In many cases, your website is the first thing your new
potential customers will see when they meet you. Are you making a good first
impression? Meeting someone online is little different than meeting them in
person; unfortunately, you have less than a minute to catch their attention and
keep them reading.
Do they like how you look? Are you saying what your
customers are looking to hear? With the future of your online business riding on
your words, are you making a good impression? Here are five ideas to have your
customers staying longer and remember you long after the encounter ends:
l. Dress nicely and be well groomed. Have you ever
been to a website you were ready to leave as soon as you got there? I have.
Chances are things were too loud and too busy.
Though there may have been something there of interest to
you, you weren't likely to have found it because there was just way too much
stuff going on.
So what is the well groomed website wearing this season?
Not too many loud flashing headlines. Instead, make sure your site is calm and
confident. Your headline and first paragraph should be a summarization of the
website theme. Who you are, what you're going to share with them and why you
decided to do so.
No one likes to read half a page only to find the site
didn't deal with his or her issue of interest. No flashing lights, no neon
headlines, no blaring music or boisterous sales pitches blasting away.
2. Have a nice voice; be friendly and pleasant. Have
you ever met someone you initially thought you'd like to get to know... and then
they opened their mouth and you realized you knew all you needed to? Your
website should speak to your readers like a good friend might. Be easy to
understand. Write in short sentences, with short paragraphs.
Each paragraph should have a theme, stated in the first
sentence, and elaborated on through its conclusion. And though it's so tempting
to put some fancy font on your website, you have no idea what they'll see based
on how their browser may be set up, which browser they are using, or if they are
reading your site on a laptop, desktop or smart phone.
Stick to the basic Arial, Helvetica, and other Sans-serif
fonts. They're easy on the eye.
3. Talk just to them; treat them like they're the only
one. Rather than talking to the masses as a whole, write to a particular
person. Picture them in your mind and write as though you are having a private
conversation with them.
Be their friend - This is something for 'you', not just
anyone. They'll feel like you really like them and like they have your undivided
attention. Always use active voice rather than passive.
It will make them feel as though you're speaking directly to them.
4. Always focus on their needs rather than being pushy
and trying to move too fast. Nobody likes to be around someone who pushes
the relationship too quickly. You want to get to know someone before you get too
emotionally involved. There was a reason this person chose to visit your
website. Address that need. How can you solve their problem? Don't tell them
what you have; tell them what problem of theirs you can solve. Making a purchase
is an emotional decision. If you move too quickly, they won't be ready to commit
emotionally. Get to know them first.
5. Give them a reason to stick around or come back.
Give them something they can't get anywhere else. While yes, they probably won't
feel as special at any other website, but on the off chance the competition is
also following these five steps, give them a free mini-course. Let them see you
care about their success and about them. Show them you value the relationship.
Give them a free report; something to help them reach their goal.
If you follow these guidelines, you'll make a wonderful impression and your new friends won't want to leave. They'll appreciate your thoughtfulness and stick around long enough to see what an absolute 'peach' you really are.
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