One of the big cons dished up by various web design companies and online marketers is that if we want to be successful on the web (ie generate lots of online sales and leads) you need to practice “website persuasion”. In fact, I’ve just done a Google search on this phrase and found there were 2 million results.

To me this shows that these people have no real understanding of the sophistication of their market. People do not want to be persuaded on the web. The tactics of persuasion ended with the death of the last snake oils salesman. I am sure if you ran an advertisement copied from a newspaper from the ninteeenth century for some miracle cure you would get no response. And yet these are the types of persuasive tactics being promoted by many web development companies and online marketers.

While I would fully concure that there are still a number of unsophisticated buyers online and that you cannot totally cure people of their own folly, but most people are sophisticated and cynical. They have seen it all before. They will not buybecause your words drip with honey. They want proof, credibility and third party validation, perhaps by the way of  testimonials.

Buyers are in control

Buyers don’t want to be sold to, they want to be in control of the buying process. Therefore persuasion will not work. Buyers want you to engage with them. This is because people do not buy from websites, they buy from people. Buying is an act of engagement, even  on a website.

Of course, this does not mean that a landing page should not have the means to buy, subscribe or register. In fact and landing page is a very specific page on a site where you would expect this to happen. However, you cannot force people to buy from you.

Persuasion can often lead to the creation of confusion in the mind of a prospect, because what they want is clarity and for you to demonstrate a clear reason to buy (or take a specified action).

Clarity is pivotal to online success

The best way to be successful on the web and in website conversion is to ensure that you understand your market and can offer them a product or service that they want and to be able to meet and understand their concerns, fears and anxieties that are particular to that specific channel. You don’t need persuasion, you need clarity.