Makeup is like deodorant to me. I would rather not think about it — ever — and I only wear it because I have to.

I don’t know makeup brands or colors, and I don’t care enough to research what makeup would be right for me. Usually, my need for makeup only results in a purchase if a friend recommends something specific, or when I run out of an essential piece, like mascara. Then I’m found sprinting to the local pharmacy…

...continue to read "Why Free Web Tools Make Customers Want to BUY NOW"

We Canadians already have a bit of a complex due to the fact that the rest of the world seems to lump us together with the U.S., calling them our big brother. Canadians are sick of being treated like leftovers. So, when certain North American companies leave us (and other international visitors) out of the loop by making it difficult to buy from their websites, they’re losing sales and annoying would-be customers like me.

It’s time for U.S. companies to consistently…

...continue to read "Don’t Hose the Canadians! (Our Dollars Are Equal Now.)"

Whether your site is lead-generation or retail, you probably have a form somewhere. Here are some basic things you can do to optimize your forms.

1. Indicate which fields are required by using asterisks next to these required fields. Ask yourself if the non-required fields offer enough value. If they don’t, remove them from the form. This could potentially make all fields a requirement — and if that’s the case, the asterisks would be overkill — which brings us to our…

...continue to read "7 Tips for Boosting Web Form Conversions"

Last winter, when I made my temporary move to Salt Lake City, I started researching the local ski resorts. The mountains surrounding the city are known for having some of the world’s biggest and lightest powder snow. I was convinced by the customer reviews I’d read online that were written by local ski bums from Utah.

Time and again, I read and heard reviews about the Snowbird resort having some of the most challenging terrain, coated by the area’s best powder. So…

...continue to read "Why I Nearly Flaked on the Season Pass"

What if you had a business where you had a loyal and engaged community of fans, where people were dying to say good things about your brand, but you decided it wasn’t so important to cash in. How would this strategy work for your business? (Let me know how that works out for you.)

If you’re an avid skier who lives in North America, like me, you’ve probably seen a Warren Miller film. He was one of the first to harness ski…

...continue to read "Warren Miller Loses His Edge Online"

Website visitors are impatient. They have high expectations. Since options are abundant, they’re in control. They hold the power. If your visitors open their circle of trust because you engage them with persuasive copy or links, you have a limited opportunity to meet exceed their expectations.

Each click represents an expectation. The visitor expects that this scent will follow through to the next page, and that she’ll be brought to a page that specifically offers the experience she was promised. When…

...continue to read "Are You Giving Visitors the Bait-and-Switch?"

Vincent Van Gogh painted his ‘Starry Night’ in 1889 while in an Asylum at Saint-Remy.

Vince’s painting has affected millions. It’s one of the best known images in modern culture. It’s inspired songs such as Don McLean’s “Starry Starry Night” and is one of the most replicated prints. The painting has a magnetic appeal, engaging the reader by drawing them into its world.

I say “reader” rather than viewer because this image is a perfect example of how an image SPEAKS a thousand…

...continue to read "Van Gogh on Creating Magical Web Content"

I grocery shop once a week and, although I’m never without my grocery list, there are always impulse items I buy for various reasons. There are also those items on my list that I simply have never thought of purchasing online instead of at the grocery store; cleaning products, bath towels and light bulbs, for instance.

Now, I’m big on environmentally friendly products and I recycle as much as humanly possible, so I’d easily be attracted to a product such as…

...continue to read "Are Your Visitors Searching for Your Products?"

I just got back from my daily trip to Starbucks (SBUX). They recently installed a drive-thru window at the one near my house, so I’m pretty excited. Generally speaking, I’m not a lazy person — but time is money, my friends!

So, here’s the deal. I order the same thing every day; a tall, iced chocolate milk with a shot of almond flavor. (I know, pretty lame.) Some days, they charge me $2.91 and some days, they charge me $2.59. Initially,…

...continue to read "Too Much Foam in Starbucks’ Pricing"

...continue to read "Do French Canadians Search Different?"