Ways to Increase Website’s Conversion Rate
Website conversions appear to be the target for many companies that provide a myriad of products and services, but this falls flat when it comes to professional services firms. Many professional services firms in industries like accounting, engineering, consulting, and more rely heavily on the referrals by nature. Word-of-mouth will always be the most effective marketing, but that can take companies only so far. In addition to the positive reviews your company may receive, the best way to drive business is through website conversion using an effective call-to-action.
A website conversion is when you get a potential client to perform a desired action, but what that is exactly depends largely on what type of company you are and the desired outcome. For example, a website conversion for a consulting firm can be having a white paper downloaded. For a product-based company, a conversion will likely be a sale.
Most people browsing a professional services firm’s website are not in the place to make a purchase. It is not the goal of the website to generate revenue immediately, so what is going on? Website visitors could be looking at your site to learn more about an issue they are experiencing, looking for thought leadership, or just browsing. Either way, these all fall into the early stages of a sale and can generate sales later.
Whatever your conversion looks like, the best way to achieve this is through a clear and concise call-to-action directly on every or most pages on the website. You never know how or where a potential client will enter your site so each page should be an opportunity for a conversion. Once they have hit any page on your site, you have the chance to build a potentially lucrative relationship.
Add a submission form to a side panel on your site so visitors can sign up for newsletters or just to be on an emailing list, as well as a Contact Us form. The contact form does not have to exist on every page, but make sure it is very easy to find from any page on the website. Use sidebars to also navigate visitors through your site. Link related pages and create a Related Articles sidebar in each blog entry.
Implementing these changes can be a big task, although a necessary one to really step up how your website generates business. With a little facelift and some strategic features, your professional services firm can really make your website work for you.
