Last week's post talked about the business requirements for your website. Those requirements include a description of the "typical" customer (or customers) that you want to visit and to use your website.  

Before going too far in your website design and development, step back and list the requirements these customers (or users) will have when they land on your website. In general, your "users" have several key requirements.

1.   Quickly find what they are looking for. When someone lands on your website, that person probably has a specific purpose in mind. Someone should easily find the key terms he or she was using in a web search.

How can you make sure that your website uses those key terms? Google Analytics is an excellent tool for identifying the most frequently used search terms in your business. However, Google Analytics requires some time and patience to learn to use effectively. That is why many companies hire someone to do the analysis for them.

There is a more "low tech" way to find out what people are looking for: visit other websites. These websites could include those owned by your competitors, those that   attract people in your demographics, media websites that are aimed at your customers or websites that provide product and services that are related to yours.

If you use the website to generate referrals to your business, talk to your existing customers. Ask them how they use the Internet and how they have used your website online.

2.   Easily navigate to areas of the website that contain the information they want. The Home Page creates an immediate impression and allows a person to see that he or she has landed on the right website. It should be easy for a visitor to immediately see where to go from there.

The search terms and your knowledge of your customer's needs give you an idea what terms to use for the major links on your website. You might also consider embedding key links in the short Home Page text.

The main headings on your website will vary depending on whether your are selling a product or service, how many products you have available online and whether your product or service is relatively straightforward or more complex.

Kitchen appliances, clothes, toys and small household goods are frequently purchased online. Antiques, major appliances and expensive household items have a more complex sales process. They may, in the end, be purchased online, but they require a different website design than a website selling smaller or less expensive products.

Selling a service requires a different type of website than one that is selling a product. In most cases, you want the potential customer to follow up directly with you, either online, by telephone or in person.

3.  Painlessly purchase your product.Think about how to make the buying decision, check out and purchase process as simple as possible. This includes decisions about whether or not to have a shopping cart, how the shopping cart works, what kind of time constraints you want to put on pending transactions, what modes of payment you will accept and how you will follow up.

Most major websites that sell online use a follow up system confirming a sale, sending a receipt, tracking shipment and following up. Most people take these kinds of follow up as routine these days and expect it. During that process, you might consider adding a small survey or a question about how the person evaluates your website or the transaction.

4. Find and easily use contact information. If you are selling a service or a high-end product, making contact information readily available and easy to find is essential.

People often have questions, issues or problems, even when they are making a relatively straightforward online purchase. Most large online retailers have live customer service, the opportunity to chat with someone online or an 800 number someone can call with questions.

Many customers--myself included--are frustrated when their only way to contact you is via email or a return contact. By definition, an email query will almost never be answered in real time. There is usually a delay, often for as long as one or two days.

When there is a response, it often comes from a technical person who--as often as not--gives you a technical person's answer to your question or tells you that you did something wrong.

A customer (or potential customer) wants to feel valued and to be treated well. An email response to an online question often lacks a customer orientation. They can sound cold and uninterested.

The delay and the quality of the response are likely to influence the customer's view of your business and willingness to do business with you. If you have a small business or have limited sales online, you may have no choice but to respond to questions and queries via email or a return call.

Before creating this feature, think about all the possible times of day and types of questions that you might receive. Decide what process will work best for responding to those conditions. Be sure you can always offer a quick and courteous answer.

If you are already receiving customer queries via email, check to see how your staff are responding.

User requirements drive your online business. Surprisingly, however, many large and small companies become myopic and view their website only from  their own point of view. They neglect to create requirements that meet the needs of their customers and potential customers.

Look critically at your website as a person who wants to buy your product or service might. Is it easy to use? Does the Home Page direct them to logical areas of the website, from their point of view? Do you make it clear that you value their contact and that you can provide appropriate customer care?

If you can answer "yes" to each of these questions, you are on the path to a successful online business!

Please share your ideas, comments, questions and suggestions about this blog with us. Feel free to leave comments below or to email Judy at [email protected]. 

Judy Cobb is an independent writer and business writing coach whose clients have included Parsons Engineering, Mattel Toys, The Los Angeles Times and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She has specialized in developing training materials for instructor-led courses as well as interactive online courses and websites. She holds advanced degrees from Columbia University and Stanford as well as an MBA from UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management.