Top of my mind for the next TWO weeks - yup, that’s how important it is - is setting up your business online.
I know you know this, but times have changed, and your business probably has too! It doesn’t have to be for the worst, it doesn’t have to mean less $$, and it certainly doesn’t include you going through Venmo comments to email Zoom links forever. Ya feel me?
So let’s embrace this time to set up your online presence, the right way.
Over the next two weeks we’re going to be working through:
what your website really needs,
creating lead magnets and freebies to drive new faces into your community (aka your email list), the power of your newsletter, and
how social media plays into all of this
We’ll also be asking ourselves some tough questions about:
what we really want our business to look like,
what products and services we want to offer (now and down the road), and
how we can utilize digital offerings to get there.
(Pro Tip - If you haven’t read the recent blogs on “Business Post-Quarantine: What Stays and What Goes” and “Working on ‘What’s Next’?” I HIGHLY recommend going through them and the exercises so can start getting a better idea of the type of business you want first.)
And most importantly, we’ll be diving in-depth to this topic in a live, cannot miss, webinar on Friday, May 29th at 1p PST to get into specifics, answer your questions and put together YOUR game plan for your new 2020.
Now that we’ve gotten business taken care of, let’s dive into our first topic: what your website really needs.
Before you go out and spend your hard earned money on a custom website that you do not need (yes, we’ve ALL been there, attempted that, and hopefully learned our lessons) I want you to know what’s really important to have on your website, what’s NOT, so you can get yourself up and running ASAFP.
WHAT YOU NEED:
1 - Custom domain name: It goes without saying that if you’re going to have an online business, you need your website name to match your business name, or be some derivative thereof. You can purchase a custom domain name at any web host (SquareSpace, Wix, GoDaddy, etc.) and many website plans include a free custom domain name as part of the price.
2 - Description of, and information about, your business: Even if writing isn’t your forte, you can answer the basics: WHO you are, WHAT you do, WHY you do it, WHERE people can find you, HOW much your services costs, WHEN are you available to hire.
3 - Contact Form: So they can get in touch with you.
4 - Newsletter Signup Option: So potential new clients can get on your newsletter list and stay connected.
5 - Blog or information sharing: This is optional and maybe part of your Phase 2, but I have found that my most successful clients with online businesses give their clients + community additional information somehow. Whether it’s a blog, an extensive social media page, or a YouTube channel, sharing information, content and ideas always converts viewers into clients.
6 - A basic, cohesive theme in a website design that YOU can edit regularly: I saved the best for last with this one. It is imperative that YOU are able to regularly edit and update your website (think about having a weekly blog - do you really want to pay a web designer every time you need to upload a new blog post? I didn’t think so). You can purchase affordable plug-and-play website templates, or have a designer create an affordable yet stylish website for the price of a few training sessions.
WHAT YOU DON’T:
1 - A custom built or highly technical platform. Work with me here when I remind you that this is what you need to get started; it’s not forever. Yes, you have big plans for your business. But before you build out your future business’ platform, invest thousands of dollars and hours into it, be SO clear on what you’re offering. If you’re going to focus on one-on-one coaching you probably don’t need a platform meant to host online courses and modules. If you’re going to eventually stream workouts, you don’t want to be on a blogging platform. And if you want your blog to drive traffic, you need to have a website that allows for a more complex layout. Ya feeling me?
2 - Expensive logos and branding: I am such a huge proponent of keeping it simple and affordable at the get go. I believe your logo and branding should be a reflection of you, but it should also speak to your ideal client and customer base. So if you’re still trying to niche down, hold off and spending $$ on something you can DIY, that, #sorrynotsorry doesn’t hugely matter.
3 - Scheduler or Calendar Integration: Does it look super professional and polished? Yes! But do you need it to get yourself off and running? Absolutely not. Not only does it require constant updating (and maybe a small prayer that all of your calendars sync), it might be a cost upgrade that you don’t need to make quite yet.
Stay tuned for next week as we dive into creating lead magnets to grow your email list, and how to then USE your email list (newsletters) to drive traffic, engagement and community.
And then we’ll be diving into ALL of these topics deeper during the webinar on Friday, May 29th, 1p PST teaching you how to put these topics into practice so you can start growing your online business. You cannot afford to miss this one!
See you next week on the blog, and at the webinar!
x, D