How Starbucks, Toms Shoes, and driving 65 mph will help your business get more clients

There I was. Lounging in Starbucks sipping my coffee with coconut milk (took them a while to finally offer that, didn’t it?).

I couldn’t help but overhear the sales meeting going on behind me between two debonair business men, both with thicker-than-mama’s-sunday-gravy New York accents. During their conversation they’d let out the occasional deep belly laugh that seemed to teeter more toward polite than authentic.

Their chatter included lots of $100 words, such as: innovative, maximize, and cross-platform. And the real doozer: synergistic. Their products sounded complex, full of features and whistles that a mere small percentage of their buyers would ever use.

After about twenty minutes of listening to this boisterous banter, I watched as they concluded their meeting and shook hands. They patted backs and wished each other well, and I sat questioning whether either of them truly got anything out of their conversation.

When they settled back into their cars and headed off to the next appointment, did they feel compelled to place the order for whatever product was being so vibrantly discussed?

More than likely not.

These men, each trying to sell something to the other, made some critical mistakes in the words they used and the way in which they presented their offers. And while they used spoken words to try to make a sale, these critical mistakes are made time and time again on websites, as well.

My little outing to Starbucks inspired me to put together the following guidance for you to consider on your website (or the next time you find yourself in a similar sales conversation).

1. The simpler the better.

If you want your customers to inquire about buying from you, you’ve got to help them get to that point. Writing about your services using industry insider language or “high brow” words is a mistake made by many creative entrepreneurs. Simpler, clearer language will create understanding and connection that no $100 word could ever muster.

2. Solve their problem.

People don’t land on your website for just any old reason. They’ve got a problem that needs solving.

Your website visitor’s problem is real, and it’s your job to help them realize you’re the one to swiftly help them solve it. Your business is best positioned by addressing a problem in your market that your talents and skills help correct. If your website doesn’t clearly state the problem you address, your ability to generate online inquiries will suffer. Similarly, if you address a problem that not many potential customers actually suffer from, you’ll also suffer from lackluster inquiries.

3. Make your window legible at 65mph.

Elyse Weissberg was my first marketing mentor. I was her intern. The year was (mumble-mumble).

She taught me the simplest rule about marketing. And her rule was this: if your potential buyers can’t get the gist of what you’re offering as they drive by your storefront at 65mph, they’ll never step foot in your store.

Back then, websites were uncommon, and brick and mortar retail experiences were all the rage. But the same lesson applies to websites. Your visitor owes you absolutely nothing. She’s clicking around at the fire-blasting mouse speed equivalent to 65mph. And if she doesn’t grasp what you offer and feel compelled to bother reading more, she’s hitting the back button and continuing her journey elsewhere.

4. Clarity rules the day.

Before Toms, there were tons of charitable organizations.

Social contributions done by businesses ranged from 5% of profits to 10% of all money raised going to organization x, y, or z.

But Toms made it simple. Every time you buy a pair of shoes, a person in need also gets a pair, too. It was clear. No numbers. No percentages. No veiled intentions.

Avoid getting finicky, overly detailed, or complex. It’ll kill the emotion and put up barriers against your brand's fans.

The simpler you make your offer, the easier your offer is to buy.