| duction | | | | your product, such as via email, by phone, over a |
| It takes more than mere information to engage | | | | secure payment system such as Paypal. |
| website visitors. They need a reason to make an | | | | 5. Look professional |
| inquiry, subscribe to your newsletter, or buy your | | | | Almost half of website sales are lost because the |
| product. So how can you get the visitor to stop | | | | website fails to provide the trust test with the |
| skirting around the edges and come right on in? | | | | customer. A website with an unprofessional look |
| Take a look at the following 10 ways that can | | | | and feel makes the customer uneasy and gives |
| help convert your site visitors to leads. | | | | the illusion that you are not trustworthy. Bye, bye |
| 1. Improve your Web Copy | | | | sale. |
| As with all good web copy, trim the fat and give | | | | 6. Make an offer |
| them the cold hard facts. Visitors want to know | | | | Make the customer an offer they can’t |
| how the service or product will fulfill their want or | | | | refuse. Provide them with something for free, |
| need. Compelling, interactive, well written content | | | | such as an information package or set of articles: |
| will pull the reader in. How can you make sure you | | | | For example: |
| have good web copy? Follow some of the basic | | | | •5 great advantages to using a virtual |
| principles of good copywriting and you’ll be | | | | assistant at Receive our special report on 5 |
| fine. Make the copy concise, and speak to the | | | | advantages that will reduce your expenses and |
| target audience. Remove all the hyped up | | | | increase your bottom line. |
| marketing lingo such as ‘we have a | | | | •The best web copy ever in a short time |
| fantastic product’ and | | | | with a small investment. Join our "VIP Club" at |
| ‘we’ve had overwhelming | | | | www. to beat others with new killer web copy. |
| results.’ | | | | 7. Position yourself |
| 2. It’s About the Customer | | | | Tell the customer what makes you special and |
| Everyone wants to know “What’s | | | | different from the other guy. Why should they do |
| in it for me?” The customer may have a | | | | business with you? For example, my position as a |
| problem and want a solution, or they are looking | | | | writer is that I am diverse and able to write in a |
| to invest in a product but need to be convinced | | | | variety of mediums. This makes me unique, |
| it’s a good choice. Your goal here? Show | | | | because some writers love writing copy but hate |
| them the solution. Tell them the benefits of the | | | | writing proposals, or they’ll write a sales |
| product or service, rather than highlighting the | | | | pitch but won’t write a sales manual. |
| features. The features won’t get their | | | | Stand for something and make it known. |
| problem solved or make the sale, but the benefits | | | | 8. Forms |
| will. | | | | Give the customer a reason to fill out a form or |
| 3. Be Approachable | | | | sign up for a newsletter as a way to continue to |
| Use an active and friendly voice to engage the | | | | communicate with you. Once you have their |
| customer and keep them motivated to continue | | | | permission to contact them, you can start |
| through the process of clicking on your newsletter | | | | offering tools, information, and benefits to |
| link or making a sale. An active voice is energetic | | | | communicating with you. Maybe you are sending |
| and approachable, and ultimately, it’s more | | | | them information packages, or keeping them in |
| personal. | | | | the loop with special offers. Whatever it is, getting |
| 4. Trust is a factor | | | | them to sign up will increase the likelihood of a |
| Trust is a big factor, so create plenty to go | | | | lead. |
| around. A visitor can’t see you, so the | | | | 9. Maintain loyalty |
| issue of trust is even more important on the | | | | You can build and maintain customer loyalty in a |
| internet. I’m paid every day by a person I | | | | variety of ways. Perhaps one of the most |
| have never met, now that’s trust! How | | | | important way is to keep your promises. Are you |
| do I know I could trust him? The first time I | | | | offering a durable product with free shipping or a |
| worked with him, he outlined the process and | | | | solid service with a money back guarantee? Stick |
| followed through with my expectations: I was paid | | | | to your promise and follow through and your |
| on time and in full. | | | | customer will remember it. All customers like to |
| If you are exchanging personal information online, | | | | be valued, and value builds loyalty. |
| privacy also comes into play. Assure customers | | | | 10. Track it |
| you will maintain their privacy. Tell them why you | | | | Track what your customers are looking for. Did |
| are collecting data and make them aware of what | | | | they find their information or product? Ask them |
| you are using it for. Place your privacy policy on | | | | how they got to you? What words did they use |
| your website so it can be clearly accessed. And if | | | | to search and find you? Ask the customer what |
| you are engaging in online sales, increase the trust | | | | they liked and what distracted them. Your |
| factor by offering a variety of ways to order | | | | customer is a great tool to gauge success. Use it. |