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Major Communications
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Major Communications
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A successful website must first hook a reader's attention and then move them to some sort of action or actions. By following a few key tips, you can turn your websites into more compelling and effective sales tools.
Every day, your customers are bombarded with a non stop flow of information. Competition for their attention is fierce. A well-planned, well-written and well-designed website breaks through and stays active on your customers mind. Your goal is to have that customer visit you again and again. Furthermore, the ultimate is to have this customer buy from you.
By following the tips presented in this article, you can develop a site that does a more effective job of hooking the reader's attention moving them to a desired course of action.
1. HAVE AN OBJECTIVE IN MIND
Every effective website starts with smart planning. It is
critical to have a clear objective, and target your message to a
specific action or outcome. Is your website meant to sell a
particular product? Are you persuading your visitors to switch
from another company to you? You get the idea.
2. KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
You can not be everything to everyone, but you can position
yourself effectively to meet the needs of a specific group. This
means understanding who your customers/visitors are and what
motivates their buying decisions. Take the time to learn as much
about your customers business as you know your own. Armed with
this knowledge, you can tailor your message in terms they will
understand and appreciate.
3. KEEP YOUR MESSAGE FOCUSED
Do not try to communicate too much in your first page. You will
overwhelm the reader. Use one major theme and no more than two to
three messages and tell the basic story.
4. USE CLEAR, CONCISE COPY
Keep your copy short and to the point, allowing the reader to
quickly understand what's in it for them. Use headlines and
subheads to emphasize key messages and tell the basic story.
5. LIMIT BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND GRAPHICS
A common error is to include too much background and dazzling
graphics in an effort to impress. Don't! Your site should upload
fast. Remember that you only have a few seconds to attract your
visitor or customer before they leave. Distill your knowledge
down to what is really important to your customers. Don't
overwhelm them with so much information that they miss your
central message.
6. FOCUS ON BENEFITS, NOT FEATURES
Customers buy benefits, not products. Remember to focus on the
benefits you bring to your customers, not just your capabilities
and products. Present your services in terms of customer needs
and your solutions. Always emphasize those points that set you
apart from your competition.
Where possible, include client testimonials or quotes in your site. Nothing sells you better that a satisfied customer, particularly one in the reader's own industry.
7. TAILOR YOUR SITE TO AUDIENCE NICHES
The ability to customize sites to a specific audience is one key
advantage that all online marketers must have. Your customers
will go to your site, buy from you, give you repeat business
because you have taken the time to invest in giving them what
they are searching for. This is your best kept secret.
8. MAKE A STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION
I know you know this by now, but, first impressions are the
longest lasting for your site. The selling process begins with
the power of your first or index web page. The design, the
headline, the time it takes to upload, colors ALL are of the
utmost of importance when you want to convey the right message.
Forget now about META TAGS, search engines, JAVA scripts, etc.
Your visitor/reader/customer is your goal. Attract them, keep
them, give them an offer and they will buy. Later on they will
revisit you and its because you had a strong first impression.
*** Important - PROOF, PROOF, PROOF
Don't let careless mistakes weaken the impact of your website presentation. Always have other people proof for typos and grammatical errors.
9. PROJECT CONSISTENT IMAGE
Before you begin with the layout of your pages, determine the
image you want to project (serious and trustworthy, fund and
lighthearted, or high tech). As with your copy tone, every visual
used should reinforce the desired image and appeal specifically
targeted to your audience.
10. CLOSE THE SALE
Include a call to action or various call to action throughout
your website. Tell the reader what to do next. They will never
know unless you ask them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Victor Correa is the publisher/editor of the AWESOME Resources
Marketing E-Letter. After 15 years of boring and tedious work as
a business manager and accountant for others, he finally decided
to create his own future using the internet, mail order and
network marketing! AWESOME Resources Marketing has been
delivering the E-Letter since July 1998!
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