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How Does Your Website Make Me Feel
hen people think about conversation, there's a pretty
the Internet, they think good chance that we'll close the
about technology. When sale or keep a happy customer.
people hear that I am a Website
strategy expert, they see me as a For the online visitor, your
"techy type". Website is the next best thing to
that in-person conversation with
But for me, the most intriguing you, your colleagues or
aspect of your online business employees. And since so many
isn't about the technology. It's people are researching products
about human connections, and how and services on the Web, it's
you can create these in a virtual critical that your site has
environment. maximum impact in persuading them
to take the next step with you.
It's commonly understood that
"people buy emotionally, not So how does your Website connect
intellectually." Even when emotionally with your visitors?
people think they're making a Do they feel listened to,
rational decision, powerful understood and appreciated by
subconscious factors come into your Internet presence? Are you
play. To sell effectively, we're instinctively meeting their real
told to anticipate our customers' needs? Do your existing
needs, to demonstrate that we customers feel supported and
"feel their pain", and to respond valued when interacting with you
to clues in their body language online?
and tone of voice.
Or are you failing to evoke the
In the "real world" we do this crucial emotional responses which
very well. And we know that if can significantly enhance your
we can have a direct, in-person response rates, sales and ongoing
return on your Web investment? When we first meet in a business
setting, we're introduced, or we
The Critical Emotions for Website introduce ourselves with some
Success statement about what we do, and
why we should connect with each
I've been working with client Web other.
strategies in a wide range of
industries since 1995. Based on When we talk with customers or
this experience, I've identified prospects, it's important to show
some key emotions that you need very quickly that we understand
to evoke in your online visitors their issues and needs, and that
to create and sustain a we have ideas and solutions to
profitable relationship. address these.
How well your Website does this The most important task for your
can have a major effect on the home page is to accomplish this
visceral, instinctive reactions initial introduction. You've
of your visitors, and their heard the "ten-second" rule about
propensity to buy from or connect how long a visitor will stay on a
with you. site that doesn't engage them.
In total, I have twenty criteria So, does your home page really
for emotional connectedness that tell me what you do? Does it
I suggest for any Website. That's speak to me in specific terms
too many to discuss in this that make very clear what
article, but let's look at a few services you provide, and what
highlights: type of customers or clients you
work with? Does it use language
Do I Feel Recognized? that I'll understand even if I
don't know the jargon of your
industry or specialization? generic terms such as "business
systems" or "total business
Sounds simple? solutions" or should you be more
specific as to what you offer?
There are astounding numbers of Do I Feel Engaged?
Websites that fail to provide
basic information on the home As we continue our "real-world"
page. conversation, we start to find
common points of interest,
If your goal is to get the whether personal or professional.
customer to visit your store, We begin to feel that we can
does your home page clearly show relate with each other, and this
your location, and how to get helps to build our business
there? Every time you force the relationship.
visitor to make a decision, such
as "Do I click on the Contact Us So your Website has to make the
page to find their address?", you visitor feel drawn in - that they
open up the possibility that want to know more about your
they'll make the wrong choice business, your products and your
(from your viewpoint), or worse services - but again, from the
still, they'll just leave. viewpoint of their needs and
interests. And you have to give
And is it clear to me whether you the visitor a clear sense that
can - or would want to - help me? you want to find those points of
Are you geared towards corporate connection, and to learn more
bulk buyers, or small businesses, about them.
or both? Do you operate
nationally or only in your If the visitor doesn't feel
immediate location? Will your invited in, if they feel left to
visitors know what you mean by themselves to find their way
around - if they're overwhelmed, Do I Feel Convinced?
confused, or simply not
interested in your site, they'll If the visitor is seeing your
leave. business for the first time, they
need to be comfortable that you
Does your site present a are who you say you are, and that
bewildering array of you can deliver what you promise.
manufacturers, products, or
options without any guidance as One of the most important
to selecting from these? Think elements in establishing this
about the conversation that you'd part of the connection is to show
have with a customer in your the "faces" of your business.
store. You'd find out what they Have you noticed how many
were looking for, and then you'd Websites don't name any of their
ask a number of questions to help owners, or the people that
them find the right solution for customers will interact with?
their needs. It's much easier to have a
conversation when I know who I'm
So how can you mirror this talking to!
process online? You could offer
a "Help Me" page that guides Customer testimonials and other
visitors through some Frequently third-party endorsements are
Asked Questions or other choices critical elements in establishing
and provides links to recommended trust - they say far more about
products based on their answers. you than your own marketing
You could incorporate an statements. How many sites have
interactive chat facility with a we all seen that trumpet
customer service agent during "nationally recognized" or
office hours, or access to a "premier provider . . ."? Prove
searchable knowledge base. it!
Include client quotes and success So at every point on every page
stories right across your site where the visitor might be
where they're front and center as thinking "Tell me more", or "How
visitors are engaged in your do I get this?", provide a
content. If you win an award, clickable link to the next step,
tell the visitor what that means to your shopping cart, to your
for them in terms of how you were newsletter subscription page, or
evaluated. to whatever you want them to do.
Do I Feel Motivated? Don't wait until the end of the
page - they may never get there!
Towards the end of our Look for the emotional "tipping
"real-world" conversation, we'll points" on every page where
hopefully close a sale, or we'll they're ready to talk more with
talk about some next steps, or we you and grab them in the moment!
might say "Let's stay in touch".
To do that with our online Diluting the Connection
visitor, we need to persuade them
to buy something, or to tell us Of course, it's all too easy to
who they are, and give us undo all the good feeling that we
permission to reconnect with create by frustrating or annoying
them. the visitor, or simply by giving
them a dead end.
Too many Web pages tail off with
no call to action or directions One of my favorite bugbears is
about where to go next. If you the site search engine that
don't issue a clear invitation, allows me to enter my query, and
you again leave it to the visitor then tells me "No results found.
to work out what to do - and you Please try again with different
run a big risk of losing them. search terms".
How is that supposed to make me I hope that I've sparked your
feel? What was wrong with my curiosity enough to take a fresh
keywords or my parameters if the look at your Website.
search page allowed me to select
them? Am I being stupid? Or do Think about specifically why
you really not want to help me? visitors are coming to your site,
what might be on their minds, and
Your visitor is clearly looking review your copy and navigation
for something, and has taken a accordingly. Think about new
step towards connecting with you. customers and existing ones,
So how about a results page that employees, media - everyone who
lets them know that you can't might have a reason to visit.
immediately answer their Are you doing everything that you
question, but offers a link to can to create an "emotionally
your contact form so that they connected" experience for
can send a question, or some tips everyone?
or suggestions on how to find
more information. The right mix will gain you
significantly higher time spent
The ultimate customer service on your site, more calls from
feature is an opportunity to pre-qualified leads, more signed
interact with a live assistant - contracts, happier repeat
if your site offers this utility, customers, attention from new
the search results page is a markets, offers of strategic
perfect place to maximize its alliances and collaborations, and
visibility. insights into creating successful
new products and services.
So how "Emotionally Connected" is
your Website? (c) Philippa Gamse, 2005. All
rights reserved.
About the Author:
Philippa Gamse, CyberSpeaker, is a Web strategy consultant and professional speaker. How does your site rate against Philippa's twenty "emotionally connected" criteria? Visit http://www.CyberSpeaker.com/ to find out. Philippa can be reached at (831) 465-0317 or mailto:pgamse@CyberSpeaker.com.
Read more articles by: Philippa Gamse
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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