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
When marketing your website, it's important to know which of... Read More
Wow, we`ve already taken a domain and chosen a web... Read More
While studying online for IT investment opportunities, I found that... Read More
When used to describe a web site, the term "sticky"... Read More
Just like all things in life, the ways to run... Read More
We all start out the same. Some have budgets, some... Read More
Many small businesses have the misconception that their business can... Read More
"How do I improve web site sales figures?" The CEO... Read More
Your site is getting traffic, but conversion rates are horrible.... Read More
If you have some experience in web site design and... Read More
Anyone who knows anything about web accessibility knows that images... Read More
Any new website competing on the internet, needs to take... Read More
See how you can create graphic effects on text with... Read More
1. The first page appears quickly.It's a good way to... Read More
"I don't sell anything online, I don't advertise online, in... Read More
An accessible Web site is easily approached, easily understood, and... Read More
If you're anything like most small business owners, you probably... Read More
What is web accessibility & why is it important?Web accessibility... Read More
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print,... Read More
QUESTION: Should I build and maintain my business Web... Read More
The Disability Discrimination Act states that service providers must not... Read More
Web accessibility has so many benefits that I really do... Read More
How many Web Sites did you stumble over telling you... Read More
After deciding what kind of internet business you want to... Read More
With all of the factors involved in designing and building... Read More
taxi o'hare Auburn ..Webmaster tools are vital to becoming both efficient and effective... Read More
In the time that I have been using the Internet,... Read More
Often time I've browsed sites and seen the same thing... Read More
QUESTION: Should I build and maintain my business Web... Read More
Is your website Really useful?I had a 'rep' in yesterday... Read More
"How do I improve web site sales figures?" The CEO... Read More
There are several reverse bid freelance sites out there. Beyond... Read More
Today it seems everyone is jumping on the entrepreneur bandwagon,... Read More
How popular is online shopping? And is there room for... Read More
There are many elements that are key to successful web... Read More
Analyzing traffic to a site is a key factor in... Read More
Internet Marketing is not a miracle marketing strategy ? competition... Read More
Just like all things in life, the ways to run... Read More
It's now easier than ever to take payments on the... Read More
Making maximum profit from your law firm website is important,... Read More
Do you make your website just to entertain yourself or... Read More
A company must earn and keep trust or sales don't... Read More
Server Side Includes (SSI) with ASP People often... Read More
Web sites are not just places to sell things; they... Read More
So you have a good idea for a business and... Read More
Many of site owners still don't realize all advantages of... Read More
1. Upload robots.txt file in to your root directory and... Read More
Part of the success of most home-based businesses is their... Read More
Succeeding with an eCommerce website is a dream for many... Read More
When most people build a web site, they think one... Read More
Web Development |