Stop Losing Leads: Make Your Website Work for You
Would you let your best salesperson sit quietly in a corner, just handing out brochures and calling it a day?
Of course not — that would be a waste of talent.
But that is precisely what many websites are doing. They are just pretty or professional-looking, but in reality, they don't do that much. These websites are called Brochure-type websites which are only meant to inform but fail to convert. They are just like flyers, digital, untouched, and unmemorable.
The thing is: it is not enough to have a website! Your website must also engage action, i.e. fill in a form, book a call or buy a product. That is the other possibility in case it is not doing so, then it is time to make the change.
Today in this blog, we are going to deconstruct why you no longer should use a brochure-style site and how you can transform any brochure-style site in to a 24/7 sales machine to work on your behalf.
What is a brochure-style website and How it is killing your business
A brochure-type of site is precisely what the name suggests: A digital version of a paper brochure. It speaks to your visitors rather than communicating with them. You enter the home page, find out a list of services, possibly a couple of features, then a desolate Contact Us page. There the road stops.
It may appear clean and professional, but unless there is a deliberate approach to it, it will not bring your growth and, more so, it might very well be hurting your sales in the background.
Such types of websites do not pitch visitors to action. They do not sell, they just tell.
How can you tell if your website uses brochure-style? These are the signs you should look for:
The content feels rigid and lacks clear direction, making it difficult to determine its intended purpose or goal
It has little (or no) powerful calls-to-actions (CTAs) leading the visitor
No free guides, checklists, or offers to get them interested in your services
Customer journey and user experience is like an afterthought
The Three Things that every High-Converting Website Must Have
You might have a nice-looking site but this isn't sufficient when your site has to go that extra mile in order to provide your user with an enjoyable user experience. You need a plan of action. Everything begins with the collaboration of these three pillars: Intuitive UX design, persuasive copy, and sound strategy of conversions.
1. UX Design that Guide the Users
Your site must not only look awesome but it should also feel awesome. A well-built UX (user experience) design takes the visitor all the way to making a decision to act. Each click, scroll, and section should have some destination.
It should feel like a comfortable walk- your visitors should always know where to go next.
The Fast UX Wins that You Can Employ Right Now:
Navigation Bar: Keep navigation bar clean and simple
Mobile-first Design: Use mobile-first design (most people are surfing on their phones majority of the times)
Outline the important information (such as prices, benefits, CTA) in such a way that it can be spotted instantly
2. Persuasive Copy That Connects and Converts
What you say counts more than what you think. Good writing does not only mean telling people what you are doing, but connecting with them on a human level. It appeals straight to your visitors and makes them aware that you know what they are going through, and you provide a solution that they can indeed trust.
The objective? To establish a connection. So that a person feels like, "Yes, this is just what I need". I feel when individuals get a sense of clarity and trust then they are far more likely to do the next step.
Copywriting 101:
Your language should be clear, simple and free of jargon
Talk to your visitor as a human being rather than a machine and address his/her pain points
Prove that people believe in you: Do this by adding real customer testimonies, genuine reviews, or a fast stat that can verify what you are saying.
Add a gentle push with urgency: “Limited spots left” or “Only available this week”
Example
Bad Copy:
"We offer accounting support. Contact us if you need help."
Killer Copy:
"Stuck with a financial puzzle? We’ve got your back 24/7! Whether it’s cash flow confusion or a tax-time tangle, our friendly support team is just a call away to save the day."
3. Conversion Strategy That Seals the Deal
You might have the most beautiful web site, the best written copy in the world, but unless you ask them to do something, most people will not.
Conversion strategy comes in there. It is not pushy. It’s thoughtful. It leads visitors with a light touch towards committed by telling them exactly what they should do next and what is worth saying yes to.
The Three Easy Things that can make People Say Yes:
Clear, helpful CTAs — like “Download Your Free Guide” or “Book a Free Call”
Valuable lead magnets (i.e., short eBooks, checklists or discount codes)
Specific landing pages per service or product so that a visitor doesn't get confused
How to Convert the Useful Pages to the Usable Paths
When you feel that your site is more of a brochure than a tool of business, then you need to turn the script. The content of each of the pages of your web site must be more persuasive than informative; it must softly coerce your visitors into action.
Like enrolling, downloading something, buying something, etc., every page ought to be a step in the right direction.
This Is How You Can Turn Engagement into Momentum:
Put CTAs where they matter - Put conspicuous calls-to-action in strategic locations: your homepage hero and at the bottom of service pages, and even within the body of your blog posts.
Provide something valuable - Give the visitor an incentive to continue on the page with lead magnets (i.e. free checklists, tool kits, or value added guide) in exchange for an email.
Add more ways for users to engage: Quizzes, calculators or chatbots will keep people entertained and will allow them to tell you more about their needs.
Every visitor needs to end up in your sales funnel where they should be able to take relevant actions such as asking a quote or buying some goods.
The Effective Metrics
To gauge the performance of your site, target the metrics that can be directly related to your revenue and leads. Deep-diving into data will enable you to identify what is working and which is not.
Key Metrics to Track:
Traffic Sources: Referrals, Google search, social media? It can be useful because it will enable you to put extra emphasis on what is pulling listeners in.
Bounce Rate: When people arrive at your page and immediately leave, something is wrong, either it is a design issue, or message issue. In any case, it is a red flag.
Conversion Rate: What percentage of people act up? That is in whichever way you can measure that, filling in a form, clicking a button, buying something whatever, it is your most significant figure.
Revenue: How much of your sales or your client leads can you convert and directly arrest the interest of your web site? That is the actual bottom line.
When you concentrate on these figures, you are not only trying to pursue traffic, but also developing a site that yields tangible results.
Auditing your Website without Overwhelm
Don't know where to begin in fixing your site? A site assessment in five steps can tell you what is working, what could be getting in the way without your knowing. It does not need to be complicated. It is just a single step at a time.
This is an easy exercise to examine your site in a new light:
Check for Clarity: Is someone able to read and understand what you are all about and why it is important to them in the first five seconds of hitting on your treated home page? Otherwise, simplify and put focus on your message.
Review CTAs: Are your CTAs obvious and hard to resist ? If you're forced to search in order to find them, your visitors will do the same, and the majority will not.
Take a Walk in the User Journey: Imagine that you are a new visitor. Are you able to get what you need easily? Are you able to act without second thinking where to click?
Analyze Performance Data: Harness the help of such tools as Google Analytics in order to identify areas where people disappear. When the rates of the bounces are high or the conversions are too low, something is wrong.
Welcome Feedback: Ask, and you shall receive. It can really pay off to simply turn to the people outside the company to gain insights about what people like and dislike about your site, ask customers, co-workers, or even a friend that has never seen your site. What puzzled them? What worked?
You do not need a total redesign. Solving just minor problems can also show a significant difference, such as rewriting your home page headline or making a button on your page more prominent.
Make Your Website Work for You
Your website is not just a place where you can have a list of what you have to offer; it is your online salesperson. One that is available 24/7. It can be a killer tool that brings actual sales when it is constructed with a correct combination of user experience, persuasive copywriting and clever conversion tactics.
