In my consultations with freelancers and freelancers, I discuss websites quite often. How to make it clear and easy to read for visitors and how to successfully lead the customer to a purchase. Most of the time, we come to the conclusion that one of the following nine things is either completely missing or not working well.
1. Promise
What exactly do you do and for whom? This is the information that should be readily apparent from your website. Ideally right at the top of the first page, so the visitor doesn’t have to click or scroll anywhere.
I admit, it sounds like a no-brainer. So you probably feel that your site makes it clear. But have you ever tried testing it? Purposefully show your site to someone who knows you but has never used your services. Maybe a friend or an aunt from the country. And ask them exactly what they think you offer. You might be surprised.
Various business groups on social networks or mastermind meetings, where you can share a link to your website and ask for feedback, are also suitable fields for such an experiment.
2. Your offer
The web is a great place to introduce visitors to what you offer. That is, your products and services.
Describe:
- What exactly does your service entail
- What target group it is for
- How does it work/function
- How long does it take
- What you need to think about or prepare in advance
- What are the possible contraindications
Other questions will surely come to mind. When you can offer enough information, you reduce anxiety in potential customers, and increase the sense of security needed to make a purchase.
3. CTA
The acronym stands for Call To Action. Once you’ve described all the various benefits of your services and products to your visitor, it makes sense to offer them an easy way to get there.
Do you expect the customer to click on the contact button in the menu and email you? I think you’re making a mistake. It’s much better to put a button or an order form right below the service description.
Not the generic contact form that just has a name, email and a big message box. But a specific order form where you can directly ask the customer about the parameters you need to know either for pricing or for further action. For example, the size of the skirt he wants to make, the brand of the car he needs repaired, or when he has time to come in for a consultation.
4. About Me page
The About Me (or About Us) page is, in my experience, one of the most visited subpages on the web. If you use Google Analytics or another traffic measurement tool, you might want to check if it works for you. Of course, if you have an About Me page on your site.
Lots of people don’t have one. Which I think is a shame, because a well-crafted About Me page is not about you at all, it’s about the customer. They should primarily learn two things from it:
- That you can actually do what you offer. It is good to prove this with years of experience, number of completed jobs, list of schools and trainings you have studied or certificates from completed courses and trainings.
- That you would understand each other. Among tradesmen and freelancers, we primarily look for those who have a similar world view. Those with whom you share values, tastes, opinions and different beliefs about life.
Also think about what other sub-page of your website a visitor should go to from the About Me page. Ideally, perhaps to a service offer or a contact page. It’s certainly a shame for your introduction page to end in a dead end.
5. Portrait photo
Freelancer marketing is personal. So potential customers logically want to see what you look like. And they also make decisions based on how sympathetic they think you look in the photo.
On the other hand, I understand that putting your photo on the web can be quite difficult, especially for introverted natures. Here are some tips to help you:
- Choose a photographer who is close to you and you have something to talk about (there are networking or various other opportunities to try this).
- Have your photo taken in your natural environment (perhaps in your own garden, at home, or at your favourite Cafe).
- Start by putting your photo on the About Me page. Only when you get used to it can you add another one to your homepage.
- Get used to look at yourself. In the mirror, or on the screen during an online meeting. Play your videos, or print out a photo of yourself and put it on your bulletin board or fridge. Before long, presenting your face will start to feel like the most natural thing in the world.
6. Social proof
Imagine you are in an unfamiliar city and you want to have lunch. What are you most likely to choose a restaurant based on? I open Google Maps, which shows me customer reviews in addition to the address. I also go by reviews when buying products and services. And most other people do the same.
This is what the phenomenon called social proof is all about. When we’re not sure how to behave in a situation, we imitate others. In marketing, it definitely makes sense to take advantage of this.
There are many tools:
- Testimonials
- Product reviews
- Quality certificates
- Influencer recommendations
- Mentions from customers on social media
- Reviews and articles (professional and lay)
Clients don’t usually write us testimonials and reviews on their own, but they need to be asked to do so. Try to think about how to do this, and ideally create a process for doing so (for example, an automated email 10 days after purchase.)
7. Terms and Conditions
If you are selling something via e-shop, you must have them. But they are equally helpful in the services area. The terms and conditions are the document you use to define your rules. Not only towards your customers, but primarily towards yourself.
Do people cancel at the last minute? Do they pay your invoices late? Or do they send you more and more comments after the agreed deadline? This is exactly the moment when the Terms and Conditions can support you. Just refer customers to them. And you’ll feel more confident in no time.
8. Required details
If you do business in the Czech Republic and have a website that you use for business purposes, the Civil Code requires you to include so-called mandatory identification data. Which are these varies depending on whether you are self-employed or have a limited company.
As a self-employed person, you are required to have the following on the website:
- Name and surname,
- identification number,
- business address,
- information about your registration in the Trade Register,
- if you are registered in the Commercial Register, then also the details of this registration, including the section and insert.
Legal entities are obliged to state:
- name of the company,
- identification number,
- the address of the registered office,
- the details of the registration in the Commercial Register, including the section and insert.
The Trade Licensing Office checks whether you have the mandatory data on the website. If it does not find them on your website, you risk a fine of up to CZK 100,000. And it does happen. In my practice I have met a few people who have been fined by the authority. The law does not specify the exact place where to put the mandatory information on the website. The footer of the website, the Contact page or the Terms and Conditions are suggested.
9. Blog
Do you ever wonder how potential customers get to your website in the first place? They might click on a paid advertisement. Or a link on another website or social media. But they may also come across you directly in a search engine.
But they probably won’t be looking directly for the name of your product or service. For example, quite a few people search for coaching, HR consulting or marketing consulting. Many more people, however, are using the search engine to find out how to maintain boundaries, how to deal with employee turnover, or how to create a business plan.
A blog on the web is a great place to show your clients that you understand their problems. And that your services and products are the solution to their problems. In addition to articles, you can also offer them other tools – such as different calculators, tests or tutorials. If you offer them useful content, they’ll be happy to buy from you.
What about you? Do you have all 9 things on your site? Or are you still missing some?
