My question for Tara

What methods do you have in place or have made use of that allow you to obtain objective feedback on your web-design to be sure you’re reaching your target markets? Do you have anybody who specifically markets in your field or perhaps an un-biased colleague who helps “test” your site to be sure that they would “buy”? Please share how you research and refine this topic in your work.

Tara’s Expert Advice

While I know you’re question is asking specifically about my website and how I determine it’s effectiveness, my answer is one that can be applied to all marketing tactics I employ for Elastic Mind.

My approach to designing any marketing or communication tactic, whether it is my website, or a client’s logo, is, before I create anything, to first consider and understand three things:

1. What the long-term goals/vision of the business are
2. Who the ideal market(s) for the business are and what they need to hear
3. How this marketing tactic can assist the business in reaching it’s target vision and market

I feel that in exploring these considerations we can find the WHY? of any business design. And in clearly defining the purpose of WHY? something needs to be created, before any action is taken, it allows you to get very clear on how you can determine if the tactic is effective.

The answer may be as simple as — did this tactic help us towards reaching our long term goals?

For myself and my business marketing, I’ve created everything, including my website, in isolation, but with a focus on the above 3 considerations. In every marketing tactic I design, I’ve determined it’s effectiveness by the realization of my business goals. I see my website as a success because of the amount of pleasure I get from expressing myself through it, the relationships I have built via it and how it has been my primary tool in realizing my career dreams.

When I work with a client on co-designing their site, we use the same tool for measurement. We define where they want to go with their business, and how a website can help get them there, and together we co-create a tool to help them realize this. If my client feels that their website has aided them in getting where they want to go, we determine it a success.

In my experience as a marketer, designer and business owner, whatever we create to express our brand, whether it is a website, a business card, or a logo, if we create with our ideal client and our values in mind, it will be effective. Cultivating a meaningful connection with your ideal market, regardless of what any expert might say about it, is the truest measure of marketing or design success.

This month Tara asked me about making time for all of her endeavors, passions and interests. See how I applied past peer mentoring discussions to inspire my advice for her this month here!