Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/448268
An annual website audit is a must for every OPE dealer, and now is the ideal time to ensure your website is primed to drive your in- store and online sales for the busy selling season that's just around the corner. Ready to get started? The answers to the following five key questions will help you develop a website optimization action plan. QUESTION #1: Is your site's design in line with your in-store image and branding? Your website's virtual storefront is the first impression that you will make on a great majority of your store's prospective customers, so it is critical that your website is reflective of the brand image you've cultivated at your brick-and-mortar location. This goes beyond the prominent display of your store logo. Be sure to consider the following: Is your site's design modern and up-to-date? Web design has come a long way in the past decade, and if you've got a site that looks fresh out of the early '00s, it is time to redesign. Does your site feature professional-quality photos? You've invested a lot in your website. While some stock photography and smartphone photos are acceptable, be sure that your store is well represented with high-quality imagery. Are your specials and promos up-to-date? You wouldn't dream of leaving a Christmas tree up in your store until February. Don't commit the same faux pas on your website. Out-of-date specials and promos are dead giveaways that you aren't dedicated to keeping the content on your website current, and will plant a seed of doubt with site visitors about the accuracy of your inventory and other time-sensitive content. Is your site's content free of spelling and grammatical errors? Typos show carelessness, and if you can't sweat the details when it comes to your website, it will make site visitors question your overall dedication to quality. Again, don't give your customers a reason to doubt you! QUESTION # 2: Can shoppers easily find what they're looking for? One of the key goals of your website is to make it easy for prospective customers to raise their hand and say, "I'd like to do business with you." That virtual hand up may come from a form submission, an e-commerce sale or a good old-fashioned phone call. You likely know your own website inside and out, and while you can easily navigate around your website, the same may not be true for your site visitors. While an entire industry has cropped up dedicated to website user experience and testing, you don't need to hire a team of psychologists and consultants to help evaluate your site's usability. Enlist a user with limited knowledge of your site to spend an hour or so testing your website. Sit with the user as he or she navigates your site. Don't help, but ask the user to think out loud and be brutally honest. Was it easy or aggravating for the user to 22 FEBRUARY 2015 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com Feature Story | Website Solutions ■ By Colleen Malloy Pre-season Website revieW: Is your website ready for the selling season? Image ©Istockphoto.com/kalawIn