One of the most important aspects of web design is to understand the needs of the client and the customers that will be using your website. My time spent in the antique business (17 years) gives me a unique perspective in assisting you with that process. Let me point out what is built into all my designs.
When a visitor comes to your website, you want the process to be simple, and to entice them to either visit your business or email you online. It’s an opportunity to transfer information to them , see here. They are there to look at pictures of your inventory and find out more about your business. Don’t take short cuts.
- Websites should always have email forms built in so that it’s easy to contact you
- The ability to inquire about an individual item (an email form that the visitor can use, directly related to an item that is being inquired about.
- Multiple images of an item (Why should a website have images of products, without offering detailed views?
My latest work includes the ability for your visitors to subscribe to your website and receive updates when new inventory is added. It’s the same system used by major online businesses such as the NYTimes. People “surf” the web, looking for what they like, and after discovering your website, even if they like what they see, it doesn’t mean they will remember how to get back. The ability to easily “bookmark” your website, and to subscribe to your content, means, they don’t have to remember. Another nice tool related to this subject is being able to share what you have found on the web with others. “Send to a friend” allows your visitor (think decorator) to send the contents through an email from your website, which includes their name, information about the item, and an image, along with a link back to the page. We want people to stay connected to our business and by creating tools that allow visitors to engage, and simplify their visit, you are more likely to hold onto those people. It’s hard enough to draw traffic to your site. Once they’ve arrived, you need to be able to continue that relationship.
