Be The Cat
There is an old analogy that is used over and over again in the sales world.
There are dogs, and there are cats. It comes down to how you approach others.
The dogs are like energetic puppies. They're the people with something to share with the world, and they're so excited to share that they are absolutely bursting with energy.
The dogs are the people that can't wait to tell you about their new business, their new venture, or their new opportunity. Before you can even take a breath, they've spoken for a solid 10 minutes without breathing at all.
Their words come out you like a verbal 'wall of text,' and when it happens you can barely digest any one single idea before they've moved onto three others.
While you may be fond of this person, and you're happy for their enthusiasm, they're rarely someone that you're looking to buy from. They've spent all their time talking, and not a moment of it listening.
The cats, on the other hand, are more like...well...cats. Cats are known for overall being more subdued, more mellow, and smoother in their approach. Where dogs run towards you, cats glide, and will play coy until they see if they have your attention.
Cats play it cool. They lead you slowly to where they want you to go. They're cunning, and they know what it takes to get your attention. They'll put out a small teaser, just something to grab your attention, and if they know they have it then they'll give you a little bit more, and a little bit more, until they've won you over completely.
Dogs may make for loyal and affectionate pets, but cats make for darn good salespeople. They know that throwing a wall of text at you makes your messaging hard to digest, and instead they package things into bite-sized pieces that they know will get your attention.
When it comes to your website, write as though you're the cat.
A dog's loyalty and devotion don't come through on a webpage. What does come through is that impenetrable wall of text, with so many words and ideas thrown at you all at once that it's nearly impossible to process.
The result? Even their best ideas, their most valuable offers, or the thing you have to know can all too easily get lost in the shuffle.
The cat's website doesn't give it all away up front. They don't say much to start with, but every word packs a punch.
As your interest builds, you move through their site, not even realizing that they're guiding you where they want you to go.
Every line makes you want to learn a little more, and then even more still. There may not be much to read, but you realize that's intentional - they're just giving you enough to make you want to reach out.
That's also why a call to action is so crucial - lead readers around your site a bit, and then make sure they know exactly how to find you.
This is not a golden rule for every website, of course. Some are purposefully text heavy, or are looking to include as much written content as possible for specific SEO purposes.
Yet if you're looking to keep it simple and you're not sure where to start, try being the cat. Remember, your goal is not to turn your reader into a subject matter expert within minutes. The goal is to show why you're that expert, and why they need to reach out to you for help.