Okay, your website’s up and listed with the online yellow pages… and you’re paying someone to have the search engines (i.e. Google) send lots of visitors to your site. But your phone isn’t ringing. Your site has lots of helpful information so visitors can learn all about you and the wonderful services you offer. But your phone isn’t ringing. And on your homepage, you have pictures of smiling people to make everyone think: “I’ll also be smiling when I use this service”. But your phone still isn’t ringing!

How to use your website to generate phone calls

Your website needs to be good at generating phone call inquiries for your business. Just follow these basic rules to get the phones ringing:

• Make sure your phone number is “above the fold”. Many website visitors won’t realize they have to scroll down on your homepage to find your phone number. Or they won’t stick around long enough to figure it out.

• Display it at the top of your homepage. When seeing a web page, we start at the top and scan from left to right. So display your phone number in the upper left or right of your homepage so prospects can see it right away. Follow this rule for every page of your site.

• Make it twice as big as it is now. You know where your phone number is located on your web pages but your visitors don’t. So however big it is now… it’s probably not big enough. Double its size to make your phone number impossible to miss!

• Show your phone number more than once. Don’t be shy about showing off your phone number. The top and bottom of your web pages are good places. Also, next to your website navigation menu and any special promotions you’re advertising on the site.

• Use a toll-free number. People are more inclined to call if they know if won’t cost them. So make it easy… use a toll-free number! And put “toll-free” next to the number so there’s no doubt when a prospect starts to dial.

That’s it for now… my phone is ringing!

Since it’s that time of year… I’ll equate getting started with your Internet business with my annual New Year’s resolution to “get in shape” and join a gym. Of course, by late February I stop going and cancel my membership. Why? It’s hard work, results take too long, I can’t find the time, and it’s an another expense. (Sound familiar?)

Truth be told, I actually solved this problem years ago and now workout religiously. How did I make this happen? Same way as with our Internet business:

• Start with reasonable expectations: Like most good things… it’s going to take some time to get your Internet business up and running. So do your homework and estimate how long you think it’ll take based on your business goals. Now the important step: double your time estimate.

• Pace yourself: Don’t try to get it all done at once. Instead, list everything you want to do with your site and use this list as your road map to getting things done over time and at a manageable pace.

• Measure your progress: It’s really important to measure results since nothing encourages more than progress. Have your web person set up Google Analytics (it’s free) for your website and check it regularly.

• Celebrate your wins: Your first website visitor, blog comment, online order… celebrate! And keep setting reasonable goals and celebrating achieving them.

Before you know it, your Internet business will be up and running!