Create a Need with Your Lead Generation Website Content
A strong lead-generation website is like a salesperson. It doesn’t just describe a product or service. It creates the need.
In the film the Wolf of Wall Street, the main character is an excellent salesman (albeit unscrupulous). This film makes a good point to consider with website sales messaging.
At the end of the film (no spoiler alert necessary here), he takes out a pen. He asks people in the front row of the audience at a sales seminar to “sell him this pen”.
A series of failures ensues. Each candidate looks at the pen and starts to describe it. One says this pen has the latest design for professionals. Another says this pen has the best ink. One guy just fumbles out this is a very nice pen.
Very nice. That is the thinnest sales proposition possible. Try saying your have the best, nicest service in your vertical. See how many leads that gets you.
Earlier in the film, the same question was asked of a considerably stronger salesperson.
Sell me this pen.
He takes the pen.
Hey, do me a favor and write your name down on that napkin for me.
Boom. Just that quickly he creates a need. He creates urgency. If you don’t have this product now you can’t do what you need to do.
A business, lead-generation website can’t just describe the product or service. People online are inclined not to contact you. They fidget with indecisiveness. Bounce around with impatience. Get distracted by the wind in the trees.
In the (forgive me) foul tone of the Wolf of Wall Street, you gotta grab’m by the balls.
To edge out your competition, you can’t just describe what you do. You have to create a need – and a sense of urgency. You want to plant the seed in someone’s mind that they need to contact your now.
And this doesn’t have to be an over-the-top sales pitch (though it can be). You’ll do well with online lead generation if you can people thinking that your offer is as good as they’re going to find.
If you can get them thinking, Okay, there’s no point in searching further – this sounds like as good a deal as I’ll find you’ll generate leads.
Important factors in creating urgency on your website include:
- Importance. You want your website content to communicate how important your service or solution is. To do this, frame your content around need and benefit. Describe why this has to be done. Talk benefits, including pain-avoidance. Resist the temptation to describe what you do – nobody really cares.
- Time. Deadlines work. Put a time-limit on offers when possible. Use words such as now, hurry, instant, limited time, immediate.
- Loss. Fear of pain/loss is the strongest emotional motivator. Try communicate about what they’ll lose if they don’t act.
- Ego. A strong marketing message is so persuasive that people feel like a fool if they pass it up. Play to people’s egos and their opportunity to be the hero by engaging with you.
Most importantly, ask yourself this question:
Why do people need my services?
Why do people need pens? So they can write. Your homepage headline should be an answer to the above question.
Make website visitors feel they need you. It’s the basis of motivation.
