You don't need a flashy website

For most companies the answer to all their digital woes is a new website.  Web design has never been so elaborate or abundant, but the truth is that you don't need a fancy website to drive conversions.  If your website isn't delivering the results you want, it probably isn't the underlying functionality or background color that's holding you back.

Don't get me wrong, many websites out there need a radical makeover, but the most important things are purpose and flow.  Go through your website page by page and write down the following things.

1. Page URL - You'll need to be able to find the same page later.
2. Page Title - This is what shows up in your browser's tab.
3. Page Purpose - What is your goal with this page.  Are you trying to explain something, sell something, brag?  Regardless of the purpose, you need 1 clear purpose per page.
4. Effectiveness - Does the page serve its purpose?  Try to use analytics data or customer feedback to validate your rating.
5. What next? - No matter what page you're on, there has to be a next step.  You don't want someone to sign up for your newsletter and then leave your site.  You want them to read more posts from your blog, connect with you on twitter and linkedin, and keep browsing.  When you stop the conversation, your visitors have no choice but to leave.

You don't need a new fandagled website with tons of features.  You just need a little different copy, a little cleaner layout, and clear next steps.