FACT: Your web site appearance can make you
thousands of dollars OR it can kill your business - DEAD!
Why is it so crucial? Given a choice of restaurant, which
one would you enter? The one with the entrance under
construction, the bizarre color scheme and the hand
written menu? Or the one with an immaculately dressed
host standing in the doorway welcoming you to a table
where even the color of the menu coordinates with the
rest of the decor which is, well, just right?
Lesson: the first impression has tremendous IMPACT on
how visitors to your site perceive it from there on. The
exit is only a click away for the unimpressed!
Take a minute to review my story and see if it rings a bell
with you. Above all, learn a VERY important lesson:
I started on the internet about a year ago full of
enthusiasm to get my first web site up and running. I
dabbled with FrontPage. The first results were
encouraging - so I thought. Then I started noticing other
web sites out there - professional ones. Hmmm. Now I
was not quite so content. Compared to some other sites I
saw, the whole thing began to look rather 'amateurish'.
After countless frustrating hours fiddling with various
programs, kicking the computer and feeling more and
more frustrated, my site still looked like the work of a
greenhorn!
I liked the color scheme of black, red and orange for
some reason. After a couple of months some thoughtful
person who had visited my site sent a brief message:
"Sorry to say, I could hardly read a word on your site!
Your body text is orange, one of the worst choices you
can make!" I was shocked. The page looked so nice in
my Internet Explorer window. So orange was a big
mistake! Time for a redesign.
OK. Off we go again. I changed the colors to red and grey
with the body text in a dark grey. Very smart I thought.
After hours and hours laying out many pages and
formatting the paragraphs I was well pleased with the
results. I came across a copy of Netscape's browser and
decided to install it to see how my site looked to a large
chunk of the internet community who did not use Internet
Explorer. HORROR! What a mess! The page that looked
good in IE4 was totally disjointed in Netscape. The
paragraphs were all uneven and the tables didn't even line
up. Picasso would have been proud!
My dissatisfaction was growing. On top of that, I read a
comment from a savvy internet entrepreneur who said
there was only one design program he was aware of
which delivered clean html code which looked good in all
browsers. Which one? Dreamweaver from Macromedia.
Gulp! You mean I had spent the last four months
sweating with FrontPage only to be told that the design
program of choice is a different one? Could I stomach
another sharp and tedious learning curve?
Around this time I received an interesting offer from a guy
named Micah Cranman. He owns a web design firm, Sybren
Design and is also a subscriber to my ezine
The High Achievers Journal. He had taken a look at my site
and suggested a total reorganization. I was skeptical. After
all, I had given birth to this thing, we were bonded, it was
mine! Anyway, his offer sounded good so I accepted.
After a couple of weeks the new site was ready for my
first appraisal. With great curiosity I opened it up.
First impression? Nice!
The colors of blue and grey were just right for
complementing the site theme of goal achievement and
personal development. Serious and business-like - that's
the effect I wanted.
The menu system and categorization were brilliant. It
made navigation so easy and piqued a visitor's interest to
investigate further from any page. Instead of the previous
mish mash of doorway pages, ads and serious articles
mixed into an undefinable soup, there was now purpose
and order to the site.
Now began an intensive period of communication with
Micah as we worked together on the small details. His
input was invaluable.
Out went some 'cheesy' looking bullet graphics to be
replaced by plain but professional list items.
The body text color was changed to black.
A small paragraph introduction was added to the top of
each category section.
The color and formatting of the hyperlinks and article
boxes was fine tuned.
At the end of the day do I miss my very own do it yourself
web site? Quite honestly NO. I now have a professional
web site I am pleased with and one which is now set up to
accomplish my business goals.
Have I got any results to boast about yet? Yes. My
visitors' behavior has changed radically. The tracking
records show visitors are now hitting an average of 4
pages per visit as opposed to 1 before. The navigation
system with categories has made sure of that.
If you've got a minute, just take a look for yourself and
make your own appraisal.
http://www.vitalstop.com/index.htm.
What is my recommendation? Do it yourself web site
design is good to a point. It may satisfy your desire to
get under the hood and tinker with the engine. It can give
you a working knowledge so you can fine tune things
later. But quite honestly you can save yourself days and
weeks of sweat, frustration and grief. It took me about six
months to learn this lesson. You can learn it in five
minutes from reading this article.
THE LESSON: If you want to get a professional web site
up and running quickly which will be a spring board for
your business, do yourself a favor - Get the help of a web
site designer and GET SERIOUS!
ADDENDUM
99% of responses to this article so far related to the
experience and agreed with the conclusion.
One reader however related her nightmare experience after
employing a so-called professional web site designer. In her
own words, "The design that was presented to me looked like
the work of a 5 year old." She is now attempting to get her
money back.
If you decide to use a professional web site design service,
check it out first!
About the Author
Mike's web site at VitalStop.com is a great information
resource for Internet Business, Communication Skills,
Computer Proficiency, Creative Thinking, Goal Achievement,
Image Building, Power Vocabulary, Speed Learning and Time
Management. Receive a monthly notice of new content by
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