Today’s crazy market means that many online business owners must adapt to change. The public’s taste is changing, and so are budgets. People who could once afford your highest-priced items or services may no longer be able to spend money on them. How do you answer to such a tough call without lowering your prices? Simple. Revamp your website to draw budget-minded people in.

Here’s how to do it:

• Place your lower-priced products directly on the front page. Doing this will draw attention to the “thrifty” products you carry without cheapening your brand.
• Create and implement a marketing campaign featuring your lower-priced items or services. Spend a little money to do this if you need to. Show the public that you aren’t afraid to provide them with something they need and/or want for a price they can afford.
• Increase your “bang for the buck.” Instead of lowering prices, offer additional services or a more features with a product or service you already have. Then feature these new offerings on your product pages. If you’re a service business, develop packages that have true value for your budgeting clients. Blog and Twitter about your new packages, and feature them on your website.
• Offer something for free. How many times have you downloaded a free eBook or business checklist? Find out where your strengths lie and then give it to your potential customers! People love free stuff, and if the free item is good, they’ll come back for more.
• Put your contact information (or contact form) in an easily accessible place. Sounds simple, right? Think about how often you try to find a phone number for a company but have to click through 8 pages to find it. Not fun. Your potential clients will go elsewhere. Help them find you! Bonus if you include your phone number.
• Be focused. If you offer several different products or services, make sure your home page focuses on a theme. The easier it is to find things, the more sales you will make!
• Review your site. Keep this important fact in mind – your site is not built for YOU. It is built for your customers. Have several friends or even your current customers review your website. Then (mostly importantly) act on that feedback!
• Optimize! Make sure your keywords are relevant and working. Utilize Google Analytics to make the most of your SEO. The last thing you want right now is for Google to pass you by. Hire a pro to revamp your content or do some advanced SEO for your site. You won’t be disappointed.
• Be prepared to take a hit. Your sales might be down this year, so recognize that this is okay. Remember it could be far worse. Do what you can to draw customers in, but don’t feel like a failure if you’re not performing as well as you did last year.

Need help getting your site recession-ready? Contact Mad Hatter Design Company for help with graphic design, SEO, and custom blog design.