Exactly Who Is Your
'Home Page' About?

Earlier today I joined in a discussion on a Web Builders discussion group and they were discussing the 'Home Page' and also an 'About Us' page elsewhere on the site and someone wrote:

"Actually, I like to go to "About Us" pages to find out about a company's management team or about their experience.... I guess it depends on the type of company".

I thought that part of my response might be useful to you. So ... here is an extract.

But I think it depends not upon the company but upon WHAT is the purpose of the website. Why is it there, what are the objectives?

Let me explain what I mean.

If it's 'merely' a site to generally provide information about something or someone, a information site, a portfolio, a vanity site, brand support, then the 'traditional site structure (About us, Our History, Our Staff, Location, Our Products and Services, Legal Stuff, Contact Us) is fine. In a way, it doesn't matter too much where information is and how it's structured. What matters is precisely how it is organised so visitores are taken by the hand and led through in an organised way.

It must be presumed with these kinds of site that the visitor is already interested enough to go there, be there, and that they are (for some reason) hungry for information.

But it is my belief (and that of the new Internet Marketers) that what most sites want is to SELL* and that they are not designed or structured to do that. This is why some new businesses (who do know what they are doing) are shaking the weak foundations of offline businesses.

Go to Amazon ... you don't see upfront a load of stuff about the company, the location, the board members or even their history! I'm not even sure you'll find it anywhere there.

So .... if the purpose is to sell* then this structure is not going to optimize that process at all. For a start, it doesn't 'capture' the visitor as the first step. If they don't see something that answers their 'pain' .... they're gone!

If your site uses words like "I" and "we" more than "you" ..... perhaps it's time for a rethink. Why not go and count yours now! Then compare with how many times you say "you". So NOW who are you talking about? You or them? You = features. Them = benefits!

* "Sell" could be anything: product, service, membership, beliefs, security, safety, religion, resources, country ...........

One more thing for now (before I go and put my flame protector on!):

Having an "About Us" page so high in the site structure is SO wrong. You need "About You" pages so visitors say to themselves "Yes, that's me ....... looks like this person, this organisation, this product / service, is just what I'm looking for." In other words, first build Rapport. Once you establish that, you can begin the process of stating how you may solve their problems. Once they know that they may be in the right place ...... you'll need to (as you say) "build confidence". Building trust in you (with experience, testimonials etc) should be part of the sales process, and not flagged as a page on it's own. Everything said on 'other' pages should do this all the time.

OK ..... while I'm here, just ONE MORE thing:

I HATE 'FAQ' pages

What do people think these are for? What do they say? Here's what they say:

"We are frequently asked these questions. This means that the main site doesn't answer them. Despite being asked them all the time, we're not going to answer them on the site itself but put them here because we're lazy."

Answer these questions within the main site and scrap all FAQ pages now!

There ..... I said it.

John Gordon
The Infotainer

www.WatchThisFace.com

What To Say ...

Whilst some 'painters' may have come via the entertainer route, or even a teacher or child minder, others have (naturally) come through the artist funnel. This means that they are perhaps less experienced in the skills of 'patter'.

One artiste recently said: " I am more of a painter than a chatter, my social skills are poor".

That's not a problem. First 'lesson' is to stop saying that you are "poor" (or that's what you will be!) Start to say to yourself that you are getting better and better all the time. Then learn from other situations YOU have been in.

Think about times you have been with professionals .... some talk, some don't. How do you feel at the hairdressers? Or in a taxi? Or at the nail bar etc? What kind of 'chat' do they do? Next time take notice and see what works / does not work for you and why.

The important thing is to remember that the child is probably just as nervous and wondering what it will be like as you! As has already been said, stuff aboput names, what you are painting etc is easy. One easy thing is to chat and not necessarily expect a response. If the child is nervous too, they will be more comfortable just listening. SO ... you can just describe what you are doing. "Now this is the yellow base .... I'm using a sponge for this ........ oooooh, that looks great on you ..... now, my big brush ......... bit of green first....... half done now......."

Remember they cannot see what's going on. This helps them. Also an occasional time reference so they know it's half done, finished the undercoat(!), now the detail, then the final glitter etc etc. This won't distract you either.

"I get so focused on what I am doing that I often forget to talk to the kid and other times, I just don't really know what to say".

In time, having to focus will be more 'second nature'. There are 4 stages of learning and you are probably at stage 3 of 'Conscious Competence' (where many get 'stuck') but if you work on it, you can reach the better final stage where you will be able to do it perfectly and also be able to be 'present' and notice what's going on around you and participate more. It called 'Unonscious Competence'

If the child is talkative (and some are, aren't they!) ... just ask an 'open' question and you can leave it to them.

Market Research
Why not use the chat times for some market research too? IF you are taking photos and getting email addresses or giving out photo album weblinks, you may discover some useful info about a potential client ie that they have brothers and sisters. Gotta do this with care, of course. This can then be added to your list database so that more personal, targeted marketing can follow.

Or use the conversations for an impromptu survey. Ask them what face, if they could have anything, they would really like next time. Whilst you will probably get the usual favorites, this may be a way of finding out the popularity of some new trend. Right now I am sure that boys are requesting Pirates again. An early warning survey means you can be prepared.

Till next time ...

John Gordon
The Infotainer
www.WatchThisFace.com