Customer expectations have changed a lot over the last few years.
Money is a lot tighter than it was, and buyers are savvier.
There was a time when this type of thing worked:
Company: “Welcome to our website. We are the market leader. We pride ourselves in our customer service. BUY NOW!”
Consumer: “Great. They must be the best if they say so. OK, I’ll buy it.”
Not anymore.
Customers are no longer happy to take your word for how great your products or services are. They want proof.
Content that meets customer expectations
How can you meet your customers’ expectations? By showing them (not telling them) why you do what you do and how it’s going to make their life better/easier/more prosperous etc.
Make sure the first thing they read on your website IS NOT ‘welcome.’
It’s vital that you immediately show them the main benefit of your product or service. Remember, a benefit is a thing that’s going to have a positive impact on them.
For example, I’m in the market for a new bike. I used to ride a lot and now want to get back into it again. I’m browsing the internet and land on a website that is trying to sell me a bike by saying it has 24 gears, a Shimano drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes, blah, blah, blah.
I’m bored because it doesn’t tell me why that is good.
Then I land on another website. This one advertises a bike with a comfortable saddle that eliminates cyclist sore-bum syndrome. Fabulous. Plus, it has the other stuff too, but this site explains why they are of benefit:
- The disc brakes will stop you even in the wet
- The 24 gears mean you can cycle on any terrain and can tackle hills with confidence
- A comfortable saddle will mean a comfortable ride for miles
Lead with benefits and reinforce with features to create strong content that will meet your customers’ expectations.
Avoid the ‘so what?’ trap
How can you tell if your content is heading in the right direction?
You don’t fall into the ‘so what?’ trap.
If you make a statement on your website and your response is, ‘so what?’, it’s not doing its job because you’re focusing on the features without turning them into a benefit.
Look at it this way. You’re trying to sell a cook that heats up quickly.
So what?
That means it’s ready to start cooking faster than your current appliance.
So what?
Well, it will take less time to get your dinner on the table.
So what?
Your life is less stressful, the family is happy and fed, and you don’t waste time or energy pre-heating your oven.
Ta-da! Your feature is now a strong benefit.
Hit the ground running
Earlier, I said to make sure ‘welcome’ is not the first thing visitors to your website read.
People are in a hurry, so it’s critical that you grab their attention immediately.
How do you do that?
- Highlight your main benefit in your headline or the problem you’re helping them avoid
- Bullet points (like these) help you highlight your benefits and features. Just make sure you mention the important ones first
- Keep your language simple (vocabulary and structure) and avoid jargon at all costs
If you follow all these tips, your website content will be much stronger and more likely to convince the reader that your product or service is the perfect one for them.