A website is the public face of your business. Often it is the first thing people see when they do research on your company. If someone wants to know who you are and what you’re about, they reach for their computer, smartphone or tablet — making a strong web presence more important in today’s business climate than ever before.
As the old saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” and one company that does not disappoint with its web content is FastBoats Marine Group of Pompano Beach, Fla., fastboats.com.
Managing partner Kim Sweers, who owns the business along with her husband, Randy, and is a 20-year veteran of the marine industry, says a lot of attention is paid to maintaining the site and keeping it fresh and up to date. The site’s landing page is changed monthly, and the dealership’s business manager makes it a priority once a month to evaluate the site in its entirety, ensuring all links are active and content is relevant and valid. Kim also says that every three years, the site is completely redesigned with a new, revamped look.
Aside from its rich and engaging content, which includes current inventory, photo and video gallery, and an entire “Community Involvement” section that highlights all the charity work FastBoats and the Sweers do throughout South Florida and beyond, the site boasts some unique features. For example, a “Concierge” tab encourages customers to alert FastBoats staff via e-mail if they’re planning to use their boat so that, upon request, the dealership can top it off with fuel, stock the fridge with provisions, detail the boat, or perform any necessary service work before the customer plans to head out of the slip.
“No one wants to come into town and not have their boat ready,” Kim explains. And it’s never hard to reach anybody at FastBoats. Not only does the company include sales and after-hours phone numbers on each and every web page, but an extensive “Team FastBoats” page lists the name, contact information and photo of all staff members, making it easy for visitors to find the individual they want/need and contact that person directly. This type of personal interaction is key to making a connection with current and potential customers.
Equally as important is the overall impression a website makes on its visitors. Traditionally thought of as just a high-performance boat dealership, FastBoats is oh-so much more than that, and Kim Sweers says the design and content of the company’s website has convinced people of this fact.
“Our site has helped change peoples’ perception of us,” says Kim. She explains that from the website’s content, visitors can see that while go-fast boats are how the dealership made its name, FastBoats is involved in all aspects of boating besides the high-performance market, everything from fishing to knot-tying.
The FastBoats website is well designed, easy to navigate and includes engaging content that defines what the dealership is and how dealership personnel interact with customers. It’s a great example of how to put your best foot forward on the internet and make a lasting impression.
Check out the FastBoats website for yourself by clicking here.
