3 Ways to Upgrade Your Website

Not long ago, it was good enough to have a functional website. 

But, in today’s ultra-competitive business climate, “good enough” doesn’t make the cut. Your website must consistently attract new prospects, generate leads, and close out sales.

If it doesn’t, you are falling behind.

Many prospects consult search engines (like Google), review sites (such as Yelp) and social networking sites (Facebook) before they enter a store or spend a hard-earned dime. By the time they visit your site, they are primed to judge your business against both competitors and well-formed expectations.

So, with all of this in mind, how you make your website attractive to potential customers? And once they are there, how do you engage with them in a manner that forms a lasting relationship, encourages brand loyalty and transforms them from customer to valuable client?

The simple answer is to give your readers more free content.

And the quality of that content matters. It gives your business credibility. It shows you care about your prospect. In short, you “get” them, and you want them coming back, again and again.

Finally, your content should help your prospect solve a problem, meet a need, or reach a goal.

Why Content Makes Your Website Stand Out

If your website offers interesting content, it establishes your business as an authority on subjects that interest them.

It also establishes credibility. 

So, how do you do this?

Well, as the title of this piece implies, I’ve got three suggestions for how you can upgrade your website using content.  

1. Add a Blog 

A blog (shorthand for web log) provides a series of entries (or posts) written to inform or entertain.

Blogs require some ongoing effort. To be effective, they should be updated regularly (at least once a week) and should be searchable by date, key words and/or title. 

Although a blog may seem like an informal diary, many businesses find it to be a powerful marketing tool. A good blog will develop a following and establish a relationship with its readers. In fact, many readers will post comments which can be a great source for material used in future blog posts, as well as products, or marketing campaigns.

Blog posts are usually short (250 to 600 words) and have a specific structure. Generally, they:

·        Focus on one topic

·        Contain a compelling headline

·        Use a strong lead to guide the reader into the rest of the post

·        Make one or two main points

·        Contain a call to action

·        Are useful

·        Are written in a style that is warm and engaging

Here’s an example of a blog piece I might write for a business that sells golf equipment. We’ll call it “Clubs R Us.”

How Dale got the last laugh

(And You Can Too)

By Taking Lessons

From Your Local PGA Pro

My friend Dale used to dread playing golf with his coworkers.

Every year, his office held an annual golf tournament. It was supposed to a fun way to build relationships and raise money for charity. But every time it was Dale’s turn to hit the ball, he felt about 2 inches tall.

His colleagues were merciless. They would point and laugh and would say things like “The women’s tees are down there.” or “Was that really a practice swing?”

By the end of the day, Dale wasn’t having any fun…and he didn’t feel charitable.

And every year, he vowed to do something about it.

He bought new golf clubs. He watched YouTube. He even bought a series of training devices, all of which were supposed to help him hit the ball long and straight.

But last year, Dale’s wife approached me. She described the problem, and as she relived all of Dale’s frustrations, I could see tears welling up in her eyes. She was relieved when I told her I had a guaranteed way Dale could improve.

Golf lessons.

At first, she was surprised. After all, I sell golf equipment for “Clubs R Us.” 

But, as I told her, the best equipment in the world can’t fix a broken swing, I saw her nodding. 

At this point, the blog would continue for awhile to describe Dale’s golf lessons, his slow, steady improvement and, ultimately, an account of how Dale became a better golfer.

A few months later, the time came for Dale’s annual office tournament. The usual suspects gathered around the first tee making loud and obnoxious comments. Just like always.

But this time was different.

Dale’s tee shot at the first hole went about 250 yards and straight as an arrow. His second shot landed on the green. He missed his birdie putt, but made a 3-footer for par.

Back at the first tee, there was silence. No one was laughing now.

Except Dale.

So, what is the goal of this blog? And who is the target audience?

Well, as you can probably guess, my sample blog is designed to connect with the “average” golfer.

This golfer is most likely male, about 45 years old, highly educated and from a higher income bracket. In short, he is very much like Dale. And, like Dale, he is looking to improve his game and has experienced a number of frustrations and setbacks. 

Now, you might ask why a company that sells golf equipment would post a blog about golf lessons? What is the benefit?

Well, this is where the idea of relationship-building comes in. 

By giving advice that will actually improve your prospects golf game, you are giving him some valuable information—for free! 

And, in sacrificing the short term, you are betting that when he does improve his game, and starts having more fun, he will come back to you for new and upgraded equipment.

By acknowledging that there are no quick fixes in golf, you show him that you interested in helping him solve a problem, meet a need, or reach a goal—and you are doing so even if there isn’t an immediate and obvious benefit to your business. 

And that is how, by providing valuable and interesting content through a blog, you have a good chance of getting customer loyalty in return.

2. Tell Your Prospect a Success Story

Case studies are fun-to-read success stories. 

They tell how a customer, who likely resembles your prospect, solved a problem, satisfied a need, or met a goal, by using one of your products or services.

Case studies are short, usually about two pages, but they are longer and more dramatic than testimonials. They also follow a specific formula that shows both your client and your product in the best possible light. In that sense, they are upbeat and set a positive tone for your website. 

The goals of a case study may include:

·        Emphasizing how the product solves a specific challenge.

·        Illustrating how the product works in a real-world setting — allowing the customer to picture the product in use in their location. 

·        Selling the benefits of the product through the story, not through hard-sell copy.

·        Offering concrete proof of the value the product provides.

·        Being useful.

·        Being written in a style that is warm and engaging.

Here’s an example of a case study I might write for a company that sells ballistic vests. We’ll call it ABC ballistic vests.

A Ballistic Vest Won’t Save Your Life

(If its Hanging in Your Locker)

Each day, across the United States, law enforcement officers risk their lives in the war against crime. They expose themselves to wide-ranging threats (drugs, terrorism, theft, homicide, domestic violence, etc.) and any contact may escalate into a life-threatening situation.

David McKay, a rookie officer with the Anytown, Oregon, Police Department, says he’ll never forget the day his partner, Alex Cooper, was shot in the chest three times during a routine traffic stop.

“We were on routine patrol on SE. Main St. when a newer model pickup truck, traveling at a high rate of speed, rolled through the downtown area. We activated our lights and, after a short chase, the subject pulled over. Alex approached the driver’s side of the vehicle, while I approached the passenger side. Before we knew it, shots were fired from the pickup. They struck Alex in the chest. I returned fire but the vehicle sped off. Although the individual was later apprehended, Alex suffered fatal injuries. He died in my arms…even as I attempted to resuscitate him.”

Unfortunately, such incidents are not uncommon. Every year, too many police officers are killed in the line of duty. In some cases, the deaths are preventable. In fact, studies show that:

·        Body armor has been long recognized by law enforcement to play a major role in reducing deaths and injuries from firearm shooting.

·        Over 30 percent of all officers killed in the line of duty between 2010 and 2012 were not wearing body armor.

·        The most significant obstacle to regular use of body armor for police officers is that armor can bulky, heavy and uncomfortable for regular wearing.·        

Wearing armor quadruples (x4) the likelihood of a police officer surviving a shooting to the torso.

 As David points out, “Our department encourages, but does not mandate, the use of ballistic vests. They give us a $700 allowance. It is up to us to either purchase a vest or pocket the money. I know Alex was planning to buy a vest, but he put it off. He said he had bills to pay. He also talked about how uncomfortable ballistic vests can be.”

“Here’s the thing,” David continues, “I wasn’t wearing my vest that night either. I owned one, but it was so damn uncomfortable, I usually left it in my locker.”

At this point, the case study would talk about how David decided to purchase from ABC Ballistics, how he was custom fitted by a caring and skilled professional and how he was treated well by the company.

It is now been two years since now Sgt. David McKay purchased his ballistic vest from ABC Ballistics. He says:

“I wear my vest every day. It’s never caused me any problems, like pinching or riding up, like I used to have with my previous vest. I also take great comfort in the fact that I have increased my chances of returning home safely to my wife and my three-year-old daughter. I know in this line of work there are no guarantees, but I sleep better at night, and my wife does too, knowing that ABC Ballistics’ vests are tested rigorously and meet the highest safety standards in the industry.”

 

As you can see, case studies “sell without selling.”

And that’s a good thing, because most prospects don’t like a hard sell. In that way, case studies provide a “back door” sales opportunity. By telling an informative and engaging story, your sales message will slip past the reader’s natural defense mechanisms and give a boost to the other sales letters and offers the prospect will encounter as the move through the buying process. 

3. Send Your Prospect a Letter (Email/E- Letter)

E-letters are similar to blogs, only in this format, your customer signs up (by providing his email address) to receive regular e-letters that will be sent directly to his email box. 

As with blogs, e-letters focus on content rather than sales. Their goals usually include: Generating and securing leads.

·        Building stronger relationships with customers and prospects by providing a vehicle to share useful information.

·        Providing a pathway to contact readers with promotional material — but editorial content should outweigh the promotional content.

·        Inviting reader feedback to improve marketing and product development efforts.

·        Establishing credibility for the company.

A successful e-letter provides value by staying on topic, by being delivered on a regular schedule, and by using a consistent tone and structure.

Here’s an example of an e letter I might write for a company that provides health or fitness equipment, coaching or facilities.  For authority, we’ll say I relied on printed materials and an interview with an expert in intermittent fasting named Dr. Bill Smith.

5 Keys for Successful Intermittent Fasting

By now, you’ve probably heard about intermittent fasting.

According to proponents, intermittent fasting (IF) can help with: weight loss, fat burning, blood insulin and sugar levels, reversal of type 2 diabetes, energy and mood. It may also improve blood lipid profiles, increase growth hormone and activate cellular cleansing, a process known as autophagy.

Best of all, IF is simple and free. 

But, even with all of these benefits from IF, there are still some challenges you might face, particularly if you are used to eating “on demand” 3-6 times per day.

As with any lifestyle change, IF should be phased in strategically. To help with this process, we’ve focused on 5 keys for successful intermittent fasting.

1.    Make gradual changes

If you are used to eating every three or four hours, it can be challenging to reduce your “eating window” (the time during which you may consume food). 

That’s because your body produces hormones that make you hungry, such as ghrelin. It takes time to “reset” your hunger hormones. Dr. Bill Smith, MD, suggests that it is best to gradually extend the time you spend in a fasted state so that your body has time to adapt. “Give yourself one month to see if intermittent fasting is a good fit for you,” he says.

One popular way to begin fasting is with the 16:8 , or “Leangains” protocol. According to Dr. Smith, “This way of doing intermittent fasting involves daily fasting for 16 hours. Sometimes this is also referred to as an 8-hour eating ‘window’. You eat all your meals within an 8-hour time period and fast for the remaining 16 hours. Generally, this is done daily or almost daily.”

But to implement the 16:8 schedule gradually, you might start out with 12:12, then add and hour of fasting every few days.

Breakfast is typically the easiest meal to skip. But, to start with, simply eat a later breakfast each day until it is actually your lunch. By moving slowly, you help regulate hunger and prevent the likelihood you will overeat at lunch.

2.   Avoid Overeating to Break Your Fast

As noted above, it can be easy to overeat when you “break” a fast. Often this happens because you are feeling hungry, or because you feel like you should make up for lost calories. Either way, overeating can undermine your weight loss goals. And it can even cause other issues, like stomachaches or digestive distress.

One way to avoid overeating is to plan ahead. Make sure that you have a healthy meal waiting for you when the fast ends. There is considerable research to suggest that a high fat, moderate protein and low carbohydrate meal to break your fast will prevent insulin spike and set the tone for your blood glucose levels to remain low for the rest of your day. 

Bacon and eggs anyone?

At this point, the e-letter would list off the other Keys to Successful Intermittent Fasting, (such as: 3) drink plenty of water, coffee or tea, 4) eat healthy foods, 5) Stay Active) and then conclude by saying:

By Keeping these 5 Keys to Successful Intermittent Fasting in mind, your fasting will be easier---and more effective!

Congratulations!

You are On Your Way to Upgrading Your Website.

Let’s review the main points.

If your website offers interesting content, it establishes your business as an authority on subjects that interest your target audience.

By featuring solid content, your website shows that you care about your prospect. By offering something for free, you are saying that you value them, understand their needs and want them to keep coming back, again and again.

Three proven ways you can upgrade your website include:

1    Adding a blog

2    Telling Your Prospect a Success Story

3    Sending Your Prospect a Letter

Thanks for reading. I hope you find these tips helpful.

Any questions I didn't address? Please ask them in the comments below!

About Keith Stewart

Keith Stewart is a Freelance Copywriter in Salem, Oregon. To learn more about his services, visit his LinkedIn Profile, or check out his website at https://www.keithstewartcopywriting.com/