A common problem with home based businesses is that they procrastinate adding to and improving their website. “I can’t get motivated to change my website content. I much rather do Facebook,” said one of my coaching clients from Long Beach, CA.  

Usually, their websites are boring so they can’t get themselves to do it. Here is a hint: If it’s boring for you to work on, it’s boring for the reader. Times have changed. What use to attract clients isn’t attracting that many clients any longer.

In the previous three blogs I explained why building trust is so important for our business and ways to use photos and text on your website to build trust.

Remember, for the last few decades businesses have gotten away with keeping little secrets and telling half truths. Not anymore. To build trust, businesses now have to show they have nothing to hide and are unafraid to be open.

We Will Continue with Other Ways to Market Your Business to Build Trust...

• Get active on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. It builds credibility that you are a legitimate business, especially to people using them and to anyone under the age of 40.

In the previous two blogs I explained why building trust is so important for our businesses and ways to use photos to build trust.  If the purpose of your website is partially to attract potential clients, then gaining their trust invites them to contact you.

We will continue with another important method to gain trust, text.

Here Are Ways to Use TEXT on Your Website to Build Trust...

• Attach a blog and get serious about adding posts on a consistent basis. Most of my website visitors are now originating from my blog posts.

In the previous blog I explained why building trust is so important for our businesses, especially now. Since our website has become the hub of our marketing efforts, it's crucial we use it to gain and build upon that trust.

We will start with the most important method to gain trust, photography.

Here's Ways to Use PHOTO's on Your Website to Build Trust...

• Put headshots of the owners, managers, sales, and the customer service staff on the "About Us" page.
• Replace stock photos with pictures of:  Your building, a company photo, staff assisting clients, products being made, speaking engagements, or anything else that pertains to your business. See my Meet Vickie page for an example.

As a business coach, I often get asked whether it will pay off to blog or not?
I started blogging in October 2008. Now, almost all of my clients come from online searches and a good portion of them are originating from my blogs.

Here's Why I Think Blogs Help Businesses...

Blogs...

• Can improve search engine rankings if it is connected or links to your website. This means the name of your business is closer to the top of the listings when someone “Googles” your type of business on the internet.
• Are cost effective.
• Help you stand out.

A frequent topic in my business coaching and consulting sessions is "how do I get sales from my website." There are three components to consider if you want your website to be an effective tool.

1 Create Good Content-

The most effective websites have content that educates, entertains, tells stories, and motivates. I have four quizzes (two about work, one about intuition, and one about money) on my site that visitors have said they take over and over.
 

A well-done website can convince potential customers that you are the one they want to do business with.  A confusing website will send customers looking elsewhere. Is your website outdated? Does it need some tweaking? Or does it need a complete overhaul?

Here's How to Use Your Website to Attract Clients...

• Realize people just scan copy to see if it's relevant. So make it easy with bullet points, numbers, and short paragraphs.
• Write and arrange copy so that the more important points are bigger, in color, bolder or in italics so that they stand out.

For me, it’s the website with lots of these!!!!!! After every!!! Sentence!!! Everyone has a website that they can’t click off fast enough. If they could have stomached staying, they may have connected with the perfect business partner or client. Are you losing clients because your website is driving people away with annoying features?

How to Use Your Website to Drive Away Potential Clients...

• Don't put any photos of you or your staff on your website.
• Make sure you have slow loading pages, more than 3 seconds.

A yoga mat is just a foam platform and of no benefit to you if it isn’t used the way it was intended. Likewise, LinkedIn isn’t a social networking platform driving clients to your business if it’s not used in the right way. Both platforms can be transformative or they can fail to deliver any marked benefits if used in an infrequent, sloppy manor. First, let’s look at how you’re using LinkedIn ineffectively and failing to grow your business.

Here's how to use LinkedIn ineffectively...

1  Don't bother posting your photo or if you do include the one of you and your pet posing together.

Just recently, three of my business coaching clients has delayed firing their website designers. What a mess! Money and time down the drain. Don’t put the success of your business in your website designer’s hands.

Here are some Signs it’s Time to Get Rid of Your Website Designer…

• Your Website Designer doesn’t do what they say they will when they said they would.
• Misunderstandings are common.
• You put your business on hold waiting for them.
• You are afraid how he/she will react to your requests.
• They talk down to you.

At every networking event, I meet website designers. Everyone seems to have a knack for designing websites and wants to earn extra money doing it.

I’ve been lucky. I hired website designer Dave Stott from Internet 6.com when I started business coaching and life coaching more than 14 years ago. He knew what he was doing then and even today he keeps updated on everything concerned with the Internet.