So you’ve got yourself a shiny new website and now you’re ready for the world to see it. But before you go shouting about it from the rooftops and updating your social media profiles, slow down, take a deep breath, and make sure your website is ready to turn those visitors into subscribers and clients.

Here’s the thing: you can have the prettiest looking website in the world but if you don’t have a way of getting people onto your list or booking your services, your website is not doing its job.

Some designers and coaches will tell you your website is your most valuable employee. I like to think of your website as your new, favorite business BFF. When you have a strategic and smart website, it will always have your back. Your website will work behind the scenes to sell your services and programs automatically so you don’t have to.

It will help you build your credibility, position you as the expert you are, and make it easy for your dream clients to book your services. Plus, it will save you time from having to spend all your time networking or worse, cold-calling/emailing.

With that in mind, there are top 5 must-haves for your website. What’s even better, you can add all of those things today, without hiring someone to do it for you!

 

1. Email Opt-in

One of your website goals should most definitely be to grow your email list. Not everyone will be ready to hire you right out the door, but if you have a way of getting their email information, you can stay top of mind by sending a weekly newsletter packed with your awesomeness.

But…

Don’t just ask people to sign up for your newsletter. That’s not very interesting or exciting and you want people to hand over their email address with enthusiasm and invite you into their inbox.

Instead, ask them to become a part of a VIP club or download a freebie. If you’re asking them to be a part of the VIP club, make sure you’re not sharing the same content as you do on social media or your blog.

If you’re offering a freebie, make it super valuable AND easy to implement. Give them a quick win they can implement in 5 minutes or less and feel accomplished.

Your email opt-in should be included on your homepage and you can also include it in your blog posts. Depending on what website builder you are using, there will be different ways to add this to your site. Since mine is on WordPress using Divi, I can easily add mine using the email opt-in module that is built in Divi. You can see a shot of the module used to add the opt-in as well as one of my opt-ins available in my Freebie library!

2. A way to book your services

I mentioned earlier that your website can be your best salesperson because it makes it possible for your dream clients to book your services automatically (and while you’re asleep or binge-watching Netflix).

That’s why you need to have an easy way for people to book your services. A Service or Work With Me page alone isn’t going to cut it. You need to make it super clear and super easy for people to book.

For example, you could use a scheduling tool like Calendly and add the link to the scheduler into your homepage or your services page. In my case, I currently have mine added to my announcement bar (click here to see other ways to use the announcement bar on your website) so that it’s one of the first things potential clients see when they go to my website.

If you need something more robust, you could use Dubsado, embed their lead capture form on your website and create a whole automated workflow and a smooth onboarding process your clients will LOVE. You can see an example of how I have my form set up below.

3. Your Photo

If you’re like most creative business owners, you probably also belong to the category of solopreneurs. And the thing with solopreneurs is that you are your own brand. When you take into consideration that most people prefer to deal with HUMANS, you can start to see just how powerful a personal brand can be.

So… that leads to tip #3 which is making sure your website includes your photo. Ideally, a photo of your smiling, beautiful face should be above the fold on your homepage but you should also include it on your about page.

When people see your photo, they will be able to connect with you and see that there is a real-life person behind the brand which instantly makes you more likable.

Now, that doesn’t mean you have to go and have a professional photo shoot. You can easily add a pro-looking photo to your website yourself. Grab your smartphone, your bestie or your husband (or even your kid!), find a solid color surface in your home and go to town.

4. Social Proof

Your website helps you build credibility. In other words, it should tell other people that you know what the fuck you’re doing which is what makes them want to hire you. There are two ways to get that trust factor going.

1. Include testimonials from your past clients.
If you haven’t asked for testimonials yet, you’re missing out. If you’ve had clients before, then you should definitely reach out to them and ask them to share their feedback and in a few sentences describe what was it like working with you. It’s even better if they are willing to share their photo.

2. Include logos from places you’ve been featured.
If you’ve written a blog post, reach out to the website owner and ask them if they have a copy of their logo you can use on your website to link back to the guest post. Chances are they can pull their logo from their media kit and will be more than happy to give it to you as everyone loves free traffic.

On my particular website, I make sure to utilize client testimonials. I have them included on my home page, on each offering page, and on the actual portfolio page that showcases their project. This way, it doesn’t matter where a potential client is looking at my work, chances are they will see a client testimonial and have an idea of what it is like to work with me prior to booking my services.

5. Contact Form

Lastly, your website needs a contact form. Or your email address. Or social media profiles. Or all of the above. You get the point – you need to have a way for everyone to get in touch with you. Whether they want to ask a few more questions about your services or ask about a potential collaboration.

If you want to be all super fancy, you can even embed a Messenger plugin on your website as I have done. This makes it easy for visitors to start a conversation with you and you can even pre-write a few messages or questions to help them get started and point them in the right direction.

 

So there you have it, those are the top 5 must-haves for your website. While those things are easy to implement on your own, I totally get if you don’t feel like doing it yourself. But, hey, I’d be happy to help! If you’re not getting any leads from your website and want an experienced eye to look it over and recommend how to get that puppy to convert, I’m your gal, so get your booty in gear and book your website strategy session.