My new muse - opinions?

[Indy2222]

After reading 4HWW at the end of the summer I came up with multiple muses... but none of them made it through the testing phase... they just weren't viable under Tim's guidelines.

I then came upon a new muse which I took off with, but only produced mediocre results for me for a couple of months... I knew the potential was there, but I wasn't quite reaching it. I then I put my own personal touch on the muse a while back and its paying off tenfold. Personal branding cannot be overemphasized. This is my new site http://www.grnwealthcreator.com

While my website is converting, I think my it could be tweaked. I plan on adding more content on other pages... a comparison page showing how my product compares to the competition is one, I also need to add more content to my FAQ page. Other than that.. how is the content on my page? I can take any negatives in stride so be honest.
Thanks

[HWilley]

Jamison,

I like the videos A TON! You're right -- adding a personal touch like this is great. I'll have to figure it out if I can use it with my muse.

THING THAT CAN BE IMPROVED

To me, the site doesn't scream "This guy is a pro!" It looks like you used some sort of template. I'm guessing you're not really going for the organic search market so you're sticking to the PPC only. That is fine -- if that is the case spend a few hundred $$ and get a really nice flash site up. I think it will make a world of difference.

In your snowy You-Tube video watch it again and count how many times you say the word "system". It became distracting.

Your email response system referres to a site that is not your site. Is there any way to set it up on your own servers? It will help build the trust-factor.

The same is true for the "you've been confirmed, click on this link" video. If I didn't see you on here I would not moved forward -- the trust-factor was too low. My computer came with a program called "Movie Maker" that will save your video as a Windows Media File and you can post it on your website to help maintain your brand instead of Youtube's.

Hosting on YouTube adds a "cheapness" factor. The question I ask is "Why is a guy who has has 'figured it out' using a free video hosting service?"

The video didn't have any contact information.

I LIKED THIS

You didn't give any detail about your "system" but you offer a report for free -- that is good. It is almost like a "no obligation"

You had two different spots for the email -- way to catch those who may have skipped over the first one.

The tropical video helps add to the "dream".



I hope this isn't too rough! I'll be asking for it in a few weeks when I get my muse up and running.

[Indy2222]

Thanks Willy, I really appreciate the time you put into helping me out.

Thanks for the positive comments...


Overall criticisms of the site...professional look, youtube videos, etc I think I agree with ya it could be improved alot and its in the cards but I don't know if its the best use of my time right now... thinking of spending more time on my autorespinder content, my sponsor who has taught me a ton is making 10K a month in this business, and its all in the content of his autoresponders... he never calls a soul, they always call him...

But I can do the flash video thing instead of youtube... only thing is I get trraffic from youtube and getting more views on my vids puts me up in the rankings which has translated into dollars in my pocket already... I'm thinking I'm gonna host my own vids on my site and stick to youtube for autorespond3ers probably...

system comment... I know... I cringe when I watch it.. I've been meaning on shooting a new one, but I knew getting something up was better than nothing...

Again, thanks, I appreciate it.. you definitly helped, let me know when your muse is up

[AshokanKid]

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Hey there;

Kind of agree with the comments previous to a point. Many such "I have a system" guys out there tend to use the same simple one page "mini-site" template and so perhaps this is not so much an issue.,

UNLESS., one wants to be seen as being ABOVE the rest of the crowd., in which case you can definitely improve your image with some small efforts. I think I saw that your site is hosted on HostMonster (my host as well)?

There are TONS of great tools out there to create a site EVEN from a "termplate" in which you can input your own content fairly easily. My web creation SW of choice is Dreamweaver, which is good for site management as well. It comes at a price, but well worth it in the long run.

A friend of mine who has been "planning" a site for over a year now, has had content and ideas, but so far not gotten past the "talking to people" stage (all the designers wanted her input first, which lead to "paralysis by analysis"), sent me her content last night and this is what I did in 5 hours just so that she could see her content live and online;

http://www.LisaLutton.ComputerCures.com/

My suggestion to you is to NOT necessarily go with a "Flashy" site because Flash typically takes more resources to serve and to load. Many users (myself included) will click "Skip Intro" or worse just click away if or when a site takes too long to load.

The great thing about your mini-site template use is that it IS indeed simple and loads really fast., though it could certainly use a little facelift to rise above the typical "get rich quick" common mini-site out there. I did not even look at the video since you already have good comment there.

Add a custom favicon.ico to the root of your site on HostMonster to replace their favicon.ico., the little teeny graphic icon that one sees on your browser (tab) next to your web site name (just to the left)., another touch of professionalism.

Another little tip., there are several places on your page where the color of the text might seem to indicate a LINK rather than just EMPHASIS. This can be (is for me) confusing, BUT I might actually suggest ADDING some links in appropriate places to LEAD people to another INFO page further describing a point or detail (and another place to CLOSE them or at least add interaction!).

This is one major downfall of the one page mini-site. One term that you use is "Web 2.0"., soo., what IS Web 2.0? Perfect place to LINK to a definition., ESPECIALLY since YOU are "claiming" EXPERTISE! I do not even really know what exactly Web 2.0 might be completely, but here is a little quote from one of the "definers" of Web 2.0 to add to the confusion;

"., The question is particularly urgent because the Web 2.0 meme has become so widespread that companies are now pasting it on as a marketing buzzword, with no real understanding of just what it means. The question is particularly difficult because many of those buzzword-addicted startups are definitely not Web 2.0, while some of the applications we identified as Web 2.0, like ,.,.,. and . .,. , are not even properly web applications!)"

If indeed you wish to be perceived as expert, rather than just another "get rich here" guy (which may very well work fine with your particular target clientelle), adding just a few more touches could push YOU way past even where your sponsor / mentor has gone. Food for thought., :-)

SC

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[Indy2222]

Ashkoan,

Great input, I really appreciate it.

I'm actually using dreamweaver already, so I have the tool to make my site look 100% professional, I just need to learn how to use it... as I'm sure you know there is a learning curve with everything in DM. Thats a template I found then changed the background color in photoshop and then changed the layout a bit (side note: do you like green? I was thinking blue might be better, not sure)

I hear you on the "planning" stuff. I tried to make this perfect for too long, then just said screw it and put it up so I could make some sales while I tweaked it...

I'm definitly gonna get to work on the favicon... great advice that I wouldn't have thought of on my own. I also want to spruce up the graphic of the page content... make the white content section look more 3 dimensional coming off the green background... I think that'll help.

About the linking thing... you don't think that could kill my sales flow? You know... you have people click on my link to define.. whatever.. and they are taken away from my marketing funnel and I could lose the sale... I guess I could just continue my sales funnel after the definition... I don't know....

I changed my second video by the way... I like it alot better. And I made a video tour of one of the properties we're offering with the membership... I'm going to link to that as a sample resort and have some info about the resort along with the video.

I'm just happy to be on my path to Ferriss's vision... once you start tapping the potential and get some motivation from it, you work at it all that much harder.

Thanks again,
Jamison

[AshokanKid]

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Hey there.,

Yeah., gotta be careful interrupting your pitches flow with a link that takes people off the page., perhaps then just weaving the definition, in a small way, into your page to show off your expertise.,

Give people some small "teasers" of your knowledge as a "pro" who knows things that they do not, but want to learn. There are other ways to make your text pop at certain emphasis besides underlining (usually a link).

The page colors are cool.., green IS after all the color of money., AND of nature., trees, grass ., etc., has a good subliminal in my opinion. DW does have a little learning curve, but worth it.

If you are doing it all yourself, there are GREAT tutorials both online and in the program itself. Especially for a small and basic site (page almost) like yours, there is little need for too much sophistication.

Def exciting to just get stuff happening., and then get traffic., SWEET~!~

SC

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[HWilley]

About the linking thing... you don't think that could kill my sales flow? You know... you have people click on my link to define.. whatever.. and they are taken away from my marketing funnel and I could lose the sale... I guess I could just continue my sales funnel after the definition... I don't know....

Jamison,

What about putting it into the text and using a float-over to give them a little nibble of the definition? That way they never leave the page!

[AshokanKid]

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Hey HW.,

VERY nice idea, the fly-over info bubbles., hire THAT person for MY ad campaign~! :-)

Something like that is kinda nice and unobtrusive, AND also makes the page a little more "interactive" and interesting., PLUS provides elements of info that could be considered selling points when done properly., (must be subtle though and not have things pop up every line which could be annoying and distracting).

I also really like the idea of a MULTIPLE page site set-up rather than the typical "run-on" never ending scroll down., and DOWN., and D-O-W-N,. because then one can also track when and where visitors either get lost and bail out., OR decide to click "Yes!" let me BUY into this!

So., besides making the site a little more interesting., (though more complex AND also perhaps asking a bit more of your reader., click through pages instead of just scroll) having the multiple pages makes it easier to set up analytics and to place a BUY or SIGN-UP on each page.


There is an adage in selling that says, once your prospect is SOLD., you STOP selling., soo., if your reader is ready to sign up halfway through your page,. or less., you want to provide an easy way (impelling and OBVIOUS) to let that person OPT-IN right away rather than having to hear the rest of your patter.

And then., there are also those who just want to know "How Much?" and for that group it is easier to see if this might be the case by having multiple tracked pages so that you can analyze the navigation. This is getting more and more complicated, but it certainly provides you with lots of test info.,

SC

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[Indy2222]

Great input guys, this is why this forum is so great...

I think I may try the pop over thing.. great idea... hopefully I can figure itr out in dreamweaver... I did hire someone initially to work on my site, but it didn't work out at all, plus I've always been a hand on type of guy and wanted to learn how to do this anyway.

I'm going to add multiple pages... I already have the FAQ, which I'm going to add to, I'm going to have a resort highlight page or 2 (I'm on vacation in Siesta Key, FL and did a video tyour of a GRN resort, sdo that will be one of the pages) I'm going to do a timeshare comparison page, and maybe a marketing techniques page, if I don't add that to the FAQ. Where should I link to these pages, I'm thinking mayebt he typical menu bar at the top may take away from my sales flow... so I thought about right below my action steps, where my current FAQ link is.

Also, I thought about changing the layout a bit to brand myself more. Floating the videos on the left and putting pictures of myself with family/friends on the right. You know pictures of vacations, having fun, etc. Also, I got lucky and somehow went out of my league with my girlfriend who is very easy on the eyes, so I might as well include her early on in the website. Do you think these pictures will add to my appeal? Or do you think they'll take away from my sales flow, people will be checking out my pictures instead of reading the ad copy/video flow that is designed to sell (which I want to tweak as well)?