SO...WHERE ARE THE CLIENTS? Reasons People Fail to Buy On-Line Your Webpage is up and running. So where are the customers? Why aren't they buying? The Web Designer you hired told you that all you needed was a Webpage and your sales would boom. If only that were true. Here is a check-list of the most obvious reasons people fail to buy on-line. Do people feel safe ordering from your site? It's important to remind customers that they are ordering through a secure server and that ALL information they disclose will be kept confidential. If you're asking for an E-mail address, assure them that you will NOT sell it to spammers. Is your ad copy well written, error free and attractive? How your copy is written is one of the least talked about - yet most important elements - of your entire site. Pretty flowers, flashing lights and a textured background will not convince one customer that you are a legitimate business worthy of patronage. Your well-written, error-free text does that.   Before you hire a Web Designer, unless you're a professional copywriter yourself, your first question should be, "Who will write the copy?" Your second question should be, "What sort of experience do you/they have writing copy?" Don't let the designer shrug this point off. You need a professional writer to produce your copy. Most designers have a little HTML knowledge, have designed their own personal Webpage, and figure they can make big bucks doing the same for others. Amateurs have neither the marketing knowledge nor the writing experience to produce a Website that will get results. Do you remind people to come back and visit? People seldom buy on the first visit to your site. The more they return, obviously, the greater the chance they will buy from you. Keep your Website fresh, offer new information or reasons to return. Do people know who you are? Have you included information that will familiarize potential clients with your company? Have you given them pertinent information? Would you buy from the mysterious Mr. X? Neither would a customer. Are you using freebies to lure people to your site? If so, are you giving the gift away too soon? If people aren't reading your professionally written ad copy BEFORE you've given the gift, you've almost certainly lost them. Your freebie should always be below your ad copy. Have you made ordering from your site as easy and as convenient as possible? Give potential customers a range of purchasing options, credit cards, checks, money orders, and other forms of electronic payments. Take orders by phone, E-mail, fax, conventional mail, and of course, if you have a store, invite them to stop by. Does your Website have it's own domain name? You could be the most sincere, most respected businessman in your area, but with a web site address of "geocities", you will appear unprofessional to those who don't already know you, not to mention the fact that you will have to include distracting, intrusive ad banners on your page. Perception is reality. How your ad copy is written, how well organized and how easily navigated your site is, as well as the overall appearance of your page are what most influences your potential customers when it comes time to buy.   Remember, your competitor has a Website too... Home | About WebWizards | See Our Work | Articles | E-mail Us | What Clients Say