5 Messaging Mistakes that Lose You Customers

We don't mean to scare you, but you could be making messaging mistakes right now that are losing you customers.

That idea is stressful, right? Getting your messaging right can feel complicated, especially if you’re not a natural writer. We understand how tricky messaging can be, and we're here to help! Luckily, you can follow a few simple guidelines to shape up your messaging and attract more customers.

Let's break them down.

Messaging Mistake #1: Making it all about you.

Take a look at the homepage of your website. Now count how many times the word “we” appears on the page—is it five times? Maybe more? Talking about yourself is an easy trap to fall in. After all, it’s YOUR website. You have an amazing business that you’ve spent a time and effort building, so it’s only natural to want to make sure every visitor to your site knows about it.

The trouble is, if you’re a business owner and someone is visiting your website, it’s probably because they have a problem. They may be searching for a product, looking for someone to hire, or gathering information, but every visitor has a problem they need to solve.

Now, imagine you have an accounting problem you need help with, but luckily you have a friend who’s an expert in accounting. So, you set a time to meet with them over coffee. They spend the entire time telling you about their expertise and why they’d be so good at solving your problem, but they skip past telling you how they'll actually solve it. You’d leave that meeting frustrated, right?

Don’t be that person to your customers!

Start by talking to your current customers and figuring out why they sought you out and what problems they need to solve. Use that information to inform your website messaging.

Let your customers know you understand their problems and can help.

If you can understand and solve your customer’s problems, talking about your expertise will only need to play a supporting role.

Messaging Mistake #2: Not providing a next step.

Okay, so let's say you’ve successfully avoided the first messaging mistake. You understand your customer’s problem and have let them know you have just the thing to help them solve it. The money should start rolling in, right? Well, there’s another hurdle you need to avoid: not providing a next step.

If you’re working in your business every day, it can be easy to assume that customers just know what to do next. After all, it’s second nature to you!

The trouble is, most of your customers have an eight-second attention span. You’re fighting for every second of their eyes on your homepage, and if they have to think about what to do next, they may just leave.

A clear and compelling call to action is the key to moving those customers to the next step. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some examples of good calls to action to get you started:

• Schedule an Appointment
• Buy Now
• Make a Payment
• Give us a Call
• Contact Us
• View a Demo
• Request a Quote

Your homepage needs to have a clear, compelling call to action front and center. Make it big, make it bright, make it hard to miss. Your customers will follow your lead.

Messaging Mistake #3: Too much information.

Since you have a website, why not fill it with as much information as you can so your customer can be sure to find what they need? The idea seems pretty reasonable on the surface, but building your website this way can backfire. If you’ve ever walked into a store so packed with goods that you can’t seem to find anything, you have a good idea of what it feels like to view a website with too much information.

Your customers don't have time to sift through heaps of information.

Instead, spend some time thinking about what key pieces of information they're most likely to need. That’s the information you should be placing front and center. It's okay if you don't include absolutely everything about your business on your website. And, of course, use a call to action to drive them to their next step.

Messaging Mistake #4: Writing to sound smart.

Let’s get this out of the way. Bigger or more words does not equal better writing. This is a habit many of us picked up in school, where we’re often rewarded for complicated writing full of unnecessary words. In reality, the best communication is kind that is easy to understand. If you confuse your customers, they’ll leave. If you need help learning to cut the fat from your writing, tools like Hemingway can help you hone your skills.

This rule also applies to technical jargon (in most cases, at least). You may be used to using your industry terms, but your customers probably aren’t. Make sure your customers don't have to leave your site to Google terms they're unfamiliar with. At the very least, briefly explain technical terms or spell out acronyms the first time they’re used.

Of course, if you're sure your customers know your industry's technical jargon and would be put off by an explanation, use whatever terms they’re familiar with.

Messaging Mistake #5: Not double-checking.

Now to the finishing touches. Even a perfectly designed website with top-notch messaging won’t be very effective if it includes glaring errors or misspellings. After you’ve finished writing, take a break for a few days and come back to review with fresh eyes. It also never hurts to have an editor take a second look. It’s amazing the mistakes they'll catch!

Start with these simple messaging changes and you’ll be attracting and gaining more customers in no time!

If you need help getting started, sign up for a free, 15-minute marketing assessment. And if you're still feeling overwhelmed or not sure where to start, it may be time to start looking for an online marketing agency.