These days, competition on the Web is fierce!
With millions of sites devoted to virtually any topic, product or service under the sun, the days of just slapping up a basic brochure site and expecting to get tons of clients or customers are long gone. You need to make sure your site not only stands out from the pack, but gives people a good reason to buy from—or hire—you. Then make it easy to do so. Otherwise they probably won’t.
To do all that your site must:
- Be well-organized, friendly and inviting
- Have the answers to all their questions and explain them in a way that’s meaningful
- Be helpful and easy to work with
If you’re site isn’t all those things, I guarantee you’re losing business. Because people only buy something when they can get all the info they need to confidently make a buying decision—and that’s even more true on the Web.
Yet all too often far more time and energy is spent on making a site look pretty than on making sure it’s going to do the sales job effectively. Sure, you absolutely want your site to look attractive, inviting and professional. And you want to make the right visual impression from the get-go so site visitors stick around.
But beyond that few people care about the design. They just want to find what they’re after as quickly and easily as possible, then move on. That’s not going to happen unless you take the time to think it through and plan it out.
So what does your website really need to do and be to grow your business?
First and foremost your site has to grab the attention of your ideal client or customer, and let them know you have what they’re looking for. This means you need a juicy headline at the top of the home page that clearly states what you do or offer. If it also gives them an idea of how or why it’s better, different, or is going to benefit them, even better!
So if you have “Welcome to our site” at the top of the page, you’re just wasting space with irrelevant info. Your website by nature is open to the public…I would hope anyone who visits is welcome.
Now, once you have a grabby headline that lets people know you have what they want, your site needs to:
- Answer all their questions…
- Deal with all their objections…
- Give them all the info they need to feel secure and confident in taking the next step…
And make it dead easy for them to take action!
Notice I don’t have anything on the list about what you’d like them to know or what you think is important. I did that on purpose, because unless it’s important to them, it isn’t that important. Especially not right up front.
Too many entrepreneurs’ websites talk all about themselves, their business, their experience and background, credentials, company history, processes, etc. I hate to be blunt, but no one cares about any of this—at least not initially.
First they want to know if you have what they want. In other words, can you solve their problem, fill their need, fulfill their want or help them achieve their goal? Because if not, the rest is irrelevant. It’s all about what’s in it for them.
The bottom line? If you want your website to be effective at growing your business, first focus on what’s most important to your ideal client. Then focus on your goals and what’s most important to you.
Because if you can’t meet your prospects needs, you’ll never achieve your own goals. Put them first as you do your planning—while keeping your own goals in mind—and you’re going to end up with a website that grows your business for you 24/7.
