Under the hood: How to convert website visitors to customers

We've begun!

The show has been cast and I've now gathered everyone's measurements.

The show I'm talking about is The Addams Family and I've volunteered to be head of costume design.

I know, I know!

You've probably heard me say 'never again' (twice now lol).

But there's something very addictive about solving puzzles and costuming a show is just like that.

It may sound dramatic, but having the 'right' costumes make or break a show.

Costumes help the actor 'feel' and 'be' the character they're playing.

If it doesn't fit properly, or the actor doesn't feel right, then that affects their performance.

I'm lucky because at Rickmansworth Players I have access to a team of about 14 - 16 sewing people of varying skills who can mend, alter and make.

We also have a costume store, where I hope to be able to find suitable costumes that not only look right but also are the right sizes.

In my sewing team are hard core charity shop scavengers who always manage to come up with various items I've asked them for.

It's been over a?year since we ran sewing workshops.

The last run of sewing workshops was to costume Sunset Boulevard (110 costumes for a cast of 40), so everyone in the sewing team is raring to get their sewing boxes out and have a show to costume.

Until you've costumed a show I'm not sure anyone has any idea of the work involved.

I know I certainly didn't before I got involved in costuming my first show, the Lion The Witch the Wardrobe.

When you see a show, it's easy to think that the costumes just somehow, magically appear to be right. - or maybe you don't even give it a thought unless they look wrong!

The reality is that when you're on a tight budget, then there's many hours spent at wardrobe, sewing workshops, charity shop shopping, sourcing, altering and making before the cast even have a fitting.

After their fittings there may be further alterations or we may discover that we need to make something from scratch.

By November, it'll be show-week and all the costumes will be finished and ready for the cast who'll be further inspired to bring their characters to life.

No-one knows how much blood sweat and tears was shed to getting them ready.

Unless they were in the sewing team (or living in my house hearing me say 'never again'!)

It's the same with websites.?

There's more going on behind the scenes that customers would ever know.

Especially a website that smoothly guides a would-be customer to clicking and reading deeper into your website.

Just like having the right costumes to convey a period, the right words resonate with your website visitor and that makes them want to take the next step.

The next step might be to call you, schedule a call, make an online purchase or sign up to your free thing.

And just like a poor costume that doesn't fit the actor, or portray his character or period, if the tech is cumbersome, there's too many steps that they get lost, or there just isn't an obvious next step, then you lose that potential sale or sign up.

The show is a flop, the audience is disappointed.

And in the same way, your potential customer is also disappointed.

And the worst is you may be totally unaware it happened.

So how is your website performing?

Are users dropping off?

Would you even know if they were?

Just like being one of the performers on stage, you can't see the whole performance and where something might be letting you down.

If you'd like me to check over your website and suggest improvements to your customers journey then get in touch.

Set up an are we right for each other call.

Link in comments.