Systematizing your website is a matter of ‘laying the foundation.’ It’s pretty much a one-time process, though you should update your site with new or updated new content on a regular basis (monthly/ quarterly/annually).

When I first started my business in 2009, I wholeheartedly believed that if I built my website people would ‘flock’ to it. But that was not the case at all. Over the years I discovered that I needed to do some specific things to DRIVE people to my website. I will be covering some of the steps I took to drive traffic TO my site in future posts, but first, I want to share about the elements and features that I suggest to include on your website to inspire curiosity, engagement, and most important—a desire to work with you.

I will also share with you my perspective and how having (or not having) these elements have made a difference in my business, and for the clients I have worked with.

The one element I suggest NOT to have on your site…

Pricing/Rates. If you’re a service provider, as opposed to selling a product, I suggest that you do not feature your pricing on your website. And here’s why…

If your prices are what someone considers to be too low, they may not have enough faith that you would be the one to help them. On the other hand, if your pricing options are what a person would consider too high, they may wonder why you have the ‘nerve’ to charge such rates. Either way, it’s a lose-lose scenario. I’m going to share with you in the next sections what you can incorporate into your site to inspire their curiosity to speak with you first, and THEN get your rates.

When people go to your website, one of the first things they are going to look for is your pricing. That’s usually the critical decision-making factor which will determine whether they want to take any further action. So if they find your pricing, one way or the other, affordable or expensive, they’re probably clicking off your site right then and there. The truth of the matter is you’ll never know that they were even ON your site, and you’ll never be able to surmise why they left or that they were ever there in the first place.

Here are the elements I suggest SHOULD be on your website:

Testimonials

I’m always amazed that there are so many business owners who don’t have testimonials. Often their LinkedIn profile has recommendations, but they don’t have those shared as testimonials on their website. Make sure you’re taking your recommendations from LinkedIn, and putting them on your site, and vice-versa. Make sure those who have provided testimonials for your website are also sharing as their recommendation on LinkedIn.

Success Stories / Case Studies.

People will resonate if they know another person at one time had similar struggles as them. Inspire them with a story framed as, “Jane was here, but I helped her to get to where she wanted to be (in having more people attend her classes).” Help them to identify with someone else’s pain and to know that if they work with you, they may be able to overcome their similar challenges.

Describe your ideal clients, and specifically how you help them

Ask questions, such as, “Can you relate to this scenario in your life or your business?” Or, “Does this sound like you?” Or, “Are you interested in working with us? If so, here are some things that you should know.” Add in a descriptive ‘taste’ of what it’s like to work with you.

Most businesses tend to use their “About” page as a biography, and that’s good, but your ideal clients don’t care as much about where you went to college as they do about knowing how you can make a difference for THEM. So think about what you can highlight, and be as specific as possible in describing how you help your clients, the difference you can make for their lives, and what sets you apart from others in your industry.

Opt-in/Premium Giveaway

In this day of too much spam, email overflow, and freebie fatigue, “sign up for my newsletter” is not going to be enough inspiration for people to give you their email address freely. Instead, offer something that would be of great VALUE for them. Your premium giveaway should be an offer for something they would be most grateful to have. Be sure your downloadable pdf (or whatever you’re giving away) is not only well-written but so chock-full of actionable steps and ideas that it would be a ‘no-brainer’ for them to type their name and email address into the opt-in fields. Be sure the title is just as compelling, such as, “Sign up to download my free report, “How to Get More _____ Without Giving up _____.”

Featured/As Seen On

Your “Featured/As Seen On” page can be your ‘hub’ containing all your media mentions. Look for and take every opportunity to be interviewed, to be a guest on a podcast, to be quoted on a website, etc. Anytime you are interviewed, featured, or quoted, be sure to update this page with the direct link. Having this will provide your website visitors a ‘glimpse’ of your notoriety and better yet—your credibility. Here’s mine as an example: www.upscaleyourbusiness.com/featured

Your Signature ‘System.’

You can create your signature system from a simple acronym. For example, my 7-Step ‘UPSCALE’ Client Attraction System uses the letters in the word U-P-S-C-A-L-E as outlined here:

• U – Utilize Existing Content
• P – Publicize Your Posts
• S – Systematize Your Marketing Process
• C – Create Client Attraction Systems
• A – Automate Relationship Building
• L – Leverage Your Expertise Across Multiple Platforms
• E – Entertain, Educate, and Engage Your Audience

Show how your system takes your client through a process and gets them from where they are to where they want to be if they follow the steps you outline—from point A to point Z. Here’s more about MY signature system: https://upscaleyourbusiness.com/impact/

Needs Assessment Form

 It’s entirely appropriate to have a Contact Me page, but I suggest you include a link to your Needs Assessment form on THAT page or a page I have on my site called “Work with Me”. A needs assessment form is a questionnaire to 1.) help you to identify whether your prospect is a good fit for what you offer and 2.) to help your prospects KNOW that you can help solve their most pressing problems. The questions you ask on this form should address their concerns and their challenges and frame as “What’s going on in your (life/business) that tells you support is in order? Instruct them to check all that apply, and then list several statements they should be able to identify with, such as “I’ve reached a level of success I’m proud of, but I’m ready to take my business to the next level.

Click here for MY Needs Assessment form to get some ideas. 

TIP: Have your Needs Assessment form redirect your prospects to your scheduling link.

Your Scheduling Link

‘Sprinkle’ your scheduling link throughout your website, so your prospects don’t have to poke around to find it. Add it to your Contact Me page. I recommend www.youcanbook.me

I have many links which I use for different scenarios in my business, client calls, hiring interviews, coaching calls, etc. Here’s MY scheduling link for consults:  https://upscaleyourbusiness.com/call

Make Your Website Easy to Navigate. 

I suggest keeping drop-down menus to an absolute minimum. (You can always direct people from one page to another by using hyperlinks in appropriate locations).

I suggest simple navigation consisting of 5-7 headings. For example:

1.      Services

2.      About

3.      Reviews (Testimonials)

4.      FAQ

5.      Featured On

6.      Blog

7.      Work With Me

Blog

Share your expertise. Be generous. And most importantly, at the end of each post, invite them to take the next step with a call to action. Invite them to buy your book, schedule a call, fill out your needs assessment form, read another relevant post… “if you liked this article, you may find this one helpful.”  I will cover in a future post the importance of a blog and how to use it to drive prospects to visit your website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Consider this prime real estate to provide answers to typical questions your prospects may have. Think of what your current clients had questions about before they signed up to work with you and address them on this page. You can use also use this space to answer the standard objections/barriers people which you believe people would have in deciding to work with you. 

I’ve shared here the insights I’ve had over the years in building my website. Remember, getting your prospects to your website is only a PART of the solution. Once you get them there, it is vital that you have the elements in place to inspire their curiosity about what you charge and how you can work with them.