Creating a Memorable Volusion Design
The day of creating your new
Volusion design has arrived, and you have tons of ideas about how you want the site to look and flow. This is an awesome time for a store owner, and you probably have plenty of example sites you like, and are ready to jump in and start customizing a template. But let’s pump the breaks for a minute first, and discuss how you plan to make your Volusion design memorable, and what you need to keep in mind to make it happen.
Set Your Expectations
During this exciting time, some store owners can get a little carried away, and decide they NEED a site that is JUST like Nike or Calvin Klein. This is understandable because both of these examples have fantastic websites, but these sites are both on custom platforms, and they have loads of money to pour into their site. So, although there is nothing wrong with deciding that there are certain aspects of their sites that you like, it’s important to understand they there might be some features and functionality they are able to achieve that isn’t as easy to accomplish with a SaaS solution.
Think about which features are absolute must haves, and then consider if they will help streamline the shopping experience for your customers. If not, ask yourself if you really need this feature, or if you’re starting to model your new site after a fancy site you liked that is on a custom platform.
Remember the Purpose of an Online Store
An online store exists to sell your products! Some store owners get so focused on flashy functionality, or coming up with a crazy layout that they forget an e-commerce store is there so customers can browse and purchase products. If you place the navigation in an odd place because you are trying to be different, or make adding a product to the shopping cart difficult, your site will be memorable, but not for positive reasons.
Tell Your Story!
Where was your great idea conceived? What made you decide to make it happen? Adding a face to your company will help make your customers feel more connected with you. If you have an unusual story, this could be what customers remember, and they might find themselves telling their friends about you and your business. Include pictures of your team, your process, or a behind the scenes look at your business.
What Makes You Different?
Write out what company’s core values, and what you do that your competitors do not. Are all of your products made in the United States? Do you have a small team that is going to offer a personal touch and customer service? Are all of your ingredients natural? Figure out what makes your business different, and clearly outline these key points. These can be used as call to actions, and you will want to draw users’ eyes to the areas of your site that feature these call to actions.
Think About Your Branding
Select your logo, color scheme (keep it under 3 colors), fonts, and think about how you want to present your brand. What is the message you want to communicate to your customers? What is your ideal customer like, and what kind of site would benefit them?
Invest in Quality Photos
Whether you’ve decided to use stock photos, or you are going to take lifestyle and product photos, invest in great images for your new site. Even the most skilled web designer is not going to be able to manipulate a bad image enough so it looks like it’s a quality, professional photo. They also won’t be able to PhotoShop model’s eyes open, or create an angle of something that doesn’t exist. If you’re not confident with your photography skills, hire a professional, and make sure that the backgrounds of your product photos are consistent.
Be Consistent
Now that you’ve identified your color scheme, fonts, gathered your photos and call to actions for your e-commerce store – stick to it! Consistency within your store helps build trust with visitors, and will make your site look more high end, and memorable for all the right reasons.
Summary
Creating a design for your new store requires some preparation on your end before just jumping in. If you keep these key points in mind, you will be well on your way to creating an online store that is unforgetable and encourages users to buy!
Have questions for the Border7 team, or interested in a free estimate? Send us a message, or post a comment below!
