Web Strategy and Powerful Persuasive Writing

Web Marketing Strategy and Powerful Persuasive Writing

In today's hi-tech society, many commercial enterprises are trying to turn `bricks into clicks' but fail miserably. They make the classic mistake of assuming Internet surfers will visit their site without them having to do anything. Wrong.

There are already far too many websites out there promising to let you in on the marketing secrets of the internet. I guess you've already visited some of them? And found them sadly lacking or wanting to sell you something?

Web Marketing Strategies

Strategy is not just a word for playing `buzz word bingo' in the office.

Website marketing strategies need to address issues such as customers, competitors and market trends. The strategy needs to be proactive rather than simply reacting to the latest trends - this way, it becomes responsive to your customer needs and the commercial pressures around you.

Market orientation of your product or service is the `holy grail'. How are you going to approach this?

- customer focussed?

- competitor focussed?

A marketing strategy aims to transform your business objectives into a competitive market position. In essence, you need to differentiate your activities or products by meeting customer needs more effectively than competitors. So, how do you do this?

Firstly, analyse your business environment and define specific customer needs.

Secondly, match activities and products to customer segments and thirdly, implement a programme that produces a competitive position superior to your competitors.

I recommend that you spend some time surfing the web to get to really know who your competitors are.

How do they present themselves?

What are they offering?

What is there marketing and promotional angle? Need? Want?

Then spend some time thinking about your customers.

"Who is your customer?" - This is probably the first question you need to ask yourself when deciding on your website promotional activities. It sounds simple doesn't it? It isn't. Simply responding "everyone on the web" is too general; if `everyone' was to be your potential market, imagine how you would have to design your website to satisfy and interest them? There'd be

8 year olds
70 year olds
gays
men
women
transgendered
disabled
black
white
Married
Single parents
Divorced
American
Italian
English
Swedish
etc.,

It's far easier and far more profitable to really hone in on precisely who is your customer.

Is it a 30something professional?
Housewife?

Teenager?

Get the picture?

To help you with finding out who regularly uses the web, use some search engines and query on `internet use' or `consumer analysis'.

Okay, so now you know who your `target market' is. Ensure you design your website to suit them. Their needs, their tastes - not yours !

What is persuasive writing?

Simply put, it's the art of using particular words and phrases with the intention of having an impact.

Good examples of this can be found all around you. Just think of all the advertising `catch phrases' you can remember. "Thorntons, chocolate heaven since 1911", or "mymate marmite", or a classic one from my childhood was "chef square shape soup shows how a good soup should be.”

So, what are the secrets?

For a start, how are you going to advertise your website?

Thinking of submitting to web search engines? Increasingly, search
engines are not offering free submissions - you have to pay.
The one's that still allow you to submit your website for free do
not offer any guarantees of its placement. It can take 6 months
for your submission to be added and then you may find your entry on
page 22 of the search results! Research has shown that most web
surfers do not look past page 3 of search results so you're not going
to increase your web traffic much this way. Of course, if you are a
commercial enterprise - or well paid - you may decide it's worth paying
the money to register your URL (universal resource locator/your website
address) with them. However, there are other options.

Few people realise the power of classified ads in local and national
newspapers. Some quite large profitable companies rely on this method
of promoting their goods and services without paying out £ $ 0000's for
page and half page advertisements.

The key to their success is in the wording....

All successful advertisements contain the following eight elements:

1. gains attention
2. focuses on the customer
3. stresses benefits
4. differentiates you from your competitors
5. proves its case
6. establishes credibility
7. builds value
8. closes with a call for action

Of course, not all advertisements need to contain all the 8 elements in
equal proportions. However, let's examine each element in more detail...

1. GAINS ATTENTION

Sex is certainly one way of gaining attention. Think of all the ads. you’ve seen that contain pictures of either explicit sex and sexual activities
or innuendo or, pictures of mothers and baby, health, abdominal exercise
machines, women in swimwear.

Children and puppies, kittens also gain attention. Andrex have
successfully exploited these elements for years - the puppy running
off with the toilet roll hotly pursued by a toddler.

Equally, being specific is a great attention grabber. Rather than saying
`how would you like to make lots of money every week'; a better use is `make
£1500 every week'. Be positive. Be specific. Grab attention!

2. FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER

Always remember, your potential customers don't care about you, your products or services. They care about themselves. They are not interested in your profit and loss account or how much work you've put into your business or website.

Your customer, who ever they are, are interested only in their goals, dreams,
expectations, needs and wants etc. Your customers will only be interested
in how your product or service can address one of their needs or wants to
either solve one of their problems or enhance their lives or themselves;
their social standing etc.

For example, a recruitment agency advertised as "Join our agency and get that job!". A more customer focussed ad. would have been:

"A unique opportunity to progress your career few professionals will be able
to take advantage of this year".

Rather than using `our', use `you' and `your'. Directly address your
customer. The above example demonstrates direct communication aimed at it's market of professionals and adds that element of uniqueness making it appear special. It's all becoming quite obvious isn't it?

3. STRESS BENEFITS

Directly address the `what's in it for me' factor all your customers will be
subconsciously thinking of.

Your customers want or need to save money, make money, feel fitter, look
younger, social climb, gain excitement, have a better love life or sex
life. Highlight how your product or service is going to benefit them.

4. DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF FROM YOUR COMPETITORS

Just think of when you visit the supermarket. Why do you choose one product
over another? Price? Packaging?

I used to work in the packaging industry. Did you know that things like
Christmas puddings, washing powder and baked beans are basically made by the same manufacturer ? - they're just put in different packaging and branded differently.

You can differentiate yourself on price - lower to attract the people wishing
to save money. Higher if you are aiming at exclusivity.

Commercial companies with lots of money use celebrities to support their
product or service branding. Just look at how many products David Beckham
appears on, everything from mobile phones to cornflakes!

Of course, you don't have that kind of money. However, you can differentiate
in all kinds of other ways. For example, your product offers a satisfaction
guarantee.

5. PROVE YOUR CASE

How many advertisements have you seen that inform you that `9 out of 10 ??? prefer such and such'? Essentially, element 5 backs up element 3 `stressing the benefits'. It's no good saying your product or service is the best,
fastest etc. if you cannot back it up with hard facts. Additionally,
advertising law prevents you from doing so.

Probably one of the easiest ways of achieving this on the web is to include
customer testimonials. Satisfied customers always encourage potential
customers to try you out!

6. ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY

Though the customer is predominately interested in themselves, who you
are does matter. It matters because the customer needs to be sure you will
send the goods they order and not run off with their money! The customer
needs to know that your guarantees are not worthless - that you will be
able to install, deliver, service whatever it is they are considering
purchasing.

To do this, include some information regarding who you are, how long you
have been established. It goes a long way in helping the customer to decide
whether or not you and your products or services are a good bet or not.

Don't tell lies or state false claims - research shows that a satisfied
customer will tell 3 people about you whereas a dissatisfied customer will
tell 10 people about you. I know which one I would prefer.

7. BUILD VALUE

Stress the total cost of ownership (TCO). Your product or service may be
the cheapest but what about in the long-run? How long is your guarantee?
6 months or a year, or 2 years? The customer will weigh these factors
up when making a purchasing decision.

After all, why should they select your product or service instead of one
of your competitors? Spell it out for them.

8. CLOSE WITH A CALL TO ACTION

Advertising is really all about change. Changing habits, opinions,
lifestyle choices etc. You need to tell your customers what you wish
them to do, for example, cut out the coupon, call freephone, click this
or that, request a free estimate etc.

If you read and consider all the above, identify your target market and
directly aim your promotional activities at them - you can only succeed.

SOME KEY WORDS TO USE:

you
your
unique
free
friendly
secure
robust
guaranteed
special
simple
easy
cost saving
labour saving
choice
now
click
cut
phone
ask questions, for example, `have you ever considered...?'
low price
reduced
offer

Remember, only ever use positive words and positive phrases.

Good luck !

©itilhelp.com 2004