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The Most Important Question To Ask About Your Web Site!
----------------------------------------------------------------- By Martin Gateshill - AdzInMotion - http://www.adzinmotion.com -----------------------------------------------------------------
When you design a website how do you start ?
Do you start with
banner graphics at
top, or
order page or maybe
sales letter ?
All of those are areas that have to be created but they're really not
place to start.
The place to start is by answering one simple question about your site.
>> What do I want my visitor to do before she leaves? <<
We'll call
answer to that your primary objective,
single thing you most want a visitor to do before leaving.
Of course
answer gives rise to another equally important question...
>> If she doesn't do that, what else would I like her to do? <<
We'll call
answer to that your secondary objective, it's your fall back position. If you fail to convince them to take
action that you most want them to do, this fall back action will still serve a purpose and get you other opportunities to achieve objective one.
The answer to these questions will define
design of your site for you. Your site will ave to be designed so that it can react 'on
fly' and lead
visitor to objective 2 if you fail to achieve objective 1.
REALISTIC OBJECTIVES
Let's take
case of a web site owner who's selling software direct to
end user.
What would be
primary objective for such a site?
Often
site owner will decide that Objective 1 -
one thing he most wants a visitor to do is to buy
software there and then.
Great, that now defines
site for him. To meet
objective
site has to be completely focused on that objective but, it may turn out to be unrealistic to expect to achieve it in one hit.
DESIGN THE SITE TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE
The sales copy has to describe a problem, lay out
solutions and show how
product available from this very page will solve
problem now.
The copy must be compelling, it must describe
problem that
product solves in a way that creates detailed pictures in
visitors mind. Pictures of
day to day effects of this problem that
visitor would really want to solve.
The copy must then paint pictures to create thoughts and images of life for
visitor without this problem and how much better, easier or more profitable etc life would be if this problem could be solved.
Then, like
7th cavalry riding in,
copy must link
features of
software to
benefits that go with using it and
problem being solved.
The more powerful
links and
more positive imagery created in
visitors mind,
more likely it becomes that s/he will be motivated to take action to end
problem and buy
product then and there.
The good feelings developed by
copy can be reinforced by glowing testimonials from users who are already enjoying life with
software and without
problem defined.
A superb close should be used that reinforces all of
good feelings achieved so far and adds value by careful positioning of
price to be paid against
real value of
product and
list of wonderful exclusive bonuses on offer if
visitor orders now.
The visitor feels so positive she reaches for her credit card, completes
order form and buys
product.
Great! Primary objective achieved. But....