5 Quick tips for getting rid of your website visitors.

You have probably read many articles and blog posts about how to build a website for converting online sales. I know that I have written plenty of them that deal with this issue. I thought this time I would go in the other direction and talk about what not to do on your website. After reading this, you will have no doubt about what to do in order to get rid of as many potential customers as you can. Not just get rid of them, but have them shaking their heads in disgust for minutes after they leave.

Tip # 1.
Don’t give your visitors any indication of what it is you are trying to sell them. Keep them guessing and wondering why they are there and why you even got them to come in the first place. I’m sure you have been to websites like this. You click on a link expecting to find a solution to a problem, but when you get there you can’t even find anything discussing the problem, never mind the solution.

Tip # 2.
Make them think that they just entered an arcade. Put as many flashing banners and links in as many places on the screen as possible. Try to get their heart jumpstarted just by going to your website. We’ve all been to sites like this. The first thing I like to do when I come to a site like that is find the browser’s back button. If the back button only gets an automatic pop up, I will find the little “X” that will close the page as soon as possible.

Tip # 3.
If your visitors actually managed to find something and want to buy it, you can throw them a curve ball by making it close to impossible to complete the checkout. Don’t you love when you go to check out from a shopping cart and you are forced to enter in as much information as you did on your college thesis. And that is if you aren’t also forced to create an account for a one time purchase.

Tip # 4.
Make sure that your information is completely outdated and irrelevant to the current product you are selling. In other words, have only the info. for last years model while selling the new one. Another thing you could do is have a broken link that they could follow to some more old info. That way you could give them a double whammy.

Tip # 5.
Try not to put any information in your contact page. Make them guess as to who you are and how they can contact you. That way your customers will feel good in knowing that you are not getting any spam in your email inbox. Of course you won’t be getting any sales either, but at least you won’t get spam.

The moral of this story is to try to think of your potential customer’s experience on your website. In this day and age, you only have a few seconds to capture their interest. Don’t throw that opportunity away by doing stupid things on your website layout and design.