Letting Customers Contribute to Your Website

Without customer input, your business may fall short of its potential.
By Charles Dervarics, Writer/Editor A great way to know your customers is to let them drive your website. To capture information from customers, set up user-friendly feedback systems. You'll need a three-part strategy:

1. Collect basic information on visitors to your website.
2. Offer a variety of ways for customers to provide feedback.
3. Choose software and web-hosting services carefully so that you can capture essential information and analyze it.

Collect basic information

Spot a new visitor on your home page? Ask him to provide basic data such as job title, industry sector and information needs.
Try:  Quask and similar programs specialize in online data gathering tools for your site.

Get their opinions

A daily poll and short pop-up surveys are two low-hassle strategies to promote more customer input.
Try:  QuestionPro offers survey software for individuals and companies. Survey Monkey is another inexpensive option.

Go blogging

Offer a moderated Web log with links from your home page. Organize by industry sector so customers may better share experiences.
Try:  Firms such as Ektron offer structured blogging, or use free open-source software on the web such as Lifetype. Another free option worth considering is Blogger.com.

Answer frequently asked questions

Provide a frequently asked questions or FAQ section that answers popular questions and tracks new or emerging concerns.
Try:  Firms such as Interspire offer FAQ software for small business.

Provide real-time customer support

Allow customers to set up a live chat with a salesperson or technical expert.
Try:  LivePerson and Live2Support are among companies that offer real-time solutions.

Encourage in-depth feedback

Testimonials and case studies are powerful tools in business development, when properly prepared.
Try:  Ask your customers for comments and visit Klariti.com for advice on effective case studies.

Find quality web hosting

Whether in house or under contract, webmasters must analyze your feedback in a meaningful way on a regular basis.
Try:  Firms such as NetStrategies place a high value on analyzing web metrics.

• A daily poll, with just one question, may bring customers back to your site on a regular basis.
• For case studies, include a variety of industry sectors.
• A hot new trend is audio/visual testimonials, which connect a face or voice with positive comments about your business.
• A quality webmaster or host should provide detailed analytics on your customers and visitors at least once a week.
• Effective case studies should identify a problem, outline a solution and then analyze the results.