TOC #92: My brawl with Nestle Tollhouse
(September 27, 2022) How A Good Website Positively Impacts Your Business
I spent the first two decades of my life thinking my dad had a secret, magical chocolate chip cookie recipe.
You know, the kind of family heirloom recipe that gets passed down generation to generation, never to be written down because it’s too sacred.
People from all different areas of his life would frequently request his fantastic signature dish—coworkers, cousins, waitresses at the diner he goes to every Friday morning—and every time, he’d deliver.
I distinctly remember several instances of finishing my homework late at night, wandering into the kitchen for a snack, and sneaking a spoonful of cookie dough while he snoozed (actually, snored) on the couch, the news blaring in the background.
He'd always wake up from his deep slumber to scold me for taking a bite. That's how dedicated he was to defending his chocolate chip cookie honor.
His talent was special.
…until my mom told me a few years ago that the recipe he used was literally just the one on the back of the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie bag.
Oh.
First Santa’s not real, now this.
Whatever, Gail.
Once I got over my deep dismay that my dad wasn’t some amazing cookie wizard, I decided to view the revelation as a positive one. I can make the cookies now, and they’ll taste just like his!
So, sure enough, I go to the grocery store, buy the chocolate chips, and get to work.
Now *I’m* the new, self-sufficient cookie wizard who no longer has to rely on her dad to make her chocolate chip cookies whenever she wants something sweet. His “secret” recipe becomes my go-to recipe for years.
…until today.
Today, I took out the chocolate chips, the flour, the sugar, the baking soda, the good vanilla, and the butter, preheated the oven to 375, put on Wesley’s apron, and flipped over the bag for the recipe.
And you know what happened? Those mofos changed it to OATMEAL chocolate chip.
An absolute disgrace.
(And that’s coming from someone who typically likes oatmeal. But in place of the classic I was craving? Absolutely not.)
“What’s wrong, mummy?” Wesley asked, concerned, as he eagerly stirred his wooden spoon around his empty mixing bowl.
I quickly hid my disappointment, and answered “oh, nothing - just looking for the recipe!” before frantically searching the bag for more information. There had to be some sort of explanation for this ridiculous, malicious act.
And, thank the good Lord, I actuallly found something helpful!
“For the original chocolate chip cookie recipe, please visit our website. Scan here.”
I’ve never whipped out my phone so fast.
The Nestle website is here to save the day! Maybe this is even BETTER than having the classic recipe on the bag, because now I can just bookmark the webpage and come back to it whenever I want! Maybe this is a GOOD change!
I clicked on Recipes, then Cookies, and waited for my brawl with Nestle to be a thing of the past.
And then I was brought to a 404 error page.
Not even a good, custom one. Just a straight-up boring, factory setting one.
This enraged me more than it probably should have, half because I’m (self-proclaimed) website queen and a bad slash broken website always makes me see red, and half because I didn’t want to have to go search through the depths of Pinterest for a good chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Nestle having a decent website would’ve made my day.
Nestle having a bad website ruined it.
How A Good Website Positively Impacts Your Business
There's nothing more frustrating than searching for something online, knowing exactly where to look for the answer to your query, and coming up short.
What do you mean you don't have your brunch menu on your site?
Which location is the one that's open on Sundays?
Where do I park if I'm entering the venue with a wheelchair?
What does the process of working with you look like?
How do I find out if I can afford your services if your prices aren't there?
Why didn't you just update your damn website to put the information I actually want and need right now?
It's no secret that a good website positively impacts your business, but I don't think we've ever really chatted about how, specifically. Let's do that.
→ Answers your readers' questions before they have to ask
When your website copy is written with your readers' needs in mind, anticipating what they may want to know, you'll make their lives so much easier and they'll love you and your brand so much more.
→ Limits communication with potential clients and customers
Because your site already did the heavy lifting of answering their questions, you won't have to respond to countless emails and calls and DMs from people wanting to know simple things, like what time you open, what your prices are, which services you offer, whether you offer payment plans…
And if those questions DO happen to come your way, all you have to do is send them one quick link.
→ Makes you look more professional and legitimate
Having a website automatically makes people take you more seriously, because it makes it clear that your business is the real deal, not just some side hobby you made a Facebook page for when you finally got sick of making banana bread during quarantine.
(And, hey, even if that *is* how your business started, no one would ever know if you had a gorgeous, professional website. All they'd see is an established, experienced business owner who clearly puts effort into their brand.)
→ Boosts your credibility
The best part of people thinking you look professional and legit? People thinking you're credible and being willing to trust you, based on how well your copy conveys your deeper understanding of what they want and need, and how much effort you put into their positive experience interacting with your brand online.
→ Helps more people find your business
Every good website is fast, easy to navigate, and user-friendly.
And Google loooves fast, easy to navigate, user-friendly sites—so much so, in fact, that they'll go out of their way to recommend yours to the right audience if you ensure your website falls under those 3 categories.
(When you create a virtual home for your content online, you're giving search engines numerous opportunities to introduce your brand to someone new.)
→ Earns you more money
The more people see your site = the more people who will potentially fall in love with your site = the more people who will take action from your site = the more people who will purchase something from you.
Want to learn how to write really awesome website copy so you can reap the rewards of a really awesome website? My website copywriting and content marketing course is relaunching next week—join the waitlist to be the first to know when it's live & to get the VIP link that lets save $300 on your enrollment!
Want to give your copy an upgrade?
ICYMI, I'm hosting a website copy upgrade party!
(And by party, I mean webinar. But since you read yesterday's email—you did, didn't you? —you already knew that.)
Next week, I'm hosting a FREE masterclass all about the 6 easy ways you can upgrade your website in under 60 minutes, so we can all collectively kick the “I know I should probably do this, but…” excuse to the curb and FINALLY give our sites the love they deserve.
…so that our ideal clients and customers can FINALLY find us online, read our bomb copy, fall in love with us, inquire about a new project, read every single blog we've ever posted, buy all of our products, and subscribe to our newsletter.
(I mean, after all, that IS what great website copy can do for your business. 👀)
When: Wednesday, October 5th at 12pm EST
Where: from the comfort of wherever you usually take your Zooms
Why: so you can have a bomb website that attracts dream clients, gets you more inquiries, earns you more sales, and grows your audience… duh!
I'm so excited to teach you these easy ways to make your website copy better, and I really hope you'll join me live at the webinar next week!
It's 100% free to attend, and everyone who shows up live will not only be the first to hear about a very special announcement, but will also get *several* gifts—two of them even being real-life tangible presents mailed to you!
Hi, I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. Thanks for reading this edition of the Tuesday Table of Contents! If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
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