Sunday, July 19, 2020

Fwd: 5 things every speaker’s homepage needs



---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Bryan @ Agent <agent@growthtools.com>
Date: Sun, Jul 19, 2020 at 11:35 AM
Subject: 5 things every speaker's homepage needs
To: <Stevescott@techacq.com>


Agent

Creating a homepage as a speaker is tough.

When event organizers visit it, you want them to book you.

When event attendees visit it, you want them to join your email list. Or buy your book (if you have one). Or hire you (if you offer services, like coaching).

How do you prioritize it all?

What are the most important elements yours needs to have?

In this email, I'm going to show you examples from 3 in-demand speakers' homepages and pull out the 5 key ingredients you should have on your own.

Let's go!

Homepage #1: Nicole Walters

Niche/Industry: Entrepreneurship

Nicole approaches all those competing priorities a speaker's homepage has by placing multiple calls to action above the fold.

The first two each go to different online courses she sells, the third goes to a page listing affiliate products she promotes, and the fourth lets you book Nicole for your next event.

The background image above those calls to action, however, sends a super clear message: Nicole is a speaker.

You can't tell in the screenshot above, but it's actually a video background that shows a montage of speaking footage and audience reactions.

Showing yourself in a speaking setting is a must if you want your website to help you book more gigs. Even if you don't have photos of yourself speaking because you're not actually getting booked yet, you should at least feature a photo where it looks like you're speaking.

Put a microphone in your hand. Find a stage to stand on. Act like there's a packed house in front of you. Look the part!

Key Elements Further Down the Page:

Social Proof:

The section after Nicole's 4 CTAs showcases logos of media outlets and websites that have featured her. It's smart to have this kind of social proof near any CTA, as it can make the decision to click easier.

Don't worry if you're just getting started and haven't been featured in a million places yet. At the end of this email, I'll walk you through some specific ideas for social proof you can use.

Email Opt-In:

Even if your only goal right now is to get booked to speak, you should still be trying to build an email list as well.

An email list will give you a direct line to your audience, even when you can't reach them from stage. Which means you can continue driving revenue for your business by selling things like:

  • Coaching services
  • Online courses
  • Freelance services
  • Digital products like ebooks
  • And more

Unlike social media, you 100% own your email list. Your ability to reach email subscribers won't change when Facebook updates its algorithm.

That's why you see speakers like Nicole emphasize signing up for their email list so heavily on their homepage.

Nicole's email list CTA is particularly effective because:

  1. Her headline for the section offers a clear benefit: monetize your life. Other benefits like "grow your network" are also swapped into that blue section of the headline.
     
  2. She tells you what you're going to get by signing up: "Join my Richfriend club for inspiring stories, proven tactics and practical tips to grow your income." That's a heck of a lot better than the generic, unspecific copy you see on most websites, like, "Sign up for email updates!"

But...there is one missing ingredient that could help Nicole get more email subscribers: a lead magnet.

If she offered visitors a free resource (like a short PDF guide) for joining her email list, more people would sign up. 

Dedicated Speaking Section w/ Video:

Along with a photo of yourself speaking, a video of yourself speaking is an essential visual element for any aspiring speaker.

My friend Grant Baldwin has helped thousands of speakers book more gigs through his business, The Speaker Lab. Here's what he has to say about making your demo video:

"Like with anything, you start with what you've got. Do you have any speaking engagements coming up? Even just a small workshop, Sunday school class, or boardroom presentation will work. If not, can you find a small environment where you could speak (for free) just so you could film it? Worst case scenario, I've seen some demo videos of speakers just talking to an empty room. Now of course you can't tell that it's empty. You just need footage of you speaking."

Don't let a lack of a video stop you from getting your website up and running. But don't let a lack of gigs and money stop you from making your own video, either.

See Nicole's full homepage for yourself right here.

Homepage #2: Kate Garnes

Niche/Industry: Education

Notice any similarities between this homepage from Kate Garnes and the previous one?

Again, the background image above the fold makes it super clear: Kate is a speaker. Meanwhile, the headline does a great job specifying the benefits you'll get by booking Kate: "I help teens stop making excuses and take their lives back."

This quickly lets event organizers know what Kate does (speakers), who she speaks to (teens), and what she helps them do (stop making excuses and take their lives back).

Below, visitors can watch Kate's video to see her in action.

The only missing element above the fold?

A clear call to action. There's nothing that tells visitors what to do next. If they're interested in booking Kate, they'll either have to scroll alllllllll the way to the bottom of the page, or remember that there's a "Contact" tab in the navigation bar at the top (and even then, "Contact" isn't all that clear).

Key Elements Further Down the Page:

Social Proof:

 

In addition to showcasing logos from organizations that have booked Kate to speak, she also includes detailed testimonials.

This is a great reminder that you should always aim to get positive feedback you can showcase from any event you speak at. If you don't have any yet, make it your mission to get a testimonial from the decision-maker after your next event.

Email Opt-In / Booking CTA:

Like I mentioned earlier, Kate's first call to action doesn't come until the end of her homepage. And while it's great that she's building her email list, the headline and subheadline could use some clarity and specificity.

"Receive news and updates" isn't the most compelling reason to give your email address to someone. What if, instead, Kate offered visitors a guide to helping teens make better decisions? Like Nicole's homepage, I think this one could also benefit from the addition of a lead magnet.

The same thing applies to her booking CTA as well: "Get in touch" and "start the conversation" are vague.

"Book Kate for Your Next Event" would be much clearer.

Check out the full homepage right here.

Homepage #3: Jim Kukral

Niche/Industry: Business/Marketing

Another video background above the fold! (These are popular with speakers right now.) Again, the idea here is simply to give visitors a visual of yourself speaking.

My first instinct was that Jim's headline and subheadline were a little vague, but the testimonial he showcases below them does a great job explaining exactly what he speaks about (and the benefits he offers as a speaker).

This can be a smart technique for your own homepage—if a customer has already done a great job describing what you do, steal their words!

Like our other speakers, Jim then features a video. He pairs it with a strong, clear call to action: "Put My Event Date on Hold."

Key Elements Further Down the Page:

Social Proof:

Like the other speakers, Jim's homepage features logos and testimonials from past events, but he also includes this cool section of video testimonials from event attendees.

Each video is around a minute or less and looks like it was shot on a phone, which makes them feel raw and authentic.

This approach can be a great way to end up with multiple testimonials from just one event—and it's easy for you to do! You don't have to be a professional videographer to capture a quick reaction from event attendees on your phone.

"Why Jim Is Right for Your Event" Section:

I love the idea behind this section.

This would be a great exercise for any speaker: write "Why [Your Name] Is Right for Your Event" in a blank document and then spend 15 minutes writing everything that comes to mind.

You may not want to use what you end up with right away, but continue refining it as you gain experience and learn more about the value you bring to events and audiences.

Email Opt-In:

Again, I have the same advice here that I had for Kate's email opt-in: get specific and offer value!

What am I going to get out of signing up for your email list? How will it benefit me? Make sure you're making that crystal clear on your homepage.

Check out Jim's full homepage here to get more ideas for your own.

The 5 Essential Elements Your Homepage Should Have:

When you explore the full homepages featured above, you'll see that they have way more than just 5 elements.

1. A Visual of Yourself Speaking: You don't have to start with a fancy video background from day one. You don't even need to be in front of an audience! But you should try to get some kind of image of yourself in a speaking setting as soon as possible.

2. An Email Signup Form: It's never too early to start building your email list. Give visitors a compelling reason to sign up (I recommend using a lead magnet) and you'll position yourself to take advantage of any traffic your website gets in the future.

3. A CTA to Book/Contact You: Make it easy for event organizers to book you. Even if it's as simple as a link/button with a "Mail To" link that lets them send an email to your personal inbox. Don't overcomplicate the process.

4. A Speaking Video: It doesn't need to be long (a couple minutes is ideal). It doesn't need to be professionally produced. It doesn't need to be from a paid gig or in front of an audience.

5. Social Proof: Prioritize collecting testimonials from event organizers and attendees. If you haven't booked your first gig yet, look for quotes that speak to the value of your topic. For example, if you speak about artificial intelligence, a quote from Bill Gates about the importance of understanding AI could be a temporary solution until you get your own testimonials. Your goal is to lend credibility to your topic and yourself.

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What are some of the best speaker homepages you've seen lately?

Hit "Reply" to this email and let me know!

- Bryan


Bryan from Agent
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