Frequently, clients come to us with mountains of text designed to showcase their skills and the unique benefits of their products. However, it’s often a waste. Research indicates that users are generally not browsing the web looking for a long, detailed read. They prefer bullet points, clearly picked out headers, and most of all, a strong call to action. Having 82 years of knowledge is one thing, 82 percent off is quite another.

But in a business where there is no clear pricing opportunity– for example, a lead-generation site where the deal is still amorphous at the time the customer contacts you, or a B2B site where the price is negotiated over several months and proposals, what can you do to add spice?

• Don’t discount the customer, discount the customer who is like your customer. Show a typical offering with a reasonably competitive price, and perhaps reinforce it with a short-term ‘lock in before prices change’ offer.

• Offer something else entirely. A local dentist advertises a free iPod with a brace plan. You don’t have to compete on price there, as it provides a reason to move independent of price. It can backfire if the buyers have gift-from-vendor policies, but they can be avoided by making the gift part of the package offered– free training, a more robust service contract, or peripheral products where the percieved value exceeds their cost.
• Sell benefits, not costs. A phrase like ‘our services paid for themselves after week 19′ does not mention any specifics, but still reinforces the concept there’s good value there. Indeed, many times, it’s exactly the message expected for major purchases where there’s a budget case to be made.
• Incentivize the lead, not the sale. A downloadable white-paper or free t-shirt might be enough to get someone’s attention enough to fall into your sales funnel. If it’s clear that it’s a limited commitment, there’s less resistance and a small reward is an acceptable choice.

While obviously, price-related calls to action are best, when you can’t do “free shipping” or “30% off”, you can still build a page with a solid call to action.