We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again, and we’ll keep saying it because it’s true: Your website should be your greatest sales machine, selling for you 24/7.
While it may not be physically selling for you (unless, of course, you do eCommerce), what your website can do is invite your customer into a story. That story should help your customer get to know more about you and encourage them to take a next step in the buyer’s journey with you, whatever that may look like with your business.
Your Website, the Selling Machine
First things first. Every business needs a website. No matter how big or small your business is, if you want to attract, inform, and convert customers, you need an updated, easy-to-navigate website. You can DIY it or hire a professional to do it, but either way, you should have one. If you don’t have one, go ahead and put that on your to-do list. It’s critical to your business’s success.
With that PSA covered, let’s look at what you can do to get more leads on your website — and ultimately, more paying customers.
Put Your Website to Work for You
Your website should work for you, not against you. Some people think that it can just be neutral, but there is no neutral in marketing, and your website is definitely part of your marketing.
The reason there is no neutral in marketing is because things like your website are either pushing people to buy from you or pushing people away from buying from you.
So, is your website pushing people to buy from you or is it pushing them away, or maybe even pushing them to buy from somebody else?
Your customers have three options when they find you:
- They can do nothing.
- They can buy from someone else.
- They can buy from you.
Make sure you’re setting your business and customers up for success by making it easy for them to buy from you.
What’s on Your Website?
You can look at something all day online, but do you buy the first thing you see that looks nice? Maybe, but before you do, you’ll probably want to read about it and see what others think, so you can make a good, informed decision.
Design builds trust, but words are what sell.
As soon as a customer arrives on your website, they should immediately be able to learn the following things:
- What you offer — your product or service
- How it will make their life better — the benefits and outcomes of using what you offer
- How they can buy it — a clear call-to-action (CTA) so they know how to get what you’re offering
A good website doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars. Will investing in your website ensure it’s really good? Yeah, and you’ll probably be more likely to show it off. But when it comes down to it, you just need to be really clear, really direct, keep out the extra fluff, and show the result of people buying your product or service, which should be pictures of smiling, happy people!
A Few More Tips
Besides answering making sure your customer knows what you offer, how it will make their life better, and how they can buy it, there are a few more things you can do to get more leads on your website.
- Keep it short. Some people like to read a lot and get all the details before buying, but for the most part, people just skim websites. Keep the text informative but relatively minimal, and make sure what you have on there counts.
- Talk about your customers. So many businesses struggle with this because they want to highlight their success, and you could have the best business in the world, but guess what? People don’t care. Not that they won’t love your business or support it, but all they really want to know is that you can really, truly help them by offering the product or service they’re after and telling them how it can benefit them.
- Have a single CTA. Your CTA should be the same throughout your website, so your customer can click it at any point. It should also be clear, like “Buy Now,” leaving no question as to what your customer needs to do to buy from you.
- Mention the stakes. No fear mongering here, but make sure your customers know what failure will look like if they don’t buy from you. What type of issues will they continuously face if they go without what you offer? Sprinkle that reminder in there.
- Offer a plan. Your customers should know what it looks like to work with you. If they click that CTA, what will happen next? For example, it could be as simple as: “Buy Now,” “Receive Your Product,” and “Enjoy It!” We recommend three steps; it’s easy to remember.
- Share the value. What are the benefits of working with your business? Let your customers know! Do you offer a money-back guarantee? Will you provide 24/7 service? Whatever makes your business valuable and worth it to your customers, be sure to talk about it.
- Include testimonials. If you’re doing great work, your customers will likely tell you by leaving you a review, sending you an email, or giving you a call. Put these glowing recommendations up for everyone to see on your website — specifically, future customers.
It’s a lot, so you can add these things over time. Or, if you’re ready to upgrade your website, then you can get these all done at the same time. What matters is that you’re making progress and improving your leads, so you can grow your business over time. Not sure if your website makes the cut? Let us know, and we’ll be happy to do a free website review for you!
Let Your Website Be Your Best Salesperson
We live in a digital world, and most people who hear about your business, or even are just searching for the product or service you offer, are going to search for you online. Make sure your website is ready for those prospective customers. Make sure it’s welcoming, informative, easy to understand, and even easier to navigate, so they can move down the sales funnel and become a paying customer.
Think about these things. Implement as much as you can. And if you need some help, reach out to our team. Business Builders is a StoryBrand Certified Agency, and we’d love to help you get your website right so you can get more leads and grow your business.
