Warm, connected & cared for: Building relationships online

You know how sometimes someone’s words just open up a whole new framework of understanding? I totally love that feeling of someone articulating an idea that I know in my belly but haven’t yet truly put into words… While driving to school pick up on Tuesday afternoon I was listening to a totally random podcast about brand strategy. The woman being interviewed said:

“Our goal with our brand strategy is to help site visitors feel connected and well cared for.”

BAM! That’s it! That phrase right there is the heart of all of my work with y’all. Yes, I want you to sell more of your services. Of course! But at the heart, I want those who visit your website to feel connected and well cared for, so that they can recognize you as the fabulous resource that you are.

I’m going to add warm into the mix as well. Connected, well cared for, and warm. That feeling of sitting around a campfire with people you truly enjoy, and knowing that you are in Exactly the Right Place.

Caring for all of you

In my own business, this idea of warmth, connection, and caring 100% represents who I want to be for all of you. It makes me happy inside when I do a phone consult and a potential client shares that they have actually been following me for Years. Perhaps they heard me interviewed on a podcast, loved a blog post, follow my facebook lives, or have been on my mailing list… All these ways that I strive to add value to your lives as business owners add up, and when someone admits they have basically been a stalker of my content for years, I am THRILLED.

When I think about how I want all of you to feel when you land on my website, at the very core my answer is that I want you to feel warm, connected and well cared for. I want you to feel like you’re finding what you need. Like you have found an ally for your business and I’m already feeding you really valuable information and that working with me can only provide you with more. Right? It’s about giving you as a website visitor enough great content that you feel like wow, like she just totally changed how I think about x, y, z and what more could happen if I worked with her? My goal is to nurture you where you are, and plant the seed of seeing me as a helpful trusted resource down the road – basically you’d love to sit around a campfire with me and have a thoughtful conversation about your website.

Building Connection with Your Website

Probably the biggest issue I run into with clients as they’re developing their website copy is this desire to get it ALL in there. The underlying assumption is that if site visitors know the statistics about the benefits of acupuncture, chiropractic care, doulas or whatever your service is, and the ins and outs of every one of your packages, that they will of COURSE take the leap and hire you.

While giving them Enough information to feel confident taking the next step is indeed important, for them to feel Motivated take the next step in reaching out to learn more they HAVE TO FEEL CONNECTION! They have to feel like you “get” where they are, and that you have not only the information but also the capacity to help them feel cared for. You want site visitors to feel enough connection that they have a sense of confidence that you could be the right person to hire to meet their needs so that it is worth taking the first step in reaching out and contacting you to learn more.

The most important thing that your site content can do in support of the goal of visitors feeling “warm, well cared for and connected” is to give them a mere taste of what it feels like to work with you. Let who you are shine through! Speak to what site visitors are feeling, fearing, craving, seeking… Feed them with great resources, thoughtful blog posts, free giveaways that are full of helpful information. Let them have the chance to feel excited by the potential of what you have to offer them. When you build connection with your website you are automatically standing apart from your competition because they know not just What you do, but are excited by the idea of working with YOU.

So… what’s next? Maybe you’re building a new site, or perhaps you’re looking to refresh your existing website. I encourage you to put those glasses with the “cared for and connected” lens on and take a fresh look at your content, design, and images. Notice the places where you’re slipping into rote information as opposed to intentional engagement. When you find those pieces on your website, ask yourself, how can I shift the messaging here to build connection? How can I take this information and frame it in a way that engages rather than overwhelms?

While I’ve already put a lot of work into this within my own site, one of my goals for 2019 is to take this goal of “connected and well cared for” to the next level within my website. This means more free resources, more of my personality and personal life infusing my content, more facebook lives, more great recipes (because I love to cook), and….?

Why take the time to do this? Ultimately my hope is that by the time potential clients contact you for an interview, they are already coming from a place of connection and excitement to work with you. They are already well down the pathway to wanting to hire you. They are thinking “I’m super excited about this person and just have a few questions to be sure.” Ideally the time you’re putting into a initial consult will be even more effective for you because the people you’re meeting with are already more than halfway to hiring you. They’re looking for confirmation of their hunch that you’re the perfect match. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, y’all. What’s working for you? Where could you improve?

Please do join me around the virtual campfire and book a free website consult today. I look forward to hearing your story and helping you feel confident in the best way forward for your website.