My clients often engage my services to write copy for their brochures and Web sites. Most contractors believe they are promising a customer-driven experience. This was the case with one client who I had to challenge on that belief. I noted that the webspeak of his Internet site told a very different story. “Webspeak” is the language and implied message of your Web site.

Rick Davis


My clients often engage my services to write copy for their brochures and Web sites. Most contractors believe they are promising a customer-driven experience. This was the case with one client who I had to challenge on that belief. I noted that the webspeak of his Internet site told a very different story. “Webspeak” is the language and implied message of your Web site. You may be surprised to discover that your message is overly focused on you and hardly customer driven.

Give yourself the “we-we test” to determine the quality of your Web site message. The test gauges the impression you give your customers and the level of customer focus you promise. To conduct your own we-we test, look at the front page of your Web site and count the number of times you reference “we,” “our” or “company name”. The more you talk about your company, the less customer-driven your image.

You may very well be a company that is dedicated to customer satisfaction. It is true that any company succeeding in today’s market must be acutely skilled in satisfying customer expectations. Customer satisfaction is a reflection of your actual services and delivery. But this is not a discussion about your operational skills; it is a challenge to your marketing message.

One very typical Web site I visited reads, “We are BA Roofing Company, family roofers for five generations. We are proud to offer quality roof installations and a broad range of other services at a competitive price. As you will see, our craftsmanship speaks for itself. Please take a moment to browse through our site, where you will find information to help educate you about our company, our services and the products we offer.”

This single paragraph references the company eight times. It is a brag sheet that states how wonderful the company is as a roofing contractor. There are no comments regarding the experience that the client can expect to receive.

At this point, you are probably saying, “Yes, but people want to do business with a company that is stable and will be around for a long time. People want the job done right. They want to know that the craftsmen who do the work have satisfied other customers just like the ones coming to the Web site.” To this I say, “Well done!” You’ve just re-written copy that will drive more interest in your company.

Instead of promising a family-owned roofer for five generations, write, “You want to trust your home with a company that is stable and will be around for a long time, like BA Roofing.” Instead of talking about “our craftsmanship,” write, “You will receive the craftsmanship from long-term employees that have satisfied many other homeowners just like you.”

Instead of asking them to work by reading about your company, simply tell them about the wonderful experience they will receive. Promise this: “You want the job done right and this is the promise you will receive from BA Roofing. Click here to read the amazing testimonials of other people that have raved about our company services and then contact us for a free consultation about your next project.”

Notice the difference in the tenor of the two pieces of copy. The first talks about the company and the history of the company and says, “Look around our Web site.” The second copy says, “You want and you will receive … .” The latter is exactly the type of copy that has proven to be successful in recent years.

You invest a lot of money to draw attention to your Web site and must recognize that it is often the first “person” at your company that a prospect will meet. While you’re in the process of writing new copy that sells, engage your salespeople and teach them to use the same phrases. The results will be well worth the time.