Maybe you think you’ve done a good job in writing your website, but there’s still a chance that you’ve made a common mistake that could be hurting your conversion and close rate on your visitors. Here’s what it could be, and an explanation of why.
It’s About Them, Not You
A simple way to address this problem is to identify if your website content is about you, or is it about your customer. Does the website content discuss the challenge they face, or does it address the problems you solve? This seems like such a semantic nuance that it would be trivial, but it makes a huge difference.
Take the following tag lines for example, in the search for a tax accountant.
A: ABC Co. is a tax services and business accounting business in Big City, USA.
vs.
B: Take the pain out of tax preparation and save 10% more on your returns.
The approach and “voice” of your content can have a big role in your overall plan. The customer needs to see how you are going to help them and how you fit into their story. Your 30 years in business is important, but from an initial prospect, they need to see how you fit into the equation on solving their problems.
Think of it as the person in the cocktail party who always talks about themselves. You mention “I’ve got an HR issue at work and I’m not sure what to do”. Their reply… “I’ve got 30 years of experience and have won tons of awards. We have HR solutions and services for private and public sectors. Contact Us for more information.” Not the most charming or warm reception. Our true natural tendency would be to sympathize with the person and talk to the pain and possible outcomes, not start talking about ourselves.
Problem-Solving Content
Another challenge with website content is that most sites have just enough content to describe the business, but nothing of greater value to the customer. There is nothing to help the customer solve the problem, or progress on the path to solving the problem for themselves. The Internet is the great learning machine, and if we can provide marketing content in the means of ebooks, articles, and blog posts that can help our potential customers solve their problems, they’ll be more inclined to stick with us when it’s time to hire or pay for the solution.
Your Sales Process Online
Lastly, a good question to ask yourself is how much of your sales process is online? Meaning, how much information does your prospect need to make a decision to do business with you? Do you have enough case studies, or past examples, online? Do you explain your pricing and fee structure. Do you have a FAQ section? About 85% of buying process is done online, before a lead contacts you. So the company that can put more of the buying process and education online will win that race to the customer’s heart.
Next Steps: Creating a Clear Content Strategy
Now that you’ve seen a few reasons why your content might not be in the best shape for your potential customer, now’s the time to start making adjustments to that content strategy. New North can help you with a content audit to identify problem areas, and help you draft new content with a better voice for your customer. Let’s have a no-pressure, 30-minute conversation on how we can best work with you and how we can help.
