GET A WEB SITE THAT SELLS!
Ways to make sure your site turns visitors into customers 

By Dr. Kevin Nunley 

On the Internet, a good website can make you as big as any corporation. You can get a good designer to come up with a logo, some buttons, and a background that looks right for your business. Then build your own web pages around the elements the designer has given you. This is an excellent way to get an eye-popping web site for as little as $100.

Don't get too carried away with bright colors, patterned backgrounds, or big graphics that take lots of time to load. Recent surveys show that over 78% of your customers will be using slower dial-up modems past 2002. Slow-loading pages discourage visitors who often click away before they have even had chances to consider your offer. If your site is getting lots of hits, but not making any sales, slow-loading pages could be causing the problem.

Basic colors and a white background do best with the many different ways your page will look on different monitors. Use headlines and subheadings to give customers a quick idea of what your page has to offer. Someone in a hurry should be able to read your headlines and subheadings to quickly understand what products, services, and benefits they will get. Put your most important phrases in bold letters, too. Stay away from all capitals in your writing and use common fonts that are easy to read.

Above all, include testimonials from your customers and suppliers. Nothing builds trust with customers and prospects like good words about you from people who know you and have done business with you.

Your site must be easy to navigate with links to important pages included on every page. The look and feel of your site should be consistent. You can do this by using the same logo, background, type style, and navigation buttons on every page.

A website is the perfect place to display your entire product catalog without having to bear the high cost of printing and mailing. You can build your own professional catalog fast with a few mouse clicks by using the online catalog tool at http://www.workshopinc.com/eshowcase.htm  and the handy programs at http://www.iomanager.com 

Search engines are the number one way of getting visitors to your site. You will want pages that are easily registered by the top search engines like Excite and Yahoo. Search engines are a lot smarter than they used to be.  Most first look at the title of your page (those words that appear in the little box on your browser), then at the page's Meta Tags, and finally at the copy on your page. If the same keywords appear in all three places, your site gets a high listing. This means that a customer who searches for you using one of your site's keywords will find you linked in the first 10 to 15 sites the search engine presents.

To see what Meta tags look like, go to any popular site, point your cursor at the page, and click the right mouse button. Choose "view source." The Meta tag looks like this:

<meta name="description"

content="a few words that best describe your site, separated, by, commas">

<meta name="keywords"

content="the same keywords listed like this: internet marketing, small business, web site promotion, selling, ezines, home based business, marketing, advertising, email marketing,">

Make sure you update your important info often. Search engines, just like customers, check back often to see how your site is progressing. Lots of helpful articles, tips, and a question and  answer page will give customers all the information they need. Also include links to other recommended sites like yours. Try to get those sites to add your link as well. Customers will see you as an authority in your field and will appreciate your ability to help them in a variety of ways.

Your own domain name will make your business look bigger and your Internet effort more serious. Yourname.com look a lot more impressive than freewebsite.com/10101/yourname. Don't forget to include all your contact information where customers can easily find it.  Include phone, fax, and your regular mailing address. Your street address adds credibility to your website and offers. Invite visitors to email you with questions and for more information.

People on the Web like to make purchases with speed and convenience.

Learn all the details on how you can get your own credit card forms and automate ordering with CGI scripts at http://www.HomeBusinessMag.com . Assure customers that their credit card info is secure, safe, and private. Include your fax number, toll free phone number, and mailing address for those who prefer to order via those methods.

After a customer buys, follow-up with an e-mail confirming the order. Tell the customer the price and when the product will be sent. Many corporations are finding this kind of follow-up is the number one reason customers come back to buy again.

One of the best things about a website is that it can make the Internet your extended staff. This is an invaluable boost if you are a home business of one. Your website is there to answer questions at any time of day or night. Your web pages can fill in the additional  info that your ad  couldn't cover, your sales letter didn't have room for, or you forgot to mention in your telephone conversation. Many top network marketers use websites to train new members and distribute announcements to their downline. They report it works must faster, better, and cheaper than sending out letters or spending hours on long distance.

Include your website and e-mail address on all of your printed and off-line marketing materials. The corporate world spends most of their Internet ad budgets promoting their sites on TV and radio,  and in newspapers and magazines. It works. Notice  how the company,  United Parcel Service (U.P.S.) now features the company website in the  same big  letters it uses to list its 1-800 number on all of the delivery trucks.

Put your Internet information on your business  cards, invoices, letterhead, and voice mail.  Look into advertising your site in  affordable and targeted magazine ads, on radio, and in cable TV commercials.

Get FREE big media promotion. Almost all e-zine, TV, radio, newspaper, and magazine editors accept press releases. Now that most media sources are online, e-mail is the preferred way for them to receive your releases. Your release should be one page long and offer valuable information of interest to the publications' readers. Editors won't print a blatant ad that is not accompanied by newsworthy information.

Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice and copy writing for businesses and organizations. Read all his money-saving marketing tips at http://DrNunley.com/  Reach him at kevin@drnunley.com  or (801)253-4536.