Top Five Potential Web Site Problems

From looking at multiple websites from home inventory service providers throughout the U.S. (and Canada!), I've identified a couple of common issues/problems on some of the websites out there. See if your website has any of these issues:

1. Typos and misspellings. Prospects will wonder how accurate your inventory services will be if there are typos on your website. If you've designed the website yourself, it's easy to overlook these errors after you've looked at your own page hundreds of times. Print out the pages and give them to a friend or family member to review. (Preferably someone who has a good command of grammar -- especially the use of commas and possessives!)

2. Too much text on the home page. Your website is (ideally) organized like a good book, with individual chapters (pages) that provide additional information. You'll increase the "stickiness" of your website if you have multiple subpages instead of several LONG pages of text. Also, remember that a picture is worth a thousand words. Instead of talking about what the inventory report will include, show it! Inventory a room in your own house and put up an Adobe Acrobat PDF of the report. Show pictures of yourself in action. (New to the business? Offer deeply-discounted inventory packages for friends and relatives to build up your portfolio and generate testimonials and referrals. On your "testimonial" page, get photo releases and include real-life photos [instead of stock photo images] on your website. This is a situation when you DON'T want your photos to look "too professional.")

3. Lack of navigation. Following the idea of your website being organized like chapters in a book, you need a well-organized "table of contents" to help your reader (prospective customer) find what they're looking for on your site. Generally, your site will have 5-7 major "sections" (but you may have 2-5 "subsections" under each of those, which can be additional pages that link to the major sections to provide additional detail). Main sections most likely include the five "W"s of journalism: Who, What, When, Where, Why -- and How ... especially "how to buy!" Your sections might include: "Why Inventory," "About Us," "FAQs," "Pricing," "Contact Us." Navigation bars should appear on every page of your site (eliminating the need for a "Home" button. Your "Why Inventory" page should be the home page. If you can't answer that question on the home page, you need to fix your site.

Use interactive links (you know, the underlined, colored words that you can click on to go to another page) to get into more detail. An example might be a subpage on what insurance companies require, or what a typical inventory includes, or facts about your specific geographic area and what the most common threats are (crime stats will give you theft information, and your location will determine if hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or mudslides are going to be most prevalent as a concern for homeowners in your area). Subpages should have a button to get you back to the main page you jumped off from.

4. The missing "What's In It For Me" factor. Clients who are ready to buy will be interested in the process of home inventory (what does it involve, how does it work, what do I get), but those who are at the beginning stages of their search need more information. Because this is a farily "new" industry, they need education. The education focuses on the emotional part of the decision-making process. In other words, if I spend $100-$500, *why* is that a good use for my money?

Focus on the benefits: 1) Faster, more complete claims resolution process (getting you "back to normal" faster after a disaster or theft); 2) The security that comes from knowing that you'll get what you're paying for in the insurance settlement. (The idea of the 27" TV versus the plasma TV is a great example that's been used.) 3) In the event of a theft, if your items are recovered by the police, you have a better chance of getting them back (serial numbers and proof of ownership). These are just a few examples. Give them the odds ... i.e., "One in four families will file an insurance claim this year" (I'm just making that number up ...) Make it personal!

5. "Why Choose Us"? I've seen the same text, graphics, wording, and even pricing on multiple websites. Because these are geographically unique businesses (not competing for business with each other), that's not necessarily a BIG problem, but if there are other service providers in the market, you need competitive differentiation. In other words: Why they should choose YOU! You can focus on many different angles: Years of experience (if applicable), particularly relevant background (in law enforcement, insurance administration or claims adjustment, etc.), community ties (knowledge of the local market), etc. Find the thing that sets you apart and make sure you highlight it.

For an example of a web site that "gets it" (and no, I have no affiliation with this business), visit Taking Stock Residential Inventory Service. This web site is clean, well-designed, well-organized, and easy to navigate. It also has great "publicity features" on the home page.