They'll feel bland and blah. They might even go to sleep.



Most visitors don't realize they react emotionally to websites. They just forget they visited. They might find ourselves reaching for the mouse to click away.

But what happens when your website radiates energy? You communicate excitement. Your visitors want to stay. After all, everybody wants to hang out with vibrant, successful people. Nobody wants to spend time with lazy losers.

So how do you create website marketing strategies that motivate visitors to stop kicking tires and start entering their credit card numbers?

(1) Write copy with words that carry emotional charges and communicate energy. Examples include Smash, Hammer, Develop, Master, Triumph, and Crush.

Use strong verbs in your headlines as well as opening bullet points and even lists. But strong verbs are like cooking spices: use sparingly and creatively to create flavor. And be natural: readers notice when their copywriter seems to be grasping for novelty.

(2) Create a show room, not a tea party.

Phrases like, "Welcome to my site," and "Please look around my website" will signal, "I'm not really comfortable with marketing."

Let's face it. Your visitors know they're welcome.

After all, you bought a domain name and paid for hosting. You've provided at least one menu bar so they'll look around. Like, duh.

Okay, okay: I know a few people who violate this guideline, yet attract lots of business. I would encourage them to run a test, comparing the "welcome" site with a more direct marketing site. Some markets respond to gentle. But don't be too sure.

(3) Paint word pictures.

We've all heard "perfect life," "take it to the next level," and even "boost your business." Instead, let your readers put themselves in the picture.

"Imagine yourself in a bookstore, standing next to your published book..."

You can be even more vivid:

"Imagine yourself signing your first published novel in the Miracle Mile Borders Bookstore..."

(4) Choose photos and images that supplement your copy.

Photos of sailboats, mountains and rivers. Woodland scenes. Sunset over the Golden Gate bridge. If you're a scenery photographer, include them all. If you're a sailing instructor, definitely include photos of sailboats, preferably with yourself in your instructor's role.

But if you're a business consultant, use photos of yourself working with clients. If you use stock photos of people, dig for photos you won't find on every site. There's one photo of a young woman with a laptop that seems to show up everywhere we look.

(5) Quote yourself -- not Chopra, Gandhi, Kennedy, and other iconic figures.

Don't get me wrong. These folks are worth quoting.

But for your website, use your own words to share your message. You'll come across as more authentic and convincing. Your readers stay focused and, yes, feel energized by your words.

And that's when their fingers start tapping out numbers from their credit cards to your order form.