Mistake #1 – Using Cliché.  Headlines such as “The Most Trusted”, “The Best Price” or “The Most Experienced” don’t cut it. Luxury Buyers demand more depth and evidence.  

Do This Instead:  Instead of the same tired headlines, give the viewer empirical evidence, such as:  “Over 300 Local Five Star Reviews” or “100% Five Star Reviews”.  Then, add depth:  “There’s a reason our clients speak so highly of us.  Read what they have to say.”

Mistake #2 – Cheesy, Generic Stock Photos.  We’ve all seen “The Handshake Photo”, or the smiling customer service agent with a headset on.  The message?  “They’re fake”.  These images tell the Luxury Buyer that your company has little depth – not much to say that is unique to you.  Or worse, these types of images tell the viewer that your company doesn’t think highly enough of them to spend a little extra time and thought into making your case in a genuine way.  

Do This Instead:  Use less common images and add context.  While stock photos have their place, how they’re used  can make the difference.  Find photos that are less commonly used, and pair them with a caption that implies the person in the photo is asking or declaring something.  Or better yet, use images of REAL customers if you can, letting the viewer know that the happy customer they’re looking at is a real person with a name.  If that’s not possible, opt for less generic photos, paired with a caption that garners interest.

Mistake #3 – Template-Looking Websites.  Much like a “Spec Home”, template websites are quicker and cheaper to build. And you can tell.  

The problem is that Luxury Buyers don’t buy spec homes.  And they don’t do business with “Spec Companies” either.   Though DIY website builders seem to make website building easier (though it’s arguable), they produce websites that end up looking pretty much the same.

There’s a predictable rotation of colors and layouts, of course.  But like the track home development, everyone knows it’s built from a template.  If you want to attract Luxury Buyers’ attention, don’t be “Spec”.  

Do This Instead:  Instead of fitting your company’s message into a template, build your website around your company’s unique brand and expertise.  The layout, colors, font and graphics used should all be built to work together to paint a vivid picture of who you are and why the Luxury Buyer should do business with you.

Mistake #4 – Saying Too Much.  

“Confident people make a statement and let it hang in the air.  People trying to gin up confidence talk too much in an attempt to overwhelm with information.”

There is so much that we want to say, and Luxury Buyers demand information.  However crowding too much information onto a website or an ad without giving the reader the space to take it in and digest it is a CLASSIC “me too website” mistake.  

Also, crowding that extra piece of info into that little piece of unused space tells the Luxury Buyer that you’re trying too hard.  Confident people make a statement and let it hang in the air.  People trying to gin up confidence talk too much.

Rule of Thumb:  If your website isn’t at least 40% blank space (no images or text), it’s too busy for the Luxury Buyer.  Don’t believe me?  Look at Luxury Buyer’s interior decorating styles.  Less is more, and more is too much.  

Do This Instead:  

a. Select the ONE takeaway from every screen and no more than THREE supporting points for that one takeaway.  By “screen” we mean what the viewer sees before scrolling.  When a viewer scrolls, they can scroll to another takeaway, with a fresh set of supporting points.  

b. Leave plenty of ‘white space’ between your images and text.  White space doesn’t have to be white.  It’s just a term for ‘blank space’.  Blank space allows the mind to absorb and process.  The irony is this:  When we try to squeeze more information on a web page, we rob the mind of the ability to process that information.  As a result, the viewer absorbs nearly none of it.  So really:  More information = less informed.

Mistake #5 – Saying Too Little.  

“Luxury Buyers demand more information.  They want to envision how their home will look or how they will feel when using your product.  They want to feel confident that they’re educated and making a wise decision.” 

Didn’t we just discuss telling the Luxury Buyer too much? Yes we did.

Luxury Buyers more information than ever before.  That information can be presented in the form of:

• Organized Image / Video Galleries of Completed Projects
• Informational Articles
• FAQ Widgets
• Infographics
• Explainer Videos
• Informational Call-Outs

The Key:  The key to providing enough information so the Luxury Buyer feels educated and can envision their home / lives with your product is to do so in an organized, logical way.  

The buyer should clearly see an option to select an image gallery or skip past it.  They should have a clear opportunity to see commonly asked questions and dive deeper for the answers, if they wish.  

If they DON’T wish to dive deep into image galleries or FAQ’s, they should be able to scroll through your site without feeling like there’s too much information.  It should be a pleasant browsing experience that builds trust and warmth.  

Either way, the 40% White Space Rule still appies.