SPEAK+ Week Eight

Welcome to Week Eight of SPEAK+.
Your Speaker Website.

The biggest expense of my company over the years has been in website development. I have spent tens of thousands of dollars creating, re-creating, and re-creating again my online platform…all while riding a roller coaster of high hopes and deep frustration. I have learned an incredible amount through the years….and I am here to teach all of it to you!

The greatest lesson I have learned is this: YOUR SPEAKER WEBSITE IS A NON-MAGICAL BUT TOTALLY ESSENTIAL TOOL. What I mean is your website is a must-have to secure more speaking “gigs” but will not magically make them happen for you. Your outbound marketing will bring people in (I will share my tools and templates for this in the weeks ahead) and your website will act as a spiderweb that will hopefully, with the essential pieces in place, be “sticky enough” to secure the attention of decision-making meeting planners and corporate leaders.

This week I will share WHAT to include on your speaker page to make it as high-performing as possible. The good news? You have been creating these pieces since week one of SPEAK+. WOOT! I will also be sharing some money, time and emotional traps to avoid along your journey.

Put your get-shit-done seatbelt on. We are going for a ride baby. #getreadytogrow

Welcome to Week Eight of SPEAK+

After seven weeks of zoning in on your expertise, thought leadership and impact goals you are now ready to create your speaker website. This may take the form of a single online landing page or a simple website. Fancy is not required. Getting it done is!

NOTE: for a full speaker website map (custom to you) and 1on1 guidance please book your private coaching session with me (available to 1on1 SPEAK+ Clients).

In this lesson, we are going to focus on the design of a single landing page— this is the page you will send people to when networking and doing your outbound marketing. In your single landing page you'll want to focus on including the most essential elements to capture visitors' attention and encourage them to take action. Here's what you should include:

1. Compelling Headline: A clear and attention-grabbing headline that communicates the value proposition of your speaking services or expertise. THIS IS YOUR TRACTION TITLE & IMPACT STATEMENT.

2. Brief Introduction: A short paragraph or two introducing yourself and highlighting your main credentials or areas of expertise. THIS IS YOUR SHORT BIO.

3. Key Speaking Topics: A section outlining the main topics or themes you speak on, with brief descriptions or bullet points. THIS IS YOUR SIGNATURE TALK OUTLINE.

4. Testimonials: Include a few testimonials from past clients or audience members to build credibility and trust. Social proof is very important. Don’t have any you can think of? Start requesting them from the people in your life that have been positively impacted by your work and expertise.

5. Call to Action: A prominent call-to-action button encouraging visitors to take the next step, such as booking you for an event or contacting you for more information. Keep it short and simple.

6. About Section: A concise "About" section providing a bit more background about you as a speaker, including your experience and any relevant personal details that help establish your credibility. THIS IS YOUR BIO- expanded with your professional credits.

7. Contact Information: Make it easy for visitors to get in touch with you by including contact information or a contact form.

8. Engaging Visuals: Incorporate high-quality images or videos that capture your personality and speaking style, helping visitors connect with you on a more personal level. Now remember, no video is better than a poor quality video…so until you have enough quality footage for a “promotional video” focus more on the photo images you can gather and create.

9. Social Proof: If possible, include social proof elements such as logos of past clients or organizations you've worked with, endorsements from industry influencers, or awards you've received. Also included in the social proof category are pictures of you speaking—action shots. You may not have them yet and that’s ok.

   NOTE: Always get pictures when you speak! Every. Single. Time.

10. Responsive Design: Ensure that your landing page is mobile-friendly and optimized for viewing on various devices, as many visitors may be accessing it from smartphones or tablets.

By focusing on these essential elements, you can create a powerful and effective landing page that effectively showcases your expertise and encourages visitors (AKA: meeting planners and corporate leaders) to take action (AKA: to reach out to you for more info etc!).

A professional-looking speaker website acts as your online business card, instantly conveying credibility and expertise to potential clients and event organizers, ultimately driving bookings and opportunities.

LET’S TALK YOUR BRAND
As a speaker, having a brand means creating a distinct identity that highlights your niche, values, and expertise through consistent messaging, visuals, and interactions. It reflects who you are, what you stand for, and the value you offer to your audience, helping you stand out and connect with the right opportunities.

Several design elements contribute to your brand identity:

• Logo: A distinctive logo represents the speaker's identity and fosters recognition.

• Color Palette: Consistent colors across materials create visual cohesion and reinforce brand identity.

• Typography: Specific fonts for headlines, subheadings, and body text establish a consistent visual style and brand personality.

• Imagery: High-quality images reflecting brand values enhance visual appeal and credibility.

• Graphics and Icons: Custom graphics reinforce brand identity and convey key messages.

• Layout and Composition: Consistent layout principles create a cohesive and professional appearance.

• Brand Voice: Consistent tone, messaging, and communication style maintain brand integrity.

• Branded Materials: Business cards, letterheads, and presentations featuring logos reinforce brand identity in every interaction.

A professional designer will help you with your brand development. If you are creating your own landing page simply focus on your chosen colours, two preferred fonts and your logo. You can always use cost effective designers from 99 Designs, Fiverr or Freelancer to help you. Please don’t spend too much money or time on your logo. It is the least important element! I promise.

LET’S TALK PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS
Professional headshots for speakers are like the polished finishing touch to your brand, conveying credibility and confidence while making a memorable first impression on potential clients and event organizers. You don’t need to spend crazy amounts of money for great headshots but a good photographer will cost more than $200. In my opinion, professional photos are a solid investment. It’s great to also get some lifestyle shots as well (not just headshots). It’s worth it to get around 10-15 photos you can rotate in your marketing.

LET’S TALK YOUR PROMOTIONAL VIDEO
A provocative and professionally produced promotional video will, in time, be the cornerstone to your marketing as a speaker. High in demand and high paid professionals speakers have great promotional videos. As you develop your brand, voice, audience preference and value impact you will zone in on your messaging and, along the way, gather great video of you on stage. No video is better than a bad video. So for now, focus your time and energy on getting experience on stage (and getting good photos/video each time you do!).

LET’S TALK WHICH WEBSITE PLATFORM TO CHOOSE
Choosing a website platform depends on factors such as your technical expertise, budget, specific needs, and desired features. Here are steps to help you choose:

1. Define Your Needs: Consider what you need your website to do. Do you need e-commerce functionality, a blog, or a booking system? Make a list of essential features. For now…keep it simple!

2. Assess Your Technical Skills: Evaluate your technical skills or willingness to learn. Some platforms require coding knowledge, while others offer user-friendly interfaces. I am currently on the platform Squarespace because I can edit it easily myself (there are others you can choose from…see below).

3. Consider Budget: Determine how much you're willing to spend. Some platforms offer free plans with limited features, while others require monthly fees.

4. Research Platform Options: Look into popular website platforms such as WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, and Shopify. Compare their features, pricing, and ease of use.

5. Check Templates and Customization: Explore the platform's templates and customization options. Ensure there are designs that match your brand aesthetic and that you can customize them to fit your needs.

6. Evaluate SEO and Marketing Tools: Assess the platform's built-in SEO tools and marketing features. Consider how easily you can optimize your site for search engines and integrate marketing tools like email marketing and social media.

7. Review Customer Support: Look into the platform's customer support options. Consider whether you'll need 24/7 support or if email and chat support are sufficient.

8. Read Reviews and Testimonials: Check reviews and testimonials from other users to get insights into their experiences with the platform.

9. Consider Scalability: Think about the future growth of your website. Choose a platform that can scale with your business and accommodate increased traffic and functionality. BUT…and this is a big BUT…don’t focus too much on future. This can stall you. Most website platforms are scaleable these days.

10. Trial Period: If available, take advantage of any trial periods or demos offered by the platform to test its features and ease of use before committing. I recommend going with well known platforms that have millions of users (you know they will, most likely, be around for a while!)

I have spent lots of MONEY on branding, designers etc. I have learned that being able to edit myself is a big priority (for me). Now a days you can use a template platform like Squarespace or Wix and produce a good looking simple landing page.

Keep it simple friends. You can grow and expand as you….grow and expand!

LET’S TALK ABOUT HIRING A DESIGNER
If creating your own landing page/website feels way beyond your skillset or comfort level you can absolutely hire a designer to do it for you. Designers can range in pricing from $800 to $25,000. Remember you don’t need anything fancy right now. Trust me. Choose a designer that is easy to communicate with, has a great portfolio that resonates with you, has a solid list of client testimonials and one that clearly outlines what you will get and when you can expect it to be done. Do not pay all up front (instalments are the name of the game). Also it is my strong recommendation you actually speak with one or two of their past clients over the phone to confirm their experiences were fantastic.

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR DOMAIN NAME
I recommend you use your name as your domain (if you can). You can use services like Go Daddy or Squarespace to buy your domain. This will most often be a yearly fee (shouldn’t be too high).

LET’S TALK ABOUT ADDING TO YOUR CURRENT WEBSITE
If you are building your speaker landing page off your current website, you can direct your domain name (using your own name) to that page. This is helpful as people search your name in the future (SEO).

LET’S TALK ABOUT OVERTHINKING
It’s easy, and common, to feel overwhelmed, when it comes to building your speaker landing page. Stop thinking and start doing. You can look at other speakers for ideas but DO NOT let the disease of comparison slow you down. Remember, done is better than perfect and you can absolutely edit/tweak/improve/level up as you go. Just do it baby!

LET’S TALK ABOUT FINANCES
There are sharks out there who will promise you the world when it comes to your website. Stay sharp friends. Remember: YOUR SPEAKER WEBSITE IS A NON-MAGICAL BUT TOTALLY ESSENTIAL TOOL. This means your success will come more from your hard work getting people to visit it, then from people driving to it themselves. Does it need to look professional? YES. Most template websites can help you achieve that. Does it need to answer meeting planners questions? YES. Follow my suggestions for the essential pieces to include on your page. Does it need to be the best landing page ever? NO. You will tweak and change that landing page 1000 times before you even feel close. So please don’t get talked into very expensive branding + SEO + design + customization + blah blah blah proposals. If you have the cash…great. If not spend wisely and invest as you go.

I hope this is helpful! So many lessons (expensive ones…ugh) I have learned along my own journey. I truly hope you save you time, money and wasted energy on yours. xoxoox

Your Action Steps for this week…

• Create your speaker landing page. Share your challenges, successes and insights via the SPEAK+ Private Facebook Group . When we share we inspire each other.

• For 1on1 clients please refer to your google doc for additional action steps and customized feedback.