As a website owner, you know that getting people to your website is an absolute must. Once they are there however, it is your job as a website owner to keep them there. Too often website owners fail in this regard, so focused on getting the traffic that they need, they fail to take into account the importance of keeping these highly sought after visitors on their website.

In order to sell customers on the benefits of your product or service, you need a website that offers up a lot of good help. Your website therefore must:

* Get the names of those who are visiting your site;

* Build the brand you are creating for your product or service;

* Make it easy for your website visitors to purchase your product or service;

* Develop a relationship with your website visitors

If you don't make it easy for your website visitors to purchase your product or service, you will lose sales. In order to do this effectively, you must have a "Buy Now" or "Purchase" button that's easily found next to your product or service. You must also give your site visitors a reason to purchase from you over your competitor. Does it solve a problem for them that your competition does not? Does it give them added bonuses that your competitors do not?

Your site must also be easy to get around in or your website visitors will up and leave and head on over to your competition. Make sure your navigation is easy to follow and that your site visitors don't end up scouring your website just to find a simple item. Keep terms within your navigation simple such as "Home page", "Purchase now" or "Search this site".

You must also have a way for people to sign up to receive your latest offers by giving them a form to fill in where they can enter in their name and email address. This way if they don't purchase the first time, it gives you the opportunity to follow up with them. This also allows you to develop a relationship with your website visitors. Just remember that the best way to maintain those relationships is not by emailing them with promotion after promotion but rather offering up useful information as well.

F.W. Woolworth, who can best be described as the Sam Walton of his day, said: "I am the world's worst salesman; therefore, I must make it easy for people to buy." Make sure your site is customer-friendly by asking friends to give it a test drive before you take it live to the public. It could be the most important feedback you ever get.

Maintaining trust and building long-term relationships is how you turn customers into clients for life. In every business, online and offline, it's easier to make a sale to a satisfied customer than to a new prospect.