Moving a pebble is easy - Part 2

Welcome to Week 20 of my adventure as a member of the Marketing Plan Group. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a website copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning from my group experience.

Last week, I talked about how steady progress is best in business. I know when it comes to big projects, like websites, it can be tempting to do all or nothing. But by doing a little something here and there, you'll have a better chance of staying current and keeping prospects interested.

Here are a few more tips on how to improve your website (without redoing the whole thing):

• Talk to your target market. I know the whole “target market” thing can be scary because we don’t want to rule everyone else out. But even if you’re not 100% committed to your target market, there are still ways to incorporate them into your site. You don’t have to say, “We only work with healthcare companies.” Try something like this: “We specialize in working with healthcare companies as well as small businesses and non profits.” Or, you can simply use language that resonates with your target market. You don’t have to say, “We work with non-profits.” Instead, you can use words like mission, cause, and support… Using their lingo is another way to talk to your target market without coming out and naming them.

• It’s a work in progress. Like everything about our businesses, our websites are a work in progress. They don’t have to be perfect. (Note to self: There’s no such thing as perfect!) A few small changes can make a big difference. I know it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that “everything” needs to be redone/updated/overhauled. But it’s easy to wait, and wait, and wait and before you know it, years have passed. Make the small tweaks when you can. Add website time to your calendar once a month so you can regularly update your testimonials, client list, and portfolio. Ask yourself: Have my services changed? Have my clients changed? How can I make this more powerful? Since each day is a learning process, there’s no reason your website should be set in stone (until you finally get time for the big overhaul.)

If you don’t have a website yet, but you need one fast, check out the new Website in a Week group. The next one takes place from Feb 15-21.