Web sites that sell

Your site should be the hub of your marketing efforts. Everything you-from business cards to flyers signature line in your e-mail to even your voice-mail recording should be driving people to your site so that they can find out more about you.

The good news is you do not need an expensive site with a lot of bells and whistles that some designers would try to talk you in. You just need a site that professionally and has a good copy. Here are some guidelines to check for the creation of a website that gets results:

Keep it simple. Skip Intro the striking side take it directly to your site. Use fewer columns, and streamline your navigation tabs. Each side should be a goal-an act or decision you want the reader to make. Too many decisions only confused and draws the reader, and there are already enough distractions to lure them away.

Layout. Shrink this huge header they are recording valuable retail space. The goal is to the title and so many important elements of the copy as possible "on the door" (ie on the page without scrolling). People tend to scan Web pages so large balls are for the organisation of the main points. In fact, a recent Marketing Sherpa study showed that people's eyes tend to point to the first point before heading. Finally, an opt-in-box for your e-mail newsletter should be as close to the upper right corner of the page (without scrolling) as possible.

Copy. All Web-copy but should chunked short sections in-one-sentence paragraphs to a possible no-no class in English, but they are totally acceptable on the Web. Use subheadings and highlight key elements of a different font colors, bolding and italics. And if the objective of the site is to sell a product or service, please note that the slightly more expensive, the more copy you need to convince people to buy or the next step.

Fonts. There is a reason why black letters on a white background (and blue for Web links) is a classic but also the most readable. Skip the desire italics or otherwise decorated fonts. And not even think about using text reversed (white letters on a black or dark background) for everything that is important. It is hard to read, and consumers tend to recognize because it is less trustworthy than standard text

Graphics. It should in any case, a picture of you anywhere on the premises. Marketing Sherpa also noted that it is better than no photo of a camp photo, and it is better to have a boring photo still relevant (like a headshot blah) more exciting than a picture that is not directly involved in the tie the product or service.

Call to action or button. Each side should work with something for the reader to do so even if it is only a "Next" to guide them through your website. And it big and clear. If you have a button (such as shopping cart or Ezine registration) for the use, owing to the measures as "Sign Me Up" or "In the cart". The plain old "send" seems to be fewer customers.

Of course, the work should not end once the site. Fresh updates and content people a reason to go back and help your search engine rankings. So consider it for more than a work that is always in progress.

Tracy Needham, founder of attractive Communications, LLC, helping small businesses increase their business by compelling copy and marketing strategies, which forms the bulk of their time and money. Sign up for their free Special Report: The One You Can Get press release writing thousands of Dollars Worth of Free publicity http://www.compellingezine.com