Barbara Bates

I filled out a form to receive a download the other day. It’s a good thing I read all the way through.

This is not as easy for me as it is for you. I use a screen reader to read the screen – it reads one line at a time. You can’t scan, can’t look ahead, can’t see what’s coming up next.

So, I filled out the form but before I clicked the submit link, I went down and read further.

Below the submit link it stated a code you needed to receive the download. 

Now, think about it. This is silly (I could have called it something else, but silly will do for now.) It’s like putting up a form, having the person fill it out, then saying something like, “USE ONLY CAPITAL LETTERS at the bottom after the form has been filled out. Now you have to go back and refill out the form.

True, it’s not an exact imitation of what happened, but you get the idea.

You should put all the information the person needs to fill out the form – above the form. Directions on filling out the form or what to do after the form is submitted do not belong below the form.

Doesn’t this make sense? To me, who can’t read below the submit line before submitting, it makes perfect sense. How do you feel about this? Am I being picky about this?

I’ve been receiving quite a few emails about putting either video or audio pieces on blogs or websites. The problem with this is a good number of those doing this have no idea how to make them accessible to those of us using adaptive equipment. And there are over 30 million Americans alone who access their computers using adaptive equipment.

If you’re trying to sell something shouldn’t you not tick off potential customers? One would think so. Shouldn’t you make it as easy as possible for people to order from you?

Some people don’t like audio, some don’t like video, some don’t like to read. The solution? Give potential customers options. Create an option box at the beginning of the page.

Would you like to:

(link) Read this offer?

(link) Listen to this offer?

(link) See a video of this offer?

Is it really that hard? If you’ve taken the time to produce a wonderful product, shouldn’t you make it available to as many people in as many forms as possible? It makes sense to me.  

Think about your presentation as you lay it out, as you record it, as you video tape it. A little common sense can go a long way.

Have you noticed that many people who post on the Internet think everyone — likes the same things they do, want the same things they do, have the same desires, ideals, and prejudices they do?

They offer you a solution to a problem, an item to buy, or an event to attend, based solely on their experiences. The way they solved the problem, the information in the item they’re selling, or the material they’ve collected for their seminar, worked for them; so it must work for you also. So follow this list of instructions and the problem will dissolve, as if it never existed.

What these people don’t realize is — everyone is an individual, and therefore needs an individual solution to achieve the best results for them. They stand in front of a gathering of people (either real or virtual) and see only their own smiling face reflected back — perpetuating the idea their solution is the one and only one to work.

Studies have shown people learn from, and retain, information from different media in a dissimilar manner.  Some people may learn best from visual images, others from audio, and some by reading the specified material. When an information product is offered for free in one media and has a price associated with it in another media, it builds unnecessary walls and can often cost more than just a sale.

I don’t like video products on the Internet. The Internet has no idea how to present material to those of us who are visually challenged. In addition, video files are large — taking up too much space and too long to load and view. I prefer my information in a written manner where I can control the rate I access the item at.

There are pros and cons for every type of media. But, if a choice is given, more visitors will come away with a warm, fuzzy feeling from your site, and just may return.

So, step outside your comfort zone and try bringing in people with different ideas, opinions, and beliefs than yours. A little friendly discussion will get you thinking; challenge some of your unfounded beliefs, and may even inspire you. Try some different things, approach a problem from another angle, or do something you’d normally consider “crazy”. Inventions like the telephone, television and microwave were thought impossibilities at one time. Stop copying and start thinking.