Introduction

It takes more than mere information to engage website visitors. They need a reason to make an inquiry, subscribe to your newsletter, or buy your product. So how can you get the visitor to stop skirting around the edges and come right on in? Take a look at the following 10 ways that can help convert your site visitors to leads.

1. Improve your Web Copy
As with all good web copy, trim the fat and give them the cold hard facts. Visitors want to know how the service or product will fulfill their want or need. Compelling, interactive, well written content will pull the reader in. How can you make sure you have good web copy? Follow some of the basic principles of good copywriting and you'll be fine. Make the copy concise, and speak to the target audience. Remove all the hyped up marketing lingo such as 'we have a fantastic product' and 'we've had overwhelming results.'

2. It's About the Customer
Everyone wants to know "What's in it for me?" The customer may have a problem and want a solution, or they are looking to invest in a product but need to be convinced it's a good choice. Your goal here? Show them the solution. Tell them the benefits of the product or service, rather than highlighting the features. The features won't get their problem solved or make the sale, but the benefits will.

3. Be Approachable
Use an active and friendly voice to engage the customer and keep them motivated to continue through the process of clicking on your newsletter link or making a sale. An active voice is energetic and approachable, and ultimately, it's more personal.

4. Trust is a factor
Trust is a big factor, so create plenty to go around. A visitor can't see you, so the issue of trust is even more important on the internet. I'm paid every day by a person I have never met, now that's trust! How do I know I could trust him? The first time I worked with him, he outlined the process and followed through with my expectations: I was paid on time and in full.

If you are exchanging personal information online, privacy also comes into play. Assure customers you will maintain their privacy. Tell them why you are collecting data and make them aware of what you are using it for. Place your privacy policy on your website so it can be clearly accessed. And if you are engaging in online sales, increase the trust factor by offering a variety of ways to order your product, such as via email, by phone, over a secure payment system such as Paypal.

5. Look professional
Almost half of website sales are lost because the website fails to provide the trust test with the customer. A website with an unprofessional look and feel makes the customer uneasy and gives the illusion that you are not trustworthy. Bye, bye sale.

6. Make an offer
Make the customer an offer they can't refuse. Provide them with something for free, such as an information package or set of articles: For example:

•5 great advantages to using a virtual assistant at invesp.com. Receive our special report on 5 advantages that will reduce your expenses and increase your bottom line.

•The best web copy ever in a short time with a small investment. Join our "VIP Club" at www. invesp.com to beat others with new killer web copy.

7. Position yourself
Tell the customer what makes you special and different from the other guy. Why should they do business with you? For example, my position as a writer is that I am diverse and able to write in a variety of mediums. This makes me unique, because some writers love writing copy but hate writing proposals, or they'll write a sales pitch but won't write a sales manual. Stand for something and make it known.

8. Forms
Give the customer a reason to fill out a form or sign up for a newsletter as a way to continue to communicate with you. Once you have their permission to contact them, you can start offering tools, information, and benefits to communicating with you. Maybe you are sending them information packages, or keeping them in the loop with special offers. Whatever it is, getting them to sign up will increase the likelihood of a lead.

9. Maintain loyalty
You can build and maintain customer loyalty in a variety of ways. Perhaps one of the most important way is to keep your promises. Are you offering a durable product with free shipping or a solid service with a money back guarantee? Stick to your promise and follow through and your customer will remember it. All customers like to be valued, and value builds loyalty.

10. Track it
Track what your customers are looking for. Did they find their information or product? Ask them how they got to you? What words did they use to search and find you? Ask the customer what they liked and what distracted them. Your customer is a great tool to gauge success. Use it.