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When the internet arrived, everyone got excited about how it was going to change the face of business. And yes… things have changed a lot… but most business owners are still waiting to see the benefits for themselves.

If you’re one of these people and want to make your website more effective then this article is for you. You’ll learn why most websites fail to do anything and the two critical jobs your website must be doing.

Why are most websites ineffective?  

First, you have to consider who is in charge of your website. If you leave it up to web designers then the likelihood is your website won’t make money. The simple reason is they’re web designers, not web sellers.

You wouldn’t ask the architect or builder to sell your house… you’d call in a real estate agent. So why do you treat your website any differently? If you want a successful website you need an expert in making online sales. Someone who can write compelling copy that drives your visitors to make a purchase.

Another reason your website doesn’t help your business is because it has an unclear purpose. It hasn’t been integrated into your marketing plan to deliver you quantifiable results day after day. So what should your website be doing?

The two big jobs of your website 

While it may should obvious, your website should be selling your products and services. The reason that I point this out is that most websites don’t actually sell anything. Sure, they provide information about a business… but they don’t sell.

You need the visitor to take action and so you have to give them a reason. Having a contact us page is not a reason. A real reason makes the visitor sit up and say “Where do I send the money!” That’s how a website makes sales.

If it doesn’t do this then the visitor is off to find another website that gives them that reaction. They look for the website that actually drives them to buy stuff.

The second job of your website is to collect leads. Some people might not be ready to buy right now but that doesn’t mean they won’t buy in the future… they just need more information.

So offer to send an information pack if they supply their email or physical address. Then you can follow up with the lead and help them in their path to making a purchase from you. By building a relationship with this visitor you both win when it comes to the purchase.

What collecting leads doesn’t mean is just having a newsletter sign-up. People aren’t interested in your news. They’re interested in solving their own problems. By simply changing your newsletter sign-up to have a problem solving focus the number of people that sign-up will rapidly rise.

What do you do next?   

Take a look at your website and ask yourself if it’s really selling your products and services. Then ask an impartial person what they think. It helps if they know nothing about your industry but could benefit from what you offer.