Ive noticed that slowly more and more professionals are finally getting it! They realize being the most extraordinary expert, or specialist in their field isnt enough to bring on new business. People are more willing to buy your product or service if they LIKE you.
How can a professional become more likeable on their website
One way is by marketing with their pictures. Be relaxed, approachable, let your hair down and show your human side. Some of these ideas may really be off the wall, but the more creative you are, the better.
Heres some examples:
-One pro sent a postcard of himself riding a camel on his vacation.
-Another posts after-hours pictures from her speaking events on her blog.
-One successful pro uses business props like her laptop, headset and cell phone while appearing to multi-task with her hair standing straight up on end.
Here are some ideas you might try:
1. Have someone photograph you being caught in action doing normal things everyone else does. Like when youre dressed up for church or weeding the garden. Be seen doing something your proud of like waxing your old car, bowling, fishing, cooking or knitting.
2. Color your hair an off beat color. Red, pink, blue, purple, green, etc. You could even make it match your web sites colors. (having someone photoshop your picture can add color and not leave you with semi-permanent results!)
3. Draw a line on your picture. Grab a sharpie and draw a black eye or mustache on it before you scan and upload it to your web site. Its ok to show your silly side!
4. Put on goofy glasses. You could put on spring like glasses, oversized colorful glasses, spinning glasses, or even black frames with masking tape across the bridge.
5. Wear outrageous clothes. You could wear a super bright suit, a costume outfit, a weird tie or a bathing suit.
6. Make a weird facial expression. You could stick your tongue out, pretend youre in agony, make your eyes big, look like youre angry, etc.
7. Wear a hat. You could wear a cowboy hat, a bowl on your head, straw hat, a sports helmet, a rain hat, etc. (a copywriter friend of mine wore a cowboy hat and now its part of her branding image)
8. Paint your face. You could paint your own ideal character or paint a typical character like a clown, animal, plant, etc.
9. Wear a mask. You could buy one or make one out of a paper bag. Just cut the nose, mouth and eyes out. You could also add other facial features.
10. Use a uncommon background. You could use an outside background, a funny wallpaper, a prop to look like you have a cartoon body, etc.
Now its your turn. What else can you do to your website to be more likeable
Copyright 2005 Donna Payne
Donna Payne is the Chief Web Goddess of The Web Coach.net, and is known as the gal to call when youre feeling stuck or overwhelmed by the internet. To spend more time with Donna and experience Web technology, Development and Marketing in the most SIMPLIFED way possible go to
There is nothing more than I enjoy than marketing products on the net. Products which have been thoroughly researched and 99.9% of times are exactly the one that I myself use. I use the net each and every day and update myself with exactly what is happening online. All of those little changes, which most times result in big changes. And I meet these by adjusting my campaigns and ideas accordingly. I also love receiving those constant spam messages into my email inbox what a great way to monitor exactly what others are doing. Overall in the research I have done over the past few months here are a few points I would like to address, that will have a direct cause and effect impact on your own online business promotions.
It stuns my senses just how many scams and dodgy products are currently doing the rounds. It is a disgrace and all that it achieves is to directly wipe consumer confidence away from products which actually have a genuine worth and value. There is absolutely no benefit in promoting a product or service which does not have real value or effect. The internet has gained over time this reputation for making a simple quick buck. This is very far from the truth, but there are quite a few people out there who believe this point, and are doing there best to really make those quick bucks at any price. But these type of actions do have consequences and most of these fall back right into the lap of genuine sellers.
If you sell online in any form you really need to ask yourself one question How Long Do You Plan To Operate In Business Online. If your answer is, Forever! Then you have a future. If the answer is, Not Long At All. Then go ahead and just give up right now. I will let you in on a simple truth and it costs nothing! There is absolutely no way to make an easy dollar online, not one way at all. I have seen every scheme and idea in the book and this idea of An Easy Buck an idea promoted fairly widely in most dodgy sales pitchs, is simply not possible. Nor is it possible I might add in offline world business practice.
It is good advice that a degree of knowledge is really a must needed commodity for potential buyers, before they purchase. This action needs to be provided by sellers, in the form of direct product information. A fancy sales pitch without real product information just doesnt work online. Customers are cautious before spending online already, firstly because of internet security risks and secondly because of the fact they have seen all the gimmicks before. Truth in advertising works online and this is something sellers need to be totally aware of, when marketing there own products. Truth is an absolute online asset, ask yourself the question, would I purchase the product I am selling. And as important are the 2 words, Online Trust.
Customers should be advised to always check their rights and/or the sellers background before purchasing online from any seller, check a sellers online sales policy, about us or contact us page. And if you buy a product you should always have the ability to ask for a refund, within due reason. Consumer confidence is an essential ingredient for good online buying experience. I myself have purchased products with which I have been far from happy. I contacted sellers and have received no response back, so I have had to contact the credit company I purchased the items though re: pay pal etc. And then a sellers response becomes automatic, because there is a negative action in result for the seller.
This type of action is called leverage. If you are unhappy use leverage, but buyers really should not need to resort to this type of action. This is exactly what separates the good sellers from just the plain bad, and exactly one point which ruins consumer confidence which directly effects everyone who operates in real online business. My advice, always follow your sales up with a question, asking for any feedback from your sales. Make sure the customer is pleased with the level of service and product you supply. The customer is number one and always should be treated with this exact respect. If you are serious about long term online success then this type of action is more than necessary. And always remember if you get any negative feedback, fix or negotiate the problem immediately and effectively.
The sharks and internet get rich quick artists have a short life span online, but as soon as one disappears another replaces them. Their actions do put the spotlight onto genuine sellers and we need to be wary of this and act accordingly. Being aware of potential changes and actions of others that may have a direct negative effect on our business provides us with a real option to make our online opportunities more successful. Turn a simple negative into a positive and this is an approach that we can always use no matter where in life, to make things simply better. The only substance that will make you a success in any form is plain hard work. There is no substitute for hard work, and if you already understand this exact fact you are on your first steps to reaching success already.
Michael J. Keenan (CEO - SitePromotionNow) Achieving high online sales turnover for over 5 years. email: Website: Also visit my new online marketing blog at