Your home page needs to grab your visitors by the collar--persuade and engage them. You have the power to gain your visitors loyalty, to book mark your site, and eventually, to buy your products if you write irresistible, streamlined copy that engrosses them all the way to your sales message and order pages. Here's a rough draft for a new home page: Part One. Start with an intriguing headline that is benefit-oriented that will lead your visitor to your products. Sample: "Want a Quick and Simple Way to Quadruple your Book Sales within Four Months?" This headline link takes my potential buyer straight to my sales letter for the book "Ten Non-techie Ways to Market Your Book Online." Sample: For book coaching services, my home page headline and link, "Let the Book Coach Make your Book Dream a Reality." This takes my visitors directly to my coaching services information and why I may be the right coach for them. Sample Testimonial and Link: "Save yourself from headaches, disappointments and money down the drain. Read, "Write Your eBook or Other Short Book--Fast!" before you write another word. Judy puts you on the fastest track to publishing success." -Marcia Reynolds, covisioning.com This link takes my visitors directly to my eBook sales letter. Part Two. Add who you are and what you can do for your visitors, but make it short. Nothing turns a visitor off more than long bio copy. They don't care about you; they care about what problems you can solve for them. They especially love free information. If you want to tell your audience your mission and who you are, create a longer "Mission Statement" guided by a coach who can give you its necessary details. Put this information into your "About Me" link. Short Bio Sample: The Book Coach can answer your questions, and make your book dream a reality with one-on-one coaching, teleseminars, and small group coaching. Judy Cullins, M.A., offers her 20 years as an author, publisher and marketer of over 40 books and special reports on book writing, publishing, and online article marketing--all in short, easy-to-read, formats. Part Three. Add some specific benefits with a personal approach: Let's say you are a coach or consultant. Use this example. Sample: I can help you answer questions about your xxx. - What are the first steps to writing a great selling book? - Will my book attract my desired audience? - Do my potential buyers know they need my book and it's worth the money? - Will my books sell enough copies for my satisfaction? - How should I publish my book? - Now that it's written, how can I best promote my book?from a pro and benefit statements for your ezine. Part Three. Make your ezine or free report stand out. Remember your purpose of this offer is to collect email addresses and add to your data base. The more emails, the more continued promotion you can send your lists. Make sure your audience sees only the newsletter offer first. Use a pop up that doesn't pop too much. Put the information into a yellow background with a red rim to keep attention. That means benefits and a testimonial from a pro in your field. Do not just put a wimpy link that says "subscribe to ezine." up or a small announcement at the bottom of your home page. No one will see these, and they won't be motivated enough to leave their email. The email is the thing. Sample: Dan Poynter's testimonial below: "Judy Cullins "The Book Coach Says is chock full of nuts and bolts on book writing, publishing, and marketing. Definitely worth your time." Offer a high value free report when people subscribe to your ezine. In 2006, I updated my offer to "20 High-Octane Book Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Tips." Ask your webmaster for help with the links and pop ups. Note: Maybe you resist pop ups like I did. I changed my mind when I learned from the Millionaire Mentors I met along the way. Put some passion into your web home page and others. The biggest mistake writers make is they write weak sales copy. Always give your web site visitors a reason to buy. Just think--the more pizzazz on your home page, the more visitors will return to your site to surf, get free information, and buy your services and products. |
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