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Most agricultural retailers have Web sites, but they rarely use them effectively as a business-building tool.
That's a shame, because a Web site has the potential to build customer loyalty and increase a retailer's business, says Matthew Walsh, president of QuickFarm, which is one of the major providers, along with DTN, of Web-development and content services to agricultural retailers in the U.S.
“For many retailers, a Web site is something they buy because it has been sold to them, but they haven't embraced it as an important part of their business,” Walsh says.
To make the most of a Web site, he suggests following these six steps:
Appoint someone to be in charge of your Web site. If no one is responsible for the site, it is likely to flounder.
Update the Web site on a regular basis. “Minimally, you should change the look and the feel of the site by the season, if not monthly,” Walsh says. “Changing images and some of the content keeps customers engaged with the Web site. If it looks the same day after day, customers will get tired of it.”
Provide content that is unique to your Web site. “There are two major companies that develop Web sites for retailers, so basic information [markets, news and weather] they provide is commoditized,” he says. “Unique content that you provide will keep the customer coming back.”
Some ideas for unique content are detailed in-season crop scouting reports, local rainfall amounts, agronomic news, links to area university newsletters, a community calendar and weekly sales promotions and services.
Once you capture Web site users, use smart Web design to keep them on the site. If you provide links to university reports or other information, set up these links to open in a secondary window. That way, when your customer closes the linked window, he or she will still be on your Web site.
“You want your Web site to be as ‘sticky’ as possible to emphasize the value you provide to customers,” Walsh says. “Don't create a site that allows people to navigate away.”
Provide value-added services through your Web site to maximize “stickiness.” An increasingly popular value-added Web-based service is secure access to account documents, such as monthly statements, grain scale tickets and open grain contracts.
“You want to create a habit that in order for them to get their statements, or see their scale tickets, they come to your Web site,” Walsh says. “Ideally, customers will make your site their home page.”
Walsh thinks such customer relationship management functions will become more integrated with company Web sites in the future. “Eventually, the entire back office of a retailer's operation will be integrated on the Web,” he predicts.
Use an aggressive awareness-building campaign to convince customers to use your Web site. Once you have built a valuable Web site, don't just wait for customers to discover it. Walsh says, “Let your customers know about the value your Web site provides through regular statement stuffers, local ads, company brochures, at meetings and when you meet with them one on one.”
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