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Why you need a customer thank-you page

December 23, 2020 by Diane Metcalf, M.S.I.T. No Comments

A thank-you page is more than just good manners

If your website is working, your visitors will take action. They’ll buy something, subscribe to your blog or newsletter, download your content, and give you their email address. Eventually they may, or may not, become customers or clients. You can increase your customer base, and potential sales opportunities, by using a thank-you page.

When a visitor takes action on a website, typically they’ll receive a thank-you email in response to the action they took. Although it’s a nice gesture and good manners to thank your visitors, you really need to see that a simple thank-you gesture is really a missed opportunity. A really big one!

Instead of just sending a thank-you email or sending the visitor to a simple “thank-you” page, you could be inspiring your visitors to take a second action and improve your site’s performance, both at the same time.

“How do I do that,” you ask?

Here are some ideas. You can come up with even more  – just get creative!

Cut straight to it: Check out my own customer thank you page to see what I’m talking about.

Tell them what to expect 

Although they’re nice to hear, the words “thank you” don’t really prompt a visitor to do anything in particular, when it comes to your website. If you do it correctly though, a “thank you” page could inspire your visitors to take another action. So use that thank-you page to increase sales opportunities.

Consider what would happen if you did this: on your thank-you page or in your thank-you email, you gave your visitor some additional information about what happens next. For example, say when you’ll be in touch. For e-store customers, tell them what to do if they’re not satisfied, or tell them how they can share their satisfaction and spread the word. For subscribers, tell them when to expect their subscription emails and a preview of the contents. Get them excited! Get them to share info about your site on their social media!

Make your thank-you gesture the beginning of a new conversation. If your visitor has come this far, they’re definitely interested in you and in what you do! Offer them something again, and this time they might reconsider.

Offer to add them to your newsletter or e-course

Take every opportunity to grow your email list. Your visitor is interested in you! Maybe they liked your content. Maybe they liked your blog article, or what you do or what you sell. Take advantage of this interest! Using a thank-you page the right way might prompt them to sign up for something else if you give them another opportunity.

Add a video

Videos are undoubtedly the best way to tell your story. Revenue growth is 49% more with than without a video. Show a video on your thank-you page to deepen your new connection as well as add to their understanding of your brand.

Suggest they follow you on social media

Encourage visitors to connect with you on social media networks. Give visitors a reason to take action; tell them what they’ll gain by following you.

Show off your best content

Use your thank-you page to hold your visitors’ interest. Link to and/or embed your best stuff on it. This is an opportunity to show the content they may have missed earlier.

It could be a popular blog post, video, downloadable PDF or anything else useful or of interest to them. Focus on the additional value this stuff provides and keep the tone friendly and personal.

Show proof and build trust

Build credibility on your thank-you page. Use “social proof” to show you’re an authority. Use testimonials, links to case studies, press mentions, and industry credentials. These can be reused and repurposed from existing ones.

Send an auto-response email

Once your visitor has converted (they’ve become a customer-lead by giving you their email address when they signed up for or bought something) you have one more opportunity to get them back on your website by using an email auto-response system in conjunction with a thank-you page.

Instead of just saying thank-you, use that email as another opportunity to get them back on your site by inviting them back. Provide incentive by using a discount code or a coupon or another interesting gift or freebie.

“It’s easier to deepen an existing relationship than it is to create a new one.

Focus on your visitors while you have their attention.”

Check out my own customer thank you page to see some of these ideas in action. I hope you’re inspired!

 

Questions? 

[email protected]

My Contact Page

 

Other articles you might like:

-How Your Personal Brand Makes the Difference

-Gutenberg Got You Down?

-Using images: Tips to improve your SEO rankings

 

About the author

diane-author-300x181 Why you need a customer thank-you page

I developed Image and Aspect because I believe that professionals need to have an impactful web presence. One that showcases their unique talents, skills, and abilities as well as their values and style. A presence that focuses on social engagement and connection.

I’m passionate about what I do; I like helping fellow humans, I like having all kinds of social connection with others, and I want to give back, to make the world a better place.

I do much of the designing and coding myself, and I also have a wonderful network of professionals that may contribute as well; photographers, copywriters, branding experts.

I love designing and coding beautiful, elegant and responsive web creations. I ALSO teach and help others who want to learn how to do it themselves.

‘Tips and Snips’ is my blog, and it’s full of information and inspiration to help transform any online persona from “meh” to AMAZING! Sign-up HERE to get blog posts right to your in-box every Friday! I write about Design, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Branding, Vlogging, Color Theory, HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, WordPress, Social Media…anything you’d want to know to get yourself noticed online.

Visit Image and Aspect to learn more about your web presence options

Diane M. Metcalf, M.S.

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Reading time: 5 min
Entrepreneurs Creatives•marketing•SEO•WordPress

10 things to do after creating your site

website launch
November 8, 2020 by Diane Metcalf, M.S.I.T. No Comments

No-one will know about your site, let alone find it, without doing some shameless self-promotion and basic SEO after creating your website.

After creating your website, there are 10 things you should do to promote it to make sure it’s found.

 

1. Write your webpage titles and SEO descriptions

After creating your website, people won’t be able to find your site unless you do some preliminary Search Engine Optimization. Google has a great starter guide with info on writing meta tags, page titles and incorporating keywords. If you use WordPress, the Yoast plugin is a great option.

Make sure the site looks good on various devices. Use a browser extension like Chrome Developer Tools or the Chrome Window Resizer extension to view your pages on simulated devices like phones, tablets, and laptops, then correct what’s needed.

2. Write a launch story

After creating your website, you need to pitch it to an audience. Make sure you include these components in your story:

Headline — The headline should be brief, descriptive and contain useful info about your site including its’ purpose.

Short story — Include a brief paragraph about your website; what it offers, who you are and what you do, how you got started. Spell and grammar check everything.

Contact Info —Include basic details like the website URL, your name, title, location, and phone number. Add the links to your social media profiles such as Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook for verification and more info about you and your business.

3. Create visuals

Use some key images to identify your website for brand recognition, and for use when anyone blogs or posts about your website. Keep images small, no logos or lots of text. Keep it simple.

4. Use a press page

A press page is a web page where people go to read your story and download the key visuals. People who will write about your site will use this information. It’s basically a pre-written article about your site, so make sure it contains everything you want people to know.

Link to the press page when you pitch your site. The press page is your “news-hub” page.

5. Find bloggers and website editors

After creating your website, do some research to find bloggers and influencers that you want to write about your site.

Target particular blogs. Contact at least 30 people to pitch your website. This can be a time-consuming step, but the more pitches you make, the more likely that some of them will succeed.

Submit.co has an extensive list of places to pitch if you’re a start-up or tech-based business.

6. Create the pitch

After you’ve created your website, go ahead and make a list of people to send your pitch. Then it’s time to write. Make it short, interesting and well written. Spell and grammar check, always.

Put your headline in the email subject field, and summarize your website story in the body of the email. Be direct: ask them outright if they would write about your website. Include the link to the site and specifically to your press page.

Write an email to each person, using their name and include a reference to their website. Individualize it. Do not batch or write generic pitches.

For example:

“Hi Matt,

My name’s Diane and I’ve just launched a new online resource for creative entrepreneurs about how to have a wildly successful web presence: https://tipsandsnips.imageandaspect.com

I think your readers would benefit from it, and it would be great if you would tell them about it on your blog.

I’ve prepared a full post, including graphics here: https:// press page URL here

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks!

Diane

7. Find relevant websites

Research relevant forums and list-sites. Reddit, Hacker News, ProductHunt.com, and Designernews.co, are some examples of sites you might want to post on.

8. Post to the relevant sites

Post about your site in the relevant categories. Include the URL to your site as well as your sites info summary. If people like your site, they may hit ‘like’ or ‘upvote’ it, which will move it up in the rankings.

9. Write a blog post

After you’ve created your website, write a blog post on your website, then share the link on social media. A great way to do that is to use a key visual (visuals increase engagement) and share it along with the URL link to the post on social media channels like Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and any others you use.

10. Pitch your site to your own social network

Announce your new site on your social network. Summarize the purpose of the site and provide a link to the landing page. Ask your connections to re-share the link.

Questions? 

[email protected]

My Contact Page

Other articles you might like:

-How your personal brand makes the difference

-Using images: Tips to improve your SEO rankings

-Use a customer thank-you page to avoid missed opportunities

 

About the author

diane-author-300x181 10 things to do after creating your site

I developed Image and Aspect because I believe that professionals need to have an impactful web presence. One that showcases their unique talents, skills, and abilities as well as their values and style. A presence that focuses on social engagement and connection.

I’m passionate about what I do; I like helping fellow humans, I like having all kinds of social connection with others, and I want to give back, to make the world a better place.

I do much of the designing and coding myself, and I also have a wonderful network of professionals that may contribute as well; photographers, copywriters, branding experts.

I love designing and coding beautiful, elegant and responsive web creations. I ALSO teach and help others who want to learn how to do it themselves.

‘Tips and Snips’ is my blog, and it’s full of information and inspiration to help transform any online persona from “meh” to AMAZING! Sign-up HERE to get blog posts right to your in-box every Friday! I write about Design, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Branding, Vlogging, Color Theory, HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, WordPress, Social Media…anything you’d want to know to get yourself noticed online.

Visit Image and Aspect to learn more about your web presence options

Diane M. Metcalf, M.S.

Read more

Reading time: 5 min
Entrepreneurs Creatives•marketing

The job search and your personal brand

Branding
July 20, 2020 by Diane Metcalf, M.S.I.T. No Comments

Perception is everything

When there’s a job to be filled, hiring managers must typically weed through piles of applications. They skim resumes and CVs to determine who’s worthy of a closer look. Your resume has mere seconds to make the kind of impression that inspires that particular manager to want to toss it into the “keep” pile. So, what makes the difference? You’ve heard it time and time again but I’ll say it once more: your personal brand makes the difference.
 
Now before you click off of this article, there are a few points that I want to make on exactly HOW to use your personal brand to make that impression.
 
First off, let me say that I’ve been in the position of sifting through resumes and interviewing potential candidates. They all had similar degrees and work experience, which simply leveled the playing field. Apart from noticing a bunch of clones applying for one job, I needed to focus on what stood out about each one of them. What made one applicant appear different and more interesting than the others?
 
 

The “It” Factor

What made a real difference in how I perceived an applicant was if (and how) their personality showed through and how they used that to set themselves apart from the other equally qualified applicants. The way you’re perceived in any media becomes your personal brand.
 
I absolutely understand that all of us want to be seen and heard, and we all want to be respected and treated like the human beings we are. I hear ya. We’re not simply “candidates” but people. Individuals. And having said that, I’ll also say that screening heaps of resumes that pretty much all say the same thing is mind-numbing. It feels like a bright, warm ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds, while the hallelujah choir simultaneously bursts into song when that one special resumé explodes into sight.
 
So what makes that difference? A couple of things, actually. Telling a story is one of them. HOW the story is told is the other. Together, these two things, whether you’re aware of it or not, whether you like it or not, become your personal brand.

You have a personal brand regardless of whether or not you’ve put any thought into it.  Doesn’t it make sense to intentionally cultivate a personal brand and then use it strategically?

Qualified or Not

Historically, hiring committees prefer the kind of applicant who is a straightforward match. That applicant has gone to the right kind of schools and they have the right kind of degrees and they have applicable work experience aligning with the desired job.
 
But not all qualified applicants have traveled that route. There is another kind of potential candidate who’s traveled a more circuitous route, like me. Sure, we have the degrees and the experience necessary, but along the way, we may also have held jobs that don’t quite relate or add relevant experience (or qualify us) for the job at hand. In that case, we need to tell the story of our personal growth. Why? Because you see the obvious connections between those former positions and the one you’re seeking, but Human Resources may not. So explain it to them.  Guide them through your educational process and those previous job positions to demonstrate how each of them relates to the job you’re currently seeking.  What did you learn with each of those jobs? And what does each lesson have to do with the job you’re applying for? Do you see how this makes your resume not only more interesting and engaging, but it also points out to the reader that you’re bringing more value to the table than they originally thought?  Those seemingly “unrelated” positions that you’ve held actually bring something important to the company and to the position itself that the other applicants simply lack. Suddenly, an ill-perceived, minimally-qualified job-hopper is now seen as a qualified, multi-skilled, pertinently experienced candidate. They also happen to be perceived as “different” and interesting, because they talk about how they got to where they are now.
 

The Edge

I say it a lot and I’ll say it again: perception is everything. Regina Hartley, human resources executive at UPS, says “A series of odd jobs may indicate inconsistency, lack of focus, unpredictability. Or it may signal a committed struggle against obstacles”. Overcoming obstacles is also known as “Post-Traumatic Growth.”
 
When we realize that we are not who we are in spite of adversity, but because of it, that story becomes a heckuva lot more interesting and important to tell, wouldn’t you agree?
 
Our professional stories are a means to an end. Hiring managers and search committees will piece together a personal brand about you anyway, so give yourself the gift of time to hone and share yours.
 

You Might Consider-

In a shameless effort at self-promotion, my company, ImageandAspect.com, can create a great-looking custom resumé or CV for you.

A Resumé, Portfolio or CV page is perfect for job-seekers and professionals alike. An online resumé or portfolio allows you to visually express your personality in ways that are not always possible on paper. Use photos, videos and/or animations… upload publications… include personal works of art, drawings or music. Show who you are and what you can do. Your personal brand makes the difference. Be seen. Be heard. Be known.

  • All packages are beautifully responsive & look great on mobile devices.
  • Social Media Promotions included.
  • Custom-created WordPress themes available

See what else is included in our packages!

Questions? 

[email protected]

Read more

Reading time: 4 min
Design•Entrepreneurs Creatives•HTML

What’s the difference between RENTING and OWNING your site?

Handing over the keys
July 22, 2019 by Diane Metcalf, M.S.I.T. No Comments

Renting or Owning: What’s the difference?

Many people don’t even realize that there is an issue of “ownership” to be considered when they think about building a website.

As with anything else, there are pros and cons to consider.

A big consideration is that when you own your site, you possess the “source code” that was used to develop the site. Without these code-files, (or WordPress files) it would not be possible for you or another developer to edit the pages, or to troubleshoot issues in the future.

To maintain control over your site, you need to have these source files.

When you contract with Image and Aspect, you always get your source files at the end of the project. You own them. Just sayin’.

Here are some pointers to help you learn the difference between renting and owning your site.

Renting

When you use a “hosted platform” package-solution, (Do-It-Yourself) it’s considered to be “Software as a Service” (SaaS) and you are renting your website from them. It’s usually a monthly or annual subscription and it has a lower up-front investment cost. Examples: Wix and Shopify.

Owning

Owning requires a custom solution, and there’s a higher up-front investment for this dedicated development. Owning allows for customization and integration with 3rd party services, provides greater flexibility plus there’s room for expansion. There is also less of a chance that you’ll pay for services that you’re not using. Basically you own your piece of web real estate and you can do what you want with it. Let’s think “keeping it within legal parameters .”


What Renters Can Expect

  • Easy for Do-It-Yourselfers.
  • Lower cost of entry.
  • Various paid subscription levels (free, starter, pro, etc.)
  • Add-on modules, plugins or extensions purchased from a dedicated “marketplace”.
  • One combined service for hosting, payment processing, and website administration.
  • Maintained infrastructure & automatic security updates.
  • New features introduced on a regular basis.
  • Technical support in articles, tutorials, videos.
  • A wide selection of design templates (some are free).

The Downside of Renting

  • No equity! When your subscription ends, the time, money and effort you put into building the website are lost.
  • Incremental costs add up. With every add-on, a new cost emerges that is often higher than the original subscription fee. There will be a monthly fee for that one item for the rest of the duration of the website.
  • Possibly little flexibility on the required services for payment processing, hosting, data warehousing.
  • Limited customization for design.
  • If you leave the platform, all the investment in design and development is lost. You can’t take it with you when you move to another hosting provider/webserver. You have to start over.


What Owners Can Expect

  • Customization tailored to specific business requirements.
  • Scalable for future growth.
  • Integration with external services.
  • Open architecture allows for development, the code is portable and not tied to an organization.
  • Freedom of choice for your web hosting, payment processing, and website administration.
  • Important as sales volume increases and competitive processing and transaction fees become critical.
  • Accommodates creative innovations as opposed to waiting for the hosted platform to release updates or fixes.

The Downside of Owning

  • A higher cost of entry.
  • Must be actively maintained – if the site is not maintained through a web developer, (or someone who knows how to code or how to develop with WordPress) there will be no innovation, no new features, no security patching. Eventually, a website will become obsolete as code and formats change over time.
  • Time constraints – building a custom site requires a collaborative effort and considerable thought and engagement from the site owner.

As with everything, there are costs either way. Financial costs, opportunity costs, perceived value costs. The best way to decide on whether to rent or own your website is to look at your long term business goals.

When you’re business takes off and you’re renting your site, will you want or be able to take the time to stay current on how to use the platform? Will you be able to set aside time to update the content, or be on the phone with technical support or Billing? Do you feel comfortable making scheduled full-backups and storing them off-site where they’ll be secure but still easy to find when you need them? Will you feel comfortable restoring your site from a backup if you make a mistake on the site and don’t know how to fix it? Will you have the time and the inclination to research the latest Google SEO changes or the newest security threats? Will you feel comfortable making these changes? Will you be able to quickly and easily find your log-in information, your API keys, and/or your font or photo licenses if a component of your site stops working? Will you keep up with all expiration dates for your domain name, SSL certificates, sub-domains, etc, so nothing accidentally expires? If something expires would you know what to do or who to contact? Do you feel comfortable troubleshooting and fixing text formatting, images, or email issues? If you can do these things, and more importantly you’d ENJOY doing them, well that’s just swell! 🙂

But do yourself a favor and hire a professional. You’re not a web developer already! (unless you are) LOL!

If you choose the DIY route and you get in over your head, you can always call me. I promise not to say I told you so. 🙂

Other articles you might like:

–Things to consider before building your website

–6 Ways to Use Storytelling in Your Blog Posts

–Balancing Consumer Personalization with GDPR Regulation

Questions?

[email protected]

My Contact Page

About the author

diane-author-300x181 What’s the difference between RENTING and OWNING your site?

I developed Image and Aspect because I believe that professionals need to have an impactful web presence. One that showcases their unique talents, skills, and abilities as well as their values and style. A presence that focuses on social engagement and connection.

I’m passionate about what I do; I like helping fellow humans, I like having all kinds of social connection with others, and I want to give back, to make the world a better place.

I do much of the designing and coding myself, and I also have a wonderful network of professionals that may contribute as well; photographers, copywriters, branding experts.

I love designing and coding beautiful, elegant and responsive web creations. I ALSO teach and help others who want to learn how to do it themselves.

‘Tips and Snips’ is my blog, and it’s full of information and inspiration to help transform any online persona from “meh” to AMAZING! Sign-up HERE to get blog posts right to your in-box every Friday! I write about Design, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Branding, Vlogging, Color Theory, HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, WordPress, Social Media…anything you’d want to know to get yourself noticed online.

Visit Image and Aspect to learn more about your web presence options

Diane M. Metcalf, M.S.

Read more

Reading time: 5 min
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 Image and Aspect is a solution-based web presence development service for creatives, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs. We create impactful online presences that showcase your talents, skills, values & style, while focusing on influencing, engagement & connection.

 

It’s a collaborative process; we use streamlined project-management & communications tools so you’ll always know what’s happening with your project. And by adding personalized service, you get  one-on-one support. We want you to feel equipped, educated & empowered to ask questions & make decisions about your web presence & web platform.

 

Tips and Snips was born from the desire to give back; to support anyone who has an interest in learning the art and science of  web design and coding.

 

Thanks for your interest!

~Diane Metcalf, MS

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Connect with me on Twitter!

Follow @MetcalfDiane

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