Does your Website Match your Underwear?

Ok – admit it – the title jarred you. It made you do a double take. That’s ok to do in your own marketing too.

Take a good look at your website – is the message consistent to your brand’s message? If you are marketing your company as “the best in your field” – does your website convey that message in both content and marketing about your business and in its level of professional functionality?

In my business, we work with Speakers, Authors and Trainers and we have found some must have elements that their websites demand in order to position them at the top of their field – and ultimately get them more ideal clients.

Website Elements for Serious Speakers

Before you even begin to think about the elements in your website, or any of your marketing material – there are some things you need to nail down first.

• YOUR BRAND – What does your company represent?   Who is your ideal client?   What are you all about?
• YOUR ‘UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION’ – Why are you different? What is it about your company that will entice your clients to hire you over the competition?

Once you can answer those questions confidently – then it is time to get to work on your website!

These are the elements we have found work best for our clients.   They are listed in no particular order.

1. Biography with professional photos
2. Client list (if not confidential in nature)
3. Testimonials (written and video) – make sure you have reciprocal links from their websites if possible.
   Hint – outgoing links can lower your website ranking – but links TO your website raise your ranking.       Also, make sure those links open in another page, never encourage clients to leave your site!
   • Brag – if you have worked with popular clients – put them front and center.   Include a photo of you with them as well as the testimonial.
4. Speaker’s page (outlines topics)
5. Articles you have written, or that you recommend.   (Adding value is a big component to attracting the clients who you want to work with.   If you are publishing – and they come to you because they like what you have to say, they are already pre-qualified and are now a ‘warm’ lead and therefore it is much easier to close the deal)
6. Videos with various audiences and topics – always incorporate humor
7. Information for meeting planners
8. Downloadable and online speakers package including:
   • Top 5 or 10 reasons to choose you
   • Meeting checklist
   • Sample contract (including fees and travel expense guidelines)
   • AV requirements

What you might not have thought about

• Opt in section to gather email addresses with give a value driven give away
• Do you have a blog?   If you do – link to it!   If you don’t – get one!
• Are you listed with a speaker’s bureau – make sure the link is visible on your website
• Invitations to follow you on Twitter, Linked in and Facebook.
• Affiliate links – are you recommending an amazing book – see if they offer affiliate programs and make a commission every time someone buys from your site.   For that matter – are YOUR books and products set up with affiliate properties?   Are you taking advantage of someone else’s website sales?
• Are you recording any smaller presentations that are relevant to the masses?   Package them along with telecasts and webinars to create passive income products.
• A shopping cart to sell those amazing passive income products you have just created
• Links to media and newspaper articles where you have been featured.   Don’t just get the initial kick when it airs or is published – use it to gain credibility for months to come.

So now you know what you need – but do you know how to do it?   This is where hiring a qualified Virtual Assistant or Virtual Business Manager comes into play.   I have a few tips here too.

When you ask for help – plan first what you need.   If you do not understand what you want, it is much more difficult to help   someone give it to you.

Interview your prospective VA.   Don’t just rely on what they say when they respond to your RFP.     Ask to see samples of their work and ask to speak to their clients.

Hiring a VA and taking the ‘website plunge’ are   big decisions
but using the right strategy can help make it a   simple choice.