Wot’s init fa me? Quickly pull up your website. Look at it for 7 seconds. Turn away. Ask yourself that question. (OK you can ask “What’s in it for me?”)
What’s your answer? Interesting isn’t it. On average people give you about 6 seconds to grab them with your website.
So thinking about your online business success for a second. In the seven seconds did anything grab your attention? For a good reason or a bad? If it’s bad survey, ask more and if nevessary fix it. If it isn’t a problem for your customers its OK.
In 7 seconds were you able to answer “What’s in it for me?” If not why not and what can you do to fix it. Your customers are people right? People are selfish. People are looking to find the answer to their problems so if you know what the problem is that you’re solving for them – tell them what’s in it for them! Fix it.
If you were able to work out the answers so far in 7 seconds were you left feeling “Wow how do you do that”? In other words did you want to look more, did you scan the headings or better still were you enticed to click on one to get the answer? If not then look at what you can do to improve it.
Now go and look at the websites of your competition. Same thing 7 seconds, same questions. Who did well, who didn’t. Of those who did well how can you do it better?
See you website is a 24 hour a day store. People visiting it don’t want to hear all about you. They aren’t interested in you or your problems they want to know how you can fix whatever the issue that’s making them look is. So to be successful online you need to know your customers.
Who are they, where do they live, what do they drive, what job do they do, are they educated, how much do they earn, what do they like, dislike, what motivates them……… Then you need to know why would they buy from you, why should they buy from you and why would they bother? Why are you better and in what way and can you prove it.
Your website needs to build trust in the way the best salesmen do. Your website needs to answer their objections and fear in the way the best salesmen do. Your website needs to have them feeling they can’t live without whatever it is you sell – just like the best salesmen do.
You’re right that can be hard in copy alone but not impossible. Think about it and work on it. You as the owner of the business are the best person to tell the story to sell it. If you aren’t anymore you are no longer the right person to be in the business. Revisit that passion, that belief and communicate it.
That is why video sells. Video talks directly to your customer. Video lets your customer get to know you, to see you, to relate to you. Video can start your loyalty and trust building for you.
I have met business owners who are trapped into not having video because it needs to be perfect, professional video. I keep saying it doesn’t. Dodgy video sells. But it needs to be of a certain quality. The funny thing about these blocks and objections are they come from someone who has no video on their site and has not sold anything using video. The reason is that they will not allow themselves to even try.
How are you blocking your online success? How are you failing in your communication with your customers? What can you do to be better?
In March this year, James Schramko – an Australian internet marketer, Peter Parks – a UK web 2.0 specialist (if you don’t know what web2.0 is then you need to get out and get learning), Dean Hunt – a UK Buzz Marketing Expert, Kyle Tully – an Australian business consultant, Steve Ovens – an Australian SEO expert, and Kerry Finch – an Australian article writer will be at Fast Web Formula in Sydney to teach you this stuff. They will also for the first time be doing hot seats for expert advice.
If you have a website that’s not working it might be time to look at why and learn a fast web formula fix.