It is not easy to talk about things like finding the
‘missing 1%’ without beginning to sound like an advert for training shoes or
some new fandangled energy drink … two subjects on which, you can imagine, I
claim to be no great authority…

I could, however, recount any one of a hundred occasions from my life as an
employee, (and one or two from domestic situations as well) when a
perceived missing element was the entire focus of the feedback I received,
rather than the other 99% of effort that went in … I’m sure, regardless of
what you do, you would have similar tales of your own…

And, just like real life – with our online endeavours, if you’ve got it 99%
right, it doesn’t mean you get 99% of the results you would get if you’d got it
entirely correct, and, having just one thing that is not quite ‘there’ could
mean your results are halved or even absolutely zero … but don’t worry – I’m
actually going to tell you why all of this is a good thing…

You see, being a positive sort of chap I know that even if you are getting
nothing in the way of results, it may indeed be because you’ve made a complete
and utter hash of it, but far more likely is the fact that you haven’t got it
all wrong, you really have followed the plan and done the things you were
instructed to do, it’s just some small omission or oversight which has left it just
one thing away from being perfect…

For example, over the last couple of weeks I have had a few instances of
students who have not quite got the results they were expecting … and some
cases yes, there is some way to go before they have something serviceable …
but for the majority of them the thing separating them from what they were
hoping to achieve was just one little tweak, in a couple of cases it was as
small as the unknowing addition of a hash tag (you know, one of those ‘#’
things so popular with twittering types)

So, how can you spot the ‘one thing’ that may need changing…? now obviously I
can’t personally critique every Lowedown reader’s website or project, that
would take more time than anybody would have, but did you know that your family
and friends could be just as well placed to give you information you need as
any internet ‘guru’…?

Remember, chances are, the vast majority of people you know use the internet
regularly (even if it’s just to let their virtual friends know what they think
about the ‘X’ factor) so they have an idea of what looks ‘right’ online, may
well have more in common with the people your website is trying to reach …
and it could really be the case that their passing comment of ‘don’t like that
background much’ might be exactly what’s putting others off too.

Then, if you wanted, you could go a bit deeper still … You see, you know what
the purpose of your website is, so simply ask your ‘tame critic’ if they would
join, or buy or whatever it is you intended them to do, and if not … ask why.
The feedback you get could provide you with the missing pieces to your
puzzle…

Until Next Time,

Tim Lowe

Publisher, Tim’s Business
Lowe Down