6 Steps to Write Your Homepage

Agony.

Drudgery.

Feeling every ounce of will drain right out of your body.

This happens everyday to business owners who sit down to write their homepages.

It’s as if the universe is conspiring against you.

You know there’s something good you offer the world – you just can’t seem to find the words to express it.

Well, pilgrim. If this is you, we’re going to spend the next few weeks getting you ready.

One of the first things I teach my students in my Write Your Website production lab is that it really helps to have rituals.

You know, the stuff you do before you write. That tells your subconscious “let’s do this.”

It’s the equivalent of the basketball player doing through the same routine each time she shoots free throws.

So, without further ado – here’s my writing ritual for writing a homepage (that I teach my clients, too):

Step 1 – Loosen up. Dance, light a candle, go for a walk, take a swig of whiskey.

> You don’t have to BE in the mood to write. But you do have to know how to flip your switch and GET there.

Step 2 - Pick your “container” (what format is going to hold your words?)

> Templates help you start. You can’t STOP there – but they do give you a sense of length, layout, and goal.

Step 3 - Think first, write second—organize your thoughts in a Cheat Sheet

> Often writer’s block is nothing more than a signal that you haven’t thought things through enough. Give yourself the chance to arrange + organize your ideas BEFORE you show up to write something the world will see.

Step 4 – Write.

> There’s no getting around this one. Even if you tell yourself “oh, I’ll just hire a copywriter” – the truth is, you STILL have lots of writing to do yourself. Better find the joy in it now. It’ll make you rich and happy.

Step 5 – Revise + polish. 2 rounds of edits, max.

> Limit your revisions. This keeps you from endless rewrites that, at the end of the day, won’t make you money.

Step 6 – Fill in the holes in your marketing pathway.

> You finished your homepage? Good. Now what about your awesome free gift – to get people to subscribe to your list – and your newsletter – to build a real relationship with them over time?

This is more process than content – but I give you plenty of that, so I won’t sweat it. The main thing is, waiting to get “in the mood” to write just isn’t possible. As a successful business owner just told me today “honestly, Stella, I’d say about 75% of my time is spent writing for my business.”

Mighty thanks to kiwinz flickr photostream for the staircase