It’s one of the simplest, oldest tricks in the book.

Yet so many still stumble over it, spilling valuable opportunities as they trip over their own feet.

If your website talks mainly about how good your company is, what you’re capable of doing and your wide range of products, services or fleet – then you might as well disregard half or more of the visitors to your site.

It’s like when you go to a party or gathering and you have the misfortune of getting snared in a conversation with Billy. That’s Billy Big-Potatoes.

Because his potatoes are bigger than everyone else’s, including yours.

You went to Crete last year for holiday?

Well, he went to Bali.

You drive a Volkswagen?

Say hello to his Bentley.

You get the picture. What Billy does best is talk about himself. Therefore disregarding the first and most important part of decent conversation.

It needs to be mutual.

No-one likes to hear about the same person endlessly.

The same goes for your site.

There’s a place for waxing lyrical about how good your company is, its esteemed history and experience and previous triumphs.

It’s called the ‘About Us’ page. Or the news page.

What you need to do is highlight the possibilities your service or product opens up.

How much easier their life becomes when they buy from you.

A rucksack is never merely a rucksack. No one wants to hear about the 27 pockets and Chilean material that is tested to endure 300,000 stamps from a bull.

They want to know why your rucksack makes their commute a serene experience.

Why your rucksack enables people to carry vital equipment – as well as keep safe the sentimental stuff that we all hold dear.

And they want to know why the straps on your shoulders are as light as a Tory promise yet as robust as a Nokia 3310 keypad.

Sell them the benefits, not the features. Not at first, anyway.

Forget about your company when you’re putting those pages together. Focus on your customers – and what they need. They need your company, you just need to highlight that.

I can help with that, just hit the button.