Your Website as the Central Hub of Your Business

You have a need or a desire to get your digital presence in line with the way you do business and serve your clients. A strong representation of what you do with and for your clients is critical on the web today and during these unrepresented times it has become more of a necessity than ever. I can not stress enough that you need a plan to have your website as the central hub of your business. Pivoting to online and keeping your business up to date in the digital age can be quite overwhelming and daunting and one question I get asked from clients all the time is, “Where do I start?”

So, if you are feeling mystified, frustrated, or overwhelmed by the tech and how to's and all the moving pieces, you're in the right place – and by the way, you are not alone. This post will help you navigate getting started and more importantly make decisions so you can take action.

Where do you start in setting up your website as your central hub?

You need a website that is beautiful, professional, clean and efficient and is set up to motivate your visitors to take an action. You also need to systems and automation in place so your digital business can take on tasks that you just don't want to do. Errr – ‘really can't stand wasting your time on' sound more accurate? In future posts we'll cover all these phases of automation. But, today, let's start here:

Planning and strategy:

Like anything in life that has real meaning and significant longevity, you need a plan. Would you have a Wedding celebration, a baby's first birthday, or a high school reunion without a plan? Nope. It would, at the very least, require thinking through all the aspects of what might be involved to create the experience you want to have.

And, I'm going to take a gamble here that your business is your baby in many ways. So, this is no different than those personal life milestone events that you wouldn't blink an eye about putting some planning time into. Am I right?

Your online presence needs a plan, even if it's a loose one. I recommend you approach your digital strategy in phases. These first few phases will include:

1. Your Website – the central hub of your business

2. Your email marketing

3. Your appointment scheduling

Your Website – the central hub of your business starts with clarity.

Website Clarity Step 1:

Before you do anything else, list out a very clear and defined purpose for your digital presence and website. To begin this list, ask yourself these questions.

What is my BIG Why? In business we often think of the motivating factor that push you through the tough times. I want you to extend that principle to your website. Why will you invest in the building and maintaining of this department of your business?

Actually, let's rephrase that question to the WHO of your Why. Who will benefit most when you are successful? Getting to the heart of your deeper motivators is a great way to make sure you are staying authentic to your dreams on the journey.

What is the main purpose of the site? Getting clear on the purpose of this digital space is so important. Will you provide a forum for discussion, or education on your niche topic with blog posts, or maybe your main goal is to build a list of loyal subscribers or gain clients with discovery calls? Spend some time on this and if you have more than one, list them in order of importance.

Which automation and systems would you hope to have in place? What tasks would you love to get off your plate? For example: your scheduling calendar, or your email list building, specific CTA's (Call To Action)? Write them down and pick the most pressing one to start with. The rest will likely fall into the a future phase we discussed earlier. When you are getting started, choose one call to action, and stick with it throughout all the site pages. There is always the ability to grow – be patient and plan accordingly.

Website Clarity Step 2:

Once you have a clear and defined purpose for your website, think about the type of experience you want your visitors to have. Are you serious or silly, or are you elegant or playful? You want to get clear on the feeling you want your visitors to have when they browse your pages or read your blog posts.

Thinking of your website as your central hub puts you the position to build out with several touch points which will initiate your visitor to take an action AS WELL AS having other resources sending traffic back to you.

Start Small – This is critical.

Oh goodness, love, you do not need a 10 page website with all the bells and whistle to get started. Start small. Start with two pages, using WordPress and the Divi Theme by Elegant Themes will give you the ability to scale and grow as your business evolves. I have seen so many people get stuck in this phase and come to me with an S.O.S for help after getting lost in the maze of digital confusion. Please promise me you won't do this. Plan and strategize, take action, build from there.

Start small. Plan out your Home Page and Services pages – That's it!

You can literally run a business with an informational website that let's your clients know what results you can help them achieve and give them a way to reach you. Believe me, you will add pages as you evolved.

Not there yet? Need some time to figure that all out? It's okay. You could even start smaller by creating a ONE page landing page connected to AWeber – with a free AWebe account.

[Friendly Disclaimer: I may be an affiliate of products, services and programs I recommend. If you chose to do business with these companies, I may get a small commission. Rest assured, I only recommend products and services that I have first hand knowledge or a positive experience with.]