LeadMastersUSA

For some this post will be a redundant discourse on the most basic of internet principles – the internet is all about information. However, I am including it for two reasons:

1. There is a HUGE disconnect between what small business owners DO online and how they view the potential of their website.

2.  Many small business owners who market their own websites still do not understand the important shift in thinking needed to make their business website profitable.

You can’t make money online

It’s unfortunate that in today’s world many businesses simply assume that there is absolutely no way they can use their business website to make money or generate leads. you would think that in these tough times, people would be more open minded – not less. In fact of the 60% of small businesses that actually DO have a website many owners will defiantly tell you:

“I have never made a sale off my site, I don’t even have any idea who goes to my site or what they do. I put it up a few years ago because I had to” or “My customers find me by word of mouth, they aren’t interested in finding me online” and my personal fave “I will never get my clients or customers from the internet.”

Why does the internet work for some businesses and not others?

We have all heard that some people are making millions and millions of dollars on line and some businesses are using the internet to create massive sales very effectively. So what is the difference – especially if you are a local business, offer a service provider or sell a higher priced product?

The #1 way people use the web is to search for information that helps them

The big difference is that these businesses use the internet to make relationships. Let’s face it, what do you do when you go out on the web? Chances are you search for relevant information! That is the number one thing people do online. They search for relevant information before they buy, before they purchase a product, before they hire a service provider, before they go on vacation… Just about every action online revolves around one key factor and that is: Relevant Content!

People use the internet to search for information about products and services

The second aspect is that people have now come to expect updated and relevant content. That means that if you don’t change anything on your site people assume that you don’t really want to interact with them. Not only do the search engines assume that, even worse than that, your visitors assume this as well. Imagine having an answering machine message that doesn’t take messages. Not very effective is it?

What your website says about your company (that you might no like)

The biggest benefit you can do to your site right now today is to look at the first page that the people come to on your site and ask yourself this: Is this site giving my visitor relevant content about what they are interested in?

I’ll give you a hint: No one is interested in your business! People are interested in their problem and how you can help them solve it. There are plenty of pages and times that you can lead them to information about your business and your service, but the first thing people want to know is: How can you help me!

You already answer the same questions day after day – why not make articles form the most common questions?

Consider adding an article once every two weeks to your site. Choose a topic that would be of true genuine value to your customers or potential customers. You’ll find that after one year those 24 articles will significantly increase your page rank as well as increase the number of people that are finding your site because you are providing the number one thing that they want and that is relevant content.

Be out there – really out there

The second thing it will allow you to do is to let people experience how you can help them rather then trying to explain it. Don’t hide your contact information – encourage people to interact, give them multiple ways to learn about your expertise. This is especially critical in any kind of service industry.

People want to know that you can help them and they want to know how you can help them.

Take the technology that the web offers and let it help you connect, capture and convert your visitors into relationships you can do business with.
Start simple and make it real, relevant and regular.