Is Your Website All About You?

Last week I attended a great webinar by Matthew Goldfarb of Corporate Renegade Copy that talked about website copywriting. The topic of the call was Website Snoozing, and the gist of the message was that you have to wake up your web copy in order to get your prospects to notice you. (so true!)

It was a great presentation and I thought it was a good subject for an article.

Many virtual professionals I come into contact with have some form of website set up – whether it’s their first, simple website, or a complex more detailed one. It’s important to realize that your website will probably always be a work in progress.

In my travels as a VA mentor, I look at a LOT of websites … and I see the same problem happening more often than I can even state here.

Your website should not be about you. Your website needs to be about your prospect, and what they need from you.

This is a common mistake in new VAs and other virtual professionals.

The first thing to realize is that, although you need to put your own information on your site, it shouldn’t be front and center on all of your pages.

Here are a few tips to help you organize your content in a way that will speak to your prospects:

1. Homepage – This is generally the first place your prospects will land. Talk directly to them. Make sure that you start your page with about 3 questions that will draw them in and you talk to them. Ask them what they are frustrated by, looking for, or trying to find. They will resonate with this quickly, and be compelled to read on. Then you want to summarize what it is they can expect from you – not a laundry list of your services, but what types of things you can provide for them in terms of support and service. Your homepage is NOT the place to explain what a VA is and how great running your own business is. If you must include this information, put it on a different page on your site.

2. About Me – this page is essential – you are a virtual professional and you need to show people that you are human. There are so many VAs I see who do not put their photo or their bio on their site. You can’t be a faceless company; virtual business doesn’t grow that way. People need to feel comfortable and know that you are a real person. Your bio doesn’t have to be (and actually shouldn’t be) an exhaustive list of your credentials, but it should be your story of how you came to do what you are doing, and it should show the passion you have for your business.

3. Services and Rates – the option to include rates on your website is totally up to you. It’s a personal choice, and one that you must be comfortable with as a business owner. Have a list of services is an essential piece of your site, though, and shouldn’t be left out. If you offer a lot of services, pick your top ones and list those on your site. Create packages or projects if you can. People like to see value and the perception of a bunch of services bundled into one is a great marketing technique. Remember also to speak in their words – don’t use industry jargon to describe what you do – they may not understand it, and move right along. Try not to put a long list of every single thing you do on this page – it can scare potential prospects who may be looking for support for the first time. They could feel that you will need to take care of EVERYTHING for them, when in fact you will probably handle a very small piece of their administrative needs to start with.

4. FAQ – I love seeing a frequently asked questions page on anyone’s website. It’s a great place to put up some questions that people often ask – and that way the prospect can get some immediate answers if they are not sure about something they have seen on your site. An FAQ can not only save you time on a consultation call, but sometimes it can also even GET you that call, if your FAQ reads conversationally – when you appear open and up front, your personality comes through, and you could just land a client based on that.

Your copy is so important on your website, and what I’ve described here really just scratches the surface.

It’s important to make sure that your website speaks to your prospects – it shouldn’t come across as your online resume … it’s not about you. It’s about them. They are the ones who are online looking for the support they need – and you will have a much better chance of working with them if you are talking directly to them.

I’d love to hear your comments on this article!