Is your website truly working as hard as your sales team? In today’s competitive digital landscape, your website isn’t just an online brochure—it can be one of your best salespeople. Podcaster and influencer Sam Dunning joins The Sales Gravy Podcast to discuss the Caveman Grunt Website Test, why effective SEO strategies are never a one-and-done exercise, and how to build and how to maximize website performance for consistent sales growth.

If your site isn’t converting visitors into customers, it’s time to rethink your approach. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to apply Dunning’s key strategies to turn your website into a dynamic, lead-generating sales machine.

Key Takeaways:

Caveman Grunt Website Test: Follow the “We do X that solves Y” formula for clarity and effective conversion.

Understanding Customer Pain Points: Craft landing pages that directly address customer pain points using simple, jargon-free solutions.

Leveraging Podcasts for Lead Generation: Use podcasting to build authority, get referrals, and increase inbound traffic.

Turn Your Passions Into Profit: Experiment with activities you enjoy to see if they can be monetized, and give them three months to generate results.

SEO is a Long-Term Commitment: Don’t treat SEO as a one-time task. Ongoing optimization, including backlinks, keyword updates, and metadata improvements, is key to keeping your website visible.

https://youtu.be/y3-ALV67iT4

1. SEO Strategies are Not Dead

Sure, the introduction of AI optimization has some professionals running to figure out the algorithm for getting high rankings from AI platforms like ChatGPT or even Google’s AI overviews. But as far as we know, for Google – which still dominates the landscape – the same effective SEO strategies make for high rankings on AI overviews. 

That means overall you still need to focus on Google’s EEAT format: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust.

If you decide that SEO is worth your time then the best place to start is coming up with what your potential customers will be searching for to solve their problem.

Consider:

Industries where you’ve already seen success selling your products or services

Companies or organizations that can afford your solutions

What those companies might currently have cobbled together to solve their problems

2. The Caveman Grunt Website Test: A Simple Formula for Success

Does your website pass the Caveman Grunt Test? The premise is simple: If a caveman visited your website, would it be immediately clear what problem you solve and how you solve it? Keep your messaging straightforward—avoid jargon and unnecessary complexity.

Tip: Focus on the "We do X that solves Y" formula for a clear value proposition. Too many businesses miss out on potential conversions by overcomplicating their website copy. Simple, direct language can drastically improve your conversion rates.

3. The Importance of Identifying and Addressing Customer Pain Points

The most successful websites address specific pain points right away. Your landing pages should immediately highlight the problem your customer faces and present your solution in a simple, jargon-free manner.

Here’s what to include:

Clear, Benefit-Focused Headlines that speak to your customer's pain point. If you confuse, you lose.

Trust Signals like customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies.

Explainer Videos or step-by-step guides to show how your product or service solves the problem.

Why this works: Customers are most likely to convert when they feel you understand their challenges and have effective solutions. Ensure that your landing pages and home page are designed to address these pain points quickly

4. Using Podcasts to Build Authority and Generate Leads

Once you’ve optimized your website for clarity and customer pain points, it’s time to extend your reach. Podcasting is a powerful tool for building your brand, establishing authority,