Traffic reports and demystifying the single access page metric

Picture this...Sales are down, the economy is not getting any better, and you're prepared to do whatever it takes to make a sale. (Sound familiar?) A potential customer in the market to buy your service has agreed to meet for a cup of coffee. Eureka!You know exactly what she wants and how to deliver. There's absolutely no way she can say no. Even if she tries, you're prepared to overcome every buying objection and pelt her with benefits and successful case studies.Show timeThe day of the meeting, you feel great and are ready to present an offer she can't refuse. You arrive at the coffee house 10 minutes early to collect your thoughts.This is it. She's here...As you extend a hand to greet her, she gives you a once-over, turns around, heads for the door, and quickly walks out.Holy Toledo -not again! That's the twelfth time this week. Something is seriously wrong with your first impression. Pop quizWhat do you do?   a. ignore it, pretend it's not happening, and wait for the next opportunity   b. immediately figure out and resolve the problem I assume you answered b; immediately figure out and resolve the problem. If not, you'd soon find yourself among the unemployed.Parallels to a Web siteThe same scenario is happening on your Web site right now. It's been going on since the day you launched the site, and will continue until the problem is resolved. In fact, most Web sites lose 80% of its visitors during the first impression (home page). Potential customers simply give it a once over and leave.Ignorance is blissDare I draw a deeper parallel? Imagine your prospect walking in again, and instead of rising from your chair to shake hands with a greeting, you remain seated reviewing your notes and say:"Loading.... Please wait."She stands there stupefied and insulted, to which you repeat:"Loading.... Please wait."Sorry Charlie, she's gone. Think she'll ever meet you for coffee again?How to measure these lost opportunitiesGrab your Web site traffic reports and locate the area called "single access pages." This metric is loosely defined as the number of times a visitor enters and exits a particular page without viewing another. Or in simpler terms, she enters and leaves before clicking through to another page.How often does this happen on your site -- or on the home page? Once? Twice? Depending on your traffic volume, it probably happens thousands of times each month.Putting the numbers in perspectiveThe best way to determine if your single access page volume is high, low, good, or bad is to compare it against the total number of visitors who entered on that page. Metric: "Entry pages."For example, if 789 visitors entered your Web site on the home page, and 651 failed to click beyond it (read: single access page), the page is only 17.5% effective ((789-651)/789 = 17.5).We have a well-crafted, relevant, industry standard term for these types of pages. We say they suck.Pop quizWhat will you do?   a. ignore it, pretend it's not happening, and wait for the next opportunity   b. immediately figure out and resolve the problem