Conventional wisdom says simply driving more, or better targeted, traffic is the best way to increase sales; this is rarely true. Every website has goals, and customers realizing those goals are conversions.

The key is that customer motivations drive the buying process not the company's sales process or media buy.

Most websites convert an anemic 1- 4%; customers ignore website content when it doesn't immediately deliver the level of relevance they demand. Fortunately, such results can be improved dramatically. Unfortunately, many executives' expectations remain unreasonably low.

Websites converting less than 10% are cause for concern.

Bryan Eisenberg Bryan is recognized worldwide as a leading expert on online marketing and marketing analytics.

Bryan Eisenberg cofounded marketing consulting firm Future Now with his brother in 1998. Future Now applies persuasion architecture to increase online and multichannel conversion rates so prospects purchase, subscribe, register, make referrals, or accomplish other goals that can be measured and optimized. Bryan helped invent and develop MAPSuite, a suite of software applications that allows nonexperts to apply persuasion architecture to their businesses.

He is chairman and a founder of the Web Analytics Association and has authored several books, including the "New York Times," "USA Today," and "Wall Street Journal" bestseller "Call to Action"; his latest is "Waiting For Your Cat to Bark?"