Sell More Weddings - http://www.sellmoreweddings.com

Tuesday - September 20, 2005

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My goal is to help wedding professionals nationwide sell more of their products and services using the Internet. I've helped thousands get better results from their web sites. Tell me how I can help you.

I'd also like to draw your attention to my Inner Circle program. I haven't really pushed this in the past but I'm really getting some good results and I know more and more people are ready to take their online marketing to the next level (or get it off the ground!). The Inner Circle is a cost effective way to do just that. If you're looking for a competitive advantage that keeps your online marketing in top-notch form, consider joining today. It's a small investment with big returns.

In my last issue of Internet Marketing for Wedding Professionals I said 2006 is the year to focus CONVERSION - in other words, turning the brides and grooms who visit your website into inquiries, phone calls, and sales. If you missed it, you can find it online here.

+ + More On Conversion

Use A Colorful Button or Graphic To Draw Attention To Your Inquiry Form

Brides read pages from the top down and left to right. When they get to the bottom of a page it's decision time. I also call it "conversion time". Using a colorful and highly visible button ASK them to make an inquiry, right now. If I visited your site today, how well would you capture my attention and get me to your inquiry option?

A few of my favorite buttons include the following text:

"Tell Us How We Can Help You"
"Free Engagement Photo Sitting - Inquire Today"
"Check Our Availability - General Inquiries - Contact Us Today"
"Make An Appointment Online Right Now !!"
"Best Dates Go Fast – Contact Us Today"

Or are you using the boring "Same As Everyone Else's Web Site" buttons like:

"Contact"
"Contact Us"
"Inquiries"

To see this technique in action, and it works GREAT, very well at http://www.drsmusic.com

INNER CIRCLE POWER TIP

If you really want to get creative try using an attractive photo of a bride with a call to action phrase (Example: Smiling bride: “I couldn’t be happier with my wedding photos and you will be too. Click here for more information from ABC Wedding Photography).

Use Online Forms But... Don't Ask For Too Much

The best contact forms are brief, easy-to-use, and as a result typically facilitate more inquiries. Avoid asking for too much information up front or you might scare off people and lose the inquiry. I wouldn't ask for more than 8 to 12 different data fields. If you use pull-down boxes or check-boxes you might be able to bump this up a bit, but if you get up into the 15-20 data fields range your form might be perceived as too much of a hassle. Brides are always in a rush. Respect their time. Get the inquiry!

Common form fields include:

Bride's Name
Groom's Name
Contact EMAIL
Contact Phone
Mailing Address, City, State, Zip
Best Time To Contact You
Wedding Date
Questions or Specific Needs
How Did You Hear About Us

Required and/or Not Required Information

There's nothing more frustrating than getting an inquiry from your web site with missing information. Inquiries like this are virtually useless. There's no problem with making some, most, or all of the fields in your inquiry form required. When designing web sites I like to put my required fields up front and then "optional" fields, three or four of them, after. Denote your required fields with an asterisk and indicate those fields are required. You might also use a highlighted colored field or bolded text.

If You Gather Information Online... Your Website Needs a Privacy Policy

In today's world of endless junk email, "SPAM", and news reports about identity theft and online security issues it's not unlikely that before someone makes an inquiry at your website, and reveals personal information about themselves and their wedding, they'll take a quick look for a Privacy Policy. Be sure to tell people that their information is safe with you and you will not share, exchange, or otherwise distribute the information they give you. Privacy Policies create respect, trust, and show professionalism. As a result, they'll also help you improve your conversion.

A Privacy Policy can be a statement as simple as this:

"We appreciate your interest in our company and respect the privacy of those who make inquiries via our website and the Internet. (Your company name here) never shares, exchanges, or otherwise distributes any of the information you provide us."

Don't Forget Your Phone Number

If I visited your web site and wanted to call you right now would I be able to find your phone number easily? It amazes me how difficult it is to find a phone number on most web sites. Converting a visitor into an inquiry via your web site also includes giving them the option to call you on the phone immediately. With DSL/Cable Internet access so common it's not unlikely a bride could be on the web and on the phone at the same time. If you want more inquiries from your web site make it easy to find your phone number! I usually like to see my clients put their contact phone numbers at the top and bottom of every page. If not all of them, at least their primary contact number.
POWER TIP: Don’t just use an 800 number, they don’t always work from out of state.

EVEN MORE.... Conversion tips and techniques in my next edition of Internet Marketing for Wedding Professionals!

+ + Are You A Member of My "Inner Circle" ??

Why not? Join today and start getting even better results from your online marketing.

Optimize your:

Website Design
Traffic Building Strategies
Get More Inquiries From Your Website
Improve Your Search Engine Positioning
Pay-Per-Click Advertising Programs

... all for less than .69 cents per day.

For more information about membership visit: http://www.sellmoreweddings.com/innercircle/

+ + Now Online (Inner Circle Member Access Required)

Keywords Forum: http://www.jimedia.com/phpbb2/viewforum.php?f=5
Full Meta-Tag Suite: http://www.jimedia.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=21
Need Great Website Stats (for free!): http://www.jimedia.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=10
Glossary of Internet Terms (that you have to know!): http://www.jimedia.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=24
How To Add Your Website to the new MSN Search Engine: http://www.jimedia.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=27
Keyword Tools: http://www.jimedia.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=28
More Tips, Techniques, and Great Information are in Toolbox area: http://www.jimedia.com/phpbb2/viewforum.php?f=4

+ + More Traffic, More Inquiries

Conversion is important but if you don't have traffic you never get the chance to get an inquiry, phone call, or close a new sale. Advertise and link your website with WEDDINGPLANNINGLINKS.COM and I'll send you great traffic for a full year for less than .69 cents per day. 95% of my advertisers renew because WEDDINGPLANNINGLINKS.COM works. More information is here: http://www.weddingplanninglinks.com/inquiry.html 

Thanks for subscribing to my newsletter. If you like it please share it with a friend and forward them a copy.

Best wishes,

Chris Jaeger
Sell More Weddings
195 East Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
(978) 283-8295