Facing your website fears part 3: create a list
This post is a continuation of the “Facing Your Website Fears” series. If you haven’t already, read the intro, part 1 and part 2 before reading this post.
All roads lead here, friends. Regardless of whether you’re a type-A planner or you fly by the seat of your pants, everyone ends up asking the same question: What kind of website do I need?
It’s a hard question to answer when you don’t know where you’re going or who you’re building it for. Many solopreneurs get overwhelmed and just forego a website altogether. Or they just go for the cheapest or easiest option.
So, you ask, what’s the harm in not having a website or just throwing something cheap together? Without a website you’re leaving the reputation of your business in the hands of your audience, meaning you have little or no control over your messaging or how you’re represented. And if you go for the cheapest and easiest option, your website won’t be able to scale as your business grows. You’ll be forced to rebuild in a year or so.
I know it’s overwhelming but we can break it down and make the process more approachable. We’ll prioritize how your clients interact with your products and services first and then figure out how that fits into your website. Essentially we’re building a site around the needs of your current and future clients.
You’ve already done a lot of background work in the previous two chapters that helped lay a really solid foundation. Now it’s a matter of tying all of that together and translating it into a “shopping list” for your website. This can seem really overwhelming at first, but I lead my clients through a step-by-step process that breaks it down into manageable pieces. We start by discussing their products and services and the actions needed for each one. From that, a list of necessary features begins to take shape.
Following this process will replace the fear of not knowing what kind of website you need with confidence that you’re getting something that will serve your business now and in the future. And when searching for the right platform, you’ll know what to look for and what questions to ask a designer if you choose to hire someone.
Want to learn more about how I lead my clients through creating processes for
Read the next post in this series – Facing your website fears part 4: build a brand
