At the end of this podcast, you’ll know the 5 things your home page can’t live without.
If a contact or lead were to only see your home page would they call you or sign up?
My goal is to make that a yes. That means that you’re ahead of your competition and the rest of your website would only further solidify their decision to work with you before even calling you.
In the first couple of years of my business I rocked graphic design and website design, I still do but since then I have taken my love of reading and writing and learned copywriting and then marketing and the rest was history from there when I dove into Brand Strategy and Consulting.
Most of my clients find me when they are in the phase of needing a new or better website.
It’s clear within the first few minutes of the discovery call that most of the time they don’t have brand guidelines, a brand message or strategy and that’s where I describe the value I provide for their Business Development and foundations for marketing.
Our websites are one of our most important tools in this digital era. This is usually the first experience clients have with us outside of how they found us. Be it referral, google link or linked in article etc.
How do I look at a Home Page?
Listen to the episode to find out >>>
Here are 5 things your website home page needs:
#1 A Strong Hero
That’s the hero banner at the top of the home page. A strong hero has an interesting image that creates emotion and helps paint a picture of what you do. But more importantly it has your best, most simple one liner in your entire brand guide of messages.
With this text and image it should reveal what you do and the transformation that your client will have within 1/2 a second.
The last element of a strong hero is the call to action. Even if they are not ready to click when they first land it needs to be clear what action you are asking them to take with you. The next time they visit your site, they might be clicking that very button. This button should stand out and be very direct in the task.
#2 Testimonials
In my last episode I explained the 5 levels of accelerating your brand trust.
The first was a Trust built by Testimony or Referral of another. So for my Financial Services clients and even some Real Estate Investor clients that is where I address compliance in relation to this item.
You can also understand the importance of the testimonial and referral by listening to that episode. Your testimonials, case studies and client referrals should be the framework of your client acquisition plans and processes.
Testimonials are like salt. They make everything better and be sprinkled on just about anything! As a basis, even if you don’t have a testimonial anywhere else on your site I recommend it be used on the home page.
Next best is the services page but hopefully you can get at least 2 that work with compliance esp with the newer regulations.
#3 Who is the Guide
Photo and brief Introduction of you or you and your partners. This isn’t a big spotlight just a little peek at who is speaking to them through the site. Think of that cream off the top. What is the one sentence or two that relates to them but introduces you as the guide and authority.
What image can be warm yet professional and friendly? If they only saw this one page, which might be likely, they would leave without having a face to the company or what they might be working with.
You don’t need to lose weight first, you don’t need to be a model or young. You just need to be you. The you that is fulfilling the role they are looking for with their struggles and needs. We develop the clarity of the role of the person they are looking for when your client in the psychographics research part of your brand development.
#4 The Problem You Solve
Your clients have a problem, a need. They are struggling with something and if you solve any of those problems. SAY SO! Using words and your image selection address the problems you solve and how your solutions will transform your client. This should be included in the language high up in the page after they scroll past the hero banner image. They need to know what’s in it for me, is this what I am looking for and are they the service or person I am looking for.
When we address problems and struggles this is not just a list but it can be. In these messages our brand voice and personality needs to shine through. This makes your statements, no matter how similar to your peers and competitors YOUR statements. In your brand voice, brand core message and personality are elements of a more human connection that will help people become more engaged with what they are reading and start to know and trust you.
It's what you say sure, but as we know from children it’s HOW you say it that counts. You can inject some of the personality and even your brand beliefs and vision in there to make these once redundant industry messages a completely different experience.
#5 Bite Size Breakdown of your Revenue Streams
Here's where clients and companies have a challenge. They need to communicate simply about what they do but they have either diversified their revenue streams so much or have so many different services that they are having trouble knowing where to start. Esp my clients in the Financial Services, Legal Services or Coaching and Speaking industries. As a Real Estate Investor this can happen to but is not as common but still listen in. This is an area that is articulated better than your competition you will stand apart.
The goal here is to create an umbrella message for all of our services. This is the one to always use and lead with unless you are speaking in person to someone who you know has need for only one service or type of investment or are creating a piece of content that is only related to one type of service or investment type. On your home page you can list these services separately with neat boxes or links with icons for them to select the path that matches their greatest need. You can do this on the home page or you can even wait to do this on the services page. If each service needs its own page to speak more directly to the audience and client there then I recommend a page where the brand script can change and be much more specific to that client now that you have them honed in on and know their needs if that are on that page.
Another way to do this:
Listen to the episode to find out >>>
These are 5 things your home page needs but I also recommend that you listen to the recent past episode the brand trust accelerator pyramid episode and make notes of those elements that you can also provide evidence of in text or images on your home page.
This will also accelerate the trust and more quickly position you as the advisor, mentor and guide that they are looking for. These trust builders are also elements that will make your home page incomparable in your industry with a stronger brand.
The company or person who communicates that the soonest and clearest is the one who stands apart and masters their industry.
Is your brand still underdeveloped? Or does your brand no longer feel authentic?
Don’t feel like you have to be something you’re not to market your business or create a strong brand, fast.
Create a brand that your proud of, distinguishes you from your peers and competitors.
See my consulting, strategy and design services at onthentic.com or find all the links and resources you need at brandanatomypodcast.com