Wondering how to create a website your clients will love? You’re in the right place! As a website designer who helps small business owners attract their dream clients, I know what it takes to make your website irresistible.
Pro tip: create a website for your clients – not yourself.
Here’s the thing: your website design is not meant for you. It’s designed for your dream clients. And while you might visit your website most often, it’s important to prioritize your user experience for every visitor.
Whether you are DIYing your website or working with a website designer, you should leave your personal preferences behind. Remember: you are not your ideal audience.
Tips for creating a website that speaks to your ideal clients:
Get clear on your brand strategy
Before diving into your website design, get clear on your brand strategy. Who are you trying to appeal to with your website design? What is your brand personality? How do you communicate with your dream clients?
Have you ever landed on a website and known immediately that it was the perfect place for you? The colors, the fonts, the images – everything spoke to who you are at your core. No, it was not magic or sheer coincidence. That, my friend, is the power of a solid brand strategy.
Getting to the core of what your client needs from your website actually begins before designing your website. Think about how many hours you could save going back and forth over design ideas by first establishing brand guidelines.
How to establish branding for your website:
- Perform market research into your industry
- Define your target audience (who will be visiting your website?)
- Create a mood board with brand inspiration
- Select a cohesive color palette using color psychology
- Choose fonts that are unique but also easy to read
Without a brand strategy, your website design lacks clarity and consistency. In contrast, you can connect deeply with your clients when you’re clear on your brand’s positioning, messaging and personality.
Make your website easy to navigate
Most importantly, focus on being the guide for your clients. Donald Miller teaches in his StoryBrand framework, “When we position our customer as the hero and ourselves as their guide, we will be recognized as a sought-after character to help them along their journey.”
In other words, meet your audience where they are and lead them to the appropriate decisions for their specific needs.
One of the simplest improvements you can make to your user experience is cleaning up your menu navigation. And by that I mean, not every page on your website needs to be in the main menu.
Ask yourself: what are the most important pages to guide your client through the customer journey?
Typical pages in your main menu:
- Home page: builds awareness and sets the tone for what you do
- About page: connects you deeper to your audience
- Services page: highlights your capabilities and the value you provide
- Contact page: leads your audience to make a decision and take action
Consider adding additional “supporting pages” to help the customer journey. For instance, if you offer high-ticker services, you may wish to include a Case Studies page or Testimonials in your main menu.
Show the value you provide
If your website does one thing, it should be to communicate the value of what you provide. Whether you are an elopement photographer or a business coach, your website should demonstrate that you are an expert at what you do.
One of the best ways to show your dream clients that you can solve their problems? Demonstrate that you have done it before – for someone just like them.
How to show your expertise and value on your website:
- Include screenshots, reviews, or even video testimonials from past clients
- Highlight your best work in the form of case studies or portfolios
- Write helpful blog posts or create a resource library for your readers
- Showcase the publications, podcasts, or blogs where you have been featured
Speak to your ideal audience
But what if you’re new to business and don’t have a portfolio to back up your work? Let your words paint a picture of success for your clients. The words you choose to use on your website have more meaning than ever before.
With persuasive copywriting, you can guide your audience to the desired action (e.g. get in touch with you!) without coming across pushy or complicated. Regardless of if you’ve been in business for 10 years or 10 minutes, copywriting is a must-have for creating a website your clients will love.
Tips for writing persuasive copy:
- Focus on your ideal client and write only to that person
- Paint a picture of success by using “imagine if you could…”
- Forget about the dictionary – use words your audience uses!
- Include the most important details of your offers (e.g. what you’ll learn, what it costs, what’s included, etc.)
If you want to create a website that speaks to your dream clients, you’re in the right place!
Lastly, if you’re simply too busy or not looking to spend more time DIYing your way through a website design, that’s what I’m here for! Reach out to start the conversation and let’s design a website that speaks to your ideal clients.
Hey, I'm Gariele and I'm here to help you book your dream clients with a website that works for you.