Three Phases To Email Sensitivity

Written by Catherine Franz


Continued from page 1

Another question I like to ask myself, after writing and before sending, one you might like to use, "Willrepparttar reader be able to filerepparttar 118393 image I'm sending inrepparttar 118394 same folder they began with?"

Our brains file information just as if we were dropping files in a filing cabinet manner.

Instead of just tellingrepparttar 118395 reader, showrepparttar 118396 readerrepparttar 118397 image, and what folder to tuck their image in. The reader is expecting this answer. If they don't receive it, they wonder what to do withrepparttar 118398 image, it doesn't match any file in their cabinet. This splits their focus, slows down their

connection, or can even haltrepparttar 118399 connection in toto.

I am sure you have your own favorite topic transition phrases; here are seven of my own. When you give these transition phrases a line of their own,repparttar 118400 receiver’s brain acts quickly to note an orange is coming.

1. Let me guess what you might be thinking.

2. As odd (unusual) as it may seem...

3. I am not at all surprised.

4. There’s a story that goes with this, and I will get to this inrepparttar 118401 next paragraph.

5. Let me see if I can make this a little easier.

6. Its hard to believe, but...

7. In other words,...

The Reaction Phase. Writing an email response is notrepparttar 118402 same as speaking to that person. You don't haverepparttar 118403 immediate feedback from their body language, their silence, or huh, when it isn't clear. Connecting via email with its time lapse also causes difficulty. You experiencerepparttar 118404 same thing when you call, leaving a voice mail, andrepparttar 118405 party returns your call days later. If you don't state inrepparttar 118406 voice mail what you are calling about, orrepparttar 118407 person doesn't restaterepparttar 118408 purpose when they call back, your mind takes moments looking forrepparttar 118409 appropriate filing cabinet and file. Sometimes I receive a response back several weeks later andrepparttar 118410 original email I wrote isn't included. Then I must stop to think or even hunt forrepparttar 118411 original email; a very time consuming process.

I find it best to begin a returning response with a "this is where we left off" paragraph. Don't assumerepparttar 118412 reader still holdsrepparttar 118413 previous image in their mind. They don't. Many images came and went during that space andrepparttar 118414 previous email sits in their inbox, file folder, or cabinet or worse dismissed due to lack of connection, in order to continue their processes.

It is important to rereadrepparttar 118415 email before hitting send. Not just for grammar or spelling but to see that you conveyrepparttar 118416 right image. It isrepparttar 118417 time to ask, "Did I conveyrepparttar 118418 appropriate image with a file folder connection?" If yes, then hit "send".

(c) Copyright 2005, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

Catherine Franz, a eight-year Certified Professional Coach, Graduate of Coach University, Mastery University, editor of three ezines, columnist, author of thousands of articles website: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com


20 Website Mistakes That Cost Me Three Years And $22,000

Written by Catherine Franz


Continued from page 1

12. Do not add any pages torepparttar site that do not pertain torepparttar 118392 visitors' reasons for coming to your site. People do not have time for irrelevant information.

13. You do not need an engineer or a web site designer to design your website. In fact, while they would not like to hear this, you do not need them. They may do everything right technically, but they do not know how to get people to stay at your site or buy from you.

Marketers know how to do that. While 98% of engineers and web site designer claim they are marketers, less than 1% know anything about marketing. The truly rare commodity is a fantastic marketer who is savvy about web site design.

Building your site is just like building a house: without an architect who knows about layout, structure air flow, etc., all you have is a construction company buildingrepparttar 118393 house from their sense of style, direction and beliefs.

Know whererepparttar 118394 advice is coming from and hire them only for their expertise. If you are reading an article on marketing onrepparttar 118395 Internet that was written by someone who is a web site designer, a red flag should go up.

If you are talking with a marketer who does not have web site design experience and you are looking for help in building your web site, raise that flag again. The rare person withrepparttar 118396 unique combination may be hard to find, but we exist -- I designed my learning to be one of those rare ones.

I have helped many people clean up their web site after they have worked with web designers and/or marketers. And trust me,repparttar 118397 clean up is more time consuming than starting all over.

14. Don't make your buyer feel stupid while they are inrepparttar 118398 process of buying from you -- inrepparttar 118399 "cart" process. Internet service providers (ISPs and web site hosts) do this frequently. Just one example of this is when they ask their nontechie buyersrepparttar 118400 option, "Choose your server"

The majority of their buyers have no idea what this means. They do not understand that you are asking if they want a Unix or Windows based system. Moreover, even these same buyers are asked in this manner, they still do not have any clue what arerepparttar 118401 advantages or disadvantages of either one.

So, they feel stupid. You will lose more buyers with questions like this. The buyer feels frustrated and 99% ofrepparttar 118402 time leaves without buying. Look on your site, are you asking any questions that makerepparttar 118403 buyers or visitors feel stupid?

15. The most common place to click on any web page isrepparttar 118404 top left-hand corner. Putrepparttar 118405 choice to go torepparttar 118406 next page or to pickrepparttar 118407 most popular page or product in this location. Ifrepparttar 118408 purpose ofrepparttar 118409 page/site is different, you may want to putrepparttar 118410 back and forward buttons there.

Don't put graphics, especially your logo, onrepparttar 118411 upper left hand corner. This is prime real estate for your website. If you have a retail site, place your top-selling item in this space or a drop down menu of three ofrepparttar 118412 top selling items.

16. Answerrepparttar 118413 visitors' main questions in one easy-to-find and readable paragraph. Don't makerepparttar 118414 font too small to read and do not make it go acrossrepparttar 118415 page requiringrepparttar 118416 reader to scroll. I've seen young web site designers use small fonts on their website which wants to attract a market that’s in their 40s and 50s. Fact,repparttar 118417 older you getrepparttar 118418 biggerrepparttar 118419 font.

17. Don't talk down to your visitors. They are intelligent people who will not stand for it. They will leave and never come back. There is a difference in talking down and presenting a conversational style. Talking down is like explaining it to your child;repparttar 118420 other is like talking to another adult. Technical people have a big tendency to talk down to nontechnical people.

18. Make it easy for them to share their comments with you. Whether it is about a hyperlink that does not work or other errors they have found. They may want to tell how much they appreciated your information. Create a place on every page where they can feel comfortable about submitting their comments. Comfortable also means that they have a choice on whether to send their contact information or not.

19. Organize your site fromrepparttar 118421 visitors' point of view. If you are not sure, ask some typical visitors. "What questions did they have when they landed onrepparttar 118422 first page?", is a great question to start. Get them to walk you through their thinking. You will pick up some patterns afterrepparttar 118423 first three or four. This isrepparttar 118424 best research you can do and it will save you years of revisions.

Do not ask family members or friends. Ask clients who have just finished visiting your site. They are familiar visitors and they will want something different from a new visitor. You need to set up your landing page to handle both familiar and new visitors without being confusing.

20. One ofrepparttar 118425 most valuable pages in a web site that is sadly overlooked isrepparttar 118426 "thank you" page. If someone signs up for your ezine or places an order, include a popup saying "thank you for visiting." Use whatever way you can think says it best, but don't leave it out. The other half of this equation is not to looserepparttar 118427 opportunity to cross sell or up sell onrepparttar 118428 thank you page.

First, say thank you and then give them an offer they cannot refuse. Onrepparttar 118429 thank you page, you can provide a coupon for 10 percent off on anything inrepparttar 118430 store or 10 percent off on any overstocked or limited stock item.

Now that you have these tips on what mistakes not to make, you need to put them into practice. Choose three and start completing them. Then move on torepparttar 118431 next three and keep moving throughrepparttar 118432 list. You will be excited ofrepparttar 118433 results.

Bonus Tip 1: 60% ofrepparttar 118434 buyers opt out of purchasing a product onrepparttar 118435 Internet in betweenrepparttar 118436 first cart processing page andrepparttar 118437 last page. It is usually because it took too many clicks to completerepparttar 118438 transaction or it took too much time to think about it or to make choices. Check your web site and eliminate any obstacles or places that do this so you can reduce this percentage on your web site.

Bonus Tip 2: If you have questions on your page, divide them into categories and don't put them all on one page. Spread them out between pages. It looks easier and faster torepparttar 118439 person answeringrepparttar 118440 questions. Give them an incentive to move from one page torepparttar 118441 next and give them encouragement betweenrepparttar 118442 incentives.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com


    <Back to Page 1
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use