Buck Anderson posted on August 23, 2007 06:11 :: 916 Views
According to Parker web:
Interactive add-ons can help you develop a positive relationship with your web site visitors. By opening a dialogue with potential customers you:
- gain a better understanding of their wants and needs
- gain insight into how your products and services relate to and are used in their lives
- develop a more informal rapport
- allow them to share ownership of your site, giving them an emotional stake in your business which prompts them to maintain a connection.
DotNetnuke®, and 3rd party developers, offer a wealth of add-on tools that encourage interaction with site visitors:
- Chat rooms allow you talk directly with potential customers and allow them to talk to each other. You can host scheduled Q&A or info sessions. Or just tune in periodically to see what people are talking about. Message boards serve essentially the same function but without the immediacy.
- Guest maps let visitors sign in, note their location with a pin on the map, and leave a brief message. If you’re global, national or regional, guest maps can help you pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your customer base. This is one of those fun things that attract visitors.
- Vote casters and web polls tell visitors they matter. Visitors who vote will return to check the results.
- A FAQ page provides answers to frequently asked questions. By offering a search box or organizing information by categories, you can help visitors find the information they want quickly. FAQs can also be used to direct potential customers to additional information located deeper within your site.
- Email forms allow visitors to provide instant feedback, request additional information or ask for personal contact. Email forms may include online applications, product order forms, real estate contact forms, service call requests, surveys, registrations, newsletter sign up, comment forms, etc. Email forms are a good way to build a mailing list.
- Mailing lists are useful in maintaining contact with potential customers. Use mailing lists to notify customers of new products and services, send sales coupons, alert them to special events or extended hours, introduce new personnel, deliver monthly newsletters, etc. Always make sure you place the sign up box in a highly visible area of your web site.
In future aricles, and screencasts, I will show you examples of tools you can use to attract potential customers to your web site.
Buck