Customers will seek you out online, They are searching for your services online, This shouldn’t be a surprise, this isn’t a particularly new phenomenon. But the understanding of how to deal with this is something that has taken time to evolve. Sometimes you won’t even get chance to pitch a customer, so how do you tailor your communication to their needs? This is where your website and your web presence is your weapon of choice...

I’m not just talking about your website, I’m talking about WEB PRESENCE. What information leads prospects to your website from across the web, and how do the breadcrumbs lead the right prospect down the right path?

In this article I provide you with 3 key guidelines for a website that funnels it’s visitors towards the information aimed at them. The principles however can be applied to every aspect of your web presence, whether it be your Social Media Pages or Business Directory Entries. It’s time to think of your web presence in the context of the customer journey.

And the ultimate goal of your web presence? Getting the customer to share their contact details with you or at least indicate that they are interested in what you have to offer. Human engagement can then take over once you have contact details. These leads are already qualified. This means less wasted time and more sales.

"...The ultimate goal...getting the prospect to share their contact details with you..."

Most unfamiliar with marketing would argue fervently that you can’t fully control the pitch that the customer sees on your website. “They can click where they want to or they can abandon the trail” is the typical response. It’s amazing how these 3 guidelines can seem so simple and powerful, yet go pretty much unused by UK Manufacturers.

The Principle Behind the 3 Guidelines

Buyers and engineers will consume the information that they find pertinent to them at that time. If you speak directly to their different levels of awareness and make it easy for them to recognise, you’ll provide them with the psychological signposts that drive them in the right direction.

"Buyers and engineers will consume the information that they find pertinent to them at that time..."

Now that’s a lot to take in. Many of you are probably thinking, I’m not a psychologist, and this is starting to sound off-the-wall….the truth is it’s not that difficult if you follow some basic formula’s and guidance. Once you've read the guidelines I'd advise you test your existing web presence out to see if you're funnelling your customers towards the information they are seeking.

The 3 Powerful Guidelines for Your Website

1. Always be signposting

Who is this piece of information for? Make it absolutely clear what level of awareness you are expecting the reader to have. Do it right off the bat. An example of this would be on the homepage of your website. Use headings in your introduction to guide the user to the right content - speak to your website visitor directly.

For example “Thinking about using our capabilities?” would be a heading which would obviously signpost to people who had just found you that, this is where you should look. This is directly speaking to them. You can then go ahead and write some copy which is probably longer, probably more detailed, and can deliver the answers they need there an then, or on a completely new page.

A further headline may be “Want us to provide you with a quote?” - this is directing prospects to move themselves down the sales funnel. At the point where they’re thinking about sending in a quote request they may not have even had contact with you. This pitch may be a little less detailed, you may explain some benefits about your quoting system or how you work with prospects.

The point here is, the level of awareness this prospect has is drastically different to that of someone who is just “Thinking about using your capabilities”. Deliver them the benefits that are relevant to them at that point in time. If they’re trying to understand your capabilities, sell them on your manufacturing capabilities, tolerances, consistency or past achievements. If they’re thinking about sending a quote, sell them on your responsiveness, how you work with your clients or your hourly rates.

"Deliver them the benefits that are relevant to them at that point in time..."

A third signpost may be as simple as “Existing Customer? Want to know what else we can do? this is plain and simple signposting. You’ve actually called out the prospect type in the heading. But can you see how the existing customer would be drawn in? And the new prospect would obviously be diverted from the heading, toward something they think is more relevant to them - the first headline for example.

Signposting is powerful, use it!

2. Always be providing the next step

So you’ve delivered your tailored pitch, what next? This goes beyond signposting. Tell the prospect where to go, think about the next piece of information that they will need on their journey. The next piece that will “Speak” directly to them.

"...think about the next piece of information that they will need on their journey..."

So for a new prospect, who’s just been introduced to your company having read the information directed at a new prospect, this may be simply directing them towards your array of capabilities. Provide them with some more depth. Once they’ve reached the end of that list of capabilities, provide them with THE NEXT STEP.

If they’re on your capabilities page they can have made 2 conclusions. You don’t fit their base requirements, or you do. If you do fit their requirements then what should they do? This is where this group of prospects could be split once again.

Some may simply be convinced of your capabilities and that you meet their requirements. Some may want more detail like certifications, industries you’ve worked in and jobs you’ve previously completed. Others may simply want to get in contact. Provide them with the next steps once they reach the bottom of the page, don’t make them scroll back to the top, it disrupts the path and distracts.

If you’ve convinced them, you want them to keep in contact. They may not want you to reach out to them yet, but they may want to stay up to date with your business. Allow them to bookmark your website. In fact TELL THEM to bookmark your website. Provide them with an email signup form, where they can get monthly or quarterly updates on your capabilities and capacity. Let them have control, but don’t let them forget about you. Once they navigate away to another site, that’s it, you’re leaving it up to their fallible memories to stay in the pipeline.

"Let them have control, but don’t let them forget about you!"

If they want more information about past work, direct them to that page of case studies and examples of work you’ve done. If they want to know what industries you operate in, or what certifications you have, give them the link to the industries served and certifications page. Do this at the bottom of the page, where they’ve ended up after reading the information you’ve provided.

Some may have accelerated themselves down the sales funnel and actually now want to get in contact. Give them the plain call to action. GET IN CONTACT. Have this take them to the “Contact Us” page or launch a new email.

"...don’t make them scroll back to the top, it disrupts the path and distracts..."

Some copywriters and sales guys out there will be going nuts at this notion of multiple call to actions on a single page. The truth is, with great signposting there is only 1 relevant call to action to the prospect. The reason multiple call to actions fail, is because you’re creating options for one prospect, forcing them to choose. This isn’t what I’m suggesting. I’m saying signpost. Tell the prospect, without any shadow of a doubt, this is the call to action for you.

For example. The first “Next Step” I described was tell them to bookmark your website. What do you think the heading for this one could be? “Just checking out our website and want to keep an eye on us?” what does this do? It tells the prospect, that this is the call to action for them, that bookmarking is the next logical step for them.

The next call to action was all about directing them to more content. More information about your background and capabilities. So what’s the signpost? “Want more information about our past work, and industries we’ve served?” This isn’t going to speak to the prospect who’s already convinced, they simply answer no. It’s not going to speak to the prospect who wants to send an enquiry, the answer is no. It’s going to speak to the prospect who WANTS MORE INFORMATION. Give them the next step that is relevant to them.

This leads us nicely on to the third guideline...

3. Always be keeping momentum

Just taking the above two pieces of guidance could land your prospects in a frustrating situation. You have to remember the ultimate goal you’re trying to achieve is to get their contact information. If you ask for it too soon, you won’t get it, if you ask for it too late….well it’s too fricking late. They’ve abandoned your site and you’re with the rest of the runners.

"...if you ask for it too late….well it’s too fricking late!"

So remember it’s not about sending your prospects in circles or loops, it’s about funnelling them down the sales pipeline, before they’ve even made contact.

The reason I’ve called this third guideline “keeping momentum” is that so many websites, and B2B websites in particular behave in exactly the opposite way. The momentum comes to a grinding halt either because there are no clear next steps, a lack of signposting or a premature contact form.

Most websites are built with a nice contact form which says “Get in touch”. This leaves the prospect feeling either like it’s too early to get in touch, or too late. Some websites don't even have a contact form, there’s no call to action to actually get in touch. In both of these cases momentum is lost, no matter how good your pitch, you’ve provided the prospect with a dead end and no clear way out.

"...no matter how good your pitch you’ve provided the prospect with a dead end..."

The underlying principle here is that prospects are people, they need guidance and they need to be made to feel comfortable. And amazingly, your website can do this, it can actually make people feel comfortable. They’re not left wondering, “Should I get in contact, my project isn’t at THAT stage yet?” What stage?

If you provide no “Soft” options for maintaining a link between you and the prospect you’re providing them with an “ALL OR NOTHING” ultimatum. Get in contact and expect a sales call in the next 20 minutes whether you’re ready for it or not, or abandon my website, probably never to be seen again.

Conclusion

Hopefully now you can see how delivering an awareness driven sales pitch can be facilitated by signposting, providing the next step, and building momentum. Further than that, by providing the prospect with “Soft Options” such as signing up to a newsletter, you’re easing them along the process. Helping to make them comfortable and ultimately make the decision to choose you over your competitors.

How does your website stand up to the test, are you following these 3 powerful guidelines? If not, it’s time to get on board. It’s not just about having a “Digital Shopfront” it’s about creating a customer journey for your potential customers, the one’s who currently just pass you by.

As these guidelines are so rarely applied within the UK Manufacturing Industry, you have an opportunity to stand out - at very little cost. So will you ignore them and be part of the “Also Rans” or will you make your company stand out from the crowd? It’s up to you...

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