Is Your Web Site Lying
To Your Visitors?
The judge’s question was, "How do you plead to counts 1 and 2?" The adamant reply was, " Absolutely, positively, 100% not
guilty." by OJ Simpson.
More on Mr. Simpson later….
When a visitor arrives at your web site you must communicate not
only what you offer, but that you are trustworthy.
Pictures Are Cute, But Words Sell
"A picture is worth a thousand words," goes the famous adage.
But if pictures were really that effective, wouldn't your entire
web site be pictures? The picture is the "cover to your book" --
it is how your visitors judge initially judge you to see if you
"look professional" enough to merit their investment of time in
your site.
Your words (i.e. your content) are the tools you use to
communicate information about your business and what you offer.
Your words are what determine if you convert a visitor into a
customer.
What Are You Communicating With Your Words?
The way you utilize your words; directly impacts your revenue.
Assuming you have comparable interest rates, if you are
masterful with your wording, you will receive substantial
revenues. If your wording is poor and fails to convey
information about you (i.e. your company and your rates), you
will have poor results.
What Makes These Famous Quotes Memorable?
"I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life
I have never obstructed justice. People have got to know whether
or not their President is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've
earned everything I've got." President Richard Nixon
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky.
I never told anyone to lie. Not a single time. Never. These
allegations are false. I need to go back to work." President
Bill Clinton
What these comments, including OJ's, have in common is that they
all are the start of a complex argument to convince others that
they are "innocent." Notice I said "convince," not convey.
Convince Or Convey?
Many lie detector experts and law enforcement officers purport
that you can tell when someone is lying if they try to convince
you that they are not lying rather than convey the truth. Also
they indicate that when the person answering the questions goes
off on a tangent and fails to directly respond to the question
can show intent to deceive.
Here is an example of convincing vs. conveying: A wife surprises
her husband by meeting him in the parking lot at his work at 5pm
and says, "I thought you said you were going to work late. Where
are you going?" He replies, "I have to go a clients office." She
screams, "Are you having an affair?" He looks away and says,
"Now baby, you know I wouldn't do that. We have a beautiful
child, a wonderful home and your mother is such a joy around the
house." (Well, maybe not the mother-in-law part unless he really
is lying).\
You can see how the husband was 1) not directly answering the
question directly with a yes or no; and 2) convincing her that
he wasn't fooling around. A conveying answer might have been,
"No, I am not. I am sorry that you would feel that you would
have to ask me that. But anyways, come with me to meet the
client." |
Which Brings Us to Your Web Site
When people arrive at your web site, at the very top of EACH AND
EVERY web page, you need to convey, succinctly what that
specific page is about and how you can benefit your visitor. In
example, if you have a VA mortgage page, you might convey the
following, "We offer VA mortgages to eligible veterans (and we
can help you determine your eligibility). If you have looked
around for a VA mortgage you probably have found out that every
company offers the same rate, so you should look to customer
service and experience to help you finance your new home. We
have closed over 1,000 VA mortgages in the past three years and
we are here to serve you."
Was OJ Convincing Or Conveying?
Back to Mr. Simpson. Author Gerry Spence in his book 'OJ The
Last Word' writes about a discussion he had with OJ: "'And I
just wanted you to know that I am innocent. Absolutely innocent.
There is nothing about what they say that's true. I loved
Nicole. I wouldn't do anything to the mother of my children. You
got to believe that.' And then he went on about how he had never
done anything to harm her. They'd had their beefs like other
married people, but he loved her, they were trying to get back
together."
Note that he doesn't say, "I did not kill her", but he says,
"And I just wanted you to know that I am innocent." And he tries
to do a whole lot of convincing.
If you now go to your site and read your words with the same
scrutiny you just read OJ's comments, you might find a few areas
that could be converted to more accurately convey who you are
and what you do to your visitors.
What You Can Do To Convey
Here is a quick check list of items you should include on your
web site to convey who you are and what you can do for your
visitors:
- Show your rates, not only for good credit customers but for
bad credit risks as well.
- Have information on your company.
- Show a real address, not a PO Box.
- Include both the main business number and your toll free
number.
- Use an email address that matches your domain name, i.e., not MortgageGal@hotmail.com,
but Robert@MortgagePromote.com
Was OJ Innocent?Even though OJ was found "not guilty" by the jury, many people
believe he was guilty. His words and actions to some; indicate
that he was not being truthful.
It is the same with your web site, you must convey exactly who
you are and what you can do for your visitors in an open and
complete manner. The jury may let OJ off, but I doubt that your
visitors will be so kind if they don't believe the message in
your content.
Rod Aries and Robert Farris are co-founders of MortgagePromote.com, a leading Internet marketing provider to corporate mortgage clients. On request, they conduct nationwide training seminars covering Internet marketing strategies, lead generation, web site development techniques and more. Web site: www.mortgagepromote.com
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