Design Tips

How Scrooge Helps Me Design Profitable Websites

From time to time, my company often gets to Design and create websites for my business and publishing clients. Very often I will get a client who asks me to put his or her website together and will be totally dumbstruck as to the content. They will be able to figure out complex business strategies and master their own profession but soon begin to procrastinate the content development meeting.

After it happened for about a year, I asked around and found to my surprise that other web developers had the same issue with various clients as well. A friend of mine came up with a great interview format.

After using it for a few sessions, I dubbed it the Ebenezer Scrooge scenario. This little technique always makes an indelible impression on my clients because it's a great way get them to see things from a bigger perspective without putting them on the spot to come up with website copy. It became a great way to interview them about the business and profession they were in while getting all the info I needed.

Here it is..

The Past:

• If you were to go back to the beginning of your career or choice of business, what would you do differently now that you are more experienced and have the benefit of hindsight?

• What significant issues or challenges could you identify that influenced your decision to enter your chosen field?

The Present:

• Give me a Unique Description of your business and its philosophy or mission statement. What can you see in your business that separates it from your competitors?

• How do clients benefit from your product or service?

• What are you currently doing to help your customers to spread the word about your service or products?

• What qualifications do you have that benefits your clients?

• How long have you been in your current field?

• What formal education do you have in your chosen field?

• What are the 5 biggest issues facing your clients these days?

• What are the 5 biggest mistakes you see people make in the area of your expertise?

• What solutions do you suggest for the mistakes people make in these areas? How do they fix, remove, prevent or avoid the issues?

The Future:

• What trends do you see in the horizon that will impact the market you serve?

• What advancements do you anticipate that are in the developing stages that will benefit your clients?

• Are there any predictions for the future of our industry?

• The interview ends and marketing form is brought out. There are also specific questions inserted depending on the industry involved.

• List the average age and demographic of your clients. What are their most pressing needs and how do you help them? Are there any specific type sizes or styles that need to be used in the Design that is expected by the target audience?

• Are there any graphic elements that are associated with your target audience that we should be sure to include?

List your products /services in order of importance:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

More...

Give me 5 reasons why your service or product is the answer to the needs of your prospects.

After that interview we look at the

Break down your web pages here. List your subjects - here are a few examples

Home

About Us

Contact Us

Newsletter Subscription

Services

Products

Specialties

Referrals and Testimonials

Video tutorials

FAQ section

Product Recommendations

Retail Section

Once the client is able to stretch their imagination by looking at the past, present and future,
writing copy for the website that's meaningful for the reader or viewer becomes less problematic. Many business owners aren't writers, they know their business but my not be that facile at communicating the story to the web audience.

If you need to build your website or someone else's, try the Ebenezer Scrooge strategy for building content. If you end up with relevant material because of it, just chock one up for creativity.

Dennis Francis is a consultant and business coach for chiropractors and other professional healthcare and wellness practitioners. His website, http://www.doublemyrevenues.com offers its members online coaching on automating marketing on and off the web. He offers a free book called "Double Your Revenues in 12 Months or Less."

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posted by sablm @ 6:41 AM