5 Surprising Things Your Website And Salsa Dancing Have In Common

What does salsa dancing have to do with creating a successful website for your small business? More than you think.

Here’s the thing: in this beautiful endeavor called online business, you, the business owner, are essentially leading clients through a virtual dance called “the sale.” And the virtual dance floor for your business is called your website.

This begs the question: Are you inviting clients to the dance or stepping on their toes?

Here are several smart moves to note.

1. The best isn’t always in demand.

   To make it in business, or in dancing, you need skills—no doubt about it—especially if you want to position yourself as an expert in your field. But hard skills that are not cushioned in charisma and a personality are off-putting.

   Take a cue from salsa dancing: a selfish dancer who only uses his partner to show off his moves, soon finds himself dancing pathetically alone as other couples swirl by. Why? Because social dancing isn’t a competition and neither is your relationship with your clients.

   Your clients want to know you have the skills necessary to complete their project. But they also want to have fun working with you. That means your website must project not only your expertise, but also your personality. Are you fun? Quirky? Laid-back? Flexible?

   When it comes to website content and sharing your expertise, don’t focus on sharing the dry, boring facts about your skills, or boasting about your awards. Clients want to know you have a pleasant personality as well.

2. Leading doesn’t mean pushing and shoving.

   There’s nothing a dancing gal hates more than a guy who treats her arm like a video-game joystick, forcefully trying to maneuver her into a sequence of steps, instead of gently guiding her through them. And customers feel the same way about your sales funnel.

   There’s a huge difference between gently guiding online visitors through the buying process, and hurriedly dragging visitors to a sales page, shoving your offers down their throat. And a mistreated client, much like an ill-treated dancer, will walk right out on you, never to return.

   Closing the sale is important. That’s why we’re in business. But remember the process from landing page to sales should be smooth and enjoyable for all parties involved.

3. There’s a time to lead and to follow.

   When salsa dancing, you may think the man always leads and the woman always follows, but the reality is far more subtle. A good lead knows when to give his partner space to add her personal touch to the dance, and when to let go entirely for freestyle improvisation.