What has this got to do with my online business? There’s a method to my madness so stay with me.
For those of you who say “hey, what have you got against women, babies and dogs?” Here’s my personal message for you…
(note to Politically Correct types:) “Kiss my butt.” I’m not politically correct and proud of it. Let me state from the outset that I’m not slamming babies, dogs or breastfeeding. I happen to love babies, dogs and … well, you get my drift.
But have you ever tried to carry on a conversation about a serious subject with a person with screaming kids or barking dogs in the background?
How does it make you feel? Frustrated? Confused? Un-focused?
It’s hard to have a half way decent discussion isn’t it? Please allow me to draw this analogy, I believe you’ll know where I’m heading.
Do You Distract Your Visitors?
Website, newsletter, email and blog authors distract their visitors and subscribers in much the say way. Those distractions appear in the form of off site buttons, click now, go here, go there, or they slap up 5 different affiliate programs on the same page. Ever seen a website like that? Maybe you know someone personally who does this?
There are at least 2 pages on your website that you don’t want screaming kids, barking dogs or public breastfeeding. It will kill your business. Can you guess which types of pages? A sales page or opt-in page.
We need to ask this question before we write our first word on anything we create. What do I want my visitor/subscriber to do on this page? Visit here and see if you can guess what I want my site visitor to do.
If it’s just a page of content to educate, inform, or entertain, of course you want navigation buttons or Adsense adds if there is no other way to monetize. This is why we create valuable content. We want people to browse around and get to see our stuff.
But when it comes time to get their attention on subscribing or buying we need to send them in one direction with no distractions.
Caution: Screaming Baby Onboard:
Did you know that if you offer your site visitor more than one offer per page or email you’ve just created a screaming baby? It’s one more distraction that confuses your reader.
For some reason we think we need to plaster all kinds of offers to earn money and all we’re really doing is creating confusion. I think I know why we do this. I call it the “spaghetti on the wall” theory or the “shotgun” approach. We want our site visitors to buy something… anything. Just load up your pages with offers. The more offers the better, right? Wrong.
When your sales page has 14 buttons on the menu or adsense adds pasted all over the page, you might as well have a barking dog or screaming baby in the background. You might as well just whip out your breast and start feeding the screaming baby and shout… “Hey site visitor, here’s another one in your face!”
I’ve come across websites that made me feel like I was in the middle of Walmart on Christmas Eve. Litter in every isle. People tripping over each other and massive confusion. I leave and come back when it is less busy. Do you really want your site visitors to do that? Please don’t allow your site visitors to leave your site feeling that way.
The Power of Focus:
When we allow barking dogs and screaming babies, we lose the power of focus. Our site visitor loses the power of focus in making a decision.
So, if your purpose on your opt-in page is to get subscribers to your newsletter, get rid of all your buttons on your opt in page, adsense ads, click here to read about me links, and anything else that has anything to do with anything other than getting them to sign up for your newsletter if that is your Most Wanted Response (MWR).
Make sense? If not, here’s an example.
What about newsletter testimonials? Would that be a good thing to have on your opt in page? Yes. Why? It’s about your newsletter. It help leads your site visitor to do what? Make a decision. Sign up! Do you know how insane it is to mention your product or service you sell on your newsletter opt-in page? If they head over to the sales page, you just lost a subscriber. That’s not good, even if you make the sale. Why? You can’t sell anymore good stuff to them. Get them on your list and then direct them to your sales page.
Your site visitor will appreciate you for making their choices easier and your bank account will thank you too!
As to those of you who feel there’s nothing wrong with breastfeeding your babies in public (because of some argument about it being natural)… please don’t bookmark this site and don’t come back to my blog. You have no chance of building a successful online business and you’ll never really get it anyway.
Until next time.
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I read a lot of blogs recently and yours is one of the best. I enjoy reading your posts – clear and well written. Your page goes straight to my bookmarks. I got some nice inspirational thoughts after reading it.
Well now, such a wonderfull experience it has been checking out a blog like this. So I thought I should make a post. This blog was recommended to me by someone I work with so based on that I thought I should get myself over here & check it over and yes, I agree… good stuff. There are so many sites out there that are just plain boring and it’s heartwarming to see someone putting in the effort to get it right, don’t stop doin’ it.