When I go to your website (or blog, or twitter page, or facebook page), what do you want me to do? What do you REALLY want me to do? Don’t answer that right away or glibly. What do you want me to do on your site? How do you want me to feed into your systems?
This is what I want to give you: a few questions to consider, from the same side of the fence as your prospective customer/visitor/reader/member whatever. Remember, these questions are not from your side of the fence. They’re from the other side, the important side.
Answer These Questions for Your Audience
Who do you want me to be? – In designing my up and coming new website, I had this great breakthrough. And I started working on it, and then I realized that this design I had in mind would be much more “male” in flavor and I wanted women to feel welcome. I want older people 35-60(ish) to come, so I know I want my font to be large enough and distinct enough. So, that’s what I thought about for my would-be buyer. Who do you want me to be on your site?
How will I know that I belong? – Will I be able to see “me” in your site? Will it make sense? When I go to Runner’s World, I don’t see me. There aren’t any fat trail runners there. I don’t feel like I belong there. (I probably do, but you know what I mean?) How will I know that I’m supposed to be on your site?
What do you want to show/tell me?You’ve dragged me here. Make it easy to find what you’re hoping I consume. This is your main thing. This is where you want me to get really excited.
What do you want me to do?I’m here. Now what? You want me to buy your something? You want me to hire you? You want me to sign up for your something? Make that really obvious. This is where things go the most wrong, I think.
How will we keep this relationship going?
– You want me here more than once, right? I’m hoping you do. How can we do that? Shall I subscribe to your blog? Do you want me to do a newsletter? What’s next for us? (This one’s pretty important too, eh?)
How shall I talk of you to my friends? – You don’t want the relationship to end with me, do you? How can we find some of my friends that will also like you? What message do you want me to carry? Is there a way we can do that together?How Do You Answer This?
I don’t know, but I’m thinking these end up being important questions. What do you think? How does your site stack up?
I think this is a really great exercise for us all to do - to really think about WHY we are online, what is the purpose and are we achieving the outcomes that we expect?
I am constantly amazed by businesses that do not have any idea what they want to 'get' out of using social media or the web generally. The answer I normally get it is more money. That always makes my heart sink - and look for the exit!! The businesses that I really get excited about working with are those who are focused on their customers needs and happiness - constantly striving to better the offering they have and generally just being passionate about what they do.
I met with a very successful business man recently (65+ years old) to talk to him and extract some information that we could use for the copy on his new website. I spent 45 mins talking to him about 'why', why he started the business, why he has grown it so big etc...At the end of the conversation I pointed out to him that not once during the whole conversation did he mention money, profit or turnover. He pointed out to me that obviously he had to make money, and he admitted that he consciously avoids thinking about the large number of people he employs because it scares him that if he messes up it affects all of their lives. But fundamentally his focus was on his passion for the business.
He'd be a fantastic business to get online - simply because he actually cares.
So if you are reading this and are thinking 'That's me, I really care' then get online, get yourself a Facebook and start to share your passion with the world :-)
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