As a business owner, the purpose of a website is to convert a visitor to a paying customer. In order to gain the trust of a potential buyer, you must offer value and give them a solution to their problem or pain point. If you do this, they are going to be more willing to give you their information so that you can continue a conversation with them offline. You want your website to be a lead generation tool.
There are three ways to give your potential customer value and guide them into giving you their information.
Blog
When your blog is full of great content it will offer solutions to your readers’ pain points. They will visit your website and leave feeling educated and able to tackle their problem because you’ve gained their trust. They will feel like you’re an expert in your field. The most important element every blog post needs is a call to action. You don’t want your website visitors leaving without giving you a way to get in touch with them.
Call to Action
A Call to Action is a set of instructions to tell your visitor what to do next. It helps to guide them through your website in the direction you want them to go. There are many different ways this can be accomplished. You also want it to be clear and concise. Some examples of a Call to Action are giving them a link to a service page, asking them to fill out an intake form, offering them a lead magnet, or to schedule a free phone consultation. It is basically anything that will drive sales to your business. The Call to Action should also be aligned with your business model. If you offer services and require a phone consultation, then lead them to schedule a phone call. If your website focuses on giving the reader information, offer them a lead magnet (or a freebie).
Lead Magnet
A Lead Magnet is something you offer to a reader for free in exchange for their email address. It needs to be aligned with your business and offers additional value. Some examples are PDF downloads, quizzes, checklists, e-books, or a free consultation. Gaining their email address allows you to create a relationship with the reader, continue to educate, and convert the lead into a sale.
Does your website perform in all of these areas? Do you educate potential customers through a blog? Do you guide them through your website with Call to Actions? Do you give them an incentive to hand over their email address via a lead magnet?
It’s okay if you don’t nail every single one of these on your first shot at a website. It is tricky, and many of us start off with a “starter website” when our business is just blossoming. As your business grows and you are ready to scale it to really drive growth forward, working with a qualified website builder who can add subtle but strategic elements that guide the user through your site is a must. If you haven’t paid much attention to your website in the last couple of years, check out my other blog posts on my site or schedule a consultation to speak with me for a free website audit (see what I did there). If you are in the startup phase and want to DIY your website, you can download my free Website Audit Checklist here.
Lisa M Gale Digital Marketing helps service professional business owners improve their online presence and visibility to attract new clients. We develop systems and processes to improve digital marketing efforts and help entrepreneurs reach their business goals. Download your Digital Marketing Made Simple for free here >>
