Making Web Content More Salesworthy: 2 of 2
In our previous post on making web content more salesworthy, we talked a bit about content development techniques to help your messaging cut through the clutter — while striking a common chord with the people who are visiting your site.
In this follow-up segment, we’re offering some ideas to overcome the inertia and resistance to change that is inherent in the marketer/new-prospect relationship. The idea is to state your case clearly and effectively, in a way that is digestible for the reader, to create a genuine sense of urgency that leads to action.
Get to the most crucial points. And fast.
The majority of site visitors aren’t going to wade through the equivalent of War and Peace to determine the key advantages you offer. Try to set up your messaging to be instantly scannable and digestible on a cursory first-pass read — with enough substance to establish your company’s viability and credibility.
Readers in detail-oriented advisory roles will dive deeper to get the next-level info they need. But you need a solid hook to grab executive-level decision makers from the outset.
Build a tsunami with your top-level pages.
Think about the classic pyramid structure of an effective news article. It blasts the most crucial information at the top, with the supporting details funneling down underneath. By using your top-level pages to expand on your key points in a concise and impactful way, you continue to build a quick-set foundation for your company messaging — while providing a roadmap for those who wish to keep drilling down.
Use call-to-action links to ask for the order.
You never know when the lightbulb is going to go on for a particular prospect. But take some time to figure out the places in your messaging most likely to provide those “aha” moments. This is where you most need a call-to-action, encouraging the prospect to contact you for an initial dialogue or deeper engagement.
Use your contact page to re-pave the way.
The contact page of your website isn’t just a place to list your information and/or a contact form. It’s an invaluable opportunity to cap off your unique selling proposition in a succinct and persuasive way.
Develop a headline and a brief piece of copy that sums up your big-picture advantages in just a few sentences. And make sure to provide prospects with the wherewithal to contact you in the manner most convenient for them. Whether it’s by dashing off a quick email, by filling out a simple contact form — or by simply picking up the phone on the impulse of the moment.