Your web site must have!

If you are at all interested in building a client base, in creating an atmosphere of trust with prospects, in creating a system that enables you to consistently have a list of prospects that are interested in your services, and want to get to know more about you and what you stand for - there is one thing you HAVE to have on your web site:

A big button or box (that stands for out) that asks visitors if they would like to hear from you again.

Now I know a lot of you reading this have your own web site. You may have a web site that is just there as an online brochure. You may have a web site that is there to give basic information about yourself and that's it.

And that's fine if you want your business to stay exactly where it is. That's fine if you are not interested in building an ongoing relationship with prospects. That's fine if you're not interested in easily attracting clients and repeat purchasers that refer you to others, and give you their permission to keep talking to them.

I know not everyone reading this has a business like mine. I sell products and services from my web site. I have a newsletter I send out every week that has an active and growing subscriber base. I am happy and having fun, and my subscribers are learning and happy. And yes, there is some effort that went into getting this system set up, but it was well worth it.

Now I'd like to share with you a rather embarrassing story.

I have been working as a volunteer for the last two years with a marketing organization and have been slightly involved (but not much) with the redesign and update of their web site. I am now the President of this organization and have been thinking of ways to grow the membership and of how to attract more prospects to the group.

One of the other board members, Joe at TMA Guild, was talking about managing customer relationships, building a prospect database and giving something away for free - stuff I teach every day - and a light bulb went off.

And frankly, as soon as that light bulb went off I was quickly very embarrassed.

I teach and coach entrepreneurs this basic information every day. Creating a funnel and putting marketing systems in place - like getting permission to talk to people electronically - is marketing 101. But because this is in a different environment and serves a different purpose I did not think to apply the same principles to this group.

Shame on me.

Then I started thinking about where else I had probably screwed up. I began to think about what types of organizations the principles I teach would NOT apply to, and I can't think of any. Actually, the only one I can think of is people that do not use the internet or email at all, which is a shrinking number of people.

Do these principles apply to you?

Would your business benefit by capturing email addresses - even if you only contact people twice a year with a simple email?

And my second question which is even more important ----

Are you asking for that information on YOUR web site?