Successful websites have morphed into profitable digital branches, using marketing automation to drive conversions. “Design your site for lead generation, to track buyer behavior,” suggests James Robert Lay, founder and CEO of Digital Growth Institute, Houston. “Don’t make it a glorified brochure. Instead, use relevant content for greater conversions. Examine product position; don’t focus solely on features but think how the consumer thinks and buys. Beware of cognitive overload as well; replace heavy text with bullets or graphics.”

And consider your website as a place where business begins.

“This is such a crucial point to grasp,” says Alexander Kesler founder and president of inSegment, Inc., Boston. “CUs can be all over the place when it comes to website design. For success, focus on the basics: design your site with proper SEO and keywords. Understand how to position your site within the competitive landscape. How will it drive traffic in your service area? How will you convert this traffic into sales?” Optimizing your site should also increase your existing members’ share-of-wallet more effectively than any physical branch.

 

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