FrontPage Web Design

FrontPage Universe Website Marketing

 The Top Ten Tips for Building a Strong Lead Generation Website


1. Make the first 10 seconds count.

You've heard it before, the first 10 seconds in any meeting are
the most important. It's just the same with your website. The
colors that you use, the size and relevancy of your graphics,
text and links all lead towards your impact presentation. When
a new prospect lands on your site they have to know within 10
seconds whether or not they have arrived in the right place.
There can be no indecision here - they must know - and they
will decide to stay or leave. Make it obvious to them.

2. Avoid heavy loading and fancy graphics.

It follows a similar theme to the above note, but this point
applies specifically to your website's load time. This is
failure that most businesses are aware of, but few take action
on. How fast does your site load for you? Do all your visitors
have high-speed connections? The guideline is 8 seconds on a
56K dialup modem, any longer and you're playing double
jeopardy. Avoid the temptation to make your landing page some
huge logo image or flash presentation. More people than you
think don't want this - in fact, they don't care at all what
your logo looks like, they want to know what's in it for them.

3. Don't let them leave from the main page.

The most common page for new visitors to land on is your main
page. It's also the most common page for them to leave from -
without ever having looked at your other pages. That's like
someone sneaking open your shop front door a crack, taking a
peek and slamming it shut as they leave. This falls in with the
10 second impact point - use bold headlines that stand out and
then links that draw your visitors further into your site. The
longer they stick around, the higher the chances of them
contacting you or even better, making a purchase from you.

4. We hate Pop-ups, but they work.

Do you hate those annoying pop-up windows that some websites
use? You know the ones... after you go to a site they literally
jump out and grab you by the throat. How about those ones that
no matter what you do they will not close, or when you close
one another one opens - yeah, I hate those ones too. So keep
this in mind, Pop-up windows do work, if ... and that's a BIG
IF... you don't annoy your visitors with them. A good guideline
is to use cookie based pop ups that only trigger once - either
when the visitors arrives, or when they leave - no more.

5. Entice, bribe and coerce.

So what's the point of a pop up - they serve one task only - to
highlight a special offer, or better yet, to highlight your
free email information newsletter. Ask your accountant or
advertising agent where the most effective advertising dollar
is spent... on new customers or on existing ones. Everybody
knows that it's easier to sell to an existing client than to a
new one. Create a mindset that your free subscribers are equal
in ratings to free customers. Do everything you can to entice
them to subscribe to your monthly mailing list. Everything and
anything possible: a free gift, a free sample - do something.
Bribe them if you have to, but get their contact information.

6. Make it clear that you have the solution to their needs.

Too many website owners simply accept that 'there's lot's of
competitive websites' and that browser are not buyers. That's a
bunch of bull. Browsers are browsing for a purpose - they are
looking for someone to meet their needs - and if it's not going
to be you, it's going to be someone else. So what if they are
not ready to purchase and contact you yet, then collect their
details by getting them to subscribe to your opt-in email
newsletter and keep them as a free customer until they pay
you for your work. If you believe that you've got a good
business, the right services, the right price point - then
prove it - and yell it out from your website. Make it clear
that you have the solution to your prospective customers needs,
and finally, ask them for the chance to prove it.

7. Use the power of free to your advantage.

OK, I can hear you argument beginning, "But ... But .... But
.." Forget the buts and begin marketing with your website.
Yes, people love free stuff, of course, we all do. *So Give It
To Them*. But - when you offer free stuff, do it in exchange
for their name and email address, so you can follow-up with
them.

8. Lead them by the hand.

Once you've gained your visitors trust (by use of the content
on your site), you then need to literally 'take them by the
hand' and guide them from page to page across your website.
This is achieved by your links and the words you use to ask
people to click them. As you do this, make sure that all your
visitors questions are answered. Find out what it is that
visitors to your site want to know - then give it to them.
Guide them step-by-step to the contact page, until you have
their details.

9. Don't let go unless they ask you.

Once you've got hold of them - Don't Let Go. Love them, care
for them, and even if they have not yet opened their wallet for
you - show them the same level of gold service that you usually
reserve for your paying customers. Write (email) them and share
stories with what's happing in your business world, and how it
might affect them. The only time you let go is when they click
the "Unsubscribe" link, never before.

10. Make your website just one in a network of sites.

Finally, don't be afraid to venture out and create your own
network of related websites. This can be done under your own
ownership and management or you can set up partnerships with
other sites. Send each other traffic, hints, tips and
strategies. Share these networks with your visitors and they'll
share you amongst their own networks. Be helpful to them.

All the time.