March 24, 2011
It’s one thing to have a “pretty” website. However, it’s another thing to have a site that builds trust in the prospect.
Here are 5 elements you should have on your website that builds trust. These tips would work great for a homepage-style website that’s the face of a company.
1) Testimonials
People only buy from vendors they trust. If you have proof that other people have obtained the benefits they are looking for through your product/service. Having plenty of testimonials on your site can boost credibility.
2) Case Studies
These are testimonials that are more involved and go into more detail. Case studies are in general more credible since they include more information regarding how the prospect obtained the desired benefits.
3) A Phone Number
Most websites do not have phone contact information. Just having a phone number people can call builds credibility since most people consider a “real” business to have a phone number. These days, you can get an online phone number for very cheap through Skype and other online services.
4) “About Me” Page
The more you tell about yourself the more you’ll sell. Like I mentioned before, people only buy from people they trust and they want to know if you are qualified to help them with their problem or desire.
5) Links To Your Blog And Social Media Accounts
Having a blog and social media accounts via Twitter and Facebook shows you are active in your niche and aren’t just a “fly-by-night” operation. It also gives people another way to keep up with you as well.
Trust and credibility is extremely important now more than ever–especially in today’s competitive marketplace. These tips could boost your conversions if you implement them on your website!
Live, Love, Laugh!
Sean
Sean McPheat
Internet Marketing Academy
So having a good “about me” page is critical to getting sales!
March 22, 2011
It is no secret that Facebook is becoming more popular online. And with the advent of their pay-per-click advertising engine, one can get a lot of traffic by advertising on Facebook.
Here are 4 things you need to remember when advertising on Facebook. Remember that these are general guidelines–ultimately you will need to test these for yourself and determine what works for you and your marketplace.
1) Don’t measure your success of your campaigns based on direct sales.
Facebook is a long-term strategies, so you should determine your success based on “likes” and comments on your Facebook Page. Eventually these people will buy from you, but you will need to build the relationship first.
2) Always test images with your Facebook ads.
According to Shoemoney.com, the third largest Facebook advertiser, 70% of the success of your advertisement will depend on your image. You will want to test different images based on your niche.
Among the best images to test are “action” images showing the benefit customers are going to get from using your product. For example, if you are selling a weight-loss product, you would show a healthy person working out.
3) Don’t send direct traffic to a “money” page.
It is best to send traffic to a page that contains a name and email address field one can enter in order to receive a free report. Direct selling is tough on Facebook and one way to approach it is to use Facebook as a list-building tool you can use to follow up with your prospects.
4) If you are doing local advertising, always put the location in the headline.
Facebook allows you to target a certain geographical area. This is perfect if you are a local business, or want to target prospects in a certain area. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you always place the location in the headline.
So if you are selling a teeth whitening dental service in Detroit, you would say, “Teeth Whitening Detroit” in your headline. This will get the attention of your prospects in that area.
Again, all of these are general guidelines–you will have to test these in your market. But these are good guidelines for most businesses out there, and you should test these if you are going to get started with Facebook.
Keep Selling!
Sean
Sean McPheat
Internet Marketing Academy
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