As a business owner or marketing professional, you need a website that communicates in a clear and relevant way. That’s because you only have eight seconds to get a customer’s attention; if your message doesn’t resonate with them right away, they’ll leave your site.
When a prospect lands on your home page, they should be able to answer these questions in eight seconds or less:
- Who are you, and what do you do?
- How can you help me?
- What do I need to do next?
We’ve identified four things your website needs to answer those questions. Read on to learn how to attract your best customers and keep them engaged.
1. The Header
Your website’s header is anything that appears above the fold (before the reader has to scroll down). When you make this section interesting, clear, and helpful, your prospect will want to read the rest of your site!
People tend to read websites in an F-shaped pattern to find out who you are, what you do, how you can help them, and what they should do next. So your header should look something like this:
- Top left corner – This includes your logo to show prospects who you are.
- Top right corner – Place your call-to-action (CTA) button here, telling customers what they need to do next.
- Middle of the page – This tells the reader what you do and how you can help them solve a problem with your product or service.
- Just above the fold – Here’s another CTA button, both to break up the page and to ask for the sale again.
2. The Body
If your header information is clear, concise, and on strategy, the reader will likely scroll down to the body of your website. In these sections, you’ll acknowledge the problem customers want to solve and show that you understand their pain points. Then, you’ll explain why you have what it takes to help them, as well as the benefits of working with your business.
Pain Points
While the header gives the customer immediate information, they probably won’t take action yet. So in the body of your website, you need to remind them of their pain points — that is, why they’re seeking a solution for their problem.
For example, we help business leaders solve the problem of not knowing where to start (or having no spare time) when it comes to marketing. They might feel frustrated because of wasted time and money, or bad advice they’ve followed — pain points we hear about a lot. And small business leaders shouldn’t have to wonder if their marketing strategy is working; they have enough on their plates as it is.
Empathy & Authority
Your customers want to learn how you can help them, not how great your business is. You’ll want to communicate that you feel their pain and know what you’re doing. In other words, guide them by showing empathy and authority.
First, ask yourself what you have in common with the reader and how you can relate to them. For example, we love working with small businesses because we are a small business. We’ve worked to grow our company since 2000, so we know how much goes into building a business.
Then, consider the reasons why you’re qualified to help the reader overcome their obstacle. This can include statistics, industry credentials, and proven protocols that assure the reader you have what it takes to help them. For example, we list a few ways we’ve helped other customers grow their business, like increasing revenue and saving time.
Benefits
After empathizing with their pain points, show your prospects how you can help them overcome obstacles. Here, you’ll list benefits your customers will enjoy once they choose your business.
The positive outcomes your customers can expect should resolve the pain points you mentioned. For example, Treefrog’s benefits (and the problems they solve) are:
- Increase brand awareness and revenue. (wasting time and money)
- Filter well-meaning but bad advice. (being taken advantage of, getting bad advice)
- Eliminate ineffective strategy. (wasting time and money, getting bad advice)
3. The Closing
After reading about how your company can help them solve their problems, some prospects may be ready to buy. So, you need to tell them what to do next! Explaining the steps they must take and calling them to action will help you close the deal in the next section of your website.
Steps to Success
Once you highlight the benefits of working with your business, you’ll lay out three or four steps the prospect must take to become a customer.
The three- or four-step plan may seem easy and obvious to you, but it probably isn’t to the average consumer. Prospects may even feel a bit intimidated if they don’t know what their next step is, so walking them through the process will help them make a more confident buying decision.
Your plan may look something like this:
- Connect with us.
- Discuss your goals.
- Create an effective strategy.
Call to Action
After you tell prospects how easy it is to work with you, tell them to take action! This is the very next thing someone should do after they read your website and decide that your business will help them solve a problem.
You’ll want to be direct here so that customers know exactly what to do next. Also, a clear call-to-action (or CTA) shows the reader that you believe in your business. If you’ve confidently shown that you understand their pain points and have what it takes to help them, your prospect will trust you enough to take action.
Here are a few CTA examples:
- Schedule a Consultation
- Book an Appointment
- Get a Free Quote
- Shop Now
4. The Footer
The footer includes everything you don’t need in your main navigation. Remember: People don’t care about a business until they know the business cares about them. So you can move some links from the navigation to the footer to help customers looking for specifics.
For example, if someone wants to apply for an internship or job, they’ll actively search for an employment page on your website. You don’t have to include a link in the top navigation; they’ll scroll down until they find it in the footer.
Other elements you can put in this section include:
- A brief mission statement
- Contact information and hours of operation
- Social media icons
With 82% of customers researching online before buying a product or service, all businesses need a strategic website. When you include these four things on the home page, your website will become your 24/7 salesperson!
Many business leaders don’t know where to start when they try to map out a website. But you don’t have to become a web expert all by yourself. A small business marketing agency can help you choose the right words and layout so you’ll feel confident in your web design strategy.
Our proven marketing protocol helps companies make more money, free up time, and plan an effective strategy.
Treefrog Marketing is an agency in Lafayette, Indiana focused on small business. We specialize in strategic marketing and advertising, graphic design, web design, social media, SEO, and more. For more information, please visit our website. You can also connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
