Need some Experienced Advice!

[IRON_STRONG]

*UPDATE*

ok everyone who replied to this thread before the help ws greatly appriciated, if you could please compare the two sites new and old now and tell me pro and cons of the new design and if you think its a better approach! we are working on a video, and should have a professionally shot vid in a week or two.

there is still alot of work to be done but tell me what you think so far. we are trying to just give enough information to get a phone call, that is the primary way we want them to get in touh with us, so that we know they are serious.

as with many local services we are not hammering home the benefits perse of a personal trainer, eveyrone knows whta the basic benfits are, rather from our experience those searching for a trainer have already decided to hire one, now they need to be convinced whos good and whos not.

New: www.getstrongtoday.com
Old: www.bestjacksonvillepersonaltrainers.com

------------------------------------------------------------



Hi all,

i've been hard at work latley trying to up my conversions on my local lead websites.

My market is affluent, professionals business owners, execs, sales managers and the like who are very busy.

we offer InHome Private Personal Training and Life Coaching.
we've tried many layouts and set ups and long letters dont work for my market, they infact respond better to shorter copy, and better looking design.

that said we've developed a site that is actually pulling pretty well and are in the top 5 spots on google for multiple keywords! Now what we are trying to do is tweak the site, LAYOUT And copy to make it pull better!

so heres my little check list:



on my opt in pages (action pages) my team and i have decided we need the following...

1. features
2. an offer with a strong call to action
3. testimonials or social proof
4. benefits
5. our USP
6. a Strong Guarantee
7. Personalization (connecting my team with the client)
8. an easy means of contact
9. and a phone number strongly displayed

can anyone think of anything else we would need? the site is at www.getstrongtoday.com and its a lead generation website for Personal training and Performance training. its a high dollar service and goes into coaching, motivation and much more than just working out.

if you can give me any suggestions as to things to add, remove or restructure i would be thrilled!

any help is greatly appriciated and for those who are willing to give their helpful input i have a nice performance training program that we normally sell for 200 usd that id be willing to send your way!

[Raydal]

You may find the advice given here helpful:

Internet Business Blog, Internet Marketing Advice Blog Archive Conversion secrets for 2009 revealed…

-Ray Edwards

[Loren Woirhaye]

I think you should look at adding a walk-on spokesmodel
or, check this out, Welcome to Bubble Guru

A person's face looking out at you can be a real stopper.

Other than that you site looks very corporate and slick,
which can work against you because it makes it forgettable.

Audio/video content can really reach out effectively here
I think. I wouldn't always say so but here I recommend it.

[IRON_STRONG]

awsome thank you guys! i am very seriosuly considering video and a walk out spokes model, we have tried two Ugly sites, and left them up for a month each and the conversions were just flat for some reason, maybe they were too ugly, not sure but this one is the best so far.

i am working on a script right now with my partner and i will see what we can do, would you reccomend a video spokes model delivering a sales type message or just to point out the call to action and sign up area?

[David Raybould]

Hi Joshua,

Nice looking site.

Have you considered adding some urgency in your call to action?

For example limited availability, price constraints, time etc...

Could make a big difference for you...

Hope that helps

David

[Loren Woirhaye]

The video person will doesn't have to sell but can
draw attention to your free information or course
or whatever.

Just get the leads.

You might try testing your opt-in with less heavy-duty
language. Say "fitness quiz and a follow-up call" - all
your language here kind of implies a hard-sell.

[IRON_STRONG]

Ahh good points thank you loren, and Writer i think a sense of urgency may be very good, i will set up like a monthly special offer and a limit timer for how many people can recieve the free consultation!

also im isntalling a live chat system that the client can comunicate with a rel personal trainer right there if they have any questions, i think it may help alleivate some pressure and also help us to figure out what our prospects are wanting

[Justin Mandel]

Just my opinion, but you sound desperate giving away all that FREE stuff especially if your target market is "affluent, professionals business owners, execs, sales managers and the like who are very busy."

Of course even (some) affluent people shop at dollar stores, but it just sounds like you don't value your time if your just giving all that stuff away, which is a turn-off for a shopper since the mindset is "How good can he be if he doesn't value his time".

There are books geared to marketing towards affluent people and there was a thread a long time ago about this in the main forum - do a search and see what you can find.

Best of luck!

[IRON_STRONG]

Thank you justin, i completly agree, i think i will revise what we offer to make it seem more realistic and as Loren suggested word it so that it doesnt seem like such a hard sell!

this is great! keepem comin

[Cherilyn Woodhouse]

There is some truth to what Justin is saying, but can I make a suggestion?

Move your sidebar. Put the links across the top if you can, the content on the left, and your opt-in form above the fold on the right. And perhaps shrink your header graphic just a bit, so that you can get a benefit laden headline above the fold...

Of course split-test, but those would be my suggestions. You can also try contacting these guys : MonetizeDesign - Internet Marketing 2.0 - powered by Dylan Jones & Wynter Jones

Direct response web designers, one of the very few credible ones I've ever seen.

- Cherilyn

P.S. I may be a professional, but I split test - and so should you.

[IRON_STRONG]

absolutely cherylin thank you so much! i am deffinetly willing to revamp thing s bit. and with the split testing i compelty agree. that is how we got to the design and copy and layout we have now.

i will definetly give thse guys a shout.

[Cherilyn Woodhouse]

The opt-in above the fold is an old, but still good trick. And it works better on the right hand side from what I've seen. There is a simple way to make it work...

Big headline. A few bullets on the left, the opt-in on the right. Then, below, elaborate a bit for those who need more convincing. But I'm willing to bet my name as a copywriter that you'll see an increase in opt-ins by putting the offer above the fold.

I can't vouch for those guys 100%, but I will say I've seen a few of their sites and they're top notch, and they follow probably 90% of the DR "rules" that I teach my clients for Web 2.0 style sites. And they're Canadian, so I may be a bit biased but hey - Canada rocks!

- Cherilyn

[IRON_STRONG]

Awsome. im working on a variation of that site and one more "ugly site" landing pag to split test and see which one pulls better!

thank you for the help its very much appriciated!

[IRON_STRONG]

so cherylin, you work alot with those who have web 2.0 sites, do you belive that catalogue copy with the right layout and still a "web 2.0 style" design can convert?

[Cherilyn Woodhouse]

In the right markets, yes. But there should always be a link for more info... So that those who have more objections can have them covered.

- Cherilyn

[IRON_STRONG]

Awsome i have the team working on a great looking landing page set up to maerge with the current site. i would love ffeed back based on the split as soon as its up!

you all are great!, anything else or anyone please feel free!

[IRON_STRONG]

Does anyone here have an example of a highly converting or effective Personal services website?

something we can model after or atleast get an idea of? we need a base of what is the most important things to have. the goal is to speak with these people about personal training. and get the oppourtunity to show them just how different and how eefective our services are compared ot other trainers...

[Kevin AKA Hubcap]

I think that you should test using a video that gives the quick and the dirty of what you're offering.

Use an actual person instead of a camtasia style video and have some video testimonials from your clients.

If possible, test the video with a male spokesperson vs. a female spokesperson.

[newnew816]

Who needs that much velcro?

Why would anyone need that much velcro? These guys sell it by the roll and is
hook and look and velcro the same thing?

[zapseo]

I'm am soooo totally behind the idea of video.

Show part of a workout.

Get a video testimonial from one of your clients, maybe while/after doing a workout.ou

I agree with Cherilyn about the optin -- right-hand side, above the fold.

Overall, though, the design is "choppy", it doesn't feel integrated and there's not a nice flow for the eye to follow. Multiple things attract the eye, so you are not really guiding the visitor to where you want them to go.

As far as the video is concerned -- you've got a nice body -- a personal video shot from you talking about your services would do well in establishing a direct contact with the visitor, so they feel like they know you.

The reason you would want to use a video with a workout is to get the visitor to be imagining themselves in the workout -- and, then, subsequently getting the benefits. (e.g., if you have one of your good looking clients in the workout and she gets done with the workout -- the women will want to look like her and the men will just watch to look at her. If she throws in a few extra things about -- oh, I don't know -- stress relief, having more energy, etc. -- things that I think would appeal to that market along with looking good, I think it would do well.)

And, if you want to know what your market wants...why not ask them?

Seems like it would be a lot easier than throwing a ton of traffic and trying to guess what they want based upon who signs up. The choices, then,, are still limited by what you put up, rather than by what they might want!

[IRON_STRONG]

bump bump bumpty

[zapseo]

How much more do you want?

I ain't gonna give you more unless you comment on my comments, LOL.