10. Selling the same stuff 100,000 sites are already selling and thinking that you can quit your day job.
9. The site’s design is home brewed which lends to a lack of credibility.
8. Typos and misspelling in content shows a lack of attention to detail.
7. Not having any contact information on your site. Why would people order from someone that they cannot contact or determine even where they are located?
6. No privacy page stating what you will do with customer information.
5. Poor quality graphics give the impression quality is not of concern to the site owner.
4. Expecting site visitors to submit their credit card information on a non-secured site. Coding in https:// isn’t all it takes — you need a security certificate too!
3. Not having the most commonly asked for or required information that a customer would seek in lieu of filling out a contact form that asks for everything but their shoe size just to get basic information.
2. Thinking you will get “Top 10″ rankings without time, effort and a site that deserves those rankings.
1. And, the #1 Web Site Mistake is… Assuming none of these issues matter and that you can do what you want and still be profitable. Won’t happen…
At your service,
Judith
I have a point where I go into “tell and do mode.” This usually happens when after asking for my advice, the client proceeds to ignore my over a decade of experience and online success, in lieu of what they “want.” (Don’t ask the questions if you don’t care about the answers…)
What some clients want is more important than the essential considerations that I provide, which if ignored, could negatively impact their program in one way or another. Whether it be those top search engine rankings they feel they deserve without effort or usability issues that make potential customers have doubts about their legitimacy, recommendations are minimized or ignored.
If you choose to work with a professional whose experience and track record speaks for themselves, you need to rely on their advice to help grow and nurture your program. Know they have your best interests at heart and trust them. If you don’t trust them to guide you in areas you have no expertise or experience in, why are you working with them in the first place?
Successful business owners rely on and are open to all mentors, information, data, recommendations, processes and methodologies they know they are not an expert in to fill the gaps so they can succeed.
To disregard fundamental recommendations solely because those recommendations are not what you “want” based on no other business related criteria to ignore the advice given; is not the way to run any business.
And wouldn’t that be a shame considering you actually had the experience and knowledge available to you to know otherwise?
At your service,
Judith
ex·plic·it –adjective
- fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; unequivocal: explicit instructions; explicit language.
- clearly developed or formulated: explicit knowledge; explicit belief.
- definite and unreserved in expression; outspoken: He was quite explicit as to what he expected us to do for him.
Now that we are clear on the above, apply this to your e-mails. If you receive an e-mail that asks several questions — answer each one, point-by-point. Don’t just hit reply and type a general statement at the top of the e-mail that doesn’t cover all the issues presented.
Explicitness in your e-mail communications helps to avoid misunderstandings and confusion. If you top-post, (the bad habit of just typing a cryptic reply at the top of an e-mail without including any e-mail etiquette) you are taking the lazy way out and showing the person who e-mailed you that you are not capable of succinct replies.
Learn how to, and practice, the down-editing of your replies to avoid unnecessary back and forths for clarification. Down-editing will also show that it is important to you to be a clear communicator and will speak volumes as to what it will be like to communicate with you. PIA or joy?
Don’t just reply with what point or info you want to relay — reply to the specifics of the e-mail that was sent to you. Not doing so will demonstrate a lack of courtesy for those who e-mail you causing them to have to send an additional e-mail for clarification. In business, replying without displaying this level of attention to detail will undermine your potential for success as well as show your lack of professionalism.
At your service,
Judith
