“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.” True. But you can surely increase your chances if that horse is thirsty in the first place!

You want your website visitors to be thirsty, too. Getting lots of traffic isn’t the point; you need traffic that is potentially interested in what you have to offer, and hence willing to subscribe. In online marketing, building a responsive list is how you are going to make money. It’s also the most time-intensive task, but extra effort spent on this step will also pay off handsomely.

Make an Emotional Connection
It all comes down to making an emotional connection in your ads and website copy. If you have ads, links on other people’s sites, articles posted on article directories, etc., make sure your message is clear to readers that you understand what they are looking for (or trying to eliminate) and have answers for them.

In your website copy (which drives search engine traffic), use the keyword phrases your ideal prospect is most likely to search for — those are their hot buttons, and the beginning tendrils of a relationship with them.

Don’t Try to Sell Them!
If you write articles or place ads promising info on how to avoid foreclosure, for instance, when they get to your site don’t immediately try to sell them a new mortgage (they’ll likely click away). Instead, share your own foreclosure story and how you overcame it (they may want to know more!) When they get to your website, you want that initial connection to strengthen and grow, if they are the right prospect.

Speak Their Language
In both your ads, articles and website copy, use the language your ideal prospect is familiar with — talk to them at their level. Avoid jargon, and use the kind of words and phrases they are likely to search for.

Make it sound natural and conversational, and most importantly, authentic. Read your website and other marketing copy out loud. Does it sound and feel natural? If it is stilted or just doesn’t sound at all like you, go back for another revision. Last but not least, get help! Really good copywriting is a rare skill; if it’s not your strong suit, find an expert to help you!

Last 5 posts by Terri Zwierzynski

• Twittering, Twhirling and Twellowing...Oh My! - August 16th, 2008
• 5 Steps to Get Website Visitors to Subscribe - August 6th, 2008
• Support that Keeps Us afloat vs. Challenge that Makes Us Grow - July 29th, 2008
• 7 Free SEO Tools -- Courtesy of MarketingSherpa - June 3rd, 2008
• Home Based Business Stressing You Out? Three Ways to Restore Your Sanity - May 29th, 2008

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 at 1:48 pm and is filed under Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.