There is a laundry list of things that a quick Google search will tell you you’re doing wrong in your marketing. A great many of those lists are going to provide you with a strategic plan to correct those mistakes over time.
There is a much shorter list of mistakes that many businesses are making that are quite costly and happen to be some of the easiest to correct. I have outlined the top three mistakes that I see on a recurring basis that require very little change to improve your conversions and generate some quick wins.
#1 Direct Calls To Action
Most of the businesses I engage with are missing out on major opportunities to convert more browsers into buyers. They do not have a Direct Call To Action on the Top Right hand corner of their website, and if they do, it’s disguised among the rest of the links. Many of the links at the top of your website are disguising your purpose. Links like, FAQ’s, HOME, Partners etc. I think the worst experience for me is to visit a landing page of a product or service I am interested in and having to scroll for what seems like several minutes to get to a single call to action.
So here is the deal, if it’s not immediately clear what action you want your customers to take when they visit your website, you are losing money. In many cases, people are looking for a solution to a problem that’s led them to your website. If it’s not immediately clear how they can get your products or services, and they have already opened up 5 additional company pages offering a similar product to yours, then the chances of them moving on are pretty high.
Additionally, clarity wins.
“We have a mantra at StoryBrand, if you confuse, you’ll lose”
Donald Miller, CEO of StoryBrand
If you’re still using “Learn More” or “Get Started”, these could mean anything. Be sure that your calls to action relate directly to the action that takes place when they click. Don’t make it confusing, keep it simple, keep it clear, and keep it consistent.
#2 You’re using too much copy on your website
Again, going back to clarity, not only should your copy be clear, but it should be easy to digest. Many companies simply try to stuff too much information about their products, services and why people should by it on their website. If you overload your customers with information, they aren’t taking the time to read it and you’re increasing your risk of losing them. It’s too much to process in order to understand why you’re important to their purchase decisions.
People need clarity and they need to be able to quickly understand why you’re important. They are looking for the highlights and you’re asking them to burn way too many calories to figure out why you are the company they should choose.
If you’re using a long form landing page, I believe that you’re wasting your time, especially if your only CTA is waay down at the bottom of your page. At least put a Direct CTA in a few places along the way so I don’t have to ignore all of your great copy to get there.
#3 You’re talking to much about yourself
Take out two highlighters, one blue, one orange. Now print out your homepage or a product/service page of your choosing. With the Orange, highlight every place you talk about your business, your product, your service or yourself. With the Blue, highlight every-time you speak about your customers problems, and how your product is helping them solve their problems. Who wins? Spoiler Alert: If it’s not the blue, then it’s costing you money.
Nobody wakes up in the morning and thinks, wow… Who can I help become a hero today. No, we all wake up seeking opportunities to learn about new things and how they may help us solve our own problems. So, when your business comes along and starts talking about all of the great things you are doing, how successful you are or how many awards you’ve won for your work, you are blending in with the “noise”. Be the guide your customers are searching for.
What other easy to correct mistakes have you seen that might be costing you or another business money?