A very odd thing happened this morning. As I was leaving my house, I stepped into my basement and realized the floor was flooded. A large amount of rain this week and a weakened sump pump made for a very wet experience. Once I discovered it, the plans I had for today were immediately changed. I called my insurance company to report a claim. I called a water extraction company to get the drying process started. I sloshed through stuff that I had in storage that I would typically ignore to see what I could save and what had to be thrown out. It was one of those unfortunate experiences that puts everything else on hold until you get it taken care of. Unfortunate, but that is the way life works. So you deal with it.

This experience got me thinking about how people find businesses in a pinch. In particular, I began to think about web sites and how quickly they have to convey key information in short order. I don't need a water extraction and restoration company every day, but I sure needed one today. Beyond search engines, how quickly can someone find what they are looking for on your web site? Studies have shown that on average, people spend less than 15 seconds on a web page. That's not much time for them to catch a marketing message and to take the action you desire. What does your web site have to communicate in order for this to happen?

Be clear about what you do and who you are

When your customer is ready to buy, there is really no time to be subtle. Tell me what you do. Better yet, show me what you do. Do you sell car tires? Show me a photo of your best tire at the top of your home page with your best price. Do you sell tax services? Tell me that up front. "We're the tax specialists" tells me what I am looking for. Don't get too wordy, just get to the point.

There is a time for everything under the sun

I am in the market for a new (and reliable) sump pump today. This is what we refer to as First Time Sales Marketing. I am ready to buy. I don't need to read your blog, I don't need to like you on Facebook, that is the stuffings of Awareness Marketing - where we are trying to get people to know us. First Time Sales Marketing is different. I know what I need and I need it right now. Don't give me the fluff, I just want to know you have good sump pumps for sale. That's it! Make sure your web site is carrying that message. Awareness marketing tactics have their place – see last week’s article "The marketing springboard: How content marketing has become the new leader for sales.” 

Understand the difference between marketing to customers who need to get to know you and those who are needing you to fix something now.

Make sure your call to action is easy to find

How are people to make contact with you when they are ready to buy? Do you want them to click on a shopping cart? Do you want them to fill out a form? Do you want them to call you? Whatever your call to action to complete a sale, make it easy to use and very easy to find. In my emergency this morning, I needed to call someone. I went to the web site for a company that is near my location who did water remediation work. I found their web site and searched for their emergency number. I didn't have time to search their web site for it, I just needed it to be on their home page in a prominent place.

Take a look at your web site. Does it give people who have an emergency an easy way to know what you are selling and an easy way to take action with your company? If not, take the time to make changes. Your future sales depend upon it.