Jane Muses Outloud

Tuesday, the day before Wednesday. Jane is feeling muddle-headed. The long weekend wasn't nearly long enough.

We hope, dear readers, that you managed to tear yourself away from the despair of MSNBC or CNN and spend quality time with your family. We continue to read stories all about the net, via blogs, podcasts, websites, and more, on the progress being made in the wake of hurricane Katrina. Stories that cast blame, where blame is deserved but...we do not see the purpose [at this time] of pointing fingers. Stories from rescued citizens throughout the devastation wrought by this hurricane -- proud citizens who refused to give up, though their tears are still wet on their faces. Stories of "returning home" regardless of not having anything to return home to.

We spent our Monday with family. With Tom and our sister, at a cook-out for Tom's son Brendan, who leaves for Japan in a week or so. We shared our dismay with family and friends, and spent some time concentrating on what Brendan would be doing in Japan, and how button-busting proud we are of him. We ate hotdogs and hamburgers and fruit salad and commented on our own weather tragedies...which cannot ever compare to what has happend in Louisianna.

Out of all of this, we came away with today's Fit by Five. Five things Jane believes will help you as you prepare for the upcoming holidays. Five things to help you market to women online, because, after all, that's what we're about: marketing to women online.

For this week, 5 Things Ladies Like Online...young and not so young, alike:

1. Smiles. That's right, a smile. Is your website warm, inviting, friendly? Does it make us smile? Do you have a smiley face, a bright sun, a warm invitation, that greets us every time we click in to your site? If not, hurry -- get one. Now! Yes, this minute! Then come back for #s 2-5.

2. Easy linking. You've heard it before, you'll likely hear it again. We're busy folk. We don't want to click into a page that promises denim skirts and end up at leather boots! Don't invite us to check out your gift baskets -- and present us with calendars. Check your links. Fix broken ones and add updated pages with new products, complete with quick access from other sections of your site. Remember: we can click out just as quickly as we clicked in!

3. Zoom. We appreciate the fact that you need to use icons to make sure all the images download quickly. We thank you for that. But, now that we're on the page with the silk dress in the perfect color, we want to see it up close. In our size. Jane is going out on a limb here, but...we would like to see your clothing on models more representative of us. Jane would like to see your gift items in close detail. Jane would like to have access to your complete catalog online...in full visual detail. The web is, after all, a visual medium.

4. Gift certificates. When we're buying for others -- and Jane hopes you remember that we buy for others almost all of the time -- we might decide a gift certificate is in order. We won't purchase that gift certificate, however, if you don't let us shop around your site. We need to be convinced that  a) you have something we want ( or want to give as a gift) and b) that our purchase will be easily exchanged, if necessary. That means, if we purchase a gift certificate, don't put qualifications on it. Make it for ANYTHING in your store. And, add a note saying returns are happily accepted.

5. The personal touch. By that, we mean...we would like to know more about you than just a paragraph on your About Us page. Tell us something meaningful. Tell us what gets you up in the morning. Engage us in conversation. Learn what brought us to your site, and what we want when we get there. The net is becoming more and more interactive -- if you don't have a blog (and why don't you?) add video and audio to your site. Make it optional! And short! But, show us your face -- then talk to us.

Whew! Jane is worn out now. We're going shopping. Know any good sites we should visit?

Hey, what's not to like about that?