This Silent Online Marketing Mistake IS Costing You a Fortune In Missed Opportunity!
What is it about marketing online that makes business owners
completely ignore the fundamental rules of selling?
I see this time and time again.
Especially with websites.
And you've seen it too...as a potential customer.
First, there's the big promise...
"Hey, we offer this service or product..." (cue BIG yawn)
All this does is make the reader work to figure out how you're different than the other guy. Pro Tip: Most won't bother.
Then come the three little boxes...
We specialize in...(oh wow! you too??!!)
What ever happened to LEADING with what makes you different than your
competition?
Your prospect will give you about 3-5 seconds to answer this question when they arrive on your website.
Do it right and your prospect might stick around. Don't do it
at all and...it's game over!
THIS is the question your prospect wants answered...IMMEDIATELY!
How are YOU going to make my life better than the other guys?
Almost all of your competitors are saying the same thing and worse yet, saying it in exactly the same way.
They're peddlars.
People buy SOLUTIONS.
And it's not another software program. Or coaching session. Or financial services.
This is a really
important concept to understand.
You need to view your web copy, emails and sales letters as a one-on-one sales presentations - which they are.
No one says to a bunch of friends or colleagues
'hey, whaddya doin' tomorrow afternoon...I'm thinking about checkin' out the so and so website, wanna join me?"
Even though it's online, it's a personal interaction - with one critical difference.
You aren't there to control the situation.
By control, I mean presenting your selling story in an organized way so that your prospects can be lead in an organized way through your selling story so they can clearly see how you can make a difference in their lives.
And it all starts by giving them a reason to pay attention.
Especially when you consider the HUGE disadvantage of selling online.
You aren't there!
Think about it...when your prospect is right in front of you, you can address concerns, answer questions and read body language.
That all goes away when you move into the world of selling online.
And guess what? Your prospect couldn't care less!
It's our job to lead our prospect through our offering with the
same thoroughness we would if we were face-to-face.
Even though your selling activity has moved online, your prospect still has the same questions and objections.
They aren't there to
play 'GUESS how you might be able to help them.'
You need to tell them.
Website after website using a brochure approach of "stop me when you see something you like."
Not a speck of salesmanship.
It's a lazy approach and...a costly one!
You know your ideal prospects. You know what they want. You know what questions they ask. You know what the usual concerns are.
These need to built into your messaging.
If they aren't,
your website won't do much to help you make more sales.
You would never think of tossing down a brochure in front of a prospect in a personal selling situation and saying something like "go ahead, take a look through this and I'll be back in 20 minutes to take your order.
Of course not. You'd be energetic. Asking questions. Showing empathy. All the things necessary to move the sale along.
Your online messaging MUST do the same job.
In fact, it must do an even BETTER job.
That's so clear to me and yet, many business owners waste tens of thousands of dollars slapping up "here's what I got "content on their sites or emailing a list of their services - completely ignoring the prospect's interests.
If your website messaging doesn't ...
...clearly state what makes your offering different from the other guys...
...combine emotion and logic to make your sales argument...
...answer the questions you know your prospect has...
...address
the objections you hear them express face-to-face...
...What are the odds they will stick around and do business with you?
Slim and none. And Slim, as they say, just left town.
People buy from people. Online or off. Emotion is a huge part of selling. You need to engage your prospects. You need to answer their questions. Address their objections.
And, you need to have
a call to action that leads your prospect to the next step in your selling process.
For that, your messaging has to SELL your prospects on why you're the better choice to help them solve their problem.