Designing a customer-friendly website

Overview

I was made redundant from my customer services job and used the money to go self-employed. I realised that I had to have a website if I wanted to promote my business and attract customers.

The challenge

I don't have a shop front so I had to have a site that would appeal to and inform customers and would be easy for them to find on the internet.

The solution

After taking advice, I soon realised that the design of my site was of paramount importance so customers not only liked what they saw but could easily navigate their way around it.

I used shades of green to make the pages look attractive and vibrant but also chime with the life-enhancing, natural treatments on offer. I kept the layout of the site and pages simple and used clear language to explain what I was offering.  I included an FAQ section that gives succinct, accurate information about the therapies I offer and what they cost.

I regularly update the site with new details about my business so I also have a designated news section that covers the latest special offers and events. With this in mind, I decided I needed unlimited web space so that I can add content whenever I want to.

I also recommend choosing a domain name - or web address - relevant to your business and include your business name where possible to help customers find you. I gave my site the URL of http://www.retreattherapy.co.uk and took advice on what my best keywords were to enhance search engine optimisation so my pages could be easily found by Google.

Finally, I believe an e-commerce site should be as accessible to customers as a shop is, so there are full contact details and a facility where they can email comments and queries to me directly.

I'm still learning about the art of running a website but to help me I have signed up to a BT Business web-hosting package which gives ongoing support. 40% of my customers now come through the site and the number is rising so I am more than happy with the way things are going.

Key lesson

Running a website is not a temporary pastime. You must keep working on it, posting new and informative content and making sure you are using the right keywords.

Top tip

Make yourself accessible. Have a "Contact us" page with up-to-date details, your address, a phone number - preferably not a mobile - and post any relevant qualifications you may have.

Find out more about Retreat Therapy