Every company these days realizes they need a website, but many still don’t know how to make one that’s effective at generating sales.
Just throwing up a few basic pages won’t cut it anymore — you have to be strategic.
Your website can be one of your greatest marketing weapons, but only if it’s used correctly.
Here are the 3 biggest website mistakes we see on a regular basis:
Mistake #1 — They Make it Way Too Hard to Find Their Contact Info
If a prospect wants to contact you, it should feel effortless.
No one should ever have to dig around your site for longer than 15 seconds to find your contact info. If they feel like they’re completing a scavenger hunt, you’re definitely doing it wrong and losing sales.
How can you make it easier?
Think about someone you know who’s horrible with technology. Maybe that’s a coworker or friend, or maybe it’s your 90-year old grandmother — it doesn’t matter.
Do you have someone in mind?
Good, now make your site so straightforward that this person would have no trouble finding your contact info.
Create a dedicated contact page and make it easy to see in your navigation menu.
And you never know which page of your website someone will find first — so leverage the power of repetition.
That means put your contact info in the footer of your site, within some of the content, and any other pages that make sense. It doesn’t need to be plastered all over the place, but having it only in one spot is definitely a mistake.
Mistake #2 — They Don’t Have a Lead Capture Device
Even if your contact information is easy to find, that doesn’t mean your phone will be ringing off the hook.
If only business were that easy! In reality, effective sales and marketing starts with being proactive.
Most prospects who visit your site won’t have an immediate need for your products or services. Even if they like your company and want to do business with you in the future, it’s too easy for them to forget about you before then.
You want to take matters into your own hands and be able to follow-up with them directly. But how can you do that if you don’t have their contact information?
So set up some sort of lead capture device.
This can be as simple as a contact form.
A better strategy is to use something valuable that you offer in exchange for someone’s contact info. This if often called a “bait piece.” For example, you can offer a free consultation or special report for providing their name, phone number, and email address.
Mistake #3 — They Forget to Make it About the Prospect
It’s human nature to be focused on your own wants and needs. Unfortunately, it’s also terrible marketing.
Don’t make the mistake of using your website to focus solely on your business. For example, some companies use their website like a glorified brochure — filled with bragging and attempts to sound impressive.
That typically doesn’t resonate with prospects and clients. In fact, many of them find it boring because they’re preoccupied with their own life.
They’ll care about your business if it can help them solve their problems.
It’s a little counter intuitive, but the best way to get what you want is to quit thinking about yourself so much and start thinking more about your prospects.
Zig Ziglar said it best: “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
So put yourself in their shoes by asking these questions:
- What problems are they struggling with?
- What are their goals, hopes, and fears?
- What do they really care about?
- What do they need and why?
- And, how can we help them?
Then use all of this to your advantage when you’re creating content for your site.
Does all of this mean you can’t talk about your business on your own website?
No, of course not.
But it does mean that you should be strategic by making your website a source of valuable information for your prospects and clients. This will help you build trust and ultimately make more sales.
The Takeaway Message
By avoiding these 3 mistakes, you can make your website more effective than most of your competitors. It’s not always easy, but with a little bit of planning and discipline you can correct these one by one.
And if you need help improving your website, send me an email or reply in the comments section below.