How Your Website Can Screen Clients


by Cathy Goodwin - Date: 2007-01-01 - Word Count: 450 Share This!

We tend to think of copywriting to attract clients.

But one of my missions in life is to wake up lazy, couch potato websites. Your website will become a productive, hard-working citizen when you write copy to attract clients - and also turn away those who aren't right for you.

Marketer Michael Port talks about creating a Red Velvet Rope for your business - as with the most popular happening places, not everyone can be allowed to enter. Learn more.

(1) Use an edgy style to attract like-minded clients who share your sensibilities.

Are you offering a service? You'll need to work with clients who will enjoy the way you think, talk and act. Will they enjoy your off-beat sense of humor? Will they be offended by your references to body parts? Might as well find out now.

While your home page and sales letter don't need to reflect your personality, your ezine, articles and "about" page should hold some not-so-subtle clues.

(2) Declare your values.

Okay, I'll be honest. I love appointments. I hate drop-in anything.

I'm not spatially organized. I work surrounded by mysterious piles of paper and my decorating scheme is Martha Stewart's worst nightmare.

But temporally I tend to work with little square boxes. If we have a 3 PM appointment, and you call me at the last minute to ask, "Can I call at 4 instead," I won't be a happy camper. So it's important for me to share these values when a client wants to work with me.

You may choose to keep your "services" page positive and welcoming to all, rather than scare away prospects with negative warnings.

But you can create web site copy, autoresponders and customized flyers to clarify your policies before investing huge amounts of time.

(3) Be direct.

Increasingly we're seeing sales pages that come with a warning, "This product is not for everybody."

For example, I sell an information product to help marketers stand out from the clutter and earn money by writing online book reviews. You won't get paid by the online bookstore. But you can choose books and reviewing styles to attract clients and buyers. Click here.

But as I say, this method isn't for everyone. You have to enjoy reading and writing. You must be self-motivated.

Marketers who offer coaching programs increasingly say, "Don't other to sign up if you're a whiner or complainer." They're not kidding.

Few of us will hold up our hands and say, "Sure, I'm a whiner. I guess I don't belong in that program."

But what's happened? Clients walk in with expectations. When they're tempted to whine (and we all are, every so often) they'll stop. Or you can stop them.

And hopefully you're delivering what you promised and you've created a good match between yourself and those who hire you.


Related Tags: internet marketing, copywriting, marketing strategy, website marketing, entrepreneurship, client attrac

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., helps service professionals who want to sell themselves without sounding sales-y. See http://www.makewritingpay.com Download the 7 best-kept secrets of client-attracting copy when you subscribe to the weekly Copy-Cat Ezine: http://www.makewritingpay.com/subscribe.html

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