The One Vital Web Design Element That Virtually No One Is Telling You About

By Doug Parr
Posted Friday, June 25, 2004

You've probably seen articles that cover the "Top Ten Web Design Mistakes" or something to that effect. They all seem to say the same things, don't they? No animation, keep the appearance
professional, use easy navigation, and so on. You've done everything those articles told you to do, but your site still isn't making the progress you'd like. What's wrong?

You know, out of all the ebooks I've seen - and all the articles on Web design I've read - one thing is rarely mentioned. You would think, since this element is absolutely vital to any Web site's success, that it would be the talk of the town. That one vital element is... your customer.

Before you read another article or ebook on Web site design, consider these facts:

* Your customer is the reason you are in business.
* Your customer pays your bills.
* Your Web site should be specifically and intentionally designed to meet your customer's every need.
* In order to design your site to meet his/her needs, you must first know who your customer is.

Once you discover who your perfect customer is, and what needs he/she is looking to you to fill, you can apply all those other techniques in the "Top Ten Web Design Mistakes" articles with great success. But the questions remain - "Who is your target customer" and "What does he/she want from you"?

It's simple really. Just ask a few questions like:

* What types of customers visit my site?
* What is the common denominator of all these site visitors?
* What brings them to the point of needing my products/services?
* What problems do my products/services solve for my visitors?

The answers to all these questions will reveal an amazing portrait of your customers, of what they want, and of how you can supply what they need.

When you implement your design, or make changes to your existing design, do EVERYTHING with your target customer in mind. Does your site design need to be "fun" or "business-like"? That depends on whether your visitors are looking to fill a need for entertainment or professional services. Should you use vibrant pink and lime green shades, or muted blues and grays? Senior citizens would most likely shy away from "fad-ish" colors, but teenagers wouldn't get very excited over dark, drab tones. See? It all depends on your customer. Every decision you make about your Web site design should focus on and revolve around one thing... your customer.

Now, rather than repeat what thousands of other authors have written, I'll just ask that you go back and read those "Top Ten Web Design Mistakes" articles once more. But... this time, apply their advice with your perfect site visitor in mind. You'll be simply amazed at the results you'll get once your focus is
clearly set on the primary person involved... your customer.

About the Author
Doug Parr is an Internet marketer who specializes in helping average people make exceptional incomes online. At SmallBiz2000 you'll find the most reliable and "growth-oriented" products and services on the Web. Check out the new Web Design Success Pack including customer-focused site design, copywriting, AND online business consultation. (http://www.smallbiz2000.com)