Basically, when you’re selling a product that the prospective client doesn’t know they need. In my field this is something that I need to do all the time. Not only do I have to sell my service, but I have to sell the need to the client first. Not many people realise there are any problems with their website, let alone what it should be doing for their business.

In fact, most people don’t even look at the website statistics they’re generating. Occasionally they get sent a nice shiny report from a web design company trying to make their maintenance fee look worthwhile. But the business person generally doesn’t even understand the information they’ve been sent.

My business is really one of coaching and education as well. There’s no point improving a website and giving a client a bunch of numbers to prove it if they don’t understand what I’m showing them. Some numbers are easy, like sales or profit. Others may seem obvious too, like unique visitors and site visit duration, but in most cases they’re not explained to the client.

So ask yourself, does my client realise what I’m actually doing for them? How can I show them measurable results that they understand and prove that they should stick with me? Do I have to show clients they have a need for my service before I actually sell to them?

The best idea for good website design that I can give you comes back to the age old idea of KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid.

The style of your website design should be simple. The usability of your website should be simple. And the functionality of your website should be simple. Is my message simple enough?

Style
The average attention span of a web surfer is about a few seconds, unless you can grab their attention with something special. If they arrive at your website and find it looks complicated and confusing, another website is just a click away. So keep your design simple if you want them to read what you have to say.

A good website design is clear, uncluttered, and easy to read. Make your article headline stand out, make your navigation easy to find, don’t overwhelm the user with a million choices. We’ll talk about website objectives and flow in a second but the design should work to guide the visitor to where you want them to be.

Also, one of the biggest mistakes design-wise is to add too much technology to a page. Moving or flashing pictures, excessive use of technologies like Flash and Javascript, and other technology before design mistakes are all too common. Does it add to your users experience and make them more likely to buy what you’re selling?

Usability
While we’re on the topic of technology, don’t get carried away with your navigation menus. Remember, keep it simple! Your website should be easy to use and the information easily accessible. If people can’t find the information they want, they leave. Check out the MIT usability guide to see how your website measures up.

Test your websites usability on potential customers, on your friends, your family, your dog, the blind neighbour down the street. Seriously, blind people use the internet as well, can they buy your products and services? And they can’t be far off pre-approving dogs for credit cards either.

Functionality
Does your website achieve its objectives?
Are you selling products, services, or advertising?
And what is the outcome you want from a visitor to your website?

Whatever the objective, you want to make it as simple as possible for a visitor to reach that objective. If you can close the sale through your website in just 10 seconds, do it. No need for fancy tricks and the currently popular 69 page long sales letter. Design a flow through your website, see if visitors follow it. If they don’t, redesign it. If they do, see how you can improve it anyway! No one has a 100% conversion rate.

Unless you’re blogging for fun about how your dog just got pre-approved for a credit card, your website has a purpose. Make sure it fulfils that purpose.

So those are my ideas for good website design. Ignore them at your own peril. Embrace them and watch your website go far.

When you’re starting a business, you obviously want to try and get everything right. Between building the right structures, creating plans, and doing the actual work, it can be easy to get that sinking feeling.

It helps to realise that building a business is a process. And part of that process is the continuous improvement that I’ve been going on and on about. Hence, when you start your business, you don’t always have to get everything right. The important thing is you get it out into the market place to see if it floats.

I’m not saying it’s ok to do crap work, but just to be aware that perfection takes time. Michael Jordan didn’t walk out onto the court the first time he played and instantly become the greatest basketball player in history. He practiced, improved, practiced, improved, over and over until he reached his level of greatness. And then he practiced some more!

So don’t let the feeling of overwhelm hold you back. Get started, get improving, and just start the process.