In the first 15-30 seconds a visitor to the site will decide whether there is anything useful or not for them
When I look at the website, first impressions:
1) Does it look professional
2) What’s there for me? I have no idea what “YXYX Consultants†is or does
2) There is no “Headline†there’s no “Call to actionâ€
3) For visitors that already know about the company, it appears to be a useful company “brochureâ€
So when a visitor sees your website AND DOES NOTHING do not be surprised. Because you haven’t asked them to do anything. There’s no call to action.
When someone contacts your office for the first time, how do you address them?
Do you ask what they want? How can you help them?
When someone visits your site, they are already “in the buying mood†They are looking for SOLUTIONS
What solutions are you offering them, and can they find those solutions within the first 30 seconds
Is “word of mouth†your biggest source of business? Then why not use that approach on your website? What do existing clients feel about you? There’s no client feedback on the website
Is your website written in “jargonese†?
OR IN PLAIN ENGLISH – what are you offering your potential clients that they cannot get from your Competitors?
What do your best salespeople do when approaching a new client? Do they sit there and tell the client all about ALL the products and services you offer? Do they say how wonderful the company is….
Or do they seek first to understand what they client wants?
Do they talk in plain English, or do they use “industry speak and terminologyâ€
Most people are too busy to spend much time trying to find information. They want it quickly, they want Headlines. If the headlines catch their eye, then they’ll read on. Isn’t that what you do when you look through a magazine or newspaper?
You look at headlines and pictures. Then you want bullet points to see if there’s anything in the content
Ask your clients what they see is a benefit of doing business with your company. Aren’t your existing clients the type of clients you want MORE OF?
So why not target your website to attract more of those same clients.
If your website is working well in servicing existing clients, then do not change it
If you want to target new clients then why not consider a whole new website specifically to funnel new enquiries to your sales team
Build up the profile of your ideal client, and use the language that your client would use. Answer the questions that your client would be asking. Offer a couple of solutions to satisfy the needs of the client
Ever go to a restaurant and see three items on a menu/ How long does it take to order?
Go to a restaurant where there’s 25 items on a menu, you spend hours deciding…. Then you look over at the next table, and say, “I’ll have what she’s having!â€
Designing a website is no different from the marketing and sales strategies that your best people are all ready using, so why do anything different on the website?
Because most websites are designed by computer techies that want to impress their clients with fancy programming and do not understand the basics of WHAT DOES THE END USER WANT
Go and have a look at your website.. Does it look appealing? Is it easy to navigate? Does it give the correct impression of your company in the first 30 seconds?
If you knew nothing about your company, would the website make you any wiser?
If you can answer yes to any of the above, then it’s a good start. If you answer “NO†then how do you think visitors to your website will respond?
Go and have a look at the stats on your existing website traffic, and it will tell you what your website is doing.
By the way, HITS is an anacronym for “How Idiots Test Websites†!!
It’s the other “Backend†information that gives the answers
