Okay, it’s time to put the content for your website together. Easy, right? There is probably tons of stuff about the product or service you provide laying around the office so you’ll just compile the technical information about each and list it out. Well, if only it were that simple.

The problem is most products and services are unique or fall into a pretty generic group along with everyone else who sells the same thing. So, how are you going to get found by the visitor and ’speak’ to them so they first find, then choose your business?

You are going to start by talking their language and entering the conversation in their head. You will earn the trust of these people when you talk to them the same way they talk to each other and themselves. Try to imagine what the website visitor is going through to need your product or service. When they sit down to search, what would they be looking for and how they might start their search. Would they start with searching the exact product name and technical details? Probably not, how would they know what those were? Keep in mind, if they knew of a product/business already, they would go straight to the website, there would be no search conducted. So…

Most likely the potential visitor would start by searching for information about the problem at hand. By this I mean the pain point are they trying to address.That would be something they know, but what they don’t always know is how to solve it and/or what the solution is. That’s where your website comes in. Your website would lead with information about solving problems, not information about the product or service itself. Now, here’s the perfect example of what I’m talking about.

I know this is an old over-used example, but…it’s just so good I can’t resist using it, yet again.

Nobody who bought a drill wanted a drill. They wanted a hole. What this means for you is that instead of providing information about drills, you should deliver information about making holes.

It’s hard for a business to survive today.  This has caused lot’s of companies to incorporate practically any method of prospecting new business such as constant cold calls, daily eblast, ineffectively designed direct mail, etc..

With a rapid fire of  sales genres being applied in attempt to win customers, the buyer is steadily becoming desensitized and blocking most of this crap out. The buyer knows they can just google a service / product  if they need to and become annoyed at the unwelcome sales contact. Obviously this leaves a bad taste in their mouth. In the end the buyer will be the one to approach a business should they decide to and only if the business is deemed worthy.

That’s why it’s super important that you have a professional web presence built and are positioned and ready to allow the buyer/searcher to find you first instead of you calling them. With most people starting their search for products or services on the web, they can do the research and check out places before they dive in and make contact.  Make sure your website is in good position out there delivering the information the searcher/buyer is looking to find.

When these buyers contact you via website, they  already know what you do and how you can help them.  By letting the prospect approach you, their perception of you is different. You will be a consultant to them, not a pesky peddler with unwanted goods that were not asked for.  That alone gives you a good chance at selling to them and gains you instant respect.

Think of  positioning your website vs. prospecting this way;  if you needed a doctor, you would research and choose one you felt comfortable with.  You probably wouldn’t choose the prospecting doctor who happen to call you at breakfast one week wondering if you had a migrane headache they could help with nor would you choose the prospecting doctor who sent you a flyer in the mail offering a significant new patient discount that expires in two weeks.

What it boils down to is the doctor doesn’t find the patient, the patient find them. This creates the patient confidence to accept the diagnosis and follow recommended orders no matter how inconvenient or painful.

Get competitive and make sure your website is out there and ready to be found when these potential customers start their research. Lastly, make sure your website is delivering information that will help the visitor get started, then want to contact you to learn more. That is website positioning, not prospecting.