1. Designing a site with large slow loading pictures and fancy
flash presentations.

99% of people surfing the internet are looking for information
quickly. When you place large fancy pictures, midi music, and
slow loading flash presentations this simply keeps your potential
client waiting for the information that they are looking for.

Most likely they will not wait but click off to another site.

Why should your prospect have to choose between an html or flash
site? Why should he have to download software just to view your site?
All this delays your customer from getting the information he wants
and from buying.

Keep the pages simple, easy to read, fast loading and to the point!

If you do not believe me check out Yahoo's or Microsoft's
web design. It is very simple and these guys are billionaires.

2. Designing a site with no central theme or focus.

You cannot be everything to everybody. Have you ever seen
those sites with dozens of different affiliate programs none
of which relate to each other? They look like a flea market!

Stick to your topic. The more specific the better. The internet
contains so much information that you are better off being an
expert in your niche than trying to appeal to everyone. If you
have no focus the value of your site is diluted and it will actually
appeal to no one rather than everyone.

3. Not placing your phone number and contact info conspicuously on
your site.

The internet is great but lets face it. Way more money is made
off line than on line. Many people, including myself, want to make
sure that there is a real person behind that website before parting
with the green.

If your clients can pick up a phone and contact a real person you have
gained instant credibility. You also have distanced yourself from
your competition.

I love seeing my competitor's fancy websites with no phone number!
More business for me!

4. Using free web hosts.

If you are serious about your business you should run from the word
free! Yes you heard me. Free is a bad word if you want to make money.

First of all most free web hosts have ads all over them. It takes a
good deal of effort to find a qualified prospect. Do you want
your prospect to click on the free web host banner and never
return to your website? They should pay you for those banners and ads!

Also it is very unprofessional not to have your own domain name.
Are you going to do business with someone whose website is
http://www.geocybercities.com/members/community/id23989?/homebiz.html?
Probalby not.

5. Not following up with your customers.

If you do not have a follow up autoresponder system on your
website your are losing most of your sales.

It has been absolutely proven that most people must hear a message
at least seven times before buying.

A good autoresponder service will capture the names and email
(even the phone numbers) of those who visit your website.
The autoresponder will then send out a series of 10 timed messages
to your prospects about your business.

The messages are personalized with the prospect's name so they
are more likely to be read.

After the 6th or 7th message your prospect will begin developping
a relationship with you. You might even get a call from someone
saying " Hi this is Bill I am ready to buy!"

Bill thinks you have been hand writing individual messages to him
and he feels like he knows you personally but you have no idea
who he is!

An autoresponder turns what would have been just one quick visit
to your website into 7-10 exposures to your site.

A quality autoresponder system will also serve as a mailing list
manager. After your prospects have received all your messages
they will be put into an archive list in your autoresponder
control panel.

If you have any specials or announcements you can just type one
email message in your control panel and send a message to everyone
in your list.

In many ways a good autoresponder system can be more important
than the website itself.

You may find such an autorepsonder service here.
http://www.realreply.com


About the Author
Matthew May is the owner of Realreply autoresponder service.
You may contact him through his website at www.realreply.com
Copyright 2001 Realreply.com