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Is
this your site I’ve
just seen driving
by?
Why most web sites
reject their visitors
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| By: Chad Barr, President, CB Software Systems, Inc. |
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I’ve just
returned from
speaking, for
the fifth time,
to Alan Weiss’s
Million
Dollar Consulting™
College group
in Rhode Island.
This college attracts
the best and the
brightest of the
consulting world.
My popular topic
was “Advanced
Internet Presence”
- how to leverage
your Internet
and web site to
grow your business.
I am including
a recap of some
of the critical
points I covered
in my speech:
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- Highway billboard
- You are driving down
the highway while these
huge billboards pass you
by, or is it that you
pass them by? Which one
grabbed your attention,
did you get distracted
and how long did you get
to stare at it? While
I hope you practice safe
driving, you would probably
agree with me that it
only took a brief second
or so for you go get distracted
by the ones that are visually
intriguing, with an interesting,
clear and concise message.
The same applies to your
site's home page. You
only have a few seconds
to grab one's attention.
- Strong Value Proposition
and Tag line
- Visitors to your site
should not be confused
by your offerings and
the focus of your business.
It is your one to two
sentences of strong value
proposition and brief
tag line that immediately
helps clarify what it
is that you do.
- Above the fold
- When browsing the front
page of most newspapers,
you probably have noticed
that the most attracting
articles and pictures
are at the top half of
the page, which if folded
in half, will be above
the fold. Your home page
should embody the same
concept. The fold line
is the equivalent of the
bottom of your computer
screen. Focus on delivering
your attractive, clear
and engaging message inside
the screen without the
need to scroll down. Also
keep in mind to never
break the cardinal rule
of forcing your visitor
to scroll right and left.
- Less is more
- There is just too much
darn text on most home
pages. Visitors surf the
web to find interesting
sites and the majority
of them do not read the
content of your home page.
They briefly browse it
and if something grabs
their attention, they
dig further and then perhaps
start reading. Reduce
the text on your home
page to the bare minimum.
- Don't make me
think - Keep
your site simple to navigate
and do not force your
visitor to have to figure
out how to move around
your site. Cute flash
technology is fun for
your web master to code
and irritating to most
visitors. Include tabs
across the top or on the
left side or both to represent
your major logical components.
My personal and professional
preference is to click
on the tab of interest
and then open up the sub
tabs navigation. Prevent
the design of having to
move your mouse over the
tabs to explore the sub
tabs. It is harder to
navigate and most mature
audiences (not sure which
generation that may be)
have a hard time with
it. Design a few large,
attractive blocks in the
middle of your screen
to promote and communicate
your major offerings.
- Call to action
- Make sure each page
has a minimum of at least
one call to action and
possibly more. These calls
to action are the suggestion
to have your visitor contact
you or purchase from you.
Here are a few suggestions:
Contact us, call us, sign
up today, join our mailing
list, click here, learn
more, take survey, download
special report, refer
site to a friend, request
consultation, order here.
- Deliver value
- I keep saying that great
content rules the web.
Who does not want great
advice, especially for
free, and interesting
products and services?
Offer your visitors great
articles to read on your
site and blog and even
ones from great guest
contributors. Offer interesting
products and services
to purchase, audio and
video via download or
podcasting and other interesting
things to explore.
- Create credibility
- If I brag about my company
it may be perceived as
fluff, yet if our clients
brag about us it is a
proof. The simplest way
to establish credibility
on the web is through
client testimonials both
text and especially video.
Case studies and a section
that describes your typical
client results after working
with you, are critical
in helping create this
credibility. I also like
to scan the actual letters
received so visitors may
see them as well.
- Evolution
- Don't pressure yourself
that you must have all
of these components on
your home page and web
site immediately. Consider
it a strategy in the evolution
of your site. Get started
and keep on adding content,
products and value and
before you know it, your
site too will become one
of your best tools to
grow your business.
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