?). All these elements―right down to those bins of irresistible goodies near the checkout counter―should ultimately lead to that ring at the cash register. (Or the swipe at the card reader, if you will.)

Now, let’s apply this scenario to our world―the digital world. More specifically, customer-centric web design. As the name suggests, it’s all about making the user experience as positive as possible, so the customer can quickly and easily find what he needs. In other words, put yourself in the customer’s shoes and look at your web design through his eyes.

To continue the store analogy, look at it this way:

  • Your homepage is like the big window display. Does it create a good first impression and draw people inside? Does it reflect your brand? Or does it appear dusty, poorly-lit, and outdated?
  • Your navigation is like a store’s layout. Does the flow make sense? Are the aisles nice and wide, or cramped and cluttered? Is there signage to help you find what you need?
  • Your FAQ page is like having a helpful salesperson right there to answer questions. Even if someone is “just browsing” through your website, chances are they’ll look for an FAQ page to see what questions have already been answered.
  • Your visuals take the place of having tangible items to see and touch in person. Poor visuals will give the perception that your products/services are sub-par. Don’t skimp on high-quality pictures or graphics!

Customer-centric Web Design Conversions

So when all of these things come together on your site, what does this mean for you? Increased potential for more leads and conversions. This could be in the form of someone signing up for your e-newsletter, calling you for a quote, or actually making a purchase. Whatever action you want someone to take, your site must guide them there in the most helpful and efficient way.

A lot of time and research goes into retail store planning and merchandising. The same applies to a customer-centric website! (And just to be clear, the most fancy website in the world can still turn people off if it’s not user-friendly.) If you think your site might need some help in this area, contact us… We’re just a phone call away.

P.S. We really are curious… what is your favorite store? From a customer’s standpoint, tell us why you enjoy the experience and how that might translate to a customer-centric web design. Share in the comments below!

Filed Under: Blog, Digital Design, Websites Tagged With: Medium Business Websites, Small Business Websites, Web trends, website design, Website trends

3 Ways to Stretch Your Marketing Dollars

April 4, 2016

Stretch Marketing BudgetMarketing budgets―especially for small businesses―can be pretty tight or even nonexistent. (We’re a small business too, so we get it!) Luckily, there are so many ways to maximize your marketing dollars. Today, we’re just going to focus on three things in particular that will help you get more bang for your buck.

 Know how to reach your prospects.
Are your target customers social media savvy?  Do they spend their time scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram?  Maybe they’re corporate professionals who use LinkedIn regularly.  Once you know who and where your prospects are, that’s where you should focus your resources and your time. (Remember, even if the social media is free, your time is not!)

Don’t neglect that all-important email list either. Your list includes people who have willingly opted in to get updates from you. It’s a captive audience―take advantage of it! Some email services, such as MailChimp, even allow you to sign up a free subscription. While there are limitations with this, it can be a good option if you’re just starting out with a small list. Don’t have an email list or need help designing your newsletters? Give us a call.

Get more mileage out of your content.
Don’t be afraid to recycle quality content across different channels. It’s not being lazy, it’s being smart! You’ll catch the people who missed it the first time around, as well as new followers you’ve gained since then. Just make sure the content is still relevant or “evergreen.” For example:

  • Give a blog post new life in a future e-newsletter. Or, use snippets from a blog post in your social media posts.
  • Re-package facts or data you’ve previously published into a visually appealing infographic that’s more likely to be shared.
  • Turn a webinar you hosted into a YouTube video. It will have a longer shelf life, plus it will likely draw new visitors to your site.
  • Don’t forget about great graphics and photos. You can even resurrect old photos to create fun “Throwback Thursday” or “Flashback Friday “posts that increase engagement.

Invest in your website.
Invest in your website
Okay, this is one area where you really can’t afford to settle. (And we’re not just saying that because we do website design.) Your online presence should be the foundation of your marketing! Think about it. Where do you go when you want to find out more about a business? Yep… their website.

That said, your site doesn’t have to have all the fancy bells and whistles to be effective. Start with the basics: a well-designed framework, SEO-friendly content, and high-quality visuals. One reason we love working with WordPress is the huge selection of templates that are customizable to each client’s needs. Bottom line? An up-front investment in a good website design will keep your valuable marketing dollars working for you down the road.

What are some things you’ve done to make the most of your marketing budget? Share in the comments below―we’d love to hear from you!

Filed Under: Blog, Marketing, Social Media, Websites Tagged With: Marketing, Online Marketing, Small Business Websites, Website

Website Enhancement Checklist: Top 10 Essentials

February 15, 2016

In the last blog post, we shared the web design trends to watch for this year (bonus points if you remember, but here’s a refresher in case you don’t). However, there’s much more to a beautiful and effective website than simply plastering it with all the shiny new trends (which, by the way, we don’t really recommend doing).

With that in mind, we wanted to put together this handy checklist for anyone considering a redesign―or a brand new site―this year. Here are PMD’s top 10 essentials for an effective, well-designed website:

  1. User-friendly ― The first half of this word says it all: it’s about the user and his experience. Try looking at your site through the lenses of a potential customer. It should be fast, functional, and easy to navigate.
  2. Readable – Piggybacking off of the user-friendly aspect, a website’s readability is oh-so-important.  In addition to well-formatted content that’s easy to scan, the colors of background and text should have good contrast. It’s a basic design principle, but one that still gets overlooked!
    Responsive Website
    Responsive website design by PMD
  3. Responsive ― Since mobile viewing has now surpassed desktop viewing, it’s more crucial than ever to have a responsive web design that offers an optimal experience across a range of devices.
  4. Simplistic ― If you overwhelm viewers with a complicated or cluttered design, they will get frustrated and leave your website. It’s as simple as that!
  5. Purposeful ― Your overall site design and every element within it should serve a purpose: to keep your message in front of the viewer and ultimately convert them into a customer with clear calls to action.
  6. Quality content ― High-quality, original content not only engages your audience, but also has far-reaching benefits including higher search engine rankings. Here’s a helpful blog from Kissmetrics about creating great content. Also, triple-check for correct spelling and grammar―or have someone else help if that’s not your strong suit.
  7. Clear contact info ― This one may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many business websites are lacking in this area! In addition to an actual Contact page, the phone number, email, etc. should also be included in the header and/or footer of your website template.
  8. Optimized ― If you want your website to show up on Google search results (and who doesn’t?) Search Engine Optimization is critical. Here’s the kicker: SEO is ideally built into your site’s infrastructure and should be taken into consideration early in the design process. (If this wasn’t the case for you, don’t worry, there’s still hope!) Check out Google’s SEO Starter Guide to learn more.
    Purposeful Website
    Purposeful website design by PMD
  9. Sharable ― Include social sharing buttons on relevant pages throughout your website to encourage people to share your products, blog posts, videos, or other interesting content. Social media can drive a large volume of traffic―and if you have a large social media reach it can even have a positive impact on your search engine rankings!
  10. Tracking analytics ― One of the most powerful tools you can have is the ability to track website statistics. We use Google Analytics and can also help connect our clients’ sites to this valuable (and free!) tool. Check out our post on finding your comfort zone with web analytics.

What do YOU  think is the most important characteristic of a great website? Share your comments below!

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Web Site Design, Websites Tagged With: Google Analytics, graphic design, Medium Business Websites, Small Business Websites, Website

Top 2016 Web Design Trends

February 1, 2016

Happy new year! We hope your 2016 has been fabulous so far. Here at PMD, we like to start every new year by researching and reviewing what’s hot in the ever-changing world of web design (because it’s fun and, well, it’s our job!). Along with a continuation of last year’s trends, here’s what you can expect to see for web design trends in 2016:

 

Customer Centric Website Design by PMD

Customer-centric design
Everyone knows that an outdated, clunky website isn’t going to give viewers a very good first impression, much less convert them into customers. On the other hand, even the most visually stunning website in the world won’t do you any favors if it’s not easy to navigate. A customer-centric web design should focus on solving your customers’ problems and enhancing their journey through your site. Personally, we’re thrilled to see customer-centric design come to the forefront! At PMD, we always strive to make our websites user-friendly for our clients’ customers as well as our clients.

 

Story Telling Visuals Website Design by PMD

 

Telling a story with visuals
High-quality photos and videos are still as important as ever in an effective web design. But we’re starting to see a transition to other dynamic visual elements that tell your business’ story:

 

 

Hand-drawn illustrations, for instance, are a welcome surprise in contrast with the Hand drawn Elements in Website Design by PMDdigitizing of the web. Illustrations engage the viewer in a more relatable way, allowing someone to picture himself in the scene more easily. Also, expect to see more cinemagraphs, which are essentially photos with movement. (Take note: these are not GIF animations. Just think of the “live photos” feature on the iPhone 6S or check out these examples from Creative Market.)

As wonderful as all these visual elements are, remember they should always serve a purpose and enhance your web design―not detract from it!

 

More emphasis on color & typography
Color and Typography in Website Design by PMD
Color and typography have always been the primary tools in branding and logo design. This year, expect to see big, beautiful typographical treatments and bold colors take center stage in web design too. We love typography! So as you might imagine, we’re pretty happy about this trend and look forward to stretching those creative boundaries.

 

Card-style interface
Pinterest or Masonry style in Website Design by PMD
Appearing everywhere from apps to websites and even printed materials, this type of Pinterest-inspired design organizes information in user-friendly cards or blocks. Along with being easy for the viewer to scan, these “content containers”  are also easy to re-arrange or stack for viewing seamlessly across devices―from desktop to mobile and responsive design. WordPress, our preferred Content Management System, has many options for card-style interfaces which we can further customize to our client’s needs.

 

Simplicity reigns supremeSimplicity in Website Design by PMD

Yes, less is still more! A clean, minimalist website that enhances the overall UX (user experience) can be one of your most effective selling tools. The less “clutter” on your site, the easier it is for your message to stand out.

 

Staying up-to-date on design trends is important, but a great website must first and foremost have a solid foundation. If you’re ready to give your site a fresh new look for 2016―or maybe even a complete overhaul from the ground up―contact us at 316-617-2109. We’re here to help.

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Digital Design, Graphic Design, Web Site Design Tagged With: Digital Design, graphic design, Medium Business Websites, Small Business Websites, Web trends, Website trends

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About Prairie Magic Design

Boutique Design Agency At Your Service

We know we're lucky to have so much talent in the Wichita area! We also know you have several options when it comes to your design services, but if you're looking for that extra-special personalized approach, the kind of attention you expect to receive for additional money, you'll get that attention — minus the higher price — from the gals at
Prairie Magic Design.

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