They’ve Found Your Website; Skip the 44 Seconds and Directions to the Store

“Why do the greetings we hear when calling a business seldom include the option we want (“talk to a human – isn’t that why we called?”) humorous keynote speaker Todd Hunt wryly asks. What we don’t want, he observes, is what we do get: directions to their store, their fax number, and 44+ seconds about the company.

We’ve all experienced that very sort of frustration, and for that reason we advise content writers that, right away, visitors need to be connected with the information and advice they were seeking, not with a sales pitch. After all, I explain to business and practice owners, the only people who are going  to be reading the blog posts are those who are searching for precisely the kinds of information, products, and services that relate to what you do, what you have for sale, and what you know how to fix.

If ever there was a time to hit just the right note – midway between too bold and too shy, it’s in the “asks“. While readers understand you’re writing for business purposes, the first thing that needs to happen is reassurance that they’ve been connected to the right people, people who can provide the information (and possibly the products and services) they need.

Back to Todd Hunt’s point about customers attempting to make phone contact with a business, LinkedPhone.com cites this statistic: 88% of visitors are more likely to contact your company if you provide a business phone number on your website. The very presence of a phone number “gives the impression that your customers can get in touch with your company or organization whenever they have a query or need any kind of assistance”.  “It makes it easier for customers to trust you when they see a work phone number, usechalkboard.com agrees..

O.K. They’ve found your website – Skip the 44+ seconds and the directions to the store!