This scenario of an off-line storefront depicts exactly how thousands of businesses are
conducting business Online. They are treating their Web site like a glorified display ad.
They are using the old media technique of special graphics and headlines to capture the
attention of the audience but not doing a whole lot more.Well, How do you do business Online?
The Internet is an exciting new medium that is
interactive, therefore, your Web site should be approached in this manner.
Your Web site should be designed and developed to serve
as a fully qualified and equipped representative of your company. A fully qualified
representative is one who can educate the visitor, motivate and relate to the visitor,
promote and sell your services, generate and qualify leads, and close the sale. An equipped representative
can communicate with a visitor, take requests for service or product, and accept payment.
How is this possible?
Get past the technology and the fancy, shmancy graphics
and get down to the basics. For the basics are where the success of a well developed web
site will stem.
There are many elements that make up a successful web site but the following elements are
the start of a strong foundation:
- Content.
Show don’t tell!! The content should not center around how great you are, or how
great your product or service is. Rather, the content should show why they should buy from
you. Remember, your visitors have not met you; your content is where they meet you in
person, even when you aren’t there. Your Web site, the salesman, will show that you
know what you are talking about and that you are reliable, credible, and most of all,
available.
Your content should be written as a well developed sales letter that will educate,
motivate, and persuade your visitors to make a decision to act. Take what you know works
well off-line and duplicate it Online. Your point of sale should be the same off-line as
it is Online. Always provide a method for your visitor to take action at each
point-of-sale.
- Generate Leads.
Potential client will NOT come to your site with a decision to buy on the first encounter.
In fact, it has been proven the highest percentage of sales have been made on the third or
fourth encounter. Therefore, your site should be designed to generate lead foremost. A
sales process of lead generating and dedicated follow up is critical
Develop special reports that can be requested by visitors via email or snail mail as a way
to add value to your site and to capture visitors addresses for future use.
- Visitor input.
Don’t guess why visitors come to your Web site, know
why by asking. Include a form on your Web site
where visitors can quickly critique, complement, or inquire about your Web site. Develop a
compelling reason as an incentives to participate. Offer a Free report, a discounted
service or product, a free gift, etc. in exchange for their name, address, phone number,
etc. What you are doing is building your mailing list by trading them your special
incentive for their address. You are also receiving invaluable input from the very people
you would want to cater to, your potential clients.
Address and meet the specific needs of your visitors. Remember, your audience is selfish
in nature. They are not interested in who you are and what you are selling. They are
interested in what you can do for them. A web site designed around the needs of their
audience, will earn the loyalty and the favor of its audience and potential clients.
- Commitment.
As you will hear over and over again, your
commitment to the success of your Online business should be the same as an off-line
business!! A successful web site is always changing in response to the needs of it’s
audience. There fore you needed to be in touch with your Online clients and respond to
your clients’ needs through adapting your site to their needs. These changes may
include creating better direction, providing requested content, addressing repeated
concerns, developing new products or services to fulfill a requested solution for your
clients, etc.. Commitment also includes quick response to questions, comments, orders,
etc.. That requires checking your email and responding to your email on a daily basis.
This sounds so ridiculous that this must be stressed, but I can not tell you how often I
have sent email to web site businesses wanting to buy or find out more information and not
receive a reply!! If I do not get a reply after my second request I move on!! I am sure I
am apart of the majority of online users. You web site is only you front man, You need to
be there, the person behind the scene, to personalize the sale and seal the relationship.
Well, have you reached the end of
your tour?... NO!!
The finally step and the ultimate commitment that many
web site owners fail to recognize is one click away!!
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