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Building a Web Site for Success by Paul Barrs   

It's a strange anomaly.

Most people who set out to start their own web site, no matter what type, build it for failure, not success.

Crazy isn't it? But true.

They find a web site designer, tell him or here what they want - and boom - money down the pit.

The saddest part in all this is that they don't even know that they are destined for failure long before their dreams shatter and break apart.

Why? The simple truth is this - "most" web site Designers don't know squat about marketing.

But - Isn't the Web supposed to be that place where you "get on it" and cash in? Isn't it? Hmmm.

The past few years have shown us one thing: You're either for Web-based advertising, or you're against it. Those who are for it, have faith in the progressive technologies of the future, those who are against it have taken the time to sit back, listen and learn - more people fail Online than those who succeed.

Statistics tell us that within 5 years of start up 90% of all small businesses will go under. My personal experience through my own search engine shows me that an even higher percentage of web sites will do the same.

Why? Because they lack the fundamental strategies, marketing and development to plan ahead, foresee the pitfalls, and capitalize on gains.

Here is a key secret to Website success. It's "Easy to Do", it's also "Easy not to Do." That applies to everything.

It's easy to do a web site marketing plan. It's also easy not to do one. It's easy to create a profitable web site, but it's also easy not to create one. It's easy to pick up the phone and call a new potential customer; or reply to an email, but it's also easy not to do it. That one thing will determine your success, or measure your failure.

However, on a brighter side, there are three specific things that you must focus on doing if your want to develop a powerhouse and dynamic web site. Those three things are:

1. Get potential customers to your web site.

2. Get those same people to come back.

3. Get them to refer their friends, family and associates.

Sounds simple doesn't it? It's easy to do, it's also easy not to do. And if you're not consciously aware of this marketing reality, you're probably not doing these three things. Let's look at them.

1. Get potential customers to your web site.

It does not matter where you are located, the differences in your product compared to your competition, or if you have a red, pink or blue roof. Whether you consider yourself competent in Internet Technology or not makes no difference. You absolutely must focus 50% of your planning time on gaining new visitors and customer enquiries. (Initially 80% if your web site is just starting)

Use every method available to you. Utilise every single resource. Study and learn what it takes to get people to visit your web site. Visit your competitions web sites. Survey your visitors. Do what it takes. I know I'm pointing out the obvious, but if your head is stuck in pricing package development, or management and accounting you won't be able to see the trees from the forest.

Visitors to your web site are your lifeblood. They are your bread and butter. They represent every reason why you go Online in the first place - to make money. And it's not your web design firms responsibility alone - you pay the bills, so the buck stops right in your office. So get them and get them quick.

2. Get those same people to come back.

It's a proven fact that most people will not buy from you on their first contact (Or even contact you for that fact). There are no exceptions to this rule. A prospective customer must have exposure to your web site an average of 5 times (depending on their readiness and buying time frame) before they will even contact you.

The world of professional selling tells us that most sales closes take place on the 7th contact. What does this tell you? If you work so hard at getting new people to your web site, but then not getting them to come back - you're building for failure. Don't do it!

Stop right now and look at your sales systems. Do they make allowances for automatic or semi-automatic follow up? Do you offer Auto responders from your web site? Do you have downloadable information that they can access. Do you use contact management software so that you don't loose track of potential customers? Why do you think the Pro's in your industry are the top income earners? Think about that. They keep in touch with people. Either that or they invest some ridiculously high amount of cash each month to attract first time visitors and work on the Hit and Miss ratio.

3. Get them to refer their friends, family and associates.

This is the cream of the crop. When you set out in your web site, you must focus 80% of your time on getting new contacts. As your web site traffic develops, you must then change that focus to 80% gaining referrals.

Referrals are the sweetest prospective customers of all. They are already pre-qualified. They already want what you have to offer. And you don't have to spend a cent getting them! If your web site is fully operational, you can do this with a simple, click and refer a friend script. It take only moments to set up.

But even more - are you ready for the kicker? You must ASK people for their referrals! When you've got a great package to offer, it's fantastic. But there is really no point in working really hard to get a brand new fresh customer at great expense when all you have to do is ASK your existing customers and visitors for a few referrals.

Don't be shy. You ask, and most of them will happily give. It's that easy. Easy to do, easy not to do. Can you see the pattern developing here, the difference between success and failure, those that do and those that don't?

All these things are easy to do. They are, really. But most people opt for the easier choice - not to do. The choice is yours. Build your web site for success with qualified customer and visitor flow and you will reap the rewards.

Paul Barrs has compiled a complete Seminar Series titled "Website Magic!". In it you will find 10 audio tutorials covering all the essential aspects of profitable web site design, showing you how to Make More Profit in your web site business. Download it Free from: http://www.paulbarrs.com

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