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Web Design..... with
Personality!
Copyright © 2004, Keith Bryan
Work at Home 101
http://www.workathome-101.net
There are primary reasons that people will buy any
product. Anyone that has ever been involved in sales of any kind (or
has
ever bought anything) knows that people respond to a couple
of basic things.
Probably the best thought I've ever heard on this subject is "people buy on
emotion and justify it with logic".
There are not many products which
invoke zero emotional response in people. So why is it that in the online
world webmasters rely so little on this very key element of humanity? If
you want to boost your sales/subscribers/leads etc, all you need
to learn
to do is make your page have personality.
Let me tell you a
story.....
In my youth I had the very distinct pleasure of being
involved in one of the most educational experiences in my life. I took
a job that involved direct promotional sales. In other words...... I went
door to door. I know what most of you are thinking...... "No WAY would I ever
do anything like that!". I thought the same thing but, because I really had
nothing better to do, I gave it a try. If you're wondering what the point of
this little story is...... I'll tell you.
I learned more about human
psychology during this experience
than I ever could have learned with even
100 Zig Ziggler seminars! Think about it..... you're approaching someone
who doesn't know you.....at their home...... presenting a product they've
never heard of, and walking away with a sale! The whole concept is absolutely
amazing if you really think about it.
Why would anyone buy something
they've never heard of from
someone they don't know? Because the salesperson
had
personality! That's why.
Doesn't this sound a bit like what you're
trying to accomplish with your online business? The chances are probably
pretty good that a visitor has never heard of you, doesn't know your
product or service and , if they're anything like my family, is a
bit skeptical of just about everything. Your goal is the same as mine in
the door to door days..... to make a sale!
So how do we do it? How do we
turn the internet from a cold,
impersonal environment to one which makes your
site as unique
as you?
Here are a few tips....
1. Use
different colors to stir different emotions. For instance
blues and greens
are soothing..... red and orange make people
excited and focus attention.
Experiment with colors to make
people feel differently depending on the
page's purpose.
2. Bolding, highlighting and CAPITAL LETTERS are ways of
drawing attention to certain parts of your page. They are the webmaster's
equivalent of raising your voice or pointing at something
important.
3. Exclamation points should be used sparingly. Too
much
excitement looks like you are trying too hard to sell something!!!!!
Remember "everyone like to buy but no one likes to be sold"
4. The
more information you give on your page the more likely
people are to trust
you. People like to make up their own minds...... you can help them by
providing enough information
about your product or service to make them feel
like you're
not hiding anything from them.
5. Don't be afraid to use
"slang" and "personal phrases" to an
extent. This will make you look like a
real person..... you don't want to be "hiding behind your web page"
6.
Use your name. (a picture of yourself helps as well) Would
you trust someone
who never told you their name? Believe me,
it's no coincidence that all
customer service people either wear nametags or tell you their name.
Customers want to know who they're dealing with...... tell
them.
Now onto some examples....... See if you can tell what
the
following pages are trying to accomplish with the "personality"
they
chose.....
http://www.yahoo.com Mostly
blue..... comforting, informational.
YAHOO! logo in red, capitals, and
exclamation point! .... so you
remember the name
http://www.toyota.com Look at the red! yeah,
ok..... there's
some information up top too...... but look at that great
car
in the center!
http://www.microsoft.com Lots of information
telling me "We're
ok.... you can trust us"
http://www.marketingtips.com Corey
Rudl's page (one of the best
internet marketers out there..... he knows his
stuff) Notice
the home page is calming, soothing, blues and
information.....
Click on the "Insiders Secrets" link...... Wow! Red,
yellow,
bold, highlighting, CAPS ...... get excited! And there's
Corey,
making you feel secure by knowing who you're dealing with.
(There's
a reason he's one of the best folks)
Ok, you get the idea..... The point
is that it DOES make a
difference. These examples are some of the best in the
business
and I can guarantee if they're using these techniques it's
not
just by random chance. Try some of this for yourself. What is
your
page telling people before they even read the words? Chances are pretty good
that it's not doing everything it could!
Here's a test..... go to
http://www.workathome-101.net and try
to describe me. E-mail me at
keithbryan@cox.net and tell me
everything you can figure out about the author
(me) from my page.
Have Fun!
Resource
Box:
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Keith
Bryan has over 9 years experience in both Internet
and other forms of
advertising and marketing. For more
information, tips, tricks, hot products
and articles
check out http://www.workathome-101.net or e-mail
us at ezine@workathome-101.net
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