The other day I stopped by a burger place called the Lunchbox Laboratory for some serious burger action. I had heard good things about it and read mostly positive reviews but had never been there before, so I did what most people nowadays do when gathering information: I checked out their website.

The Lunchbox Laboratory website is a mess of Flash, audio, and poor SEO and usability. It doesn’t rank for “lunchbox laboratory” because of its lack of spiderable content, its title tag is “your site title here” and its phone number is listed on the home page as “206-706-”, seemingly forgetting the last 4 digits. I could go on about the multiple site issues, but it’s not really the point of this post (besides, Patrick is going to cover some heinous Flash sites in tomorrow’s post and Victor will address SEO and Flash on Friday). For all intents and purposes, let’s say that, despite the site’s flaws, to the average “I don’t do Internet marketing for a living” web user, it’s a pretty hip and sleek looking site. Speaking on a strictly visual sense, it’s flashy and kind of hipster-chic, so, naturally, I assumed that when I went to the actual restaurant I’d find an establishment that somewhat mirrors the site in aesthetic (not the loud Flash crap; more the color scheme and modern sleek atmosphere).

Here’s what the restaurant looks like:

Front of restaurant

Inside of the Lunchbox Laboratory

Menu board

I was pretty surprised to find that the actual restaurant has more of a hole in the wall vibe. The atmosphere is kind of roadside BBQ kitsch. It’s a clean restaurant and the food was absolutely awesome, but after looking at the website and visiting the actual location, there’s a huge disconnect between the two. Looking at the website, one thinks, “This place seems pretty hip and neat. $20 is a lot to pay for a burger, but the restaurant seems cool and the menu looks good so I’ll give it a try.” Upon visiting the restaurant, the perception can quickly deteriorate to “Why would I pay $20 to eat here? This place is way too overpriced.”

Last week Lisa Barone blogged about her favorite cupcake place and its new, ugly website. While my example is a case of a casual place with a too-fancy website, hers is a business with an inferior website. In both instances the point remains the same: there is too big a disconnect between what the website conveys and what the business delivers. As a business, you can’t just say “I want a website” and put together the most artsy fartsy thing you can conjure up. There needs to be some sort of harmony between your company and its online persona. Do you fancy yourself a professional? Then your website needs to be professional. Is your business kooky and laid-back? Reflect that in your site’s aesthetic. Are you a mom-and-pop shop with a small business? Have a simple, clean and straightforward site that focuses on your products and service.

Your website should be a reflection of your business — there should be no contradiction or disconnect. If you have a brick and mortar business or a physical location, lots of people will likely check out your site before visiting you in person. If your website conveys a certain vibe or seems to deliver one expectation and your location and building contradict that, you may disappoint a lot of your customers who are unable to shake that first impression. Likewise, if someone visits your site and finds it to be extremely professional and then meets you in person and finds that you’re wearing cut off shorts and a “You smell like updog” t-shirt, there’s going to be a strong contrast between his expectations and the reality you deliver.

Try to take a look at your website from an objective perspective. Think about what it currently says about you vs. what you want it to say, and see if it matches up with your company’s vibe and with your actual location. You might be surprised to find that you’re giving mixed messages to your potential customers, and this disconnect can end up costing you business.