Your Most Expensive Web Site Marketing Mistake

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Your Most Expensive Web Site Marketing Mistake

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"Can you give me some feedback on my brand new website?" a life coach named "Kevin" asked his e-zine subscribers. "I just revised my site --- finally!"

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608 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line Distribution Date and Time: Wed Apr 19 04:18:08 EDT 2006

Written By: Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. Copyright: 2006 Contact Email: goodwincathy@yahoo.com

Article URL: thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/d/g/expensive-website-marketing-mistake.shtml Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.'s Picture URL: www.cathygoodwin.com/images/shadow9.gif

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Your Most Expensive Web Site Marketing Mistake Copyright © 2006 Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. Copy Cat Copywriting www.copy-cat-copywriting.com/services.html

"Can you give me some feedback on my brand new website?" a life coach named "Kevin" asked his e-zine subscribers. "I just revised my site --- finally!"

Naturally, I couldn't resist clicking over to see what Kevin had done. I knew Kevin was a thoughtful life coach with a reputation for high integrity.

Kevin's new site cried out for a makeover. He had paid a designer to get drop-down menus and a bit of flash. As a result, Kevin admitted, "I have no budget to pay a copywriter."

Ouch.

After skimming a few pages of the site, I emailed Kevin. "Who is your target market? What do you offer? How are you unique?"

Kevin replied, "I don't have time to answer a lot of questions. And everyone tells me the site looks professional."

One question Kevin needs to answer is, "Are you attracting clients and sales - or just compliments?"

Of course your web site needs to look professional. That's why you hire a web designer.

But some websites attract clients, subscribers and sales from the very beginning. Others just attract compliments.

The websites attract compliments (like Kevin's) made one expensive mistake. They didn't call the copywriter first.

(1) Copywriters can save you money.

Often I (and other experienced copywriters) can save clients money on web design. Kevin didn't need all those bells and whistles. In fact, some Internet marketing gurus claim they do more harm than good.

And Kevin didn't understand HTML, let alone CSS. A copywriter might serve as go-between, translating Kevin's requirements into web design language. Your web designer saves time - which translates into saving money.

(2) Copywriters help you earn money with dynamic web site content.

Reading between the lines, I discovered Kevin could be a stand- out. He has developed an innovative 5-step process to help clients overcome obstacles and take charge of their lives.

But Kevin doesn't realize why he's unique, so his website reads like five thousand other life coaching sites: vague promises of "take your life to the next level," "discover what's important to you" and "enjoy the work you love."

Naturally I'm disguising the details of "Kevin's" story, but I really don't have to. Hundreds (maybe thousands) of sites sound just like Kevin's.

(3) A copywriting expert can jumpstart your strategy.

Like Kevin, my clients often think they can show me a few pages of a website and say, "Make it sell!" Copywriting requires energy and planning, whether you're a do-it-yourselfer or a firm believer in outsourcing to a specialist.

My clients often invest many hours answering my questionnaire. As they write, they often realize there's a hole in their business strategy. Or they're sitting on buried treasure.

Until I know what Kevin wants to do with his website and his business, I can't make realistic recommendations - even as a casual ezine reader. I need to evaluate Kevin's copy in the context of Kevin's own goals, target market and unique selling proposition.

Kevin could do this himself. But, like most busy business owners, he didn't want to invest the time. And he wasn't sure what questions to ask.

When clients hire me, we have the luxury (and fun!) of creating a marketing message that hits the target market squarely in the center of the bull's-eye.

Bottom Line: Websites deliver messages. Without a message, a website is a calling card - nice when you have more business than you can handle.

Most of the time, revising copy brings traffic and sales. Websites typically earn back the copy investment with just a few new clients, not to mention saving energy and funds by avoiding a makeover from the makeover.

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Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., helps solo-preneurs, professionals and small businesses build Internet revenues -- without turning themselves into techies or high-powered pushy sales people. Download her fr^e Report: 7 best-kept secrets of client-attracting websites... www.copy-cat-copywriting.com/subscribe.html Jump-start your own website: www.copy-cat-copywriting.com/services.html