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Building Web
Pages That Move People to Buy.
© 2004 By Charlie Cook
The purpose of your marketing is to attract
prospects and help them make a series of decisions
that lead them to purchase your products or services.
The sequence of information you provide on your web
site and its visual presentation can drive clients to
contact you about your services or buy your products
- or it can send them away.
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Many small business owners have
web sites but few are making as much money
from their sites as they'd like to be. If
you aren't getting the web traffic you'd like,
or if you're getting lots of traffic but
no buyers, the problem is most likely the
design and copy you are using on
your site. The seven web page building
guidelines below will help you convert
prospects to clients with your web site. |
1. List The Actions You Want Visitors To Take.
Do you want them to sign up for your newsletter, read
your marketing message, read your copy or just contact
you? Before you design or edit your page, make a list of
which actions you want people to take and in what order
when they visit your site.
2. Identify The Decisions Visitors Need To Make Prior To
each Action.
Before you design or redesign your homepage or edit your
copy, clarify the decision making sequence that you want
visitors to move through. Most marketing materials, web
sites included, rush to sell prospects on the solution
without laying the groundwork.
Help prospects clarify the problems they want solved and
the value in having them solved. Once you've done this,
you've created the context for selling your solution.
BEAT the Cold Winter of 2007 ARIZONA'S NEWEST WONDER
Kartchner Caverns State Park opened in 1999. This stunning limestone cave system is one of the top in the world. Visit Sunny Southwest this cold winter |
3. Design The Visual Hierarchy To Move
People To The
Desired Action.
Use the size, color, and the location of
elements (type, illustrations or
photographs) to bring visitors'
attention to the most important message
first, then to the second most
important message or link. Make sure
that visitors can scan your page and find
the most important links first or can
scan the copy and quickly pick up the
most important points because they stand out
visually.
4. Stay Focused On Prospects' Problems.
Your prospects want to satisfy their
needs and, more importantly, avoid
incurring a loss or pain. Lead with
copy about their concerns. Let them know
that you understand their aspirations
as well as their worries and the
problems they want to solve.
BEAT the Cold Winter of 2007 ARIZONA'S NEWEST WONDER
Kartchner Caverns State Park opened in 1999. This stunning limestone cave system is one of the top in the world. Visit Sunny Southwest this cold winter |
5. Write Your Copy To Support Prospects'
Decision Making.
To demonstrate that you know and understand your
prospects' problems, be specific. Avoid general
phrases like "save time and money", which
apply to hundreds of services. Give detailed
examples of the problems your prospects
experience and how you solve them.
6. Tell People What To Do.
If you want people to read a key article first, then
sign up for your newsletter, and then contact you,
tell them so. List the steps you want them to take
at the top of the page and then use your page
design to support this sequence of actions.
7. Make It Easy For Prospects To Contact You And
To Buy.
Include a contact or order form on your homepage and
make your email and phone number easy to find.
Change the design and copy on your site to help
visitors take the steps to become clients.
You'll be pleasantly surprised at the
difference in your response rate and
your business growth.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and
small business owners attract more clients and be more successful. Sign
up to receive the Free Marketing Guide, '7 Steps to Grow Your Business'
and the 'More Business' newsletter, full of practical tips you can use
at
http://www.charliecook.net |
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