What you don't know

You never know what you don't know until you find out you didn't know it...

In other words - Wow! I had no idea the hunting industry was such a big business. I guess my first clue should have been Cabella's and Gander Mountain. But when recently speaking to the Kansas Sport Hunters Association I really learned a lot about what it takes to host hunters, where the game comes from and how big the market really is.

This was a great group of people who are, at the heart of it, are in the hospitality industry. The vast majority are farmers who have a lot of land that isn't producing crop in the off season and provide lodging, food and recreation for hunters to supplement the farming.

During the seminar we reviewed 3 of their websites (volunteers came forward in advance) and one of the most striking differences off the top was how web design has changed in even 3 or 4 years. Two of the sites were newer and the third site had been online for several years. The difference in the graphic design of the sites made the older site look less professional even though it had been in business longer.

While many people think graphic design is just nice to have, it really becomes a tool to further enhance your level of professionalism. Graphic design is actually one of the elements that lead people to believe your company is more credible, more worthy of business.

Pay careful attention to the graphics of your site - what message does your actual design convey? Not sure? Ask a third party, someone not as familiar with your business, to take a look at your site. The feedback you can gain from an outsider is invaluable when it comes to developing a website that gets results.