Let me start by saying your website may or may not be making these mistakes. Two-thirds of the websites we have helped to optimize were making one or more of these mistakes. So next time you’re surfing the web, pay close attention to the design and flow of the websites you’re on. Two out of three of the sites you come across are likely missing out on sales due to at least one of these mistakes.
- They fail to orient the visitor
When someone first lands on your website, they should quickly be able to discern what the website is about and who it’s for. The faster you can orient your visitors, the better. Your heading should have a simple summary supported by imagery to get this message across. If someone lands on your website and they can’t quickly discern what the website is about and if it’s relevant to them, they’ll likely leave within seconds. According to a recent Google Analytics study, the average website visitor stays on a website for only 53 seconds. - They don’t introduce the business to the visitor
Once your site visitor has been oriented to what the website is for, and if it’s relevant to them, they’ll want to know more about who you are – whether “you” is an individual, a team, or an organization. People want to know who they’re doing business with these days. The more comfort and trust you can build, the better. Who are you? What are your values and passions? What is your experience and credibility? - They don’t tell your visitors what you do
Your visitors are now oriented to what your site is for, if it’s relevant to them, and who you are as a business. Now you need to get across what you do in a clear and concise way. What products and services do you offer? Don’t just list features when describing your offerings, list benefits. Features are simply characteristics of what you offer – like a 60-minute training session. Benefits are the specific value that your products and services provide, such as eliminating guesswork and providing support. For each service you provide, it’s also beneficial to include a “learn more” link that will take them to a page for that service that provides more detail, and ideally, video or photos. Additionally, you should consolidate your offerings into no more than three buckets to stay away from causing “analysis paralysis”. Analysis paralysis is a real phenomenon that happens when customers are presented with too many options. A cornerstone study on consumer choices found that customers presented with a large display of options (24) were one-tenth as likely to buy as those presented with a small display of options (6). Not only will too many options prevent most customers from making a decision, but for those who do make a decision, they’re also more likely to become dissatisfied with what they chose. - They don’t provide social proof
In a world of social media, social proof is everything these days. Before platforms like Google Reviews and Yelp, if you wanted a recommendation for what to buy or where to buy something, you would ask friends, family members, and co-workers. Now that there are plenty of ways to find customer feedback online, it’s something that every business should offer up-front because your prospective customers will be seeking it out anyway. Include customer testimonials on your site, and don’t make them too polished or they may come off as inauthentic. The more authentic they are, the better. - They don’t tell visitors how to take the next step
It’s now time to guide your visitors towards your primary goal. They know who you are, what you do and if it’s relevant to them, and they’ve seen the social proof – the next step is for them to try it out. You should have a Call to Action (CTA) included directly following your testimonials section. Your CTA should include a valuable and enticing offer, such as a free class or a 30-day fitness plan with an individual planning session to help the prospect get started. Your CTA isn’t about selling your service, it’s about giving away value. This will lead prospects further along your sales funnel. The mistake that many businesses make is trying to make a sale before providing enough value. This is a sure way to lose prospects who could have become customers.
Aside from a member portal login page, a blog, basic contact and location information, and class schedules, you should not include much more on your website. Too much information provides too many chances to confuse and lose visitors. You want to keep your content focused around your primary goal.
Most people think that having a website will translate to more sales. Websites are the new business card and we all know what happens to most business cards — they get discarded into a void of lost opportunity.
What does translate into sales is an online sales funnel. A well-developed sales funnel will build a relationship with your prospects while educating them on how your services can add value to their life. Your website should act more like a funnel and less like a business card.
Now if you’re an online or aspiring online Fit Pro, learn how to add at least 5-10 new clients every month without guesswork or wasting time.
Click the link to request access to our Smart Start Training and learn 4 Simple Steps to Building Your Online Sales Machine.