Get Your Web Visitors Off the Couch!
By Sandi Smith

You've built your Web site, you've implemented your SEO ideas, and people are actually visiting your site. Are your visitors turning into clients? Perhaps some are, but surely you'd like to have more. Here are some tips to get your Web visitors off the couch and calling you, sending you emails, and buying your products or services:

1. Make sure every page of your Web site has a call to action listed at least once.

Your pages should be carefully designed to drive the visitor into taking the action you want them to. That could be buying a product,calling you, setting an appointment, signing up for your newsletter, or taking a quiz.

Calls to action look like the following:

--For more information about our work, please call or email
--Sign up for a free information session
--Register for our newsletter
--Read more
--Click here
--Add to Cart
--Register now!
--Get started today by contacting __ at __.

It might be a no-brainer to have these calls to action listed on yourproduct or service description pages, but what about your other pages?Do you have them listed on your articles pages? Right after you'vedemonstrated your incredible knowledge is a perfect time to mentionthings like "Do you have questions? Email us at ___." Or better yet,say "This is a tip from our ebook. Want more?", then send them toyour ebook product page.

Take a look at all of your pages and see what calls to action area ppropriate for each one.

2. List enough information to let the visitor make a decision about your business.

You want to list everything you can think of when you're developing your products and services pages. Here is a generic list:

1. Describe the product or service physically if possible, and includea photo.
2. Include benefits, value, features, and what's different about your product that other products don't have:
--What pain will it ease?
--Who usually buys it?
--What type of customers benefit from it?
--Is there a guarantee?
--What will the buyer experience when working with the product or service?
--Are there instructions?
--How does a customer get started with it?
--What results will it produce?
--Is there a methodology or philosophy?
--How can a visitor learn more

There's a reason why those long sales letters work. In addition to evoking emotions, they confront every objection a buyer has by givingthem more information -- enough to make a purchasing decision.

3. Create a sense of urgency with a deadline or special offer.

If visitors feel like they'll be missing out by not acting now, they will be more likely to get off the couch.

4. Mention pain.

I just wrote an article last week called "Avoiding Major Pain in Web Design." Years ago, I wrote an article similar to "Twelve Steps to Recovery for Executives in Denial of the Internet." For some reason, I get the most reader response to these negatively worded titles. Mentioning pain that evokes guilt or greed gets people off the couch.

5. Create actionable content.

As you write your Web copy, use phrases like "Have you thought about___?", "You owe it to yourself," and other language that invokes interaction on the part of the visitor. Include lots of "you" statements, making it about the reader. Your reader should relate towhat you're saying and even empathize with your words. It's all about getting your visitor to take the first step towards starting a relationship with you. Then you'll have a chance down the road to turn them into a customer.

These ideas on getting more business from actionable content havecertainly helped my clients, and I hope they will help you as well!

Sandi Smith
http://www.sandismith.com

Hope You Enjoyed This Article!

Until Next Time
Stefani Partin
http://www.mommyportal.com