Prudent web design beats austerity

Here we are in tough economic times and dangling over the yawning chasm of another great depression. While EU leaders desperately rush around trying to prevent the total collapse of the Euro… what are you doing to prevent this economic contagion hitting your business?

Austerity – measures of failure?

It's a natural reaction to slash spending, cut back and grimly hang on in an attempt to weather the economic tempest. But leading economists and history proves… austerity measures actually only deepen recessions, strangling growth and destroying the consumer confidence you need to dig your way out.

And in business, those that cut their budgets for generating new business (advertising, marketing, sales, promotion etc.) the most, suffer the greatest drop in profits. Obvious really.

Don't think 'austerity', think 'prudence'.

But times like this also aren't for taking a punt and spending big on speculative ventures. You want tried-and-tested services/ products from trustworthy sources with a proven track record of results. You want value-for-money, not cost-cutting-but-ineffective.

And so do your customers.

Prudence provides the answers…

Visitors hitting your site are looking for answers. And they've got the same concerns and desires you have for your business. You have to make sure your website is answering the right kind of questions:

1. What can you actually do for me?Be loud and clear about what your customers will get. Not features, not benefits, but real-world, bottom-line advantages.
2. Oh yeah, so you can prove it?Claims are cheap. Evidence is powerful. Can you prove that what you're selling will deliver those advantages?
3. And I should trust you should I?Do I believe your claims? Facts can be fudged and there's much more to buying decisions than cold logic… does buying from you feel right?

Is your website clearly getting across the answers to these crucial questions? You can bet that folks don't feel they have the time to wade through your content to find out.

You need your website's design and web copy totally in tune. You need to be concise, clear and direct. Don't waffle on about what you do as if it's a history lecture. Make sure you get across why what you do delivers real advantages.

Don't take that to the extreme – equally ineffective are wild claims, emotionless copy and a lack of substance. At times like this people are less trusting and more cynical than ever. Back up what you say with reassuring testimonials, reviews, evidence and project a 'caring' personality.

Answer the right questions

In this tough economic climate are your potential customers asking "How can I rake in even more profit?" or is it more, "How can I cut costs without cutting performance?". Is it "How to expand my business?" or more "How can I stop losing customers?".

Make sure you're answering the right questions. Are you still geared up to answering questions that no one's asking any more?

It constantly amazes me how many websites out there have out-of-date copy that still tries to slam home the 'boom-time get-rich' propositions. Now isn't the time for the hard sell, the promise of unfathomable wealth and over-excited strong-arm calls to actions.

Prudence beats austerity for successfully steering your business through a recession. Make sure your website appeals to equally prudent visitors… they'll be the ones with money to spend, not the head-in-the-sand austerity ostriches.

Written by Jason John Mills