Brand/Image: First impressions count, you need to look just like the big boys but with a personal touch that only a local florist can really achieve.
What common mistakes do
people make? All the usual suspects really. Out of date content for occasions, season or events that have passed so they go stale in Google’s eyes, poor design and navigation and unprofessionally shot or badly sized photos. All very common mistakes but all the kiss of death.
How important are pictures
of me or the shop? Personal pictures are down to personal preference, some love it, some loathe it; it certainly can’t do any harm as long as any pictures used are professional. However I am really into pictures of the shop which is a big plus on the home, about or contact us page. Another great touch I really love is a picture of the delivery van on the home or delivery page. It’s these little things that make a site more real and builds consumer confidence and so increases the chances of them making a positive buying decision.
How do I take good design
pictures for a website? Copy the big boys and make sure all images follow the same setting, same background, same lighting, otherwise styles will clash and that will probably result in the site becoming an eyeful which just turns customers off.
Are words as important as
pictures? Both are essential. From a Google perspective it needs words. Google feeds off the written word because they are the sources that populate our search results every time we go looking for something online. The images are vital so that consumers can see before they buy.
Does it matter if I don’t
update it every week? “A site out of date is not worth
the website it is published on” is another one of my sayings that has stayed with me over the years since starting out. It sounds harsh but Valentine copy should be taken down on February 15th and Mother’s Day put up. You do not need to update your website every week, the key here is to make sure your website is not out of date as this does not look good to visitors to your website including Google.
Do I have to do it all myself?
Isn’t it all very technical? On the Florist Window website we say “If you can fill out our enquiry form you can use our software!” I personally think in-shop control with supplier support and training is essential for any florist owner that has identified with online trading. In our experience those who embrace updating and developing their own content will grow and move forward, those that don’t will fall by the wayside as even more of their traditional revenue streams vanish to the world wide web. We support clients all of the way, in fact I’m bold and confident enough to say that we go beyond the call of duty but this is what it is all about, working together and pulling together.
Do I need a shopping cart or e-commerce? Wouldn’t a
brochure site be enough? A shopping cart allows you to display your products with a price, which will do two things. Firstly allow customers to buy online anytime, there and then, regardless of their time zone… remember your website can be viewed anywhere in the world so this isn’t 9 – 5 but 24/7 trading. Secondly it allows customers
to pick up the phone and say “I would like to order product X” for example as they can see clearly on your shopping cart site what products you have on sale.
To find out more about the service Florist Window can offer on a flexible monthly scheme including features like an automated reminder service, multi-language functionality, integration with Strelitzia and online payment methods including Verified by Visa, MasterCard SecureCode, Paypal as well as updating of Interflora Gold and eFlorist product ranges call 0800 169 3266 or visit
floristwindow.com
Customers who have made the
switch from static brochure sites to e-commerce sites have told us they’ve had increased phone calls because it allows the customer to say “Yes, I will buy that.” How they check out is down to their own personal preference, some still like to talk to someone, some may have to buy out of hours so have no choice but to order online. Although a brochure site is
better than nothing it does create a barrier to buying either because the shop is closed or because customers just can’t see what they’re paying for.
I’ve heard websites cost thousands. Can I get anything sensible for under
a grand? Yes and why it’s often better to buy from a specialist website provider like us than employ someone just because they are clever and artistic. The most common reason why florists end up paying more than they need to is because the web designer knows nothing about the industry and so spends hours, days, and weeks building something from scratch and which often doesn’t work like it needs to. Companies like us have already done all the research, built the software and made the mistakes! Having spent years working with, and for, florists we’ve ironed out the expensive side of building a site to offer a low cost option that works and which is constantly updated and made better.
F&wb Spring 2013 41
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