work at home
"A One-Minute Web Marketing Plan"
By Jim Daniels - Helping you work at
home.
Whether you're planning a new website, or your site is already
up and running, you need to know this "one-minute web marketing plan".
Web surfing is a fast-paced activity. Some surfers (including
myself) can hit 10-20 sites in a ten minute span. Yikes!
That leaves each site about a minute (and sometimes much
less) to reach three objectives EVERY business website
should be after...
-
A unique and positive image
-
An irresistible reason to stay past that minute
-
A lasting relationship
Accomplishing all three of those objectives in that tiny time
frame is essential to your success online. Here's exactly how
your website can reach all three objectives in under a minute...
#1: Impress your unique and positive image in your visitors'
minds immediately, by showing off an "attractive" home page.
C'mon, "attractive?" What is this a beauty contest?
Well, sort of. You see, a HUGE percentage of visitors judge
your entire business within those first 10 seconds of
visiting your site. If they are presented with a handsome
page that loads quickly and looks professional, they may be
compelled to stick around. (At least long enough to see
what's in it for them.)
Let me ask you this... How many times have YOU clicked away
from a site even before it finished loading? Yeah, that's
what I thought. Me too. Web surfers looking for something in
particular not only want the right info, they want it from
the right source. If your site looks like it was designed by
a 12 year old, you're in big trouble.
And no, you do not need fancy graphics, java and the like.
Just make sure your home page is a place that YOU would be
impressed by. You do this with a professional logo, a crisp,
fresh look and simple navigation links.
Unfortunately, most new webmasters cannot design website that is professional
and attractive. So instead of putting up a lackluster website, their best
solution may to be buy a business site template.
Oh yeah, and if you are hosting on one of those free sites,
GET OFF and get your own domain name. Free hosting will kill
an online business before it even has a fighting chance.
Think about this for a second. Why do those companies offer
free websites in the first place? Answer: To get traffic to
THEIR site!
If your company won't spring for it's own domain name at
just a few bucks a year, your potential customers will think
twice before they buy from you. Scratch that - most wouldn't
even consider buying from you. Plain and simple.
If you are serious about doing business online, spring for a domain and a web
hosting package.
#2: Get right to the point and give your visitors an
irresistible reason to stay past that minute...
Be sure the first thing your website displays is a reason
for visitors to stick around. When someone comes to your
site it needs to be glaringly obvious how the site can help
them. Remember, they probably came looking for something in
particular. If they are forced to "search" for how your site
may help them, it's too late, they're gone.
You can pull this off by displaying a few lines of text
prominently, where your visitors will see it right away.
Here are a few examples...
"This site has helped thousands of webmasters work at home. Come inside and learn how
you can work at home too."
"Do you need advice selecting stocks? Put our 10 years of
experience to work for you. Browse our past picks and
current recommendations."
And my own text which appears in the first two seconds...
"I've been making a living online since 1996. Here's how
you can too..."
#3: Get visitors onto your opt-in list(s) so that you can form a
lasting relationship with them...
This is the single most effective way to hang onto your
visitors. Hey, getting traffic is tough, don't let visitors
get away without offering to stay in touch. And no, you
don't have to publish a full newsletter, but offer
something! Here's a great example...
A few years ago I visited a retail site which offered a
"monthly specials" email list. Sign-up was free so I took a
few seconds and joined. Every month for three years I
received their monthly email. Out of 35 or so I received,
I probably deleted 30 without even reading them. Yet one
month I noticed a product I had been looking for, and at the
right price, right in the subject line. Guess what? I opened
the message, clicked to the site and bought it. While I was
there, I also spent $300 on a digital camera.
As you can clearly see from that example, regular email
contact pays off. If not today, maybe next week - or next
year. The cost of staying in touch is tiny compared to the
long-term rewards.
The best method I've used is an exit pop-up window that gives something of
value in exchange for their contact information. I use a web based service to save
their name and email address. It handles everything automatically
for me and even follows up with them at regularly scheduled
intervals.
And one last tip on this... don't ask a million questions in
your sign-up form. Visitors may be interested in what you're
offering, but may shy away if they have to reveal too much
information about themselves. A lead is a lead. Ask for
their first name and email address only. If you scare them
away, they may never be back.
In closing today's tip...
Remember, your web site is the first thing many people will
ever discover about your business. Make your first
impression unique, irresistible, and make it last for years!
* Did you find this information helpful? Our
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Internet Marketing info
from bizweb2000.com
Website Promotion info from make-a-living-online.com
