Did you know that it just takes less than 3 seconds for a visitor to accept or reject a website?
Since people’s attention span is consistently being clamour for, how do you ensure that you stand out as the ‘Purple Cow’ in your field?
Do you have the right elements on your homepage, your main landing page of your website?
Does it raise a visitors attention and desire to trade with you?
Do you have a captivating headline, engaging content, striking images, call to actions, strategically placed with a right balance of form, function, and features to attract, capture leads, nurture and convert to sales?
A website homepage is like a storefront of your business. People assess the value of your services or products through the homepage in just a few seconds. Just like how we subconsciously make conclusions with people and first impressions. That’s why we have put together a simple 9-point checklist for you to make sure that your website homepage has the most important elements to make that great first impression to start.
1. A Company Logo And Captivating Headline
Ensure that your logo and an impressive headline does this job effortlessly. Try to keep both the elements clean, concise and captivating. If you like to learn more about how to create an effective headline, read this article: 5 steps to prepare an effective headline and marketing message
Can a visitor tell within the first three seconds what your business is and become aware of your value proposition? A value proposition is your highest expression of what your business mission is about.
An example: Healthpost New Zealand
I am a repeat customer of this New Zealand eCommerce site, Healthpost.co.nz. As an eCommerce website, they have to constantly update their website for products and promotions to encourage online shopping, purchase and referrals. I noticed that their promotions and product highlights are timely according to seasons, health needs as well as potential product demands. I am glad to see that they have recently communicated their value proposition more clearly and included a mission behind that message.
“We’re all about empowering positive choices for a better you and a better world. Here’s to marketing better choices, easier.”
Their logo, headline and value proposition statement is simple yet captivating.
Visitors instantly know they offer health products and free delivery is on promotion for a set period.
2. Personal Focus Design And Copy
Do you know who are your top three customers types and their personas? Personas are common characteristics for your customers that drives their behavior, motivation and purchase decisions. Copy is the written work and visuals used to communicate your point of service or product difference. Ensure that your web design and copy appeal to your target customer and their persons effectively.
An example:The Warehouse New Zealand
I did a search for the top websites in New Zealand, The warehouse homepage ranks #36 , which is top for the category of general merchandising. Other top-ranked sites were auction, media and news and banking websites such as Trademe, Westpac Bank and Stuff .co.nz. By looking at the homepage, can you make out who their persona focus design and copy?
The Warehouse’s website design and copy communicates value for money, consistent with their tagline “Where everybody gets a bargain.” For the website, their key message to online shoppers are guaranteed is ’60day money back guarantee’. Their next focus is to communicate convenience with and free ‘click & collect’ service that encourages visitors to shop online & pick up in their local store.
Who do you think their top three customer types are and their personas? Notice that the top three product categories are ‘Clothing and jewelry’, ‘Home and Garden, and Electronics and Gaming’. We think their top main customers and their personas are mothers with school children, Young adults in a new flatting situations and Remote shoppers living rural areas that want convenience and searching for bargain products for household items before they come in person or solely shop online
Another example: Airbnb
A website with a simple search bar for the people who are looking for the accommodation with local experiences – perfect design with no fuss, direct search to book home stays in city areas. There are accommodation list outside of city areas. Their persona focus design and copy is to directed to travelers who want an authentic travel experience by finding accommodation and experiences to experience with local hosts.
3. Impeccable Content and Language That Connects
Producing content in written, graphic design or on a video with an authentic language that connects with your audience is critical. We encourage you to engage a colleague or someone with copy editing experience to help you proof-read or write content. Use concise words and a tone of voice to communicate how your business can solve their problem or help them complete a job. Every word should be relevant and serve some purpose.
4. Use Strong Calls-to-Action
The primary purpose is to attract the users’ attention and compel them to dig deeper into your offerings and eventually push them down the funnel in the buying process. Strong Calls-to-Action seamlessly guides them toward the right direction so that they don’t get lost in the mountain of information.
Strategically placed CTAs is important since they also turn your homepage into a lead generation page.
Consider effective and strong words like “Free Trial”, “Call Now”, “Schedule a Demo”, “Learn More”, “Consult us Today” and so on.
An example: Pepper Construction, New Plymouth
Pepper Construction was undergoing a website and digital marketing revamp. Glenn Scott, the Marketing Manager took our Get Digital Marketing program and used the 9 point checklist that you are reading to workshop this process. They added two distinctive call-to-actions on their homepage to encourage visitors who are looking for constructor company for their building project to 1) view their recent work and 2) request for a quote.
5. Use Trust Indicators To Build Trust And Assurance
Customer testimonials, case studies, press mentions; guarantee seals and 3rd party certifications like ISO certifications helps to build trust and confidence to your services and professionalism. Display them on the homepage to create a trust factor with visitors. Try to be strategic about the type of customer testimonials to highlights as well.
Taking the example from Pepper Construction:
6. Site Menu navigate easily to critical and popular content
Site navigation is your website’s “table of contents,” which is also known as your sitemap or menu.
If your website is an information-centric one and you are consistently producing a ton of content as resources to your clients, then it is important to plan the site links, user-experience to how people would find information. Is there a search bar on the top? Decide if the navigation bar (like horizontal or sticky) works for your homepage. Be sure to check to ensure that all the links work.
7. Use Image And Videos Related To The Copy
To stimulate online growth and engagement, it’s important to produce interesting and relevant content. Text-based content is definitely an integral part of the campaign however attention-grabbing images and videos are the ones that become the cherries on the cake.
But always be cautious before adding tons of images or videos that are irrelevant and could mislead or create dullness for the users.
If you add a video talking about your product or services or relevant images that show how your services could help the readers then chances of getting qualified leads would increase profusely. It is advisable to use content types that could resonant with people.
For example:
• Freedom: https://www.freedomfurniture.co.nz/
The website has used attractive images of the furniture that would appeal the users’ sense.
8. Keep It Above-The-Fold
“Above the fold” is a fundamental component in website design and editorial plan. Make sure that all the necessary information; links and most important message or promotional content is displayed in the first fold of the page to entice readers to continue to scroll down to the content ‘below-the-fold’. Placing important content above-the-fold to encourage visitors to scroll further along and find out your brand, product story and offering.
An example:Outreach Plus
Outreach Plus grabs readers’ attention with a question that makes them think. Then it shows how the product could help solve that problem. The homepage is simple. Apart from the headlines, there’s a screenshot of the product, plus two choices of what to do next: buy, or learn more by viewing a demo.
9. Keep Testing And Optimising
Your website development and update process is iterative. Set a monthly, quarterly diary to run an A/B test, update copy, images, call-to-actions to see what resonates most with users. You can even create two home pages or different product landing pages to test two entirely different site designs and content to see which one is most beneficial in the long run.
Your homepage doesn’t just need “traffic”; it needs “right” traffic. One of the biggest challenges most small businesses face today is attracting the right audience on the website. A well-thought and well-designed homepage with all the right components tailored to the needs of target audience could solve this problem. I hope this checklist would help get into action and make relevant updates you need to Convert your homepage into a leads generation tool.
Get specialised support with potential 50% co-funding from NZTE.
Revive Me Marketing has a free online mini-course to help you Turn your Homepage into a lead generation engine.
It is a introduction to a complete ‘ Get Digital Marketing‘ program to help business transform their business with digital marketing strategy with website refresh, content marketing plan, social media campaign and set-up video marketing actions.
To find out more about this approved for 50% co-funded program through NZTE’s Regional Business Partners program, contact Rosalina Pang at rosalina@remc.co.nz
To get started, take our FREE Homepage Essentials Makeover online course here.
Offers become desirable if they are exclusive, valuable and irresistible.
What is it that your customers REALLY want and how can you create offers that are irresistible to them?
The more you know about your customers the easier it is to answer the first question, so paying attention to buying patterns, marketing intel and what people are saying on your web and social media pages is crucial. To really know what they want you must uncover what turns them on and what turns them off. Once you have assessed and understand what triggers them to make their decision to buy, then creating compelling and irresistible offers is the next step.
Here are 6 tips that will help you create offers that convert to sales:
Create a sense of urgency or fear of shortage – limited time or limited quantity or both.
Mention the number of people who have downloaded, purchased, signed up, etc. for the offer. There’s safety in numbers, plus it indicates how great the offer is.
Align your offers with things that are buzzworthy or ‘hot’ because it naturally creates a demand.
Create a great headline that grabs your audience’s attention, because a great offer with a bad title is just going to be ignored.
The first step is PITCH, communicate your idea, service or product well! ( a powerful pitch convince and gets others excited!)
Next is to PUBLISH content and write about the problem that you are solving (Blogs, articles, reports for getting your message to audience)
Turn your niche skills, talents and ideas into hot PRODUCTS that people love to buy.(Produce unique and valuable ways to get the right mix of product to market.)
Raise your PROFILE. Stand out and be recognized! (Get active and build a profile for your business and ideas)
Build PARTNERSHIPS. Collaborate and achieve with others. (Scale your business and brand through partnerships)
For the first two years of re-establishing myself as a marketing consultant in a new country, I had my fears.
My fears were about the steep hill to climb of establishing credibility as I didn’t have too many networks and past clients projects I could showcase. How am I going to be visible? Will I be able to pay the bills? Who did I want to work with, who is willing to work with me? I was trying really hard to not try too hard. Cold calling, finding the right connections, making connections but not pitching what I stood for and why should people work with me.
I did not have any other working partners that can market me as an authority in my business as a marketing consultant. I was, however, doing well with my belly dancing classes. Then I ask myself why? What was the stigma I had that stops me from branding myself as a marketer? Is it the competition and idealism that people don’t pay for quality consulting? Or is it the fact that I had to gain credibility and build trust again?
I realize I wasn’t in the flow.
I wasn’t focused in one area that I could present the greatest value in.
Taking a stand
Now, after 5 years of internal struggle, I made my decision on who I want to serve.
I want to support entrepreneurs who are innovative, I want to support women in business who are out there on their own, going through the same challenges I had prior. I want to work with successful business owners to develop better brands, communicate and deliver information via digital and mobile media. For my belly dance classes, I took a stand on empowering women in dance.
For my marketing business, I finally took a stand in supporting entrepreneurs and organisation who are dedicated connecting with their audience in new media.
The following is an extract from a newsletter that I received from Roger Hamilton, successful serial and social entrepreneur. (He has not multiple businesses and multiple team to support the Entrepreneur movement. I have taken up the training to be an Entrepreneur Mentor and my vision is to help entrepreneurs build global businesses and make a difference throught my specialisation in Digital Marketing )
What is your personal identity?
When we stand for something, we stop falling for everything. When we create a position – like in a game of football – we no longer chase the ball and people start passing the ball to us: We go from action to attraction.
Being an authority means being the No.1 go-to person in a particular niche, whether that is based on your passion, purpose, expertise, industry or location. It starts with making a decision to stay focused in one area to be of greatest value in that area to others.
Being an authority allows you to be an author of your own story. Until you make that stand, you’re only ever a part-player in someone else’s story.
The moment you make that stand, you stop chasing and losing your way, and you begin building yourself as a lighthouse lighting the way for others.
Here’s a poignant quote:
Inside my empty bottle I was constructing a lighthouse while all others were making ships.~ Charles Simic
To be successful is to be getting in to flow. Take a stand today and to keep focus on creating and delivering value.
Are you transitioning from a part-time passion to a profitable business?
We all know of people who have done it and made it successful in their own way. Some of us have so many business start-up ideas and just thinking about which to choose from or implement throws us into a whirlpool of doubts and emotions. There are also some of us that just do it, have lukewarm successes, try to learn from our mistakes and then get started with another business venture with the same lukewarm results. I have been there myself. I started my entrepreneur journey at 22, when I registered a boutique marketing agency called Image Conceptualist in Singapore. I ran the business for 2 years and worked with an ex-colleague. He had networks but no money to invest. We had time, customers and expertise on designing products and exhibitions stands for a small client base. We had projects and consistent job coming through. I made enough to earn a basic income. However, my business partner had larger financial needs, and decided to work full time for consistent income. I carried for 6 months as a solo business owner, doing everything and was starting to feel lost. When an opportunity of a full-time opportunity as a marketing executive with Singapore Technologies Manufacturing Company came about, I decided to take it. I was young at that time, driven and also uncertain on where or who to turn to find business support. It was the better decision for me then, as I needed to gain more life skills. That work opportunity gave me insight into international business and marketing various different brands and building identity and communications with. I had a marketing budget of 0.5 million to manage, events, product demo, launches and exhibitions to plan. That experience exponentially raised my confidence. My appetite for entrepreneurship, creating new business and connecting with what I value personally, has produced two passion-fill businesses. 5th Element Dance and Revive Me Marketing.
Fundamental Question for Personal Clarity
The fundamental question I asked myself daily is “Who do I have to be?”
I’d like to share with you that there is great substance in that question. It has helped guide me to be true to my unique self, recognising the talents that I’m blessed with. No doubt, it takes time to grow any new endeavor. By recognising one’s passion and purpose, find out what makes you come alive! Then validate by profiling and asking your prospective customers if they are willing to purchase or trade with you and just get started. If you think there might not be enough community of customer in your immediate location to grow, find out from web-based entrepreneurs how they have worked to reach more customers, by presenting their product or service online.
As someone who has moved into a new country in 2008, I wanted to share my passion for belly dancing, wellness, balance and living a positive lifestyle. I began the challenging journey of settling in new environment, community and with a socially shy partner, it was a challenge to make new friends. I knew I needed to get out there, connect with people and share the art of belly dancing with ladies in Taranaki, New Zealand.
After writing into local community magazine, TOM published an article about me and my background in performing arts and desire to run a belly dancing for fitness class, if there was enough interest. Shortly after the article ran, we had a first belly dance class of 6 enthusiastic and relatively shy women. We met weekly at Oakura Boardriders club. From 2009, six years on, we now have a performing group called 5th Element Dance and 25 to 30 ladies religiously come to the classes in New Plymouth.
I had the opportunity to be a contract marketing tutor at WITT for 3 semesters, learning how to tutor an academic subject thatI learned through practical work experience. Boy, at that time, it was a huge challenge and a great sense of accomplishment!
In 2014, after working for over 15 years in marketing and building brand identities, I started working on my own identity and with introspection.
I reflected on a few questions:
‘What was the biggest achievement I have till date?
What have I been most successful at? And the fundamental question, ‘Who do I have to be?’
So I ask the same to you. Who do you have to be?
I enjoy connecting with entrepreneurs and I would like to support them by being ‘a digital marketing specialist’ who create better web, mobile and social actions.
Carrying through all my life and business lessons this time, I knew the answers and what I can deliver is valuable. My answer to ‘Who do I have to be’ was – “besides being a dancer entertainer and instructor, I need to be a marketer and be a specialist in the digital realm.” I’m most passionate when working with entrepreneurs and businesses to raise their value proposition and market attraction with the right marketing actions.
Through better web, mobile and social action that is consistent to build digital marketing presence. My goal in 2015 was to grow my business beyond myself, have a system of connecting brands and their value to their customers, be consistent and profitable, through digital marketing.
So here are some powerful check-in questions for you.
By answering these questions, you will find that clarity when you start working or refreshing your business plan.
I am a entrepreneur mentor and taking the GenuisU program.
What is my Genuis? (Find that out with a free test from GeniusU)
What is my Passion & Purpose?
What is my Product or service going to be? Is it a new brand or an established brand?
Who are the People that I would like to serve? Am I prepared to go out and ask them how much they will pay for it?
What is the Price I can set to facilitate the exchange or sales?
How much do I need to earn? Is there any established business that can help me distribute or jointly promote?
What is my start-up investment going to be?
Calculate your overheads, start-up costs in terms of time, efforts, materials to purchase items, stock or equipment for your venture
Who are my mentors and advisers I can seek out for support?
They could include Business coaches, marketing specialists, Accountants, lawyers for legal matters, business mentors on local economic development board,
Which are the networks out there who can help me in both social and business engagements? Do they have an offline and digital presence
(i.e: Local chamber of commerce, Linkedin groups, social media meet-ups, specific interest groups such as Women in Business)
Which accounting program that is simple and automated, return in investments and savings to set aside for marketing, potential product development, and business growth?
What is my daily and weekly ritual to commit to the growth of my business?
This is allocating your time that you are willing to devote in creating, communicating and actually delivering your passion, product, and service to your customer.
Who can I partner with that already have flow and success in what they do, and how I can help them be more successful?
Write your answers down, ponder on it, draw it, meditate on it, research, go out and ask potential customers, talk about it! Then put a timeline to starting and how you see yourself in 3 years time?
‘Your future success is your present imagination’
When times get tough, and when you feel it is too much to manage, come back to the question: “Who do I have to be?”
Having a positive online presence is a crucial part of any up-to-date business strategy. Potential customers use the internet to research a company and review of products and services before making their decision to inquire or buy. As a result, a poor online reputation can have a damaging impact on sales. Fortunately, effective online management can significantly improve your business image.
Here are 10 things you can do to manage your online market reputation.
1) Stay informed
The first step in any successful reputation management strategy is knowing exactly what people are saying about your business. By conducting regular search engine checks and setting up Google Alerts, which inform you of relevant result updates, you can be proactive rather than reactive when controlling your brand image.
2) Respond to negative feedback
If you find negative comments regarding your company, it is important to respond to them quickly. Challenging a comment or being overly defensive, even if the statement is incorrect, can create a bad impression, so instead be humble in your response and, if appropriate, try to make amends in some way.
3) Encourage customer reviews
Genuine feedback from previous customers can make your business appear both trustworthy and reliable. To encourage your customers to post positive reviews online, create a visible link to review sites on your website or email newsletter.
4) Use online directories
Your business’s profile on Yahoo! Local, Google Plus Local, and other online business directories can be created and updated from time to time. In online marketing management, it is important to search out key industry directories and publications that you can add your business listing and profile.
5) Use Social Media
Social media sites provide a powerful platform for connecting with people on a personal level. By creating an interesting fan page and offering exclusive content, product info or promotional vouchers, you can develop a positive relationship with a targeted audience of potential customers.
6) Optimize your website
Google data shows that links on the first page of search results get 89% of all click through. Making sure that your own website is ranked highly will encourage people to visit it rather than other sites that you have less control over. Here are just a couple of useful SEO techniques:
– Use targeted keyword phrases in your written content
– Create inbound links and backlinks to relevant sites
– Use keywords in your link titles
– Update the site regularly
7) Use quality content
Whether it is on your website, blog, or social media site, having well-written, meaningful content creates a far better impression than keyword-stuffed, power-selling blurb. Communicate the benefits and value of working with you by sharing your knowledge complements and help solve your customers issues or what satisfy their needs.
8) Get the word out by sharing informative articles
Blogging is one of the most effective ways to maintain a good brand image. Setting up a blog is easy. Maintain and regular posting updates will have to be assigned to someone that understands your business. This can be linked to your main website and social media profiles.
9) Keep up a good offline reputation
Unreasonable customers happen to even the best of businesses, so there is no way to completely stop all negative online feedback. However, good ethics and great customer service will reduce the likelihood of someone posting harmful comments as much as possible.
10) Be proactive
Damage from a poor reputation can be hard to reverse, so it is wise to start managing your online brand image before a problem occurs.
By following these simple online reputation management steps, you can boost your brand image, maximize your sales, and prevent long term damage to your company.
