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Vik Duggal discusses the way you should look at your website today.
the welcome mat
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Having trouble viewing this video? Try a YouTube version.
Vik Duggal discusses the way you should look at your website today.
Previous post: it’s not the economy
Next post: KA Connect 2011 in San Francisco
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Vik,
Great question. You made me really think about this one. After taking a few minutes to go to some of my favorite web sites for manufacturers that I enjoy purchasing from, and I noticed this trend. Take HTC for example. They have a new campaign that is promoting their new line of “iphone” killers. HTC (and/or the marketing consortium they hired) makes it all about “YOU”, and if you have seem the TV commercials, the ‘O’ is replaced with one of their new phones. My first thought when I saw this was “duh, of course it’s about me… I’m the consumer… I will decide what I am going to buy.” But now that I think about it, and after seeing your video, I now realize that there are far too few companies out there that understand “us.” Why are they building and marketing their products to “the masses” when all “the masses” want is a little personalized service, and at the least, a portal where MY needs are met, using CORRECT English, and in black and white says “… should we have the pleasure of having you as our customer, here is what you will get out of it and/or here is how your life will change for the better.” It seems like a simple concept that some companies just can’t figure out.
Ironically, I think when I purchased our last welcome mat I wasn’t thinking much about the visitors to my house but more about how the mat reflected our personality. In that respect I think most websites do treat their websites in the same manner. Welcome to my house, check out my style.
In our design sessions and design stories we try to get the team to really think about the role the feature their designing is for and what the benefit for that role is. Too often the role is the individual or the company themselves and the team often doesn’t ask themselves how the new feature would benefit the customer or if they even need it.
I think the analogy of selling your home might be more appropriate here but next time I’m out buying a welcome mat I’ll ask the question, “Would my guests like this?”.
Michael – Could you explain a bit more about the selling of a home analogy? Not seeing it, but would love to get your perspective.
Often when people sell their home they make the mistake of presenting it in their style. The paint is the same colour, their knick knacks are placed about the room and their family photos are promiently displayed. The problem is, that doesn’t make the buyer feel welcome. They can’t picture themselves in the home.
Businesses often make the same mistake. They assume their customer is like them and have the same goals. Their website is often welcoming from a company perspective, not a customer perspective.
Michael, I agree. Many companies make the mistake of thinking that their website is supposed to be about “them” when really it’s about their customers.
Many owners take a heavy handed approach when working with design / dev companies because they feel that their personal style must be injected into the website. Sure, in some circumstances, and businesses this is correct, but 90% of the time, it results in a website that is unusable.
Hey Vik,
I just designed a static home page (or welcome mat) for my new Wordpress Blog (still a work in progress) because I was asking myself this same question: “How should I introduce myself to new people on the web?” Cool video, and I plan to check back for more cool stuff in the future.
Cheers,
Garin