What is your personal value? It is you – your personality, years of experience, the services you offer, how you treat your customers, and your standard of work. It’s those reasons that make you different and better than someone else. It’s your enthusiasm for your product or service, your interest in understanding your customer’s needs, and the level of commitment you bring to deliver results!
People connect with people – so your value is your biggest asset – it will convince someone that they have found the best person to do business with! Everyone has value, and whatever industry you work in, you have something to offer people that sets you apart. Knowing and communicating your value is key to a successful business. It’s vital for small businesses and industries with strong competition, as it can give you an edge, raising your brand above the others. If you can communicate this through your web page design, you will attract more customers and provide them with the incentive to use your services.
Identify your personal value.
How would you respond if someone asked you to describe your personal value? It may be a challenge to answer if it’s not something you’ve thought about before. Perhaps, you don’t know or don’t feel confident in explaining your “value.” To get the ball rolling, consider how you would describe yourself and your work to someone you have just met. Ask yourself, “How do I feel about my work?”, “Why am I proud of the services I offer?” and “Out of ten other people offering the same service in my area, how am I different?”. When you find what makes you unique, this can become your USP (Unique Selling Proposition), the thing you have that your competitors do not. If you are still struggling to identify this, don’t forget you have a goldmine of opinions and experiences in your customer base. A whole group of people who already identified your value and formed a connection with you! So if you need inspiration, tap into this; ask your customers what they were looking for, why they chose you, and what they appreciate the most about your work.
Describe your USP
Once you have identified your value, think about how you can clearly describe this to potential clients. At this point, you can use the “elevator pitch” method. The idea behind an elevator pitch is to create a concise pitch that explains what you do and piques interest in your company. If you were riding an elevator with a potential client, how would you grab their attention and persuade them to choose your company in the short space of time, maybe just 30 seconds, before the elevator stops? Your pitch may include a common problem and how you can solve it. Or it may involve explaining how you feel about your work or why your approach is different. Most important is that they understand who you are, what you do, and how they will benefit from using your services.
Translating your value into web page design
When you meet a potential client face to face, it’s much easier to convey your value and gain their trust – they immediately start forming an opinion of your business based on the impression you give. If you are passionate about your work, they will see and hear that in your expressions. If you have tons of experience, they will quickly hear that. Even the way you treat them can convince them of your value. However, if they find you via your website – do they get this same experience? Conveying personal value over a screen can be challenging, but this is our goal! First impressions mean SO much! Most website visitors form their impressions in under 30 seconds, by which time they have decided if they are in the right place. So, we want your customers to see your personality, enthusiasm, and unique value as soon as they find your website. How can you do this?
Communicate your value through copy
Understanding your personal value before starting your web page design is essential so it can be expressed in the copy on each page. You need to communicate this to your website designer and anyone writing content for your website so that they can incorporate it into the web page design and writing. Spending a bit of time with them so they can get to know who you are and what you are about can transform a website from an impersonal cluster of information to a site that clearly shows the individual behind the company name.
When creating copy for each page, consider how you can explain the service you offer and how users will personally benefit from choosing you to provide this. This message must be clear on every web page, especially your home and landing pages. If users have to read large chunks of text or visit several pages before they learn who you are and can see your value, the chances are that they will have lost interest and left the website long before they reach this information. Your goal should be for the user to hear your personal expressions about your work and understand your value within seconds of finding your website, no matter which page they arrive on. Your value should be all over your website and your products, just like it is on your LinkedIn!
Include a tagline in your web page design
Including a tagline on your website is a simple way for your web page design to highlight your value. A tagline is a short sentence -around eight words – that tells your audience about your website/company. A well-written tagline can tell customers what you do and explain your value to them in a nutshell. To achieve this, use simple language and make sure your tagline will be understood. Large million-dollar companies that are already household names may have wacky taglines that we all remember, such as “just do it” and “because you’re worth it.” However, smaller businesses do not have the luxury of going so “out-of-the-box.” You should choose a specific and informative tagline that explains your main focus. If Google views your tagline as relevant, it will display it on SERPs, meaning potential customers will see it even before opening your website and may be persuaded to click on your site. So using a combination such as “the service you provide + the benefit” in your tagline can be an effective marketing tool to draw new customers to your site.
For maximum effect, include your tagline in key locations on your web pages, for example, next to the site title, in your website banner on the homepage, and as part of your logo.
Use headings to inform your audience.
An effective way of communicating your value quickly to the user is by using your headings on each web page to inform or remind the user of your USP. Website visitors will often scan down a web page rather than read every word from the top to the end. As they look down the page, they will read the H2s / H3s and, based on the information they receive, will determine whether this website can help them. Therefore, consider what you want your visitors to notice when designing your web pages. Use your headings to give them the key information they need about your services, and think about including a personal touch that will demonstrate your value. Take a moment and think, if someone only reads the headings and no other content, can they still understand who you are and how you are unique?
Choose graphics that show your value throughout the web page design.
- Branding – customized graphics such as a brand logo can make your company memorable and can be used to show what is unique about you.
- Show the face behind the name! Including a headshot on your site can enhance the personal introduction from you to your clients. As we said earlier, people connect with people! A smiling face of a business owner can help form a connection with your website visitors. Also, consider investing in professional business photography to showcase your products, your skills, and your company’s appearance.
- Use typography to highlight your value- a different style of font or color can make your “selling points” stand out. Not only that, the style of font you choose can convey a message or feeling to your audience, instantly giving them a feeling of the type of company you are.
At Torque Media, we pride ourselves on designing websites that showcase our clients’ personalities and the unique value they bring to their industries. If you need a website that does just that, contact us today for a consultation.