Top Ten Ways to Increase Web Sales - Part 2
By Judy Cullins
Posted Tuesday, February 1, 2005
You have only 10 seconds to impress your potential buyer.
Your Web site visitors don't care about you. They care what you can do for them. Give them a reason to buy. If you haven't reaped the sales you deserve apply these ten tips:
Part one of this article is available at (http://www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-56.shtml).
6. Make your layout clear, clean, and consistent.
An unorganized, unclear site tells people you didn't do your homework by writing excellent copy to convince visitors to buy. If you don't know how to do this, contact a copywriting coach or web writing coach. Take advantage of the smaller priced teleclasses. These professionals can show you how to write the best copy, and help you put in your personality rather than a "one size fits all" kind.
Organize each page in the same layout—such as left centered, right centered, or centered. Go to other Web sites and choose a design that resonates with you. Keep every page in the same format.
7. Use color on your Web pages that doesn't jar your visitor.
Make the background light with black, blue and red lettering in the copy. Use simple font changes such as Times Roman for headings and sales letter headlines, and Arial for the copy beneath. This format is the opposite for formatting a book, since Arial 12 is easier to read online than Times Roman 12.
Don't be tempted to use large graphics or pictures. Use small graphics to spice up your site that can be a hyperlink to the larger picture if your visitor chooses to use. Always remember each page must load under 10 seconds. Always use a lot of white space to make it easy on the eyes.
Easy-to-read and clear navigation helps keep your visitors on your site longer. If you are like me, and have a content-dense site, full of articles and tips, you can include long copy so long as you present it in short chunks. Potential buyers need enough pertinent information to make the decision to buy.
It's a good idea to check your site often to see if you have any glitches. Another good idea is to visit your site with a visitor mind set. What turns you off? What do you like? Ask friends or associates to give you feedback. Give them a fre.ebie for their trouble.
8. Put your Web site information into short paragraphs.
When a visitor sees a long line of print, he gets discouraged because he want his information fast, clear, and concise. Make each paragraph only 4-6 lines. Online readers want easy-to- read material they can get the main points from and they want it faster than light rays. Remember clear, compelling copy is always the rule.
9. Be consistent with your heading and body fonts.
Do not use all capital letters in your articles or headings. They are hard to read. Use only a few for emphasis; for the rest, make them upper/lower case such as "Sell More Books with a Powerful Back Cover".
Do not use the same font for headlines and titles as you do for the body of information beneath. This mistake makes it hard to distinguish the two.
10. Use dividers such as ==== or ------- when you change topics.
These add variety and help your visitors to see your message more clearly. These are often used on business ezines for different categories of information presented. Each publisher's personal choice makes their ezine unique.
Remember your home page must give your visitors a reason to buy. Use these "Marketing Pizzazz" techniques throughout your site. Think right now, what is it I need to act on next to manifest more dollar success on my site?
About the Author
Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at (http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml) and over 140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com
