Maxwell DeMille’s Cicada Club
May 21, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
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17 Website Design Mistakes That Kill Your Sales - Part two
May 15, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
By Ben Hart
I have assembled here a checklist of 17 mistakes to avoid when designing your website if your primary goal is to make money with your website.
Mistake #9 – Frames
Don’t use frames in your website. Search engines don’t like them. They also increase the time it takes for your site to load. Pages using frames often can’t be printed. Not all browsers support frames – especially the older versions of browsers. If you reader likes an article they read in a frame, they often can’t book mark it.
Mistake #10 – “Mystery Meat” Navigation
This term, I believe, was coined by Vincent Flanders who runs a good site on website design provocatively called www.webpagesthatsuck.com.
The term “mystery meat” refers to processed meat (i.e. hotdogs, baloney and school cafeteria meat) where you have no idea what’s really in the meat. Flanders is referring to navigation buttons on websites that don’t tell you where they will take you.
Mystery meat is also produced by links that don’t explain what they are until your mouse rolls over them. Website designers love these rollover links because they look cool. But they create frustration for the site visitor. Make it easy for visitors to know instantly what your site is about and where the link s will take them.
Imagine if you could not read a road sign until you got out of your car and kicked it. Then the instruction would flash into view. Navigation links should be like road signs, telling your reader exactly what will happen if she clicks on the link.
Mistake #11 – Navigation Buttons in Odd Locations
This is another favorite trick of site designers trying to show how artsy they are. They put navigation buttons in strange locations – behind balloons, floating around in the air, or sideways so you have to twist your head to read them.
This is like putting the Table of Contents somewhere in the middle of the book or maybe inside the dust jacket instead of at the front of the book where you expect to find the Table of Contents. Put the main site navigation buttons where you’d expect to find them – either along the top of the page (preferred) or down the left side of the page.
Mistake #12 – Confusing Navigation Structure
Don’t require your visitor to have to figure out how to get around your site, like a puzzle to be solved. Have a simple, clear navigation structure.
It’s frustrating for visitors not to easily be able to find what they are looking for on your site, or to know exactly where they are going when they hit a link. The visitor then gets lost in your site and can’t figure out how to get back to the original starting point. Imagine if a grocery store had no rhyme or reason to how it organized its products – just put products on the shelves randomly. Lots of sites are organized like that. Actually, it’s lack of organization.
Too many links on your home page also creates a “mystery meat” effect by confusing your visitor. Have no more than eight buttons on the index of your home page. Fewer than eight is better.
Mistake #13 - Music
Unless you are a band selling a song, having music start playing automatically when your visitor reaches your home page is a very bad idea. It’s cheesy and screams “high school. A kid must have designed this site.” Plus people have their own tastes in music – most of them different than yours. Having music play on the home page of your site might be just about the fastest way to cause the majority of your visitors to hit the exit button as fast as they can.
Mistake #14 – “This site requires [browser name] version x or higher.”
Imagine if you have a TV that’s not configured for High Definition and every channel you turned to required High Definition TVs. I don’t watch much TV, so that’s what my TV is like. Don’t require your visitors to have the latest, greatest, most up-to-date browser. Your site should be designed for your low-tech visitors. Not everyone keeps up to speed with the latest.
As I write these words, nearly half of America still uses dial-up for the Internet connection. Not everyone lives on the Internet. They use the Internet to send and read email, check sports scores and do a little research sometimes. Make your site accessible to them.
Mistake #15 – Too much Java Script
About 10 percent of people do not enable Java Script on their computers. So you should design your website so that it can be read and enjoyed by these people.
Now, you might need some Java Script on your site for sign-up forms and other interactive features. But use Java Script sparingly. Search engines don’t like to see too much Java Script.
Java Script is sometimes used by crooks to hijack information in browsers and other dastardly purposes. Java script is also used for pop-up ads, to change the appearance of scroll bars, to create rollover navigation (“mystery meat” navigation) and other annoyances. JavaScript is a very powerful tool. Judicious use of it can enhance the appearance and usability of your site. Use it poorly and you’ll annoy your visitors and the search engines. If you are running a Google AdWords campaign, a Java Script pop-up ad on your site can cause Google to disable your Google ad campaign.
Mistake #16 - Absolute Font Sizes
Do not set your font sizes with absolute values (i.e. 12pt, 15px, etc). Instead, use the relative sizing that HTML supports: +1, -1, etc. or small, x-small, etc. in CSS. Doing this will allow the user to increase or decrease the size at which the text appears in their browser. Users who have poor vision or high-resolution screens will thank you for it.
Mistake #17 – Making it too difficult to buy
Make it as easy to buy from you as possible. Sites often require too much information from the buyer. And filling out the order form is a multi-click process. The first page you provide your name and email address. The next page you provide your address. The next page you provide your credit card information. The process takes too danged long. There’s too much friction.
Half the people who are trying to buy abandon the process half way through. It’s just too danged difficult. People shop on the Internet primarily because it’s convenient.
Always strive to reduce friction to buying. Amazon’s one-click purchase system is one of the best at this. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos says the one-click purchase system Amazon pioneered is one of the secrets to Amazon’s success. Make buying super-easy and super-simple.
You can also choose various levels of credit card verification. You can require an exact match of your buyers name, address and phone number, a CVS number, plus throw in another verification code or two. Or you can require just credit card number and expiration date. That’s all I require – a credit card number and an expiration date.
Because I choose the lowest level of verification (just card number and verification date) I pay a higher transaction fee (about 1.5% higher) than if I required all the other possible verification steps. But I cut way down on my shopping cart abandonment rate. I get more sales. I have yet to have anyone claim fraudulent use of their credit card. My gut tells me all the panic over identify theft is overblown — just like the Y2K scare never materialized, and most other scare mongering.
Now, I realize my sites are pretty ugly. They are not going to win any “design awards” — which go to the prettiest sites. I’m no graphic artist. But my sites do generate $87,000 in sales per month for me. So they do a good job of selling.
Still . . . as I review my list of 17 mistakes, I see indeed that my sites have some of these problems. I can see that I need to retool. Mostly I need to simplify. Always strive to simplify your site.
Seventeen reasons people buy - Part Two
May 15, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
By Ben Hart
The #1 reason people buy
In the previous section (Part One) I list 17 motives fueling the desire of people to buy something. But almost all of these can be recast and placed under one motive.
The most powerful motive of all is fear.
People are very insecure about their place in life. Are people searching for love, or are they more afraid of ending up alone? Stopping something bad from happening is always a more powerful motivator than causing something good to happen. I exercise not so I can look like Mr. Universe, but because I fear looking like Jabba the Hut. I want to make more money not so I can buy more things, but mostly to guard against going broke.
I use Rogaine because I fear losing all my hair. I’ve lost most of my hair anyway, and I don’t think the stuff works. But I fear what might happen if I stop using it, so I keep buying the junk. I think I’ll just shave my head and rid myself of that concern once and for all.
Desire for power is a subset of fear. So is anger. People are angry because they are not in control. Short people (i.e. Hitler, Stalin, Napoleon, Mao Tse Tung, Pol Pot) seem more interested in power than tall people (Thomas Jefferson, George Washington). People want power and get angry mostly because they are insecure—which is a variation of the fear motive.
Your sales letters will perform far better if you talk about, or imply, all the bad things that will happen to your reader if he fails to answer your letter. If you receive a letter from the IRS or an attorney, you are very likely to open it—far more likely than a letter from Bloomingdales.
People fear the IRS, fear lawsuits, fear getting older, fear dying, fear failing, fear loneliness, fear nature, fear getting sick, fear God, fear going to Hell, fear being left behind or left out, and fear being fired. They fear not keeping up with the Joneses, fear not amounting to anything in life, fear for their kids, fear not being understood, fear other people, fear walking down the street, and just generally fear life. Woody Allen built a career on making movies about people’s fears, insecurities, and neuroses.
The news media sells almost nothing but fear, because news organizations know that fear sells.
Rarely do we hear a positive news story. Mostly we hear stories about disasters, crimes, wars, typhoons, disease. People contribute to causes mostly because they want to stop something bad from happening.
How does the car salesman stop you from walking out of the showroom?
“Another guy also loved this car and says he’ll be back later today with his down payment. If you don’t buy it now, this car will be gone this evening.”
Or . . .
“This deal I’m offering you expires at the end of the month, which is today. We’re actually losing money on this price. We’re only offering this price today so we can meet our sales quota for the month because if we meet our quota, we get a bonus from GM.”
I’m sure you’ve heard these or similar pitches before.
The salesman is using fear (your fear of losing out) as a way to persuade you to make an immediate decision.
People buy not so much to gain something, but because they fear losing something important if they don’t buy.
Key Elements of a Good Headline
1) Grabs Attention
2) Creates Intrigue
3) Makes a Huge Promise
4) Irresistible Offer
5) Specific
126 Headlines That Have Generated Billions of Dollars in Sales
INSTRUCTIONS: Just pattern your headlines after these greatest-ever headlines and watch your sales zoom skyward.
How I Improved My Memory In One Evening
How To Win Friends And Influence People
Corns Gone in Five Days, Or Money Back
1,000 Songs in Your Pocket
HEADON: Apply It Directly To Your Forehead
They Laughed When I Sat Down At The Piano — But When I Started To Play!
The Secret Of Making People Like You
To People Who Want To Write — But Can’t Get Started
How A “Fool Stunt” Made Me A Star Salesman
Does Your Child Ever Embarrass You?
Do You Make These Mistakes In English?
The 13 Biggest Mistakes You Could Make As The Parent Of A Teen
Never Accept A Real Estate Contract That Contains These 5 Words
A Little Mistake That Cost A Farmer $3,000 A Year
How Much Is ‘Worker Tension’ Costing Your Company?
5 Ways Even Good Lawyers Steal From Clients
The Child Who Won The Hearts Of All
The #1 Most Common Goof In Buying A House
Six Types Of Investors:
Which Group Are You In?
What The Eye Surgeons Don’t Want You To Know
Can You Spot These 7 Common Decorating Sins?
The 10 Habits That Keep People Poor And The 12 That Can Make You Rich
How To Avoid A Speeding Ticket Without Slowing Down
One Place Setting Free For Every Three You Buy!
Free Book:
Tells You Twelve Secrets Of Better Lawn Care
Five Familiar Skin Troubles:
Which Do You Want To Overcome?
What Everybody Ought To Know About This Stock And Bond Business
A Challenge To Women Who Would Never Dream Of Serving Margarine
A Dozen Dirty Tricks Of New Car Dealers. Some Are Totally Undetectable — Unless You Know What To Look For
The Biggest Problems You’ll Have With Most Plumbers…
And How __________ Overcomes Them All.
Nobody Should Be Allowed To Have Anything To Do With Advertising Until They’ve Read This Book At Least 7 Times
Major Diet Plans: Which Ones Actually Work…And Which Ones Are Guaranteed To Torture You, Cost A Fortune, And Leave You Fatter
I Was Shocked And Embarrassed When I Found Out That Home Remodeling Was Labeled America’s #1 Most Complained-About Industry
Free Comprehensive Real Estate Property Survey Allows You To Compare & Price Out Every Single Possible Available Site… Without Talking To A Broker
Should An Experienced Traveler Like You Fly With A New Airline Like Us?
Three Fairy Tales You’ll Hear From Brokers… Even Honest Ones
How I Made A Fortune With A ‘Fool Idea’
How Often Do You Hear Yourself Saying: ‘No, I Haven’t Read It: I’ve Been Meaning To!’
Four Quick Questions Will Reveal A Chiropractor’s Operating Philosophy. Ask Them, And Save
Do You Really Want The Lowest Bidding Temp Agency To Provide Employees For Your Million Dollar Project?
Whose Fault Is It When Children Disobey?
Six Closely Guarded Secrets Of The Diamond Industry… Revealed At Last
How To Do Your Christmas Shopping In 5 Minutes
Free To High School Teachers–$6 To Others
Who Ever Heard Of A Woman Losing Weight — And Enjoying Delicious Meals At The Same Time?
It’s A Shame For You Not To Make Good Money — When These Men Do It So Easily
What Nobody Ever Tells You About _______________.
Profits That Lie Hidden In Your Farm
Do You Have These Symptoms Of Nerve Exhaustion?
Men Who ‘Know It All’ Are Not Invited To Read This Page
Is The Life Of A Child Worth $1 To You?
For The Woman Who Is Older Than She Looks
To Men Who Want To Quit Work Someday
The Best Color To Paint Your House For Faster Sale
If Your Pharmacist Goofs, You Could Be Dead.
How To Protect Yourself–Takes Just 3 Seconds
7 Fast Ways To Stop A Headache…Without Drugs
Pierced By 301 Nails….Retains Full Air Pressure
Why Some People Almost Always Make Money In The Stock Market
The Average Hospital Bill Has $600 In Phony Charges.
Take These 10 Defensive Measures, And You’ll Save Way More Than $600
5 Overlooked Deductions For Salaried Executives
The Most Common Tax Mistake (You’re Probably Making It Now)
Discover The Fortune That Lies Hidden In Your Salary
Mess Up Your Tax Return? Here’s 4 Excuses That Work With The IRS …
And 3 That Don’t
The 4 Grim Facts Of Life About Lawsuits:
Don’t Go Into Business Until You Memorize Them
Do You Do Any Of These Ten Embarrassing Things?
What To Do For Aging Parents: 4 Options That Beat The Socks Off A Nursing Home … Or Having Them Move In With You
Hands That Look Lovelier In 24 Hours — Or Your Money Back
Play Guitar In 7 Days Or Your Money Back
Thousands Now Play Who Never Thought They Could
The Crimes We Commit Against Our Stomachs
Little Leaks That Keep Men Poor
Here’s A Quick Way To Break Up A Cold
Former Barber Earns $8,000 In Four Months As Real Estate Specialist
If You Were Given $200,000 To Spend, Isn’t This The Kind Of ___________ You Would Build?
Last Friday…Was I Scared! My Boss Almost Fired Me!
Speed On The Internet: Two Questions That Other Providers Hope You’ll Never Ask Them
When Doctors ‘Feel Rotten’ This Is What They Do
Own A Gold Mastercard? A Premier Visa? Not After You Read This, You Won’t!
”I Lost My Bulges…And Saved Money, Too”
Save Money By Knowing How Supermarkets Trick You Into Buying Higher Priced Items
Where You Can Go In A Good Used Car
Check The Kind Of Body You Want
Doctors: Put An Easy $341,450 In Your Pocket Every 12 Months… Without Doing Anything More Than You’re Doing Right Now
Imagine Me…Holding An Audience Spellbound For 30 Minutes
If You’re Planning On Spending $2,500 On A Diamond Engagement Ring, I’ll Send You Home With Either A Ring Worth $4,100, Or $1,000 Cash Still In Your Pocket
The Big Hairy Secret That Big-Name Brokerage Houses Don’t Want You To Know About Their Mutual Fund Selection Process (Hint: They Don’t Have A Process)
76 Reasons Why It Would Have Paid You To Answer Our Ad A Few Months Ago
Money-Saving Bargains From America’s Diamond Discount House
Are You Ever Tongue-Tied At A Party?
How A New Discovery Made A Plain Girl Beautiful
A Building Flaw That Can Cost You $10,000 In Resale Value If You Buy From The Wrong Builder.
You Can Laugh At Money Worries — If You Follow This Simple Plan
You’ve Got The Ugliest Kids I’ve Ever Seen In My Life (That’s What They’ll Say If You Get Caught Using The Wrong Photographer)
Here’s A Quick Way To Break Up A Cold
Innovative Wall Building System Makes Homes “Fly Off The Shelf”
How Often Do You Hear Yourself Saying: “No, I Haven’t Read It: I’ve Been Meaning To!”
Protect Yourself From Being Burned By IT Candidates Who Over-Represent Their Skill Level
If You’re Renting A Home Or Apartment With A Payment As Little As $550, You Can Qualify For A Brand New Home In Just 6 To 18 Months
Advice To Wives Whose Husbands Don’t Save Money — By A Wife
How Much Should You Pay For A Good Pair Of Binoculars?
Double Your Reading Speed In 16 Minutes
How To Cram Eight Hours Of Classroom Computer Training Into One Easy 75-Minute Session…At Your Home Or Office
Today…Add $10,000 To Your Estate — For The Price Of A New Hat
Doctors Prove 2 Out Of 3 Women Can Have More Beautiful Skin In 14 Days
How Much Is “Worker Tension” Costing Your Company?
Who Ever Heard Of A Woman Losing Weight — And Enjoying 3 Delicious Meals At The Same Time?
The Man With The “Grasshopper Mind”
Thousands Have This Priceless Gift — But Never Discover It!
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161 New Ways To A Man’s Heart — In This Fascinating Book For Cooks
How to Survive An IRS Audit If You’ve Been A Sloppy Record-Keeper
$80,000 In Prizes! Help Us Find The Name For These New Kitchens
Are They Being Promoted Right Over Your Head?
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A Wonderful Two Years’ Trip At Full Pay —
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Now! Own Florida Land This Easy Way…$10 Down And $10 A Month
Right And Wrong Farming Methods —
And Little Pointers That Will Increase Your Profits
There’s Another Woman Waiting For Every Man —
And She’s Too Smart To Have “Morning Mouth”
How to Stop Your Divorce
Greatest Gold-Mine Of Easy “Things-To-Make” Ever Crammed Into One Big Book
Something You Probably Didn’t Know About Rolex Watches
It Seems Incredible That You Can Offer These Signed Original Etchings -For Only $5 Each
How A New Kind Of Clay Improved My Complexion In 30 Minutes
How to Make Yourself Lawsuit-Proof
9 Red Flags That Can Trigger An IRS Audit!!
Enjoy!
