I just reviewed a new website and I'm in shock. Or, maybe, I'm just depressed about my failure to convince people to do what I tell them so they can make money.

I'm not talking about complicated marketing strategies. Most websites, marketing and the like, fail on the basic stuff.

For example, this webmaster wants to sell products. He wants to make money online. He's got a bunch of good products at great prices. I know this because he told me. No one else knows this after visiting his website. He's kept it a secret.

Let's go back to the basics and see if your website passes these simple tests ...

What is the purpose of your website? If your immediate answer is anything other than "to make sales," I hope you don't own a business website. Otherwise, let me pound this into your brain:

You are in business to make sales. That's where the money comes from.

When people visit your main page, what's the first thing they see? If all I see is a nice long message about what a great guy you are (who cares?) and how you want to run a good business (I hope so or you should not be in business) and if I have any questions, I can send you an email (I knew that anyway) and how you look forward to doing business with me (of course you do, that's why you have this website), what's the point?

I came to your website in response to an ad or a referral so I'm looking to buy something. Why are you wasting my time? I want you to sell me the product. Take my money.

Pick any large retailer that does big business on the Internet. What's on the front of their website? Pictures of stuff to buy. Links to buy more stuff. They want your money. They are relentlessly working to get it.

Go to my website for "Mining Gold" at:  http://www.ipcgold.com/ad/100/CD3839  and read the first thing you see.

You can't miss it. I made it large - bold - and incredibly obvious. I make you an offer to invite you to do business with me. I lay out all the information in a carefully ordered flow.

No wasted words. No extraneous links. No stories about my family vacation. No comments on the World Cup. This is a site for business.

I'll have well over 200,000 unique visitors this month and I want to capture their attention immediately.

Recent stats show the average time spent viewing a web page was 52 seconds. But, how long do you spend viewing a web page when you either get bored or can't quickly find what you want?

You've taken your own small business idea and put it up on the web to make money. Don't be afraid to let people know you are running a business and don't be afraid to ask for their money.

If you can only remember one thing from this message, remember this:

If you're going to spend money to promote your website, you'd better make sure people know what to do when they arrive.

Yours in success,

Shawn M. Casey