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How to Get Better Value from Your
Site's Traffic
By Loren Beckart
http://ClickTracs.com
What will visitors find when they click on a link that
takes them to your site?
1. Will the visitor arrive at a sort of brochure that
gives some information and has a products link somewhere on
home page?
2. Will they come to an online catalogue for a variety of
products and services?
3. Or will they land at a focused, straightforward sales
page promoting one specific product or service?
Your answer to these questions strongly affects the
profitability of your web site. Once you've got traffic
coming to your site, here are some useful principles that
will help make that traffic more valuable to you.
Numerous market studies make one thing very clear: when
new site visitors are offered too many choices, they get
confused and don't buy. They leave; most of the time they
never return. Your objective is to make it easy for a new
visitor to become your client. Keep it simple at the
beginning.
This is best accomplished in one of two ways.
One method: using a brochure-type page to offer useful
information, give the reader a compelling reason to opt-in
to your email list. Perhaps offer something of value that
they can get for free: a digital download, subscription to
a newsletter, a special report, etc. This type of site is
usually called a "capture page." You follow up via email
with the visitor, giving additional information and making
offers of products for sale. Remember always to include in
your emails instructions for people to unsubscribe to your
list, and in every other way, comply with CAN-SPAM Act
requirements.
Option two: use a sales page promoting a single item that
has a fairly low price-point, and is likely to appeal
widely to your target market. This is the opening to your
marketing funnel. This item should demonstrate the quality
of your product or service, leading to repeat business
because you offer true value. Once an individual has made a
purchase with you, then you introduce your new client to
the broader range of products and prices. Since they know
you deliver and they know they can trust you, they're more
willing to wade through a little bit of information about
products they don't want right now to get to information
about things you have that do interest them. Also, once
they are in your data-base, you can contact them again
later when you have special promotions and new products.
One thing that is usually not a good idea is to present a
first-time visitor with a big catalogue site. Lots of
products and prices and other distractions might look
impressive, but you've got less than 3 seconds to capture
the attention of a first-time visitor following a link as
they search on-line. A focused, compelling headline is the
best way to keep their interest and encourage them to stay
at your site.
Especially if you've paid for the visitor who has arrived
at your site, you naturally want to get your return on
investment (ROI). Many online business owners believe that
ROI means one thing: making an immediate sale. However,
savvy online business owners realize the lifetime value of
their clientele is key to success, and comes from
developing relationships. Online, this usually takes the
form of email follow-up.
That's why you save the big beautiful catalogue site for
later, after they've become your client, and they know you
provide good service and a high quality product. Then,
after you've established a relationship, use a catalogue
site for back-end sales galore.
Now, you have a rationale to help you decide which type of
page to use. When you are preparing your 'capture page' or
your sales page for a single item, find copy writing
resources on-line. Depending on your skills and budget, the
resources could range from hiring a professional copy
writer, to using copy writing products, to writing the page
yourself. The list below is of the minimum, the nine
essential elements, of a profitable page.
1. Headline
2. The Story
3. Credibility
4. Benefits
5. Features
6. Bonuses
7. Value build-up
8. Ordering information
9. Post Script
Now, you can use this as a checklist as you look for good
examples to use as models. Use the models as inspiration,
and then you or your copy writer will create your unique
way of writing it and applying the elements on your own web
page. Copy writing is in large part a formula. Follow a
good formula, using your own words, and you'll enjoy the
results of your efforts.
Loren Beckart is Director of Marketing for ClickTracs Advertising
Service
Find additional marketing articles and information at:
www.ClickTracs.com/faq/
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