A 3 Step Plan To Make The Internet Really Useful
A 3 Step Plan To Make The Internet Really Useful
Step 2 Making It Worth The Trip
Step 2 Making It Worth The Trip
(For
(For
Them)
Them)
Educational
Educational
&
&
Easy
Easy
To
To
Use
Use
FAQs, Simple & Clear Navigation, Explanations in English
FAQs, Simple & Clear Navigation, Explanations in English
Entertaining
Entertaining
/
/
Interactive
Interactive
Golf Quiz, Fun Facts, Stock Quotes
Golf Quiz, Fun Facts, Stock Quotes
Relevant
Relevant
Interests
Interests
Stock Quotes, Local Community Events or Weather, IRS Links
Stock Quotes, Local Community Events or Weather, IRS Links
Personalized
Personalized
Your Community Involvement, Background, Goals, Family Photos
Your Community Involvement, Background, Goals, Family Photos
Current
Current
&
&
Fresh
Fresh
Content
Content
Why Would They Come Back To Your Site?
Why Would They Come Back To Your Site?
Let's move on to making it worth the trip for your visitor. Think of yourself what makes it worth your while when
YOU are the consumer looking for something? Usually, what you want is simple the answer to the question that made
you search in the first place. Education is a tremendous benefit that should not be overlooked.
EDUCATIONAL & EASY TO USE
Again, think of yourself as a consumer searching the web. What is the most frustrating thing? Going through all the effort
and time only to discover that the site doesn't have the information you were looking for. Consumers want answers to
their questions right now, that's why they are browsing in the first place. They are accustomed to getting free information
from the Internet, and they will look at your site for all of two seconds before they click away if you have nothing to offer
them. On the other hand, if you have a site packed with educational content, they will be thinking, Ah, finally found
what I was looking for.
Additionally, make it EASY to use. Simple navigation with only a few choices. Clean, simple, to the point main/welcome
page. Don't overwhelm people with choices from the beginning give them a SITE MAP and good sub topic
organization instead. If you require that your visitors have flash or the most recent version of quicktime or Acrobat
Reader to use your site, you are creating reasons for them NOT to stay at your site. You should ALWAYS try and create
a means for your visitors to IMMEDIATELY continue viewing your site if you are using plugins. For example, if you use
quicktime seminars, also provide web page text only transcriptions. If you are using flash animations, include a link for
non flash site. If you are using PDF files that require the newest version of Acrobat Reader, try to include web page
versions of the same thing.
ENTERTAINING/INTERACTIVE
Although it's not necessary, creating either entertaining or interactive places on your site can help foster a down to
earth quality for your visitors. If your hobby is golf, for example, put up a golf quiz entitled, How much do you know
about golf? just for fun. Make it into a form that people submit to you (which politely asks for their email address and
promises they won't be spamed). If no one fills it out, no big deal. If someone does, you suddenly have an email and lead.
Maybe offer a monthly drawing of those who fill out the form winners get a free consultation or whatever else you want
to offer. The point is, ENTICE VISITORS TO CONTACT YOU. How? Ask yourself why you would bother to fill out a
form on someone's web site.
FRESH CONTENT
Our web site service provides you with constant updates and new content (updated tax information, new estate planning
articles on a regular basis, etc.), but it is still important that you do everything in your power to create "fresh content."
This is content that is updated every day, week, month or quarter. This kind of content can bring people BACK to your
site and make other sites more interested in linking to yours. Your "blank pages" and "Interactive Forms" (on our service)
provide a great opportunity for you to explore this. Some of the ideas below make your site more "interactive," which
allows people to actively do something on your site. This can be a powerful tool, which you should explore. The best site
are a good mix of educational content and interactive areas.
Here are a few suggestions that you can put online in just a few minutes:
1. Quarterly raffle at your site for a prize (tickets to a local sports event or production)
2. Monthly/weekly coupons for discounted services offered only at your site
3. Small gift for bringing a friend/family member into your office as a new client
4. Daily quotes from stock market
5. Daily/monthly estate planning "hot topics
6. Quote of the day (break out the newspaper or your college philosophy book)
7. Excerpts from your last seminar for people who missed the discussion
8. Answers to questions you are asked most often (FAQs)
9. Links to local estate planning resources you ve come across
10. Create FUN forms for people to fill out on your site. Not only will they enjoy themselves, but you will receive email
from people!
11. Create USEFUL forms for people to fill out on your site. Financial Organizers, Questionnaires, and other things that
will save you and your clients time.
1993 2004 by Schumacher Publishing, Inc.
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