Ask anybody the above question and they just may give you a weird look. You know what I mean, one of those you-have-got-to-be-joking kinds of looks; “Of course I am trying to get business,” they say.
Well, after reviewing I can’t tell you how many cash flow websites (or websites in general for that matter) I can tell you without a doubt that most people’s cash flow sites are doing just the opposite – their sites are actually turning people away!
How can I say that? Many people get so caught up in the look, feel, and message that they completely lose sight of the goal or the impression they are giving.
Here is a short list of common mistakes found on sites. Is your site guilty of any of these?
1. You do EVERYTHING? – This is my favorite. You can’t do everything. You can’t be an expert in every cash flow. If you were looking for a doctor for heart surgery and his website said he did heart surgery, mowed lawns, repaired hot water heaters, and painted. Would you hire him? – I suspect not. You want someone that specializes in what you are looking for. If you are really good in several different areas; time for additional websites.
2. I don’t really care about your birthday photos – Hey, we all have personal lives. We go on vacation and have birthday parties. Just because someone snapped your photo on the beach in Cancun, that doesn’t mean it goes on your business site (that is what Facebook is for). Keep it professional.
3. If I wanted magic I would have went to see David Copperfield – Just because you have the ability to hire someone to make a fancy Flash-based banner for you, it doesn’t mean you should. If I go to a site that has a million things flashing moving around, I am out of there. *This is not to be confused with having a video of you saying something – those are great. Just leave the bouncing banners and neon lettering for someone else.
4. Thanks, but I have an iPod already – Don’t play music on your site! We probably don’t have the same taste and it is quicker for me to find the “close browser” button than it is for me to find your “sound off” button.
5. Keep it short. Web reading is very different than a book. The computer screen (being further away) makes it difficult for the eye to jump line by line. #1 and #3 on this list are almost too long to not have a line break for the web. Don’t believe me? Step back from the screen a bit and tell me which numbers you want to read. I bet #2 and #4 jump out at you.
I could go on and on, but those are my top five. Remember, the goal of a cash flow website is to get someone to call you – that’s it. Anything else just gets in the way. Keeping your site, simple and professional will go a long way to getting you more deals.
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