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The Add Me! Newsletter *** ISSUE #54 ***
"Free tips for promoting your website and business"
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...THIS WEEK'S ARTICLE...
>> The Top Seven Mistakes Web Sites Make <<
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August 24th, 1999 *** ISSUE #54 ***
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.....THIS WEEK'S ARTICLE.....
The Top Seven Mistakes Web Sites Make
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By Michel Fortin, Ph.D.
Throughout my research, I'm always surprised when I stumble onto web
sites that seem to offer great products and services but lack or fail
in certain important elements -- elements that, with just a few short
changes, can help multiply the results almost instantaneously.
Generally, I have found that there are seven common mistakes that
these sites make.
1) They Target the Wrong Audience
Often, this is the number one cause of online business failure.
Traffic has been long touted to be the key to online success, but
that's not true. If your site is not pulling sales, inquiries, or
results, then why would it need more traffic? The key is to turn
curious browsers into serious buyers. Target your market by
centering on a major theme, benefit, or outcome so that, when you
generate pre-qualified traffic, your hit ratio (not your hits)
will increase dramatically.
2) They Take a Long Time to Load
Unlike the TV or radio, computers as well as the Internet are still
in their infancy. Earlier, less capable browsers and slower modems are
still the norm. If your site includes Javascript, frames, plug-ins,
and dazzling memory-intensive graphics in an effort to impress, it
will work against you. Many potential sales are lost due to a
slow-loading, unbrowsable web site.
According to an article published in Home Business Magazine, research
by an on-hold phone message marketing company found that people start
hanging up when put on hold for more than 30 seconds. The Internet is
no different. If they have to wait for more than 30 seconds for your
page to load, visitors will leave. In short, if they have to wait,
they won't.
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3) They do Not compel Others to Act
While some sites are well-designed and provide great content, their
offer may be stale. They do not offer compelling enough reasons for
people to buy or at least come forward. Visitors are often left
clueless when looking for the answer to that burning question: "Why?"
In other words, why should they buy? Why should they buy that
particular product? Why should they buy that product from that
particular site? And more important, why should they buy now? Not
answering that simple question "why" will deter clients and impede
sales. What makes your product so unique, so different, and so
special? What's your competitive edge? What's in it for your
customers (what are the benefits) that they can't get anywhere
else?
4) They Lack Scarcity
Jim Rohn once said that, "Without a sense of urgency, desire loses
its value." People fear making bad decisions. And with scams and
snake oils being more rampant on the Internet, they do so even more
when shopping online. Consequently, they tend to procrastinate and
do so even when they're interested. While some sites offer great
products and services, they do not effectively communicate a sense
of urgency that compels visitors to act.
Use takeaway selling in order to stop people from procrastinating and
get them to take action now. In other words, shape your offer -- and
not just your product or service -- so that it is time-sensitive or
quantity-bound. More important, give a reasonably logical explanation
to justify your time-sensitivity or else your sales tactic will be
instantly discredited.
5) They Lack Guarantees and Testimonials
Speaking of the fear of making bad decisions, today's consumers are
increasingly leery when contemplating offers on the Internet. While
many professionally-looking web sites may have an ethical sales
approach and offer proven products or services, the lack of a
guarantee will still, particularly on the Internet, cause most
visitors in the very least to question your offer.
Guarantees and testimonials help to reduce the skepticism around
the purchase of your product or service and give almost instant
credibility. So, help remove the risk from the buyer's mind and
you will thus increase sales -- and, paradoxically, reduce returns
as well.
6) They Provide Poor Copy
In cold cyberspace, the lack of human interaction takes away the
emotional element in the selling process. A site must communicate that
emotion that so empowers people to buy. However, many sites fail to
answer a person's most important question: "What's in it for me?" It
should cause a person to think: "Wow! This is something I can't pass
up! Where do I sign up?" A site's sales copy must be effective enough
to make its offer irresistibly compelling.
Some sites get so engrossed in describing companies, products, features,
or advantages over competitors that they fail to appeal to the visitor
specifically. On the other hand, bullets are captivating, pleasing to
the eye, clustered for greater impact, and deliver important benefits.
They usually follow the words "you get" or "reasons why," such as
"With this product, you get." Therefore, tell the visitor what they
are getting out of responding to your offer.
7) Finally, They Lack a Clear Call to Action
Answer this million-dollar, skill-testing question: "What exactly do
you want your visitors to do?" Simple, isn't it? But it doesn't seem
that way with the many sites I've visited. The KISS principle (keep
it simple and straightforward) is immensely important on the 'Net.
An effective web site starts with a clear objective that will lead
to a specific action or outcome.
If your site is not meant to, say, sell a product, gain a customer, or
obtain an inquiry for more information, then what exactly must it do?
Work around the answer as specifically as possible. The mind hates
confusion. If you try to get your visitors to do too many things, they
will do nothing. Keep your message focused or you will overwhelm the
reader. Use one major theme. And most important, provide clear
instructions on where and how to order.
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About the Author
Michel Fortin, Ph.D. is a consultant dedicated to helping businesses
turn into powerful magnets. Visit http://SuccessDoctor.com to receive
a FREE copy of his book, "The 10 Commandments of Power Positioning."
He is also the editor of the "Internet Marketing Chronicles" e-zine --
subscribe FREE at http://SuccessDoctor.com/IMC/.
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