Why choose a custom website design for your business, product, or service? In a sea of so many budget options, business owners are constantly bombarded with cheap solutions to their online image (and functionality) problems. As it turns out, you pretty much do get what you pay for.
Custom Website Design Strengthens Your Brand
Your website is going to be the first interaction that many potential customers have with your brand and company. It better be a good impression! If you have a product or service that serves a highly specific (or niche) customer base, you will be so well served by creating a top-to-bottom experience that is highly customized to your target audience.
Already have some branding in place? Most businesses do. We’ll want to at least look at your current collateral pieces (like brochures, business cards, rack cards, etc) because being on-message and staying consistent is key. If they are no longer working for you, we can go in a new direction but we need to be really intentional about who your business is and what it must represent.
Make Sure Your Website Accurately Represents You
Consistency in current messaging is vital. There’s no sense having a website that screams minimalist & high tech when your company’s look and feel is all about old world luxury and opulence. You can imagine how off-putting that would be! It’s a rookie move for sure, and it happens when your creative web designer has their own agenda or is somehow “style blind” and can’t get into the personality of YOUR brand.
Remember, Your Website is Multimedia!
There’s no need any more to treat a website like a digital postcard. Your website can do all sorts of things that printed fliers cannot! In addition to animation and video, we can focus the world on your brand and build your status with so many techniques. Are you a great speaker? Let’s get you speaking on your website, 24/7!
With custom web design and dynamite custom features, we can set the stage for all kinds of wonderful automated things in your business. But remember, they all have to look like you. All those elements need be in alignment with the brand you have so carefully crafted.
Your Message On Point
There is going to be no better fit for your business than one that is made-to-measure. Consider the following:
- How do you want customers to feel about your brand? What one or two ideas should they come away with?
- What actions do your users need to take? Would you prefer they fill out an instant quote, or call you direct?
- How many separate customer bases are you reaching? Retail and/or wholesale, Private and/or Commercial, for example. This can complicate things when the bases are fundamentally different.
Too often sites are launched with a completely underwhelming template that “looked great when we bought it”. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen business owners choose magazine-style themes for a company website. Yes, they are often filled with appealing stock photos of attractive people. No, these layouts are not appropriate if you are not making a magazine!
The Real Source of the Magic in Web Design
One of the biggest problem with the site builders and templates is that a lot of the magic lies in the web designer. Yep, it turns out when you take out the creative mind, things flat and the magic is quickly lost. I WISH it were as simple as popping any old logo and image into a layout. But most of the time your next words will be, “I don’t like it anymore and I’m not sure why.” The answer is that the entire web design must be carefully curated. Bad web design is bad for business!
If you aren’t given some pause yet, the final stop on the Bad Website train is defeat. A “sunk cost mentality” can kick in some business owners give up, figuring “we’ve put so much time into it — lets just launch it.” What a waste! If only they knew the real steps to build a website, and how much planning and effort it takes. I’ll bet you they would have just hired a professional who makes it their life’s work to build wonderful experiences.
Custom Website Design is Unique and Highly Recognizable
The best part about going fully custom is that you will know for a fact that your website will be one of a kind. No one can put together a knock off, because it takes so much more than selecting a template and calling it a day. There’s no “me too” problem because your site will stay true to your brand identity and the experience you provide your users will be completely unique.
Have you ever had a web experience that you just had to talk about with another person? I am sure that you have. Maybe you were shopping for jewelry and you found someone who had a fantastic product line AND way of displaying it. Or maybe you have a favorite site that is a handful of providers in its industry, and when you tell people about it you’ll say “you know, the orange one!” Personally I have entire folders full of websites that impressed me so much, I had to screencap them for later inspiration. It’s a little like art, because a good website should make you feel.
Take Charge and Take Action
So make your website inspire your customers in the right direction! You want to stand out and be remembered. Custom website design is a strategic methodical process that will apply your marketing strategy so precisely, and result in a fine finished product that will be laser focused on your ideal customers. I can understand the fear of commitment to a creative product, but in this case we will be building on exactly who your clients are and what they want.
Lauren Grey (Sprise Media) is a web designer and developer in Scottsdale who is a perpetual idea machine. She builds full web solutions with custom website design, excellent code, and espresso. Grey has a high level of enthusiasm for her clients, their successful projects, and furthering women in technology.
Want to be fabulous online? What are you waiting for – reach out and grab a free consultation on your web project!
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