I do a lot of surfing. I don’t do a lot of bookmarking. For a site to earn a position on my favorites list, it has to meet a few of my “must have” requirements.
Hey, I’m not that tough. Really. I’m just looking for some basic stuff in a website that compels me to stick around.
If I’m compelled to bookmark a site, chances are good it’s a place where I’m comfortable spending money. Think about your own spending habits on the Internet. What it is about a site that makes you feel comfortable with your buying decision?
It’s really nothing more than knowing you’re doing business with a professional.
The following six tips are a sampling of the powerful strategies employed by professional sites to bring in repeat visitors and higher revenues. Read them over and see for yourself how they can help your site.
1) Get Your Own Domain Name
Having your own domain name tells your visitors you are a serious online presence. Perception is everything, and you lose some credibility with customers with an address such as: www.myfreehost.net/business/myname.
More than likely, that free host site is actually costing you more than you think. With your own domain name (www.yourcompany.com) comes an image of professionalism and longevity. Why give your potential customers a reason to think twice about doing business with you?
To get your own name and park it for FREE…
http://www.virtualis.com/vr2/bkrkossk/domain_search.html
2) Display a Privacy Statement
What will you do with the information your visitors share with you? Security is headline news nowadays, and for the serious buyer a full disclosure of your practices can mean the difference between a sale or no sale.
I put together my privacy statement in less than 30 minutes using the TRUSTe wizard at:
http://www.etrust.com/wizard/
3) Use the Power of FREE!
I see way too many sites that are nothing more than a sales pitch. My favorite sites keep me coming back with valuable, FREE information or services I can USE. Sure they want to sell something, but by sharing their expertise and assistance without asking for anything in return, they’ve turned me into a repeat visitor. Will
I be more likely to make a purchase through repeated visits. You bet!
I have many free offerings at my website. My free download page is consistently one of the top five most visited pages. I also offer my time for free. By sharing my experience with visitors one-on-one, I have the opportunity to earn a visitors confidence, and build a long-term relationship!
FreeClutter.com is a great example of the pulling power of FREE. Their newsletter currently has 108,000 subscribers! http://www.freeclutter.com
4) Are You Running a Yard Sale or an Online Business?
Take a long hard look at the appearance of your site. Is it organized and professional or does it feel like you’re walking through your neighbor’s yard sale? Ask a few people (not your family or friends) to give their honest and unforgiving opinion about your site. Shy away from being defensive towards their remarks. Seriously evaluate their advice for changes you can implement.
You might want to try this tactic… give away something free or enter visitors in a drawing in exchange for filling out a short form rating your site!
5) Start Your Own Opt-In Email List
If you’re not asking your visitors to leave their address, you’re missing out on the best leads you’ll ever get. Give visitors a reason to subscribe to your newsletter, “Coupon Alert”, or “Hot Tip of the Week.” Convince them to subscribe with hard-hitting copy that makes them feel as if they HAVE to subscribe. Let them know you are THE source for this information.
With regular mailings, your list subscribers become a great source of repeat visits. Be sure to give subscribers your best specials and newest deals, and they’ll never have a reason to be disappointed!
For a really great guide and template to help you start your own opt-in list:
http://www.mbn-businesscomplex.net/NewbieGuide.html
6) Promote Your Site Like Crazy!
The Internet is a huge place with a capital H. Use multiple advertising tools to let people know how much they need you! Trade links with other sites, advertise in ezines, submit your article to ezines, get listed with the major search engines and directories, send out a press release,and the list goes on!
For more on promoting your site, try this FREE download from the Make Your Site Sell e-book:
http://www.homebiztools.com/sell.htm
So what do you think? Is your site lacking any of these items. Just pick one for now, and work through the list. No doubt you’ll be pleased with what they can do for the profitability of your home business!
Brett Krkosska provides how-to advice on family and home-based work issues. Get start-up guidance, business ideas and inspiration at http://www.HomeBizTools.com. Become a subscriber for a fresh and original perspective on today’s business issues: enews@homebiztools.com
