1. Does your site deliver the right image
--and the right experience?

We all know that the image and user experience delivered by your site are important to its success. However, according to recent research and new insights into online branding, these elements may be more critical than you think.

The bottom line is that a site cannot engage prospects, attract leads and retain customers if it doesn't project the right image and provide a great experience. Worse, it can damage your credibility and drive away prospects by delivering the wrong image and a bad experience.

To help you assess if your site is on track, we suggest reading:

• The Stanford Web Credibility Project:
  [http://www.webcredibility.org/] The study found that people are quick to evaluate the credibility of a site based on the visual design alone. Read more of the findings:
  » Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility [http://www.webcredibility.org/guidelines/]
  
• "Building Successful Brands on the Web": [http://clickz.com/design/site_design/article.php/1598661]
  This Clickz.com article highlights the strong connection between a visitor's experience and her perception of your brand.
• "Good experience, good brand. Bad experience, out of business": [http://www.goodexperience.com/columns/03/0305.brand.html]
  Mark Hurst, credited with popularizing the online "customer experience", echoes the ideas expressed in the above article. However, he goes a bit further by suggesting "the brand is the experience."

2. Does your site reflect where your business is going--or where it's been?

Remember those out-of-date company brochures and how you hated them? They were so much work to produce and so expensive to print that they were sent out until they ran out.

Websites on the other hand don't run out. This often means that companies keep showing the same outdated web pages to their visitors long past when they know they should. Which in turn undermines your site's potential as an incredibly powerful sales, marketing and branding tool.

Take a close look at your site to make sure its image, content and features are helping to drive your business in the direction you want to go--not limiting your ability to do so.

On this subject, you may be interested in this new book by B.J. Fogg, member of the Stanford Web Credibility Project. Among other topics, he discusses the persuasive power of websites. Learn more about the book from this recent review by Jakob Nielsen. [http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030303.html]

In addition, the following case study on Dell.com offers some insight into one of the most successful sites on the web.

• Dell.com Case Study: [http://ecommerce.internet.com/news/insights/trends/article/0,,10417_2013731,00.html]
  Learn how the Dell site has evolved since 1994 and how its currently being used to facilitate B2C and B2B sales.

3. Does your site ignore important visitors?

Most sites address the visitors that know what they want and are ready to take action. However, if you don't provide ways to engage those in the earlier stages of the information gathering and decision-making process, you'll miss out on future sales opportunities.

Review your site from these perspectives:

• I know what I want and I'm ready to purchase.
• I know approximately what I want and I'll make a purchasing decision once I find the right solution.
• I have a need but I'm not ready to make a purchasing decision yet.

Your site should strive to convert all three of these customer types into leads. For example, if you offer online seminar registration, you should also offer to send a reminder before registration closes. That way you'll meet the needs of those ready to make a decision and those still contemplating one.

Learn more about customer types and how to persuade them:

• "Wrapped Up Tightly in a Box" [http://clickz.com/sales/traffic/article.php/1559811]
• "The Way Customers Want to Buy" [http://clickz.com/sales/traffic/article.php/1570741]

Suggestions for engaging prospective customers:

• Measurably Increase Business from Your Site [http://www.popinteractive.com/webinsights/20020322.asp]