2007-01-17 by  Tracy Repchuk

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After spending almost 21 years in the computer industry, and the past 12 focusing on the Internet, I still get asked by clients why isn't my site giving me what I need? When I ask what they are looking for, they say: leads, sales, and traffic. Well do you have a landing page, sales page, and autoresponder system. This is about the point that they either get quiet on the phone, or their eyes glaze over. They tell me they have a website, with all of their products. I tell them that is a great site, but it is just one in the puzzle, and it needs a whole different approach if they expect sales, and leads.

So I thought this would be a good time to talk about the different types of sites, and how you can take your website strategy from brochure bland to blast furnace flare. Traditionally, the focus for most companies have been two-fold as far as the Internet is concerned. They are a brochure type site, that provides the who, what, where, when, why and anything in between. Often referred to as a branding site. Some sites are even bold enough to ask for the visitors email address. Or others have a site similar to the above, only it's really fancy, and bold, and colorful, and flashy, and... not working. The traffic hits are still abysmal and the opt-ins are non-existent.

If your site isn't selling for you - then why spend the money on fancy?

There are 4 main types of websites:

1. Branding - this is a site often for yourself and/or your company. This is where most companies spend thousands of dollars, and continue to pour money into it, or haven't updated it in years. This is where you send general contacts you meet.

2. Sales Letter - this is a one page, often long form site, that highlights the benefits of one product or service. Not many companies have this type of site, but it can be effective when used in conjunction with an email based marketing campaign, a visitor already knows you, and/or it is the go to page after a Power Page. It is focused and it's purpose is to get the sale. Throughout this page you should ask for the 'buy' about 12-15 times.

3. Blog - This is a diary/journal like site that keeps everyone up-to-date with what you are doing, and/or developments with your products or services. You can post articles here, and keep in touch with your prospects and customers. This site allows for great rankings, fast, and is a nice place to make frequent announcements, and give some background about what you or the company is doing. You can get a free one of these by going to blogger.com

4. Landing Page - This is the most important page your company could have, and only 1% of the Internet population has it. And those are the companies that are making millions, and doing very little work for it.

Do you have a Power Page?? This is also called "Squeeze Page" or "Landing Page", ... but it doesn't matter what you call it, as long as you have one.

Start to think about what difference a page like this could mean to your company, and most importantly, start your campaign and marketing efforts to getting one.

This type of page combines internet marketing tools such as autoresponders and allow you to turn your computer from a quiet site on the world wide web, to a mass marketing machine where you can build relationships, generate leads, and create a profitable blueprint for the next stage of your business.

If someone doesn't think you need a Landing Page, then they're either the competition or don't want you to grow. So watch what is happening in the industry, and follow the Internet Marketers who have turned this into an art form.

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