How often do you go to a business or person’s website and you can’t quite figure out what they do? That’s because they are missing key website elements that distinguish what they offer.
We spend a tremendous amount of effort (and dollars) trying to drive people to our websites. Therefore, it’s so important to make sure when they get there they can clearly see what you offer. I review a half dozen websites each week, and I see some very common elements that miss the mark, but can be easily fixed.
Here are three of those that you’ll want to check on your website to ensure you are hitting the mark.
[Tweet “3 Key #Website Elements to Ensure Your Hitting the Mark with Visitors! #SpeakingTip”]
1. PROMINENT PROMISE: A promise statement, also known as your tagline, should be present and easy to see on every page of your website. This will allow visitors to clearly see what you do, regardless of what page they enter your site on. If your promise is only on your home page, you’ll want to expand that to all pages on your next round of website changes.
A strong promise statement is 5-7 words that speak to the outcomes of your work in general. Here are some sample promise statements:
- Turning Managers into Leaders
- Leverage Talent for Bottom Line Results
- Creating High Energy, Low-Stress Workplaces
- Creating Customer Longevity in Your Dental Practice
- Catapult Your Speaking Business (that’s mine)
[Note: I first heard the term “promise” from copywriting expert Bob Bly. Thank You, Bob!]
2. MAKE IT ABOUT THEM: Many websites open with talk about the speaker’s background and why they are credible. And although establishing your credibility is important, consider making your language more about the target audience first.
For example, if you’re talking about leveraging talent for bottom line results, you might open with the problem, i.e., “In today’s typical workplace talented people get overlooked and become disengaged causing XYZ to happen.” Then you go on to talk about the solution you offer to this problem.
3. MENU NAVIGATION LABELS: Consider wording your menu navigation tabs based on what the client might be shopping for. For instance, rather than having a tab that says Speaking or Work with Us, get more specific with descriptions like Keynotes or Consulting.
If a potential client comes to your site and sees your promise, which may be “Helping Companies Achieve XYX” and then sees menu options for Consulting, Keynotes, and Bookstore, they will know immediately how you are going to deliver on your promise.
You can design your website in a million different configurations; there is no “one way” that is perfect. However, you will want to consider these few suggestions, especially if you find that people do not understand exactly what you have to offer when they visit your site.
What website strategies have worked for you? Please share with our other Wealthy Speakers in the comments below!
See you soon wealthy speakers!
PS: The doors to our next 16 Week Business Acceleration course open tomorrow! If you are ready to catapult your speaking business, check it out and register to join us!
