MM #65: How to Create a Powerful Website & Brand (Part I)

1. Announcements/Offers

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2. FEATURE: How to Create a Powerful Website & Brand (Part I)

Coach Joelle launched her web site (coachjoelle.com) this spring with incredible results - and we interviewed her to find out how she did it, so we can share her experiences with you.

She’s created a brand that truly expresses who she is, and a web site that is already converting visitors into subscribers, and subscribers into clients.

Whom do you serve?

“I’ve been doing the CoachStart™ Program with David”, says Joelle.

“In our very first session he started quizzing me on who I wanted to help, and what I wanted to help them with. It took 2-3 sessions, but after that I not only knew who I would help, but I had the words to describe it in a way that excited them, and me!

After that, I was excited to start on the web site, and create something that spoke to my target market.”

Web site brings credibility!

"With the site being so young I can say that the main thing that (it) has impacted is credibility," Joelle says. "It serves as brochure and testimonial in one and really gives the impression of a robust business that can be trusted."

“In the idea stage, David suggested I mock up a first draft of the site's home page that would speak to my core market, and we took it from there. He asked me to include:

• a headshot that truly represented me
• the powerful tag line that we had workshopped together
• a compelling newsletter/free download offer
• questions to engage my target market.”

Tip: Find a mentor and do a mock up first.

Newsletter a key tool

Joelle added early on an option to sign up for her LivLoud! newsletter, which she notes is a "fabulous tool for keeping in contact with my community which will lead to business down the road." In a very short time she signed up 100 subscribers, mainly from her existing community.

Don't be afraid to ask for help

Although Joelle admits she was nearly web illiterate when she began putting together her site, she found a web hosting company which walked her through the process of setting up her email account, creating a basic site with a sign-up page for her newsletter, sending broadcast emails to subscribers and starting her own blog!

One challenge, according to Joelle, was "dealing with my ridiculously elevated expectations!”

“Let's face it, I had been exposed to the idea of creating a website for less than three weeks and I figured I should be able to just pick up a computer, snap in some programs and build my dream site with all the bells and whistles without a hitch! Wrong!" Some tools she used were not intuitive; others worked well enough at first but did not have advanced features when she needed them.

Eventually, she hired a web development firm to take over where her abilities left off.

Tip: Have a hired gun to take your site to the next level. They’ll do it better than you will, and save you time – the time you could be spending calling potential clients.

Branding

Joelle worked with different colors and images to create a look and feel for her site, writing down what different colors meant to her and what moods they evoked. While she is now working with a branding firm, the firm has acknowledged that her brand is already there and literally 'shouts' from her site.

Know what you like

"If you really listen to yourself, to your gut, you will know what you like and what you do not," she explains. "You will know if something has too much energy or is too blah, if the color makes you uneasy or if the picture speaks to your soul. Be willing to trust yourself and do not let anyone try to push an image on you that does not fit."

Tip: Play with your site colors and layout. How does the result make you feel?

Not only has Joelle found her site to be a great credibility tool, it has enabled her to have a truly international business. "By communicating through online resources and sharing opportunities with my email list it allows me to get the word out to a global audience without ever leaving my patio," she points out. She is currently is offering free one-hour exploratory sessions to 50 people through an opt-in form on her site. More than half of the sessions have been booked, and she has gained four new clients in the last three weeks.

Tip: Use the web for a global clientele.

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I trust you enjoyed this interview (Part I) with Coach Joelle.

If you would like some ideas on how to get your initial coaching sessions going, with your first clients, check out: The CoachStart™ Manual

And watch for Part 2 of this feature in the next Mentor Monthly!

Action: Refine your online image

1. Start collecting samples of colors and images that resonate with you, and sketch an idea of how you'd like your site to look.


2. Update your web copy:
   If you don't have a site, write a description of whom you help, and how. Or whom you would LIKE to help, and how.
   If you have an existing site, tweak the copy so it really reflects who you are and how you help people.

Post your results for accountability.

Enjoy!
David

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