 Why isn't Your Website
Selling?
By
Kevin Nunley
© 2005
We've all been
there. We spend countless hours coming up with a concept, a product or service,
and finally get our website up and operational. And then what? We wait. And
wait. And wait for sales to start coming in.
Perhaps you're just starting out or going through a dry spell. But no matter
what stage of the game you're in, if your website isn't selling, your business
can't survive.
So what can you do? How do you know what the problem is and how to fix it?
Let me offer a few ideas and suggestions:
Problem: Your home page copy doesn't give enough of the story. Copy
that is too short or confusing will send people clicking away. People want
to know right away what you're selling, how it benefits them, and how much
it costs.
Solution: Try selling the product right on the home page, with short
descriptions of each product or service. This allows visitors to find the
order button easily. Then, you can offer links to more info for each product
for those who want to know more.
Problem: Your site is promoted entirely with pay-per-click. Unfortunately,
this method just doesn't work that well for most sites. Nobody quite knows
why, but theories range from 3rd world computer sweat shops hired to click
on your link, to software that lets competitors automatically click your
link all day. Whatever the case, it's not unusual to get 1,000 pay-per-click
visitors and never make a sale.
Solution: Search engine optimization. If you have a hard time doing
this on your own, it might be worth it to hire someone to do it for you.
Make sure your keywords are on target and that your site is registered with
the major search engines.
Problem: Your only promotion has been a press release. A release is
usually a good idea, but it needs to be combined with other forms of advertising.
Articles, classified ads, email announcements, and even direct mail are great
options for advertising your site.
Solution: Find some ezines that are read by your target audience.
Then, place some classified and solo ads in those publications (and make
sure your release goes there, too. Many whose websites have done very well
will swear by this method. Ask a few people you admire which ezines they
have had success with, and try some of those.
Problem: Your site is too wordy or too complicated. Believe it or
not, too much copy on your site can be just as bad as not enough. How much
you need depends on what you're selling, how much explanation is necessary,
and what the price is. Sites that simply talk to much or speak in terms common
people don't understand are bound to fail.
Solution: Go through your site copy and get rid of unnecessary clutter.
Delete redundant paragraphs and cut out the fluff. It might be wise to give
brief descriptions of what you're selling on one page, then offer links to
more detailed info on another page. Don't try to show off your vocabulary.
Explain your product or service on your site in the same way you'd explain
it to someone who walked into your store in person.
If people can find your site but it still isn't selling, it's likely that
you have at least one of these problems. Once these issues are corrected,
chances are your site will become the selling tool you designed it to be.
About the Author:
| Kevin Nunley
provides copywriting that SELLS! From web copy to classified ads, you'll
find everything to help your business succeed at
http://www.DrNunley.com. |
|
|
Web
Development
