Eye on Copy

Thinking Like a Realtor: Five Steps to Enhance Sales at Your Web Site

MarketingProfs recently published my latest article as part of their Premium Content. But you don't have to pay to see it, lucky reader. Here it is:

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Most of us realize that our company Web sites could do a better job of engaging, converting, and retaining customers. The challenge is deciding where to focus our efforts given limited budgets and time.

Often it's helpful to look at other industries—real estate, for example—for ideas that you can apply to your own situation.

Let's say you're getting ready to sell your home. In most areas of the US, it's a buyer's market. So do you go ahead and add another room to outdo the competition? Not a good strategy. Doing so would only delay the sale, and you may not even recoup your expenses, much less realize a return on investment.

An experienced Realtor knows that the sale begins when potential buyers can picture your home as their own. And first impressions are everything. Therefore, the most cost-effective strategy is to thoroughly clean the home and make minor improvements.

Likewise, there are five simple—and inexpensive—strategies you can implement to help Web site visitors picture themselves enjoying the benefits of your product or service.

Does my Web site have curb appeal?

When someone drives up to your home, the appearance will often determine whether they want to go inside. A smart seller will mow the lawn, weed the garden, trim the hedges, and maybe even paint the exterior.

What kind of impression does your homepage make? Upon arrival, visitors will immediately decide whether they are in the right place.

So make your page user-centric. Use relevant keywords in your headline, body copy, site navigation, and hyperlinks. In addition, all graphics should incorporate metaphors that ring true to your visitors' interests and expectations.

Is it time to de-clutter?

When you decide to sell your house, in a sense the house is no longer yours. It belongs to your future buyer. So you get rid of all the clutter: Organize the books, clean the closets and put that '72 lime Barcalounger in storage. Collectibles need to be tucked away for the sake of visitors who don't share your love for vintage Pez dispensers.

In today's online market, your Web site doesn't just belong to you—it also belongs to your prospects and customers. They are your marketers, too, discussing you on blogs and online communities.

All too often, companies post information that is important to someone's pet project or because it's "in the brochure." Month after month, the junk accumulates. Having out-of-date documents, policies, and product information is embarrassing at best and a liability at worst.

Now, this doesn't mean that your Web site should be devoid of personality. Rather, your Web site content should reflect the sensibilities of your most profitable customers.

What needs repair?

Now it's time to fix those pesky problems that you never quite got around to. In the process, it's likely you'll find some issues you didn't know about. You repair damaged flooring and screens. Fix leaky faucets and toilets. And give the walls a fresh coat of paint.

Same goes for your site. Conduct a methodical review of every page to find broken links. Analyze your Web traffic to determine the paths people take through the site and where they're decide to jump off the train. Then test new versions of problem pages. Google Analytics is an incredibly valuable (and free) tool for this step.

Have I set the mood for a sale?

This is where you go all out to make an emotional connection with potential buyers. Realtors call it "staging." You put out fresh flowers and play soft music. Turn all the lights on and open the drapes. Some homeowners bake cookies right before a showing so the welcoming aroma wafts throughout the house. So even though you're not there during the showing, your visitors feel welcomed and appreciated.

Maybe Web 4.0 or 5.0 will allow us to create a similar experience online. Until then, we need to maximize the effectiveness of every tool we have. Strive to make the copy, graphics, and video on your Web site reflect the emotions and values of your customers.

Every element should convey personality and warmth. If not, you'll never get to present your "rational arguments" to the vast majority of prospects. At the very least, demonstrate that you are available and ready to help by making it easy for visitors to contact you.

Does everything flow?

Your home should convey a sense of harmony as visitors walk from room to room and around the exterior of the house. An updated bathroom won't matter if the living room is a time warp to 1982. Astounding curb appeal is wasted if a buyer steps through a rotted deck plank.

The more complex your Web site is, the more you need to make sure nothing interrupts your reader from taking the next step, whatever it may be. Although each page must stand on its own, it doesn't exist in isolation. Every page must be written with the goal of the site in mind and within the context of your visitors' experiences.

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Remember, customers need to "buy" your Web site before they will buy anything else from you. Think like a Realtor, and you'll be miles ahead of your competition.

"Give Me Sunday" or Half-Baked Newspaper Marketing

Have you ever, out of the blue, begun receiving newspapers at your door?

This has happened several times to me in my adult life. My first thought usually is, "It's a mistake, must be someone new on the route." Then another appears the next day, and marketing savant that I am, I realize they're trying to reel me in.

I'm what you might describe as a hot and cold newspaper subscriber. I'm in the "cold" phase right now, and have been for about 12 years, including my nine years living in Los Angeles. My local paper is the StarTribune, a middle market muddle of mediocrity from Minneapolis (ahh..that felt good). I admit, I do visit the website to read about my beloved Minnesota Twins. But lately, the site takes so long to load all its graphics and rich media ads, that I'm considering abandoning it altogether.

So the paper arrives Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday... then nothing on Saturday or Sunday. Personally, I could give a rip about weekday papers. I'm all about Sunday. Guess it goes back to my childhood preoccupation with the extended comics and entertainment sections.

Anyway, here's what I'd like to say to the StarTribune marketing department:

1. You never told me it was a free trial. I had to deduce that on my own. But still there is a lingering doubt that it's all a mistake.

2. I never asked for a free trial. What makes you think I'm interested in it?

3. Assuming it's a free trial, there needs to be some sort of cover letter or flyer to go with it. Better yet, each day would point out a different section and explain how it will help me in some way or enrich my life. Because, frankly, my brain already feels full of information and I have enough clutter from the daily mail alone.

4. If you want me to subscribe, You've Got to Give Me Sunday.

5. If you want me to subscribe, You've Got to Ask.