I won’t be back – How to lose a client in only 10 seconds

Count it down out loud. 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. In the time it took you to count this out, is about the length of time a prospect will take to decide if they want to do business with you or not.

It used to be 30 seconds but thanks to the internet, the abundance or advertising coupled with an ever decreasing attention span we now enjoy only a 10 second window of opportunity to capture attention and hold it.

Take this article for example. How many of you are still reading? Well I hope lots but some of you will only read a portion and if it doesn’t continue to hold your attention you are clicking onto the next thing.  Analyze your own habits when searching for information on the internet or looking for a new program to join. Some businesses are better at writing attention grabbing headlines or crafting descriptions that entice people to want to learn more about their service offerings.

If you don’t take the time to understand how to grab attention you are going to lose a client in the time in takes you to sneeze and say bless you. Scarry thought but it’s true. So what can you do to turn things around and get prospects to pay attention to you? The first thing you need to understand is where your strengths lie. If you are not a writer and struggle with creativity then I suggest you hire someone to help you write your titles and descriptions. If you do want to tackle the process yourself then here’s what you need to do.

1) Write attention grabbing headlines

2) Craft descriptions that capture attention

The best way to illustrate this point is to provide an example. Here’s a before and after and I don’t have to tell you which is which.

Anatomy 101

Learn the origins, insertions and actions of the muscles in the appendicular skeleton. You will leave this course feeling more confident in your knowledge of anatomy.

FUNantomy! – Lose your fear of learning anatomy

Get ready to move, grove and prove you can learn anatomy and have fun while doing it. Join Donna Hutchinson as she takes you on this exciting excursion to a world beneath the surface of the skin. You will visit only the most prominent protrusions, deepest crevasses and sail over striated muscles. Your journey will be highly interactive and at the end of the trip you will have learned all the origins, insertions and actions that the magical world of the body can perform. So what are you waiting for, hop on the bus and take the ride.

Do you see the difference in the two programs? Here’s another example of a before and after.

Winter Bootcamp

We all have a little athlete just waiting to burst out. Join this athletic bootcamp and let your inner athletic shine. This session focuses on some of your favourite winter sports and prepares you for the slopes. You will learn how to reduce your risk of injury and gain a great base of fitness so you can enjoy your winter activities. Come for the push, learn new challenging exercises and leave knowing you are ready for whatever winter has to offer.

Athletically Inspired SNOWcamp

2010 Winter Olympics here I come! Well maybe not but why not train like an Olympic athlete and let your inner athlete shine. Join this athletically inspired snowcamp and become better prepared for your favourite winter sport. I will show you how dry-land training can increase your fitness base and improve your performance once you hit the snow. So ollie, carve and slalom your way to increased performance so that you can leave knowing you are ready for whatever winter has to offer.

Again, do you see the difference between the two descriptions. The title and description make-overs have more energy, passion and they POP!

Yes this takes practice but it’s worth it because you can turn a bounce from your website into a “caching” into your program. Take one of your programs and see if you can add some zing to it. Show lots of people what you’ve created because their reaction to it will tell you if you’ve hit it or not.

One final point. Don’t be discouraged if it takes time for you to get the hang of it. Just keep at it.

PS: Receive a FREE title and description make-over booklet by contacting me at edgefit@shaw.ca.