Nobody but your mother is going to have patience to hunt for what you can do. Most people click away within 3 seconds if they can't figure out what you can do for them.

4. After a few short introductory paragraphs, list your product or service's features in bulleted style. Connect each feature with benefit it gives customer.

For example, if I were to list features of this article they might look something like this:

* Quick to read--Improve your site's selling power in just 5 minutes.

* Headline secrets--Find out how YOU can grab readers and make them read your offers.

* Intro paragraph--Learn easy way to start your web page so people don't click away.

Most of us are a bit slow to explain benefits of our product's features. We figure anybody would automatically know that a "Rolo filter 2002" will improve gas mileage. But that's assuming too much. Most visitors DON'T know how your product can help them. You have to show them how it helps AND make sure they understand it's meant for someone like themselves.

5. Use words to paint two pictures. Your first word picture should be of how bad reader's life is. Describe problem he has, then show how things will get MUCH WORSE if he doesn't fix them.

Next paint a word picture of your customer's life AFTER they use your product or service to SOLVE their problem. Describe how much easier, more productive, less stressful, and satisfying their life will be with your product.

People may not remember all your features, but they will never forget picture your words painted in their minds.

# 5 You don't have a way of tracking leads or prospective customers when they visit your site. How can you do this? Track visitor information by providing prospects with a form to complete to request additional information, or to find out more about your products and services. The form allows you to request important details including name, address, phone, email address, budget, level of interest and so forth. You get more detailed information for follow up, and your prospective customer gets faster service because you have all of relevant information before you.

# 4 You've not had a lead off your web site for more then 24 hours.

Your web site should complement your traditional methods of business. Be sure to include your web site address on all of your print marketing, business cards, letterhead, shipping inserts and more. The more people who see your web site address more likely you are to get business from your site. If you are not getting leads from your web site, or inquiries by email it's time to rethink what you are doing.

# 3 You've NEVER sold one thing at your web site either directly or indirectly. If you've had your web site online for a year and not made one shiny nickle then you need to reassess what you are doing. You aren't doing something right. It could be your web site, perhaps it is not professionally designed. Or it could be your traffic, no traffic = no sales. Either of these factors can effect your sales.

# 2 Your web site address is of free variety and is so long that you have no hope of ever fitting it on your business cards. If this is you, get a domain address, they are cheap, easy to set up and give you instant credibility for your business. Free web site addresses make your business look fly by night, a domain address says "I'm a legitimate business because I've paid for an actual address for my business site."

and number one reason your site needs an overhaul....

#1 Your "last updated" time stamp reads March 19, 1996!