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Now your small business web site can be used as
an effective marketing tool. Used in the right way,
it can spear-head many successful marketing campaigns
for you in the near future. Why is your online
sales copy--your 24/7 salesman—not doing his
job? Does this scenario ring a bell? You worked hard
to get your traffic. You have watched your visitor
rate climb higher and higher. But your visitors are
leaving empty-handed. They are virtually leaving without
buying.
Many service business owners, infopreneurs and writes
fail to sell online. In fact researchers say only
3% of online retailers actually sell anything to speak
of. You may be making the same top mistakes in web
sales copy that 97% of online etailers make. Correct
these top mistakes and prosper:
1) No Regular Web Site Content.
If your website is static (non-changing) then it will
not entice your audience to visit again. Unless your
site’s purpose is to get a direct response,
it should have regular content changes. Create a target
newsletter for your audience. Send it out regularly
to build trust with your visitors. Consistency builds
trust. People like to know what to expect.
2) No Compelling Reason to Keep Reading.
You may have been just awarded for the most beautiful
site. Congratulations! But if your copy is weak it
may not translate to sales. Check your copy for dud
phrases, deadwood and driftwood. Are you using trite
phrases like Welcome to the official site of _____,
to find out about ME, MY Company, My Achievements
click here, or Sign-up for my FREE ezine. Use wording
that will convince your prospects to keep reading,
trust you and take action. Insert benefit loaded headlines,
bullets and even links.
3) Too Hard to Buy From Your Web Site. Believe
it or not people are still reluctant to buy online.
A Boston Consulting Group Consumer Survey found that
70% of respondents worry about making purchases online.
Seek to help calm the fears of your prospects. Make
your ordering process easy and straightforward. Limit
the amount of forms they have to fill out. Insert
a paragraph of explanation of your credit card processing
system in your sales letter. There still are a lot
of people that are not computer savvy. Offer all of
the options you can make available: mail, fax, 800
number, and of course credit card. Remember to test
your process.
4) No Heading to Lead the Way Through Your
Site. Develop the skill of writing headlines.
Provocative titles will stir interest. Provocative
statements capture our attention like a fish on a
hook. They throw out the baited hook and reel a captive
audience in every time. The shocking statement ‘Wives
Who Don’t Want Sex’ even if they don’t
have this problem will get the attention of the curious.
Rewrite your headlines. Make sure they lead your prospects
to your sales page.
5) No Evident Benefits For Your Web Site
Visitor. Promote with benefits instead of
your bio, your credentials and even the features of
your product/service. Don’t get me wrong; put
them in their proper place on your site. But your
audience will most want to know the value of your
product to them. You must answer questions like, “Will
it solve my particular problem?” “What
will I gain?” “What will I lose if I don’t
use your service?” Some universal benefits answer
the how tos of: getting more passion, more energy,
less fatigue, more money, good relationships, more
time, less trouble, less stress, less drama and trauma.
6) No Help Visualizing Outcome.
Be specific. List specific benefits. Describe how
your customer will feel after buying your product.
For example, after you buy my service of teeth whitening,
you’ll look and feel 10 years younger without
plastic surgery. Then post a picture of what your
client looks like before and after the teeth whitening
service. Let them see how happier and more confident
they look with whiter teeth. Make your page magnetic
with specific benefits.
7) No Compelling Call to Action. Many
website owners lose countless opportunities to make
a sale or capture a lead because they fail to ask
something of their visitors. Call your visitors to
a specific action. At the end of every page use the
power of the direct command whether it’s simply
directing them to contact you for further information
or a directive to browse further into your site. For
example, instead of “If you would like this
beautiful travel brochure, we will be happy to send
it” use “Sit down right now and fill out
this form to start planning your vacation.”
Or instead of “Call us to purchase your widget”
use “Dial this number 877-846-9908 to purchase
your widget today.”
If you are serious about making your website a more
effective marketing tool or converting more visitors
in customers, begin by correcting the top seven mistakes
above. Even one or all of the principles in place
will help make your website one that your visitors
will buy from, proudly refer, and come back to over
and over again. Write compelling copy and prosper.
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