You may be losing prospects right at the start of their search for a product or service they need. The sad thing is you may not even realize it.
How Can That Happen?
It may be challenging for them to find information o
n a particular product or service they are looking for on your website. That’s right. Rather than being an asset that makes prospects want to learn more about your company and what it offers, your website may be driving prospects to your competitors.
Right Now Go to Your Website
Look at It from Your Ideal Prospect’s View Point
Go ahead and try to find information a particular product or service they may need. Can you find it quickly?
Most probably your website is geared to telling prospects about your company.
On your home page you may be blowing your horn about how great your company is. There may be a general description of what you offer. It may also state why your company is the best provider of what you offer.
However, there is nothing which addresses a prospect’s needs. Nothing which focuses on the problems their products or services may resolve.
The next page in most menus normally is an “About” page. It typically explains the company’s mission and values. There also may be a link to an overview of the executive team and the associates at the company.
Normally the third page contains an overview of the products and services the company offers. (But and this is a BIG BUT.) This page does not contain any white papers on the product or service the prospect is looking at. Nor are there any case studies showing how past clients have benefited from the product or service they purchased.
Next on the menu frequently is a resource page. Here there are links to blogs, articles, white papers, case studies, videos and so on. However, all on a specific product or service are not all in one spot. They are typically listed by the date they were published.
By this point the prospect is frustrated. They were looking for something specific and can’t find it. Most just give up and search elsewhere.
You may be saying your website is just like the other companies with which you compete. That doesn’t make yours right. You and your competitors are not serving those looking for what they need.
How Do You Make Your Website
More Prospect Friendly?
Restructure it.
On the home page focus on the main problems your prospects have right now. Tell them how your products or services will help resolve those problems for them.
Make it easy for them to get more information on each product or service. When you list a product or service on the home page provide a link to each white paper, case study, article or other information you have on it. This link may take them to separate pages for each product or service where all of these are listed.
Next you still can have your “About” page. Here let your prospects know how your executive team and associates are focused on them and resolving the issues they face.
You then can include other pages listing your locations and giving contact information.
You want your website to be as prospect friendly as possible. You don’t want a website that’s just like each of your competitors and everyone else’s.
Your current website may be pride and joy of your executive team. They may think it’s great. So they’ll take exception to any changes you want to make. Plan for that opposition in advance.
The best way is to do your homework and show your executive team how the changes you want to make will help your company make more sales. Also show them how your company will grow in the process.
