does your website smell like a skunk?
TRANSCRIPT
Does Your
Website
Smell Like
a Skunk?
Too many
websites
repel visitors
like a skunk
They came,
they puked,
they left
Avinash KaushikDigital Marketing Evangelist
How do you
neutralise
a skunk?
Every visitor to your website
wants the answer to
one critical question
“Will this website
solve my problem?”
Every visitor
has 2 voices arguing
in their head
A positive angel
and a miserable devil
Angels look for…
• Reasons to stay
• Rewards and benefits
Devils look for…
• Reasons to leave
• Risks
Your visitors have been
squirted by too many
skunky websites
Skunk Alert!
Reward Risk
So the devil has the
upper hand
Your website has
4 to 8 seconds
to grab visitors’ attention,
or they’ll leave
So a strong
first impression
is vital
When your visitor
believes the
rewards are greater
than the risks, they’ll stay
Reward Risk
Reward must beat risk
But when they think
the risks are too great,
they’ll rush to leave
Reward Risk
Never let risk beat reward
As long as your visitor’s
perceived reward beats
their perceived risk
they’re more likely to act
Reward must beat risk on
every page
Every page must
build or reinforce the
rewards,
or lower the risk
Or you’ll lose visitors
Let’s look at
some
examples
3 Skunk Alerts
1. Immediate rejection
2. Premature proposition
3. Abandoning the goal
1. Immediate
Rejection
Every visitor to your website
wants the answer to
one critical question
Will this website
solve my problem?
They must be given
3 instant answers
to these questions…
1. Where am I?
2. What’s your offer?
3. Why should I choose you?
1. Where am I?
Does what I see on my
screen (without scrolling)
look relevant to my search?
2. What’s your offer?
Does what I see on my
screen (without scrolling)
show me what you
can do for me?
3. Why should I choose you?
Does what I see
on my screen
convince me to stay
and find out more?
Angels win when…
• The page is very relevant
to their search
• Immediate reason to stay
• Positive first impressions
Devils win when…
• Mismatch to their search
• They have to scroll down
• Looks like a waste of
their time…
How to avoid
immediate
rejection
• Your headline
• Your photo
• Your benefits
Weapons to avoid
immediate rejection
Attention grabbing headline
• Your headline is vital
• It’s more important than
design, photos, videos or
anything else
Confidence building photo
The closer your photo is to
the ideal outcome they are
searching for, the more
likely they are to stay
Bullets to hook their interest
• Use captivating bullets
• Explain why your offer is
the best
• Keep it simple
2. Premature
proposition
Buy
Now!!!
Your customer
buys when they
want to buy,
not when you
want to sell
They won’t buy
until their reward
beats the risks
Reward Risk
Reward must beat risk
Too many websites
try to force a sale
before their
visitors are ready
Reward Risk
Risks beat the rewards
Boost the rewards
and
lower the risks
Build their
interest
and desire
Give value to your visitors
• a free video
• a helpful report or
• a free trial…
…in exchange for their e-mail
The aim is to begin a
relationship, so you can build
their trust and confidence
in your service
So that
when they’re
ready to buy
they choose
you
3. Abandoning
the Goal
Is there anything
more frustrating
than leading a visitor to the
brink of taking action
only for them to disappear?
It happens all the time
A website persuades a
visitor to act
Then…
It hits them with
a cold, sinister
payment page
Suddenly there are…
• no rewards
• no reminders of the
benefits
Just a page demanding…
• credit card details
• name and address
• telephone number
Risk
A page that looks too risky
So they leave
How can you
persuade
them to
score?
Reward Risk
Keep reassuring them
Remind them why
completing the action is such
a good decision for them
Lower their risks
• show your guarantee
• add some testimonials
• add a trust icon to prove
your cart is secure
Break an
intimidating
process into
baby steps
Learn from
and remove
distractions
Little baby steps
and every click takes you
closer to buying
There’s no menu on their
checkout pages.
All distractions
have been removed
Let’s
wrap up
If you want to
neutralise
a skunk
Reward Risk
Rewards must beat the risks
Here are
some ideas to
test on your
website
• Headlines
• Photos
• Bullets
• Offers
• Benefits
• Easy next
steps
• Simplicity
Angels Respond to…
• Guarantees
• Social Proof
• Contact
details
• Clarity
• Trust icons
• No hype
• Testimonials
• Fast loading
pages
Devils Are Calmed By…
Thank you.
May your website
have the aroma
of a fresh strawberry
drizzled with melting
chocolate
Steven Hourston
Internet marketing specialist
BusinessSparks.com
+44 207 112 8814