After working through my own makeover (and making some mistakes of my own!) I identified 5 mistakes most business owners make during a website make-up or make-over.
Mistake #1: Starting too late.
Most of us (including me) wait way too long to realize it’s time for a change. I’ve been there too. You may recognize the warning signs like the ones I had:
— No longer excited about sharing my logo and website with the world.
— Clients said, “That website just isn’t you.”
— Doing a lot more than copywriting, yet all my materials said, “copywriting.”
Why do we wait so long? Usually we have excellent reasons. For one thing, we’re busy. (I certainly was.)
We have an investment in the past. Economists refer to “sunk costs” when they talk about investments we’ve made that won’t do much to help in the future. For instance, suppose you have invested heavily in the typewriter industry when the world changes and your products are replaced by computers.
You could say, “But I’ve put so much effort into learning about typewriters!” Or you could look forward to a brighter future and say, ‘OK, time to move on.”
It’s very hard to recognize sunk costs. Additionally, on the Internet, you may be widely known for your old, tired online presence. (I certainly was.)
We aren’t sure where to start. Do we call a web designer? A copywriter? Hire a coach? Here’s an article that presents the views of 17 experts – including designers and marketing coaches. They all say, “Start with the copy or you could break the website.”
But the hardest part of all is…deciding how you’ll replace your current brand. What will your new online presence look like?
Surprisingly that’s a pretty straightforward problem for a copywriter to solve. Once we get your story, we can draft your website quickly ..and usually get it right the first time.
Awhile back I worked with a client who was feeling frustrated. She was getting lost in themes and platforms, let alone headlines and copy. At a friend’s urging she booked a consultation with me, openly nervous about how much we could do. Just a few weeks later she was happily reviewing a draft, presented on a WordPress theme…feeling deeply relieved and happily optimistic about her new future.
If you’d like to get started, check out my consultation program here. So far clients have been surprised at how quickly we get to the heart of the matter … and they get to enjoy a new website and use their time more enjoyably (and more profitably).
