As a savvy business person and marketer, you would never hand sales to a competitor would you? Look closely though. Your website might be doing just that. Below is a checklist of items to look for on your site. If you can’t immediately say “Yes!” to all of them, you might be giving away sales:

1. When you look at your homepage, can visitors immediately connect with your messages and understand what problems of theirs you can solve?

2. Is your home page simple, easy to read, and easy to navigate?

3. Can a visitor quickly see where they need to go next to learn more about how you can help them?

4. Are your visitor’s solutions visually represented in a way that is larger than your company’s logos or messaging?

5. Do you provide educational materials throughout your site that avoid a sales pitch?

6. Do you allow visitors the opportunity to take away some information datasheets, brochures) while requiring them to fill out a small amount of information for others?

Can they easily find this information and make the distinction?

7. Are there case studies and success stories from past customers throughout your site to show trust and authority?

8. Is there regularly updated information, such as a blog, that provides value while compelling visitors to return to your site?

Google reports that 9 out of 10 people visit your site at least once before contacting you (be it by email, phone or through a web form), so giving them a clear picture of who you are, how you help them solve their problems, and giving them a reason to come back may mean the difference between a sale, and handing a sale to your competition.