Know-How Exchange : Website Critique

The strategy needs to be centered around identifying the most important need of the target customer, and then demonstrating that you can satisfy that need.

If you are thinking that you can promise a "generic" benefit and get people to "try it," in a high risk situation, you need to stop smoking that stuff. It's messing up your head.

People don't usually make high-risk decisions based on website promises that are not specific to their situations and needs.

The strategy should be to focus on a limited set of target customers, doing in-depth research into their specific needs, and then delivering a targeted proposal that speaks directly to their situation, and promises a solution that addresses exactly what they need.

The role of the website is probably to establish credibility and provide a little reassurance that someone has taken the time to put some of the general stuff out there for reference.

That's my $0.02 worth. Good luck.

You know, I don't see ANYTHING on your website that would compel me to provide you with my contact info. It's all very nicely presented and interesting, but forgettable.

I think you need to let people SIGN UP for something. Does Kathy have time to do a simple monthly e-letter to friends and fans? You might be surprised at how many sales leads that can generate. Just put a spot in the margin of *every* page on your site that lets people fill in their name and email address to get "The Passanisi Bulletin" for free.

For more ideas from that angle, take a look at some of these articles MarketingProfs has published here:
How to Create a Focused House List
How Do You Increase Your Opt-In List?
Ten Fundamentals That Matter More Than a Big Budget

I know there's bound to be other useful articles here on e-newsletters, too. Try that Search box up in the top right of the page. Good luck!