Feng Shui Your Site

March 25, 2008 by elaineb · 4 Comments

Although some may argue that is impossible, I feel some of its concepts can be applied to web design. Feng Shui means water and wind, implies the seen with the unseen and is a term that has been used for over 3000 years.

I heard someone describe it as finding the acupuncture points on a land or home in order to have a specific effect. Another guru mentioned that it is the art of arranging a space in order to attract things. You get very well acquainted with a similar concept, when you start to learn design. It`s called accessibility.

Feng Shui chinese characters-Dreamstime.com

I have always felt that your site is your home on the web. I have clients who obsess about intro pages, wanting a particular font or are completely stuck on one color. Every thing you own and love is connected to you by a memory or a feeling. Even a font can have the same effect!

Per example, my husband gave me a one carat diamond and gold pendant when we got married. The pendant is very dear to me and I often find myself touching it when I need comfort. The pendant connects me to the energy (chi) of the memory and its consequent effect is one of calm and center. I am sure that the effect would be the opposite if I had divorced him.
<—A feng Shui room.Dreamstime.com

Although a web site is either a place for information or shopping, some of the concepts can be applied to web design. Here is a little guideline!

?Craddle in the comfort and safety of a chair-Just because I love my 9 inch heels doesn`t mean everyone else does. Highly adorned websites may look cute to you, but are not effective at what you want, which is selling your items! Look at gap.com or victoriassecret.com. These sites make purchasing a breeze and evoke safety. That doesn`t mean you can`t have graphics, because they have fantastic visuals, but I don`t feel assaulted by neither color or patterns. The previews are large and attractive. I am comfortable, safe and invited to shop.
?Change is good-Declutter! I am totally guilty of this as I recently had a third eye visit my site and critique my working space on the web. The repetitious pages are extremely counterproductive. Time is the new currency, being able to provide information at one glance will not only allow for a much simpler layout, but will make buying much easier.
?Honor yourself, Honor your visitor -Are you cheating your customer of the experience of shopping at a boutique? I love, LOVE, buying from pinkparisdesign.com. Paul takes extra care in the packaging, sending her cards in a fabulous pink box, tissued with damask paper and the cards come in a frosty pillow box tied with a silky ribbon and hang tag that is shimmering with german glass glitter. Even her notes resembles silky frosting! A neglectful box is a sign of someone who doesn`t care. If you don`t care about packing, why would you care about selling? You are as good as your store!! Honor yourself! Attention to detail honors the customer, and in turn customer honors you.
?Environment displays consciousness-This pertains to the reason of displaying art or furniture and why we hold on to it. In the case of my site, I wanted to display all I can do and say everything in one go-my front page. WRONG! When you open your door, do you give your resume to a stranger? No, you introduce yourself! My front page now has a paragraph introducing me. Also putting improper personal information on your site is as bad as walking into your house and finding a bra in the middle of the living room. Why would you let everyone know what age are your kids or what was your school mascot? Usually those are your security questions on different sites,. You might as well put up a sign that says “Stalkers wanted.”
?Honor and respect create beauty-No one likes a messy room, same goes for a site. A logical category order is imperative if you plan to make money with your site. Although in our every day, we will add items, rework category order and rewrite information, your site cannot remain in a state of creative chaos. If you do, not only will you not feel creative and motivated to work on your site, but you will lose money each day you let it go. You must organize, organization is beauty. Beauty equals money.
?This means something to me-Great! That, which you are holding on to, means nothing to your customer. Ponder even deeper, why do you hold on to it? Imposing the presence of an item, artwork or pattern because it makes you feel good, may be completely having the opposite effect. I recently met with a client who had wanted an all pink site. Why? “I love pink!”She says. The shade of pink she wanted was very baby pink and her high end, sophisticated items would suffer the association of “baby”, small and not adult. Think of what your store is representing now and what YOU want the store to represent. If you have a large discrepancy between the two, then it`s time to change.

Feng shui is a discipline that can take a lifetime to master. I know enough about it to make a few calls here and there. However, the more and more I learn about, I can`t help but think that this sound advice can be applied in every aspect of your life.

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