I don’t need to have my vision checked but I want a PDF report from an eye doctor that I can e-mail to folks.
Yes, you read that correctly. I want a detailed explanation from a certified optometrist that I don’t need contacts, glasses, or Lasik.
I can see just fine. Why?
I get at least a dozen comments a week about our sites being uglier than a dog’s breakfast. Most of the folks who write give me the benefit of the doubt and think maybe I am “just too busy” to know what our designers are doing.
Others think we are testing ugly (as if this is a metric that needs measurement.)
Nobody ever seems to think that what we have is exactly what we want and/or need. (Ok, it’s not at all “exactly” but it IS pretty close, as unfortunate as the case may be for our creative team.)
Here’s the thing, folks… I know our sites are not going to win awards for aesthetics and the truth is, I COULD NOT CARE LESS.
I am not in this business to have pretty sites. I am in this business to make money.
Money comes from action.
Money comes from people clicking, calling and going to the final step. (The one wherefreshly-minted green bills are involved.)
Our sites are ugly but they do exactly what it is that they need to do. (And in a qualified way to boot.)
If you want to be REALLY successful online, you need to take your ego out of the equation.
No, you don’t need a site that looks like mine. (I am extreme, mostly to prove a point.)
But you do need a site that makes it clear for the user — NOT for you, for the USER — theyneed to know what you want them to do and how they should do it… and do it NOW (as in right this very minute!)
For those of you that like it ONLY when I write something “concrete” and send me missile mails any time I “try to act like Chris Brogan or Seth Godin” (which roughly translates to anypost whereI don’t list at leastthree tips), the ONLY thing you should take away from this is that you need to ask for the order/inquiry on EVERY VIEW of EVERY PAGE in AS MANY QUADRANTS and in AS MANY WAYS as you possibly can. Granted, it’s not pretty but it really does work.
Why? Because aesthetics really don’t matter as much as people think-hope-wish they do. The brain thatdoes the work online cares about security and speed. In other words, you could have the prettiest site in the universe and get no inquiries or orders because it doesn’t appear”safe.”(In the brain, that translates to a place where it’s ok for you to spend time.) The key to a good website isn’t being sexy, it’s being functional. (Read: action oriented.)
If you’ve gotten that down-pat, here are two BONUS tips,
just for you —
1. You are not your user. Just because you like something does not mean that your user will. Just because you do it one way does not mean that your user will do it the same way. You need to get out of your brain and into theirs. First place to look: your exit pages. The only truly acceptable pages are confirmation and thank you pages. If a user is exiting some other place, it means you didn’t do your job correctly. You weren’t clear about setting your expectations and so they didn’t live up to them.
2. Just because someone says they hate it, doesn’t mean they don’t respond to it. (The best way to figure this out for yourself is to spend some time at some adult content sites — no, not looking at the “content” per se, but the execution.) People say they hate billboards but for some companies, they are one of the most effective forms of advertising. People say they hate pop-ups. But do they work? For many, it’s the best tool in their arsenal. What actually works and what people say they like are often two very different things so try testing things that folks “hate.” (And yes, you MUST give the test your very best shot — as if your job depended on it. If you set the test up to fail, you should be shot.)
Yes – you’re right as usual, but can’t you have a nice looking site too? Besides I like my ego!
Amy,
There seems to be a re-occurring theme in your interactions with others. Something like “Your site is ugly. Yeah but my site works” So in your case the ends justify the means, fair enough. For the record I dont think your site is THAT ugly, however visual appeal is subjective. With that in mind, my questions are this 1) Are “good looking” design and effectiveness diametrically opposed when it comes to websites? 2) Are there any website examples out there that showcase and demonstrate both successfully?
Amy, The ugly ones work just fine. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen dog ugly do the job. My biggest comment would be that ugly is fine for a web site. But it should match your brand off-line.
I love the numbers. If the numbers say that it’s working, run with it. Some kid with a college degree in graphic design that’s got him 75K in student loans and no job, can talk about design aesthetics all day, but you’ve got what counts. It’s about the Benjamins baby!
Keep writing, and keep making us laugh!
Andy
Amy – you are right – I played the role of consumer and went trolling web sites (no comments on “doesn’t she have anything better to do – this was important!)- as in so many other cases – beauty is only skin deep – ugly, or maybe ‘not esthtically pleasing’ works best – I found what I needed, did what I needed to do and then scooted off to write this comment!
Amy – all very good examples, thank you. Although iTunes to me is a hybrid, as much software/hardware dependent as web. Now all of these sites you mention sell an item. Your sites, 8×8 or this one are enticing people to give info, in order to get info. Do you feel the same rules apply to sites whether they are selling something or acquiring info? Any example of a site that is both effective and designed well whose sole purpose is to gather info?
Hmm, going to add a pop-up to my site right now. I had been resisting because I don’t like them. However, every single thing I read recently talks about how well they work. Thanks as usual, Double-A!
Rich, I never recommend that folks use the http://www.eightbyeight.com site as a benchmark. We play around with it too much and a lot of our forms and such are NOT to be copied. We are very choosy about which clients we want to take on.
I’m not sure that I understand your question about acquiring info but I can say that every single thing that happens online is a SALE in the user’s mind even if NO money exchange takes place.
The reason being is that there is a market value in the user’s brain for their personal data. Bottom line: the same rules apply.
Will — “As usual,” eh? Does that include social media being a Time-Suck? Just wondering…
Rich — Great questions. No, good design and effectiveness aren’t necessarily diametrically opposed but most companies don’t ask what they want in favor/lieu of good design. The sites that work (places like iTunes, Amazon, eBay, eBags, Great Garden Plants) are aggressive about telling the user what to do. That should come first. Design and aesthetics are very subjective but there are places (Demco and Ross Simons) that do both well. As for this topic, you are right, I did repeat myself on this point but this QLOG is going to get a whole lot more specific about sites that suck and I want folks to be prepared. Thanks for writing.
Andy — thanks for writing. Your “All about the Benjamins” comment made me smile. The interesting thing, as you know, is that a lot of the big pure-plays get this concept but it’s the solo guys who’d benefit most from it that completely miss out.
Bernice — Your comment makes my day. You are definitely an upscale consumer (yes, upscale would be an understatement) AND you know a boatload, correct that, OCEAN-FULL — correct that, MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE — about database marketing so you’ve seen both sides of this equation and know firsthand what works (and what doesn’t.) Thanks for writing.