Have you ever wondered why you have a lot of people coming to your business website but only a few actually end up making an enquiry?

In most cases a business website is a lead generation machine. Its sole purpose is to turn a website visitor into a sales lead but in order to do so your website needs to remove a series of barriers that we all have when looking to part with our hard-earned money.

Every potential customer has a series of questions and concerns that they need satisfied either consciously or sub-consciously before they commit to a purchase.

Does the opening headline on this website match with my expectations?

If the search result in Google said your website is all about ‘learning conversational French’ then the first thing that people see when your home page loads better be a headline saying ‘Learn Conversational French’. Any disconnect between the expectation and the reality will instantly break trust in your site and the game is lost.

Does the overall layout, design and quality of the home page make me think this is a professional and credible organisation?

This is where businesses who try to build their own website on certain ‘self build’ platforms fall down. Is very difficult for someone who is not trained in website design to produce a design that looks high quality and professional.

Is this business open and trustworthy?

The signs that a typical buyer is looking for here is good customer reviews and case studies. It tells the prospect that you have a track record of success. It’s also good to offer a solid background report on the people behind the business.

Is this business local? (this matters to some buyers but not all)

In many cases customers want to meet the people they are spending money with, and know that they exist in their local town or community. Publishing an address on your website shows you are local.

Do they do what I am looking for?

It needs to be crystal clear on your home page what products or services you offer. You can then direct prospects to a more detailed ‘services’ page for more in depth information.

Can they do it for the price, quality, time I consider reasonable?

It’s not always possible to publish prices on your website but you can offer a free quote and show examples of work you have done elsewhere and how long a typical project takes to complete. Case studies can help here.

Will I be treated really well both up to the point of sale and beyond?

Case studies and reviews help to satisfy this requirement. If you are a brand new business than offer up a ‘Service Level Agreement’ that sets out how you expect to treat your customers.

Is this business really passionate about customers and the product they sell?

The language and images you place on your website should project your passion for what you do as a business. Your web developer and copy writer should be able to advise you on this.

Have others bought and been happy?

Again, case studies provide satisfaction here as do reviews both on your site and third party sites like Google Reviews.

Will this business still be around in 12 months time?

Your website should celebrate how long you have been established. If you are a new venture then you can talk about how you intend to grow the business and your future plans for new services or staff.

As you can see there is a lot to break down. Some barriers are removed by what we see, read or hear. Some are more subtle.

So this is where the true value of good web design comes into it’s own. A really good web designer will be able to design and build a website that removes all the above barriers quickly and effectively. That’s what you pay the money for. It’s not about producing something pretty, it’s about the ability to make something that turns a casual visitor into a committed customer.

A good exercise is to get a friend or family member to go onto your business website in the mindset of someone looking to buy your type of product. Ask them to look at three competitor sites. Ask them for an honest appraisal of whether they were most drawn to your site or another one and if so why? This will help you identify where your weaknesses are and set you on the road to making your website the best lead generation machine in your niche.

David Taylor

Director @ Webmedia

contact@davidtaylorwebmedia.com

0791 341 8215

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