The explosion of social networking has led some security system companies to focus more on a Facebook business page than their website. Education and promotions are chopped down into bite sized pieces that can be tweeted, turned into a meme or a quotable photo. The website is an old dog in our digital world, but it still has a few tricks that make it worthy of a dominant position in your security alarm customer communication strategies.
Far from being cast aside, your security system website deserves a starring role in your 21st century marketing strategy. Think of your website as your home base. You may meet your customers in other places but ultimately you want to invite them to your home for a more intimate chat.
Your website is an important channel in your sales strategy but it is also integral to customer service. You can set the tone for exceptional customer service from the first encounter by paying attention to all of the details that matter to customers.
Your site should be user friendly and intuitive. It is important that you think like your customers and not like an industry insider, utilizing a layout and language that will make sense to them. Making it easy for customers to research home security, communicates how easy it will be to use you as a solution.
Today’s website has a clean design with fewer pages. Make the most of your home page by answering the big questions and providing a clear path for those looking to buy and for existing customers. Like a physical store, you want to direct customers to the right aisle or counter, and not force them to waste time in the wrong place.
When reaching an internal page from a referral site or search engine, 50% of visitors will use the navigation menu to orient themselves. (Source: KoMarketing)
Use your site to tell potential customers what to expect. What should they know about the installation appointment? How can they confirm the identity of their field service technician? Let them know step-by-step how to schedule an appointment and the next steps subsequent to that.
Your installers may do a perfect job of communicating how to use the system during the appointment but inevitably customers will forget and call your office with a question. Put a list of FAQs on your website and frequently remind customers that they can go there for information as well as call your office.
When content is unattractive in its layout or imagery , 35% switch devices; 38% stop engaging. (Source: Adobe)
Use responsive design, in which your site adjusts across platforms to present the same look and feel, for your website. Whether a customer is viewing your site from a tablet, desktop, or smartphone, your site should be responsive to the platform. You can test your site for free with the Google site tool. You do not want to lose a potential customer who finds your site in an online search but gets a distorted view on their mobile device.
Employ your website as a communication tool with a blog. Your blog not only ensures that you have fresh content (a bonus for search engine optimization) but allows you to educate and inform consumers about security issues. You only need 1-2 posts per week to be effective. You can use your blog to share answers to common security problems, teach customers how to look for security solutions, and share more information about your company.
Your website is an important part of your sales, marketing, and service strategy. You can use social channels to find and engage customers but don’t forget to invite them to home base on a consistent basis.