I’m about to make your life so much easier.
Building a profitable website can be as simple as 1, 2, 3, as long as you have these 3 crucial elements in place.
(And, if you don’t have a website, I’m going to share how easy it can be to get one TOMORROW. Yes, it really can be that simple, so no more excuses about “I need to finish my website before I can do X, Y, Z “).
Let us begin.
1. Have a place for people to sign up and download a special free gift from you. This can be as simple as a box in the upper right corner of the screen.
Why do you want to do this? Because having a list of prospects that you can build a relationship with is crucial to the success of your business. People buy from people they know, like, and trust. A website, no matter how long it is, will only take you so far. Relationships are built over time and through communication, which is why publishing a regular email newsletter can be a great marketing tool.
Now, I want to point out something else: notice how I said “a special free gift.” I did NOT say that the subscription box should say “subscribe to my ezine”. Nobody wants more email; what they DO want are solutions to their problems. If you give them reliable solutions to their problems, they will take the time to read your emails.
2. Post a photo of yourself. People want to do business with people. They want to build relationships with people. Why do you think large corporations pay a lot of money for spokespersons? It certainly benefits in part from the credibility of make money online the spokespersons, but also from putting a face on an otherwise “nameless and faceless” corporation. Friends, this is where YOU have the corporate advantage. You really CAN reach out and personally build relationships with your ideal clients. Post your photo with pride: you are a real person, let your ideal clients see that you are a real person.
Now if possible I would prefer a photo taken by a professional. And I would also rather have all of you ladies do your hair and makeup (yes it’s worth it). It really makes a difference in your professional image. However, if you are going to use that as a reason not to publish your site, put in the best photo you have RIGHT NOW!
What if your goal is to build a great business where people work with your team or your employees? Should you put a photo in anyway? Well that depends on where you are in your business development. If you’re just starting out, it’s easier to gain momentum and get the ball rolling if you get to work. If you’re already established, you probably still will (because, remember, people want to do business with people), but there will likely be other changes that you will need to make to your site, so it’s clear there is a team involved and not just you. .
Bonus tip: you could use a video instead of a photo. Video is a great way to increase your conversions (i.e. convert prospects to paying customers or encourage your visitors to give you their email address), but again, if you are going to use video you have an excuse not to. go ahead, just get a photo. until.
3. Make it VERY clear what the next step should be if they want to continue working with you. Now, I’m a big believer in getting the subscription, so if you look at my homepage, you’ll see that I encourage people to keep going by getting my freebies. But I also give them very clear instructions on what to do if they want to advance as paying customers.
Now how do you get started if you don’t have a website? Just put up a page that has your photo, a description of your free gift, and a place for people to give you their name and email address. (This is also known as page compression.)