Hey, we're not perfect around here either. We didn't magically start churning out web sites one day and have every one of them turn into uncontrollable flows of gold.
We've spent 10 years of testing and trying every technique under the sun to make things happen for our clients as well as for our own business building efforts. And, what works for one project might be less than boastful in results for the next.
So, whatever you hear at these fancy 3-day Internet conferences as the new must-do technique, you need to be very cautious in buying-in to those systems and the implementation planning process. Because every project and industry is different.
If you have a worthless web site, we like to invite you to change your mind-set right now by considering three things:
1) You're not alone. So, stop beating yourself up! Most web sites are worthless. Too many simply do not bring the number of leads and sales that were expected. The good news is that you want to do something about it. Most just live with the results and figure no one wants what they're selling.
2) The solution from a worthless to wealth building web site is not about re-design. The answer to lower than expected sales and leads IS in knowing what your visitors expect to see when they get to your web site that will most likely inspire them take action.
3) It's not about the need for more traffic either.If you have a web site that gets 1,000 visits a month and converts no visitors to paying customers, spending $20,000 on 100 hours of search engine optimization isn't going to be your best move! After all, your conversion rate will be the same whether you have 100,000 visitors or 1,000. And, 100,000 X $0 is still $0.
The point is that the most reliable way to turn a worthless web site into a wealth machine is in "the process" and not the web site itself.
Step 1) Get the web site selling - Focus all of your efforts on figuring out why someone gets to your web site and does not "take action" (remember Action?) with you or your products and services.
Maybe the content on your web site is just not moving people to take the next step. Maybe it's not what they were looking for at all. Maybe they just don't believe you offer the best solution.
Step 2) Drive traffic to your site from multiple streams - When people come to a HereNextYear workshop, many attendees understand just two things about Internet traffic. 1...that Google is the top search engine and 2...their web site is not on top of Google!
Although search engines are important, we encourage you to expand your horizons to many additional ways of achieving the traffic you're looking for.
Step 3) Create a virtual sales force - Once your web site is getting a favorable conversion rate (percentage of overall traffic that become customers), you can use that proof of sale to attract affiliates and larger joint ventures. And, that is where the BIG money is online. It just doesn't happen overnight.
Bonus Step: Stay in Control of Your Project.
The major shortcoming of the Internet is that service providers such as designers and programmers are not taught even basic concepts like those outlined above.
As a business owner, success story after success story has proven that you don't need to go to design or programming school to make a zillion dollars online. But you do need to know enough about the process that you can tactfully and confidently instruct your helpers as to what to do first and next.
Seeing day after day, project after project, where designers and other service providers were unable to accomplish results for their clients, we took it upon ourselves to document what has worked for us through the years.
These steps or "best practices" came to be known as:
1) The 3 Goals of Ever Web Site
2) The 3 Rules of Content
3) The 7 Laws of Proof
When a new client comes to us wanting to improve the performance of their web site, these 3 components are what we turn to first. Surprisingly, the problems are discovered almost always in the site's inability to accomplish #1 and #2.
The 7 Laws of Proof are practically an unfair advantage that you can apply to every page of your web site for ultimate results!
What to Do Next:
In summary, we'd like to encourage you to take what we've talked about in this free informative content page and apply its suggestions in your web site at no cost to you! That's fine. It's our gift to you in hopes that you will have better results in getting your message, products and services to the people who need it most.
Then there will be the readers who are not only inspired, but completely DRIVEN to make a real change in their online efforts.
If you are in this category of undeterred achievers, we'd like to recommend three ways for you to Take Action by turning your "worthless web site" into something that will produce the results you expect. Here are three options: Option 1: Purchase our mini-book called Convert Me Now! This ebook covers in detail the 3 Goals, the 3 Rules and the 7 Laws that EVERY web site and Internet strategy MUST abide by to assure the highest level of sales potential. Convert Me Now! also features a session on copy writing for the web that outlines Marty Dickinson's personal sales letter page formula identified by the acronym C-O-N-V-E-R-T--M-E.
Option 2: Buy Marty's Winning the Internet Dogfight 2007 edition due to arrive from the printers in December for shipping. This full-length book in a loose-leaf binder will become the single book on your desk to be referred to over and over again while navigating your way through the Internet strategy process.
Option 3: Attend an Internet strategy workshop by Marty Dickinson. We offer routine training classes at our Aurora Colorado office location near I-225 & Parker Road and at other locations as scheduled.
A Final Thought...
If your web site isn't earning its keep, we hope you will see the opportunities available to you through HereNextYear as your premier resource to help take your business to the next level. It's all about your willingness to "Take Action!"
Of course, you are welcome and encouraged to contact us to see how HereNextYear can help more closely with your project. For a free and no obligation consult, Send an E-mail or call us by phone at 303-743-0832. We look forward to talking with you!
HereNextYear and HereNextYear Publishing are wholly owned by HereNextYear, Inc. 3131 South Vaughn Way, Suite #135, Aurora, CO 80014-3501
Phone: 303-743-0832 ~ E-mail HereNextYear
