If you have a business you know that you need to know your stuff, right? Well, have you ever run across something and it's just all wrong?
Alright, I'll just be blunt. I design websites. I did not go to school for it (dropped my computer programming class after two weeks), do not claim to be a master web designer, but I enjoy doing it. I taught myself and continue to teach myself new things. There are days I come across websites and I'm like, "Really?! Are you kidding me? Are you really trying to sell products from this?"
My first reaction is to look at the bottom of the site and see who designed it. If there is nothing there, I go and look at the code. Why? Because I'm nosy!
One thing I have learned is to look at websites from a designer's point of view and the consumer's point of view. So I look at many small business sites to see how they are built and if they are user friendly. The easier they are to navigate, the longer a customer will stay on the site.
One of the first boutique sites I redesigned in awful shape. My client had been charged over $1000 for a site that took up to four mouse clicks to actually get to the products. When I first looked at it I thought that if I were a customer after 2 clicks I'd be done. If I can't get to the products right away, then forget it.
Today, I go to a website that belongs to a local mom and it's a very basic site (nothing wrong with that). But it hardly gives any information about who they are, how they got started. There are only a few products that you cannot enlarge and I know they make a lot more than that. I just felt bad because I was telling another friend about the products they made and they weren't even offered in the store.
I had to stop myself and ask if it was my ego or am I just being an objective consumer? I believe it's the latter because I want all moms to succeed in what they do. I guess when I see a part of their business (something I am good at) is not very good, I feel bad. So what to do?
Nothing...really. The fact I am faced with is that I hardly know this mom. I cannot very well go up and offer design services without really explaining why, "Uhh...your site needs some work..call me." Nope. Don't think so. Hopefully someone else will ask about products in the store or where to find more information.
When you start a business, any business, you need to think about presentation from every angle. Although you may be selling the best products in the world, if they are presented poorly it won't matter. Ask people about how it looks to them and be willing to listen to their critiques. If you like what they have to say, great. If not, then don't worry about it. Just be willing to see it from another point of view.
