The need to follow–up with your web site visitors demands that you rethink the planning, writing and designing of your web site

When you track web site visitors on your site, what do you find? Many firms are frustrated with their web sites. They see few, if any, results for the time and money they’ve invested.

The cause is usually a lack of follow–up. This forces companies to constantly attract new website visitors to replace those who visit once — but never return!

Why? Although the company may be spending a small fortune per year on search engine optimization and pay–per–click advertising, as well as other marketing schemes, very little thought is given to visitor follow–up, much less consistent visitor follow–up, which would result in increased web site traffic.

50 First Dates marketing

Noted designer and marketer Roger C. Parker addresses this in his newsletter Design To Sell where he states, "Does your marketing strategy remind you of the Adam Sandler film, 50 First Dates? Because of Drew Barrymore’s amnesia, every day they had to begin their relationship all over again."

Well, the same will be true of your web site marketing if you don’t continually follow–up with your visitors! Each day, you have to begin new relationships with new website visitors, because yesterday’s visitors have disappeared and you don’t have a way to re–contact them. This costs you money.

For an effective internet marketing site, think about installing an efficient follow–up program that builds a lasting (and lucrative) relationship starting with the first site visit and continues for years — hopefully, decades.

Consistency is the key to relationship success — any relationship success. Planning, writing and design are the tools that make the consistency possible.

Step 1: Plan your site before you publish

Planning involves getting your visitor involved and "buying in" to your message from the very first visit to your web site. Planning involves answering questions like:

• What information are your visitors looking for?

• What incentives can you offer to get them to give you their e-mail address and permission to re-contact them?

• How can you keep in constant touch without spending too much time or money?

Planning is most successful when you or your company puts in the work rather than delegating it to outsiders. Planning is an ongoing task — it can't be something that is put into place and then left alone. Outside sources can help by providing tools and techniques that you can use on your own rather than always having to hire someone to install.

Step 2: Write your content

Content is king — but, it’s a specific type of king! You're not writing a novel, but you don't want something that sounds like a polished, direct–marketing hammer close, either.

What you need to do is provide a compelling message that sounds like you're just talking to the visitor, almost like you were sitting down and having a beer or a cup of coffee together. At the same time, you have to sound knowledgeable about what you are talking about, kind of selling your competence, as well as playing to your visitor's self–interest. In other words, what's in it for them?

Like planning, this type of writing cannot be left to an outsider all the time without costing you a fortune. Every now and again you will need to update your content. My advice is to hire a good copywriter for the initial message andtry to emulate the style when you begin making changes. If successful, you'll save a few bucks. If not, you can always bring the copywriter back.

Step 3: Design for impact

If content is king, design is queen! Design is the formatting of your site and you don't want to get this wrong. You need to attract attention to your message and make it as easy to read as possible. This is not as easy as it sounds and most web sites fail on this crucial point alone.

Your design sets you apart from your competitors. Although I list it third, it really needs to be involved during the planning and writing phases.

Building the relationship starts by creating comfort and familiarity through repetition. Design is a key element here. There needs to be a focus so that the entire site doesn't look like a random jigsaw puzzle. Your visitor needs to see immediately where to begin reading, where to go to navigate the site and be able to tell how to order, send a message, etc.

With web sites, as well as all other advertising materials, getting your visitor to actually start reading your message is the key to sparking their interest. The best planning and writing in the world are wasted if the design makes people want to leave as soon as they get to your site.

Stop endlessly running in place!

At some point, most successful companies make the decision to replace their 50 First Dates marketing strategy with a process that starts building their client base as well as generating sales.

When they do, they get serious and start planning, writing and designing an effective web site that will capture business for them. Instead of trusting their future to a programming geek whose interest is only to design the coolest site on the Web, they take the necessary steps of creating a site that works for them.

Just remember that design must be incorporated from the very beginning. It’s not an add–on or an accessory, like a piece of jewelry or a handbag.

Hire a graphic designer specializing in advertising design for the overall look of the site and let the programmer deal with the needed and necessary form handling and data capture programs.

Imagine what could happen when everything starts working!