Web design is not primarily about looking good. It’s about appealing to the emotions of the people you want to do business with. It’s letting them know that yes, you get them, and that you have something that they need…and that they can’t get anywhere else.
Think with me for a minute about who visits your website right now. Picture them in your mind. Give them a height, hair color, weight, name…be as specific as you can be. (If you don’t have a website, imagine who would be visiting it if you did.)
Is the picture fuzzy? Could it be anyone from your seventy-year old neighbor to your best friend’s parakeet? Then we need to work on that.
Now tell me who you WANT to be visiting your site. Tell me what kind of clothes they wear and how they like to spend their time. Do they have an accent? Are they a health food nut? Give them a face. Give them a name.
Homework: Take a minute and do a search on flickr for me. Enter in a word or two that describes the basic character of the person who will be visiting your website. A few words to get you going: funky, artistic, athletic, genuine, peaceful, thrifty, professional, driven, laid back. Just enter one or two descriptive words followed by the word “person” or “people”. Make sure you check the Creative Commons box at the bottom of the form is you want to be able to share the images you find on your blog.
Even easier, just click “Explore” and click the “People” tag. As you find images that really speak to you, save them. Post them somewhere where you can see them every day. As you’re writing for your website, write to those people. Here are some of mine:
I like to think that these people are looking up at the building they’re about to rent to launch their Big Dream. Image by bass_nroll.
I love that these people are travelers. Adventurers. World-partakers. Image by Carlo Nicora.
Love this guy’s eccentricity. When I’ve become eccentric, I know that I’ll have arrived. Image by Carlo Nicora.
I have a soft spot for people who are waiting in front of coffee shops. That is me at least twice a week. Image by tanakawho.
I love how she looks so intent. Intention is passion. Image by Michael McCauslin.
These people have tattoos AND babies. Perfect. Image by Malkolm.
My people are happy people. Image by s.o.f.t.
Who are your people? Post and share!
