How to Improve Your Web Design

Business consulting web design

Written by: Braden Zoet

In today’s digital economy, consumers have come to expect the companies they do business with to maintain an active and accessible online presence. This expectation is the same whether you deal in products or services, as your customers expect the information they are seeking to be instantly recognizable when they visit your website.

What I’m getting at here is that now more than ever it is important that you invest in a website that attracts and holds the attention of your target market. Obviously your design will be heavily influenced by the audience you want to attract and the image you want to convey, but there are still a few key factors you should take into consideration for any contemporary website. Companies like IA Business Advisors can help design and build a custom website for you from concept to creation. Please reach out to us for more information and examples of some of the work we have done for our clients.

To begin, you need to ensure your website employs a responsive design. Essentially, your site should appropriately respond to the end user’s behavior based on screen size, platform, and orientation. What do I mean by that? Take your cursor and move over to the edge of your browser window. Grab the edge and scale it back and forth. Notice how the design of the IA website changes to match the size of your window? This is important to incorporate so that your website looks just as good on tablets and mobile devices as it does on your desktop. Smart phones are becoming increasingly popular for web browsing and now account for more than half of the total internet traffic. As a result being mobile friendly can be the difference between a potential customer staying on your site, or moving on to a competitor whose site is easier to navigate.

This brings me to my next point, incorporating a simple navigation bar does wonders for cleaning up the aesthetics of your site and decreasing your bounce rate (the percentage of users who leave your site after viewing only one page). The information on your site should be organized in a way that is methodical and understandable to someone visiting your site for the first time. Having an excessive amount of information on your homepage can be overwhelming to visitors. Determine what information is truly relevant to your audience and remove the extra “fluff.” People will contact you for more specific information if they find your company compelling enough. For this reason, a contact form and any other relevant contact information should be prominently displayed.

By removing unnecessary and repetitive information you allow for the opportunity to incorporate blank space and compelling visuals. Today’s consumers expect your website to feature a user-friendly interface that relies on visual images as much as it does text. We recently rebranded our website and chose to juxtapose our simplistic design with whimsical, hand-drawn illustrations in order to inject a playful human element. Images can convey a much stronger emotional message to your visitor. While using stock images is always an option, custom graphics and genuine company photos can go a long way in establishing authenticity. Selecting the proper colors to fill your website also falls into this category. We paired softer, muted colors to create an elegant and minimalist look. Selecting complementary color choices takes careful planning, but when done correctly (or incorrectly) can influence how

Finally, I’d like to get to typography. Spending time on selecting a font to match your branding is often an overlooked step, but can go a long way in establishing your brand’s identity. For example, take a look at how the word “hello” is presented in this graphic. All three obviously convey the same word and its associated meaning, but based on how the word is presented you read it differently and elicit alternative reactions. While these font examples might be a little extreme for your typical website, it should go to show you just how much of an impact selecting a font can have on the reader. In most cases you’ll want to go with something that is easy to read with thin, crisp lines, but play around with it to add subtle but compelling flair to your design.

While this is only the beginning of a long list of considerations, hopefully it has you thinking about simple ways to improve your design and accordingly your user experience. Please feel free to comment below with any questions you might have, and consider reaching out to find out how our team of creative professionals can help with refining the look and message of your website.

© Individual Advantages, LLC 2017

The post How to Improve Your Web Design appeared first on IA Business Advisors.

Looking for help with Organizational Improvement?

< Older Post

Newer Post >

A blue piggy bank is sitting on top of a stack of wooden blocks.

How to Mitigate Financial Risk Using the S.M.A.R.T. Management System

June 9, 2025

In an increasingly volatile economy, businesses cannot afford to be reactive when it comes to their finances. Whether you're a startup founder, a growing enterprise, or a seasoned business owner, the risk of financial instability is real—and growing. At IA Business Advisors, we help companies proactively navigate these risks using our comprehensive S.M.A.R.T. Management System . S.M.A.R.T. is more than just a goal-setting acronym. It is a decision-making and execution framework that brings clarity, structure, and alignment to every part of your business. From six-week action plans to one-year targets and long-term strategy, S.M.A.R.T. ensures your financial operations support healthy growth and resilience. Understanding Financial Risk in Today’s Business Climate Financial risk is multifaceted. It ranges from cash flow disruptions and market shifts to internal mismanagement and over-leveraged growth. As Brian Smith shared on a recent Daily Influence podcast episode, unchecked growth can drive a company into bankruptcy. Scaling without intention—chasing fast growth without aligning the internal team and financial resources—leads to diluted communication, quality issues, and operational chaos. Mitigating financial risk begins by understanding that more revenue doesn't always equal more stability. True sustainability comes from building systems that support intentional, well-paced growth. The S.M.A.R.T. Framework in Action: Reducing Financial Risk Our S.M.A.R.T. Management System guides businesses in creating resilient, financially stable operations through: 1. Specific: Build with Intentionality Clarity is power. One of our podcast guests, Mike Heatwole (CEO of The Dala Group), emphasized the importance of sitting down to define what matters most—whether that’s paying down debt, investing in growth, or launching a new venture. When your financial goals are specific, your strategy becomes targeted and less prone to reactive decision-making. “If we don’t know what the goal is, how do we get there?” — Mike Heatwole, CEO of The Dala Group 2. Measurable: Track What Matters Many companies are blindsided not by invisible risks, but by unmonitored ones. We help clients implement tools to track cash flow, margin fluctuations, and budget variances in real time. Visibility into your financial health gives you the power to respond early and course correct as needed. 3. Achievable: Assign Financial Stewardship Risk is reduced when financial responsibility is distributed. Through teamwide financial literacy and clear accountability, we empower organizations to make stronger daily decisions. No individual person should carry the entire burden—and no key area should go unmonitored. 4. Relevant: Make Risk Management a Habit Quarterly or biannual financial health check-ins create a sustainable rhythm. These don’t have to be complicated—they just need to be consistent. Regular reviews embed risk awareness into your company culture and decision-making process. 5. Timely: Foster Honest Dialogue Financial silence is a hidden threat. As Brian noted on the podcast, emotions like fear or shame can prevent businesses from facing financial realities. We encourage honest, blame-free communication around financial performance, creating space for solutions and collective action. Case in Point: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Impact One of our clients, a family-run distribution company, had strong revenue but was bleeding cash due to aging receivables. Together, we built a six-week S.M.A.R.T. Plan focused on accounts receivable recovery. We implemented weekly check-ins, assigned ownership, and used real-time tracking. Within 90 days, their outstanding A/R dropped by 22%, freeing up capital and restoring operational confidence. It’s Never Too Late to Get Financially Intentional Many leaders in their 40s, 50s, or 60s worry they’ve waited too long. But as Mike Heatwole wisely shared: “It’s never too late. Just get started. Do something.” Progress—not perfection—is the goal. Start small. Build momentum. Take the next best step. This mirrors a concept we love from The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan: measure progress based on how far you've come, not just how far you have to go. Final Thoughts: Make Financial Stability a Strategy Mitigating financial risk isn’t about a dramatic overhaul. It’s about consistent action, visibility, and intentional decision-making. With the S.M.A.R.T. Management System, IA Business Advisors helps businesses turn risk into clarity, fear into focus, and instability into opportunity. If you’re ready to start, we’re ready to help. Let’s have a conversation about what matters most to you—and build from there.

Enhancing Interpersonal Relationships for Toxic Workplace Recovery

May 29, 2025

Hello, team! Mary here, continuing our journey through the I in Team series, where we challenge and empower you to Find , Be , and Build Your Influence. One of the most common things we’re asked to help our clients with is toxic workplace recovery. This directly connects to the culture of the team, and while rebuilding that culture takes time and intention, it is absolutely possible. In fact, with the guidance of our I in Team approach and S.M.A.R.T. Management system, we’ve successfully helped more than 19,000 teams evolve into high-performing, values-based cultures. If you’re ready to take the lead and breathe life back into your team, we’re here and ready to support you. Practice Emotional Intelligence One of the most impactful steps you can take on your toxic workplace recovery journey is to practice emotional intelligence (the ability to recognize, understand, and manage both your own emotions and the emotions of those around you). Toxic environments are often the result of emotional disconnection, poor communication, unnecessary competition, and a culture that avoids constructive feedback. Begin by shifting your perspective: respond with empathy, ask thoughtful questions, and use “I” statements. These habits model two traits, emotional regulation and empathy, that influence how your team interacts and solves problems. Start small. For example, set a personal goal to give one piece of sincere praise or recognition per day. This is a S.M.A.R.T. goal, and it starts to reinforce positive emotional exchanges. Over time, this contributes to a psychologically safe environment where people feel seen and supported. Foster Open Communication Once emotional intelligence begins to take root, toxic workplace recovery is just around the corner. Open communication becomes more natural because when team members are aware of their own and others’ emotions, communication becomes seamless. The number one rule? Listen. Really listen. Without listening, communication is incomplete. Try implementing monthly influence partnerships—team pairings that rotate so members can get to know each other beyond surface-level roles. This creates connection and, when done with consistency (Timely), fosters trust across your team. Another way to build open communication is by creating a structured feedback loop. Clarify how and when feedback should be given—perhaps during weekly one-on-ones or monthly review meetings—and make sure all team members understand the difference between criticism and constructive feedback. S.M.A.R.T. feedback is Specific and Relevant, and when delivered with respect, it encourages team members to grow without fear. Lead by Example As we say throughout the I in Team series, everyone is a leader regardless of title. Whether you’re in the C-suite or just starting your first job, how you show up directly shapes the culture of your team. To begin, set some respectful boundaries rooted in your values. Let others know what you need to succeed and what behaviors support or disrupt your work. When disagreements arise, demonstrate what respectful disagreement looks like—calm, focused on solutions, and free from personal attacks. If your workplace has leaned into competition, shift the focus to collaboration. Collaborate on micro-goals, like shared tasks or cross-functional projects. Make the results Measurable and celebrate wins together (publicly, if possible). Consider S.M.A.R.T.-based team-building events (like problem-solving challenges or goal-setting workshops) to reinforce collaboration in a meaningful way. Final Thoughts Toxic workplace recovery starts with you. Every interaction, every word, every moment of listening is a chance to model what’s possible. Show up the way you want others to show up. If your team is struggling to rebuild or you need expert guidance, reach out . We’re here to help. Let’s keep influencing responsibly and positively together.