Critical thinking: Web experts rate the design and effectiveness of seven industry Web sites

Pool & Spa News, May 7, 2004 by AmyJo Brown, Margi Millunzi

Expert advice is a valuable commodity in the business world. And that's just what we provided to several pool and spa companies when we invited an expert panel to evaluate their Web sites.

All told, seven pool and spa firms braved our challenge to have the Web design and marketing professionals critique their online presence. The experts first reviewed the look and layout of the sites, then focused on how well they function as sales tools: whether they reach their target audiences, portray honesty and trustworthiness, and successfully sell the pool and spa lifestyle.

In short, we wanted to know what works and what could use a little work.

The participating companies represent the full spectrum of what can be found on the Internet:

* Some have had an online presence since the beginning of the Internet, while others only recently entered the online marketplace.

* Several have chosen a do-it-yourself route to creating their sites, while others prefer to let professionals tackle the chore.

* Many use high-tech graphics and vivid colors to showcase their work, while others take a more low-key game plan that calls for subtle shades and fewer bells and whistles.

Regardless of their approaches, these companies are united in their end goals: to be information resources for current and prospective customers, and to promote the sale of pools and spas.

In their review of these pool and spa industry Web sites, our three-member panel applauds examples of stunning design, provides suggestions for improvements and offers practical tips that can be applied to any Web site.

Meet the experts

Our first expert, George Whalin, says navigation and visual appeal are what he looks for when reviewing a Web site. "There are far too many dull, boring sites that make it difficult for visitors to get around," he says.

Someone interested in purchasing a pool or spa will generally use the Internet to find out more about the product and get contact information for companies they want to visit, he explains. "If the Web site doesn't satisfy these two objectives, it cannot be an effective sales tool."

Whalin is founder of Retail Management Consultants in San Marcos, Calif. He provides business-building support to retailers throughout North America. The author of Retail Success! Increase Sales, Maximize Profits, and Wow Your Customers in the Most Competitive Marketplace in History also serves as a consultant and speaker on retail matters. For more information on Whalin, visit www.georgewhalin.com.

Our second panelist, David Frey, believes effective pool and spa Web sites should do four things well:

* Build trust and credibility

* Generate leads

* Differentiate the business from its competitors

* Sell products or establish face-to-face meetings

"Overall, the Web sites are typical of what I see every day in the industry," says Frey, president of SpaPoolSuccess.com in Webster, Texas. "From my observations, most did a good job of establishing trust, but they all struggled with the other three objectives.

"An all-too-common mistake among spa and pool businesses is to build what I call a 'What we do' Web site that focuses only on the company, its achievements, and its products and services," he adds. "The fact is that people are less concerned about awards and achievements and mole concerned about getting their questions answered, their wants and needs met, and their problems solved when they visit your Web site."

Frey, an Internet marketing expert, also wrote a manual titled Recession-Proof Your Spa and Pool Business: How to Make Business Come to You! To receive a free copy of his most recent report (15 Deadly Spa and Pool Website Marketing Mistakes), send an e-mail to mistakes@spapoolsuccess.com. Frey also offers free Web site critiques; those who are interested should send their names and Web site addresses to David@SpaPoolSuc cess.com.

Ken Edwards shares Whalin's emphasis on ease of use for Web sites, but adds that a fast loading time and accessibility to search engines also are key. He advises business owners to learn more about their audiences to sell most effectively.

Edwards owns Meancode Media in Bowling Green, Ohio, which develops Web sites for an extensive list of clients. He is also the database specialist for student publications at Bowling Green State University and manages The BG News' Web site. He can be reached at ken@meancode.com.

A final note: Some of the Web sites featured in this article may have been updated or changed altogether before publication. Thus, you may see some differences between the sites discussed here and their live counterparts found online.

Luther Stem Pools & Spas

Fort Smith, Ark. www.lutherstem.com

We wanted to keep our Web design simple: Show the storefront, the interior of the store and projects that we built. It lets people know about the company, our wares and our quality. We use our site as a sales tool, and we get inquiries from people who live farther away, in northwest Arkansas. So, over the phone our sales staff will walk them through our Web site, showing them projects we've done and options they can get. After we get a sense of what they want, we can give them a general quote. However, we don't list prices online; I don't want to get into a price war with my competitors. We've been expanding the site over the past few years, but it's hard to do when you're busy running a business.--Wendell Stem, vice president