Recently, I was on a call with a new Impact Tribe member, and the story she shared is one I’ve unfortunately heard time and time again. So, I want to share it with you so you can learn from her mistakes (which are also mine, and many others). 

On this call, she told me that she was so frustrated because of all the time and money she spent on her website… only for the end result to be an inaccurate representation of her and her business, and not have an overall look and feel that resonated with her or her ideal client. 

She didn’t like the colors, layout, design, or overall vibe of the website that she’d just poured so many resources into having made. Not only that, but the messaging wasn’t clear or compelling, and she was disappointed that they didn’t do a better job, or at least give her better guidance throughout the process. 

The worst part of the whole story has to be this next part…

When I asked her who had done the work on her website, she said it was “some developer guy…” 

Oh boy… talk about a BIG RED FLAG! I immediately knew she had hired the wrong person for the job.

There are a few key takeaways from this story. Like, YOU need to be the one to define your vision and clearly provide it to the person helping you create your website (if you're not sure what your vision is, work with a Brand Strategist, like me, first!), you need to choose the right person for the job, and once you choose the right person, you need to provide them with what they need to get the job done well. 

Unfortunately, these are fairly common mistakes I see fempreneurs make who are designing or redesigning their website. 

To help you get started on the right track, I am going to break down the most common mistakes I see, so you can avoid falling into these common traps too. 

Mistake #1: Going straight to your website developer

A developer is not a designer. Their job is to actually build the website. Sometimes your graphic designer, web designer, and developer can be the same person – but not always. 

So, before you choose to work with a web developer, you should either:

1. Work with a brand and/or web designer to design your brand and the actual website, or
2. If your developer says they can design your website too, ask them to see their portfolio and make sure you like their previous work!

There are so many talented people in the online space, and so many of them have various skill sets you may or may not need at some point in your business. But, not everyone can do everything. So, make sure that the person you hire has the right skill set for the job you need done. 

Mistake #2: Skipping or skimping on copywriting

Again, your web developer and designer are not responsible for writing your messaging and copy (or even giving you guidance on how to do that, although some will). 

Whether you decide to write your own website copy (you can use my templates for guidance) or bring in a professional, this is something you absolutely need to have finished before hiring a designer to create your website for you. Without copy, there will be nothing to design the website around, it simply doesn't work to design first and write copy second. 

The copy on your website is the most important part – it’s what you’re saying to your ideal client, how you’re selling your offers, and ultimately what motivates and inspires your audience to take action and hire you. This is a step you absolutely cannot skip, and should not skimp on. 

Mistake #3: Starting the website design process before you create your visual brand identity

Before you can design your website, you need to have your visual brand identity created and clearly documented, ideally in a brand book, for your team to follow. 

Your brand’s visual identity is extremely important for setting a good first impression with anyone who comes across your website – It will either catch and keep a prospective client’s attention, leading to sales down the road, or repel them forever, costing you that client and any referrals they may have sent your way.

Mistake #4: Doing anything before you define and understand your brand personality

Your Brand Personality is how you consistently show up as the face of your brand and is expressed through your presence, voice and visuals. It's what makes your clients and community feel emotionally connected with you and ultimately choose YOU as their guide.

Your branding and brand personality is the foundation of your website … from colors, to imagery, to logos, to background patterns, to accent elements, to words, to tone of voice, to the personality or “vibe” your website exudes  … your brand makes up your website’s building blocks. Before you begin to design, or redesign, your website, it’s essential that you take the time to clarify and document your brand personality from the bottom up.

When a prospective client lands on your website, they need to feel a connection with you if they’re going to stick around, explore what you have to offer, and take the leap to invest in working with you. Clarifying and communicating your brand personality through your website helps make this possible.

Mistake #5: Not outlining your offers ahead of time

WHAT are you selling?

To create an effective sales page, navigation that naturally leads to that sales page, and a positive and clear user experience, you need to know what you’re selling. Ultimately, selling your services and programs is really the point of your website – so this needs to be front and center. 

Ultimately, as the business owner, you need to be the one to connect the dots, figure out the details and logistics, and make sure that everything is ready to go at the right time, for the right contractor to help you. 

There’s so much that goes into creating a beautiful, purposeful, and effective website that works for you, and this blog post has only scratched the surface.

To learn more about building a profitable website (or revamping your website to be the best it can possibly be), grab a copy of the Profitable Website Guidebook, completely free and recently revamped, to help you continue down the path of creating your website the right way the first time.