Your website designer is probably good at making your website LOOK good. Cool visual effects and animations are great. But does your website work as your salesperson 24/7? Does it take your clients down the path to do business with you?
I find most website folks don't have sales skills. They don't know how to actually guide visitors down the path, clearly and effectively, to get them to call or buy. That is why when we started designing websites at Ryan Spelts Marketing, I wanted to focus on sites that sell. We developed the LaunchScape® homepage to be your online sales person to turn browsers into buyers. With 25+ years in sales experience and well over $50,000,000 in career sales, I translate the same sales skills I have used for many years into a website technique that helps your site sell. This really works!
I realize that some other web developers may read this and steal these ideas, but I am OK with that because I want small businesses to have better websites! If you don't hire Ryan Spelts Marketing for your website build, at least you can use these steps. We call our system the LaunchScape® Homepage. So let's get into it. Also, please make sure to think about mobile. Over half of web traffic comes from phones. I often think about mobile first so the design works well there. (This is super important!)
Header Menu Bar on your Website
The first section of your site is the menu. This should include your logo and a simple menu. Keep this section simple. You don't want too many options for people to choose from. Move any non-essential items to your footer to keep the header menu simple. Don't include a "Home" button. Everyone knows you can click the logo to get back home. Make sure your logo clicks back to your home page!
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One essential part of your header is a clickable button or clickable phone number that mobile customers can click on to call you directly. Make this easy for them. The less resistance you can create, the better.
Another essential part of your header menu is a search bar. Google has trained us to search for everything. You should have a functioning search bar because many customers will immediately search for what they need, and if it doesn't pop up, they will bounce and look for someone else.
The hero section is the first thing under the menu. This section is aptly named because in marketing, we always start with defining your WHO or your target audience. That target is your HERO! That's who we want in the hero section. Don't put yourself there. You are the guide, not the hero. If you want to understand that concept better, read Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller. This section should focus on your WHO, or the primary benefit you provide to people. If you can combine them both, even better. A picture or video of a woman with a leak in her roof is a great header for a roofing company. See one we did for Rands Roofing here. The title should clearly and concisely state what you do and who you do it for. For example, "Fixing Leaky Pipes for 20 years, in Salt Lake City,Utah".
Make sure to integrate a call-to-action (CTA) button in the header section. That way those customers who know they want to get ahold of you can. Have as many options as you can for people to reach out to you. We often use a popup window form to capture info quickly.
Another important tool is a chatbot. People will use these because they are hoping you will answer and give them what they need right away. If you aren't able to answer right away, it's OK, we can train an A.I. Chatbot customer service agent to answer the questions for you.
In all of my selling career, I always started my sales pitch with trying to determine what pain point my customer is feeling. So explaining the Cost of the Alternative is next. For example when I sold Cutco, I always showed a drawer full of crummy knives. Most people have a drawer like that in their kitchen. I would also have them cut some rope and leather with their knives so they could see that they weren't good. This concept is called the cost of the alternative.
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If you don't have as many competitors, you could focus on the pain points your target customers feel most of the time. Keep this simple. You could focus the top 3-6. If you nail this, your customers should say something like this. "Yes, Exactly!" when they read about the pain points you present.
This is part of the sales process. Point out what people will miss out on if they don't work with you. This section is crucial in the sales process.
Now is your time to shine, spotlighting what sets you apart. Having established your audience’s frustrations in the cost of alternative, now focus on how your approach directly solves those problems. Offer proof that you do things differently—in our case it is by emphasizing strategy, creativity, and measurable results. Keep the tone confident but humble, and tie every “brag” back to your audience’s needs.
Lead with Differentiation: Start by stating what you do and why you are different. This must not be cliche! It must be something actually unique. "Great customer service," or "Been in business since 1989," are not enough! A true differentiator is key.
Address Specific Pain Points: For each issue from Section 2, highlight how your methods overcome it. Use your #1 Sales point. The thing that gets them every time. Use that here to emphasize your offering.
Emphasize Measurable Outcomes: Stress that your approach leads to better results.
Offer Next Steps: Reinforce that you’re here to help them succeed, then guide them toward exploring your solutions or booking an appointment.
This section should show the main service categories you offer in your business. You can't list all of your services here if you have a ton, so I wouldn't do more than 6 but likely 4 or less would be best. These categories can click through to the full product list of individual products or services. There are many ways to show them. This image shows how we do it. I bet you can come up with a creative way to display yours.
Next display how working with you...well...works. Spell out the steps. How do they schedule with you, what happens after they do? Make it sound easy.
Here are some examples:
Schedule an appointment
Make a payment online
Be 10 minutes early to your appointment
Pick Your Package
Choose a Flavor
Get one or save with auto-refill
We kept with the launch countdown motif to stay on-brand so our count down is opposite of what you should do. You could also use simple illustrations to depict your steps and not have the numbers at all. Include again, and in every step a Call-to-Action (CTA).
Throw in an image of a happy customer showing that you are going to help them reach their goals, get what they want, or how thrilled they will be using your product.
This section is crucial for building your email list. You want to capture info, but nowadays, people don't want to give their info and be spammed for nothing. It takes bribery to get people to want to hear from you. You can promise discounts or give free tools that will encourage people to be excited to hear from you. The days of a "free report" pulling people's interest are gone. The best results will come from truly unique tools, quizzes, and other unique offerings to get people on board. We use several A.I. tools to help people define their WHO and WHY, as well as a A.I. powered tagline generator. These are all offered FREE and capture people's info when they use them.
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If you go to people homes to perform your services, it is important to let people know what areas you serve, as well as letting Google know where you want leads from. A good way to do this is by drawing up a map with the areas you serve. Don't stop with just a map though. Google can't officially see pictures. Make sure to actually list each city, county, or area you serve.
This really only applies if you are going out to people's homes or places of business. If you have a location, you only need to have your address clickable to a map listing in the footer and you can skip this section.
Social Proof
Build trust and credibility by showing real-world results and testimonials. Social proof reassures potential clients that you deliver on your promises, reinforcing that working with you is a smart choice.
Highlight Authentic Feedback: Use genuine client reviews, testimonials, or case studies. Include the customer’s name, photo, and business (when possible) to add credibility.
Show Tangible Results: Whenever possible, feature metrics or specific outcomes—like percentage growth, leads generated, or revenue increases—that demonstrate measurable impact.
Visual Variety: Consider adding logos of well-known clients, before-and-after metrics, or star ratings if relevant.
Simplicity Counts: Keep the focus on the positive experiences and key takeaways. Too much text can dilute the impact; short, powerful testimonials are best.
Product Gallery: It can also be wise to show a gallery of your work. Photos can hurt or help, but you should invest in professional photography eventually.
Footer
Your footer can hold any menu items which don't need to be in the header menu. You should also include your address, phone number (Clickable), additional calls-to-action and links to your social media.
Every website nowadays needs to have a Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. These are required by many search engines and for integration with many softwares. We also love including FAQ's or Frequently Asked Questions. This is a great way to include many of your keywords in addition to your product descriptions giving your website depth and so you can tell Google you mean business.
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Additional Tips for Your Website
Ensure every section of your website communicates clearly, simply, feels approachable, and highlights your unique value. Along with the idea that you care for your clients, they matter to you, and that you will do your best to serve them. Keep your visitor’s perspective in mind. They should get a strong understanding of who you are, why you’re different, and that you can help them.
Approach:
Tell a story, don't just spew information.
Your "about us" page should talk about your origin, speak to your motivations, and tell your brand story, not just when you started and what you do. Dig in to the story behind your business and your motivators.
Clarity Over Complexity: Choose simple, direct language. Your goal is to help visitors understand your message in seconds, not struggle to decipher industry jargon or complicated concepts. Keep it Simple Silly!
Consistent Narrative: Your site should tell a cohesive story. Reinforce the “WHO” (your target audience) and the “WHY” (what makes you special) throughout, connecting all sections with a common thread.
Visitor-Centric Focus: Always frame your offers, services, and testimonials around the benefit to the customer. Make it clear why they should care and how you solve their problems.
Differentiation Matters: Highlight what sets you apart from competitors. Whether it’s your strategic approach, your expertise, or your track record—make it obvious that you offer something they can’t easily find elsewhere.
Visual Support: Use relevant, high-quality images or graphics that strengthen your message. But, avoid unnecessary clutter—your visuals should enhance comprehension, not distract from it.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.) - Answering the questions people are asking is crucial. It will also help Google recognize your site and be good for Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Speaking of SEO, if you want to get your site to rank, you must do these three things, (while there is much more to SEO, these are the basics). 1. Technical Setup, 2. Keyword Optimization, 3. Reputation (time and backlinks). If you want to set your page up best for SEO, you will need to follow the 24 Points to a Perfect Website. Check them out.
If you would like help creating an effective webpage for your company, please contact us by visiting ryanspelts.marketing. Plus, you will be able to see what we just talked about in action. -- Call us at 385-600-5292.
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