Is your website Really useful?
I had a 'rep' in yesterday who was telling me he had a website, not realising I'm a man of many talents he was telling me about all the new companies he was working with and the great products he could offer and reminded me to go to his website.
When he'd finished, I asked him:-
"what is the purpose of your website?" a question which he couldn't answer.
"does your website tell me what you want me to do when I go there?" - err no was the answer.
"Can I sign up somewhere to hear about what your latest products/services are?" No.
"Can I buy something directly from the website?" No
"Is there a list of your products and services, or reviews of any of them or of the companies you resell for?" No
"Are there any articles about what's happening in that industry and the issues I should be concerned about?" No
"So what's the purpose of your site?" Don't know really.
"What do the people that normally go there do?" Can I get that information?
As you can see, his website was a complete waste of time.
He's running his own business and supporting his family (and driving a nice Mercedes) and his online marketing is effectively ZERO.
How many people are there online who could help this guy - Thousands? Easily.
So why are so many people failing?
My Answer = Because they put the money before the business.
For most Internet newbies looking to start making money - that's as far as they define their model. There are thousands of people around who can tell you how to make a website, where to host it, where to get content, how to create a product, how to start a newsletter, how to buy and sell on Ebay, how to setup an affiliate program, how to arrange JVs and how to get traffic (and all the other aspects of an online business) - but even with this knowledge they're failing to achieve their goals.
They need to take action, that goes without saying and there are lots of people not becoming successful purely because they're not taking any action to move them towards their goal, but I think the fundamental issue even before that action is the state of mind that they're in.
I'm sure that any 1/2 decent marketer can tell you that you're not going to make money by 'selling', matching products with peoples needs is slightly different to 'selling', and that difference is responsible for more failing efforts than you can imagine.
My 'rep' yesterday could see so much improvement in his business just by thinking of the needs of his customers (and potential customers) and there are lots of small actions he could take to improve things. Why hasn't he? because he's thinking constantly about 'selling', he's forgottent that having a website is one thing but making money from it by offering people something that addresses a need they have is a different thing.
Since he was kind enough to buy me lunch and a beer I ran over a few things he might like to consider regarding both his online and offline business. He was like a child that had just been given the keys to a sweet shop, he could see the potential and he knew it all made sense - and that he could actually make these changes without too much effort.
So why am I saying all this? (No, it's not to promote my latest product or 'sell' you something)
These incidents serve as a constant reminder to me of how some people don't realise that permanent changes can be made in an instant (If you've ever been burnt by fire, you'll know how quickly your mind can set up permanent links).
Where we are today is based on the choices we've made, our future can be however we want it. The only thing that needs to happen is for us to decide what we want. This seems so simple, and for anyone who has come to realise the truth in that short statement knows that the change can be swift and permanent.
Unfortunately so many people are walking around in a trance feeling like a victim of the world around them that not only do they not take a look around them and see the possibilities, but they build a container around their world and define its limits.
Money is a means to an end, it's a currency. If you consider your time and happiness as having a higher value then it becomes much easier to set goals which free up your time and allow you to become happier.
If the main thing in your sight is money then you can become caught in a world that revolves around money and restricts your view of the important things in life.
I used to wonder why people didn't 'get it' but now I know that before you can 'get it', you need to be in the right state of mind open to possibilities.
A guy called Maslo once defined what he termed a 'hierarchy or human needs' which have been the basis for many management, leadership and other training courses. His model outlined the various levels of peoples needs (like the requirement for food and shelter etc.), if you focus your efforts on meeting peoples needs you can find that 'selling' becomes much easier and you feel much better about doing it (which has repercussions of its own).
About The Author
Andrew Henry
Internet Marketing Consultant
Money&Motivation Publishing
www.moneyandmotivation.com
They might not be wearing a mask and carrying a... Read More
cPanel is a control panel for your website and allows... Read More
When a user signs up at your website, you may... Read More
Creatively marketing your corporate site takes time in the set... Read More
Globalize Your WebsiteThe Internet has unlocked a wide array of... Read More
After deciding what kind of internet business you want to... Read More
Think up a name and check if yourname.com is available.... Read More
If you ever want to create a state directory, article... Read More
1. Be clear on your purpose.Building a website can be... Read More
Every online entrepreneur I talk to is asking the same... Read More
One of the most useful features offered by some web... Read More
One of the best tools you have as a webmaster... Read More
I'm one of those people that always wanted a website,... Read More
Often time I've browsed sites and seen the same thing... Read More
A website lets you put your products in front of... Read More
The art of turning website visitors into paying customers depends... Read More
If one more business owner tells me their website sucks... Read More
Most people know they need a website in order to... Read More
"What's in it for me?" you ask. "Why should I... Read More
Many web developers today are starting to KISS their website,... Read More
Designing and creating your own website does not have to... Read More
So your traffic is going through the roof yeah? It's... Read More
We are clearly well past the innocent "golden age" of... Read More
Some left shoes are in isle 5, while the right... Read More
Simply ensuring your website is accessible to screen reader users... Read More
quick home cleaning Lake Forest ..August 8 2005, Macromedia announced a release of Studio 8.... Read More
There's been widespread speculation about the new legislation being introduced... Read More
Anyone who knows anything about web accessibility knows that images... Read More
It may come as some surprise to a traditionally off-line... Read More
Starting a business online is no longer as difficult as... Read More
Although CSS layouts have been around for years, they haven't... Read More
Dynamically Update Your Web Pages Via E-MailIf you can Send... Read More
The needs of screen magnifier users are overlooked when implementing... Read More
Many small companies choose not to invest in a professionally... Read More
The DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) states that service providers must... Read More
"'Page Not Found' on this Server. Check the URL and... Read More
Better Web Site ROIHow to increase your business profitability by... Read More
There is an ongoing debate about web copy. Some say... Read More
What is CSS?CSS is a simple file which controls the... Read More
Even with the steady growth of the World Wide Web,... Read More
Setting up a website is the very first step of... Read More
That's right. Your method, behavior and strategy you are now... Read More
Are bloated images slowing down your web site and causing... Read More
Why do some web sites reap huge benefits while others... Read More
Running an effective website is a continuous process. I have... Read More
A website is lifeline of internet home business. In order... Read More
The first step in setting up an online business...Starting an... Read More
Many websites I come across don't have a single link... Read More
The process of Web application development is critical to the... Read More
So you want to take a look at a real... Read More
Web Development |