Actually, it can be fun.

Whatever type of business you’re in, I’ll bet you greet your customers with your authentic personality when they come into your store or sit down for a meeting. If you take pride in your business, you want to affirm in your customers’ minds why they chose you and that they made the right choice.

This can often be easier to convey in person than it is online, but think of your website as an extension of the face-to-face experience. You don’t want to have an interaction with a potential client only to have them visit your website to learn more about your company and be bored to tears or unable to find the information they needed.

Many business owners do understand the value of working with a marketing team to bridge the offline and online (we’re thankful for that!), and as much as that team should make your life easier, the relationship is a partnership. The more you can tell us pros about yourself, the better we can tell your story on your website—and everywhere else.

As a client, you will need to provide the foundation for your website content so your marketing team can make your story shine. Here are a few basic guidelines to keep in mind when gathering content for your marketing team.

We don’t need a ton to work with, we just need the right stuff. Think about the 5Ws + H (who, what, where, why, when and how). We probably need that information.

Keep it short, but informative.

We don’t need a ton to work with, we just need the right stuff. Think about the 5Ws + H (who, what, where, why, when and how). We probably need that information.

Go back to basics.

You know your service or product inside out, and while we almost do—we don’t. Your untapped audience doesn’t, either. Try to use simple language and explain things.

Put yourself in your audience’s shoes.

You exist to make their life easier or better in some way—that’s why they’ll hopefully buy your product or service. What do they need from you? (Hint: the answer is, a website that will easily walk them through the steps they need to make a decision, transaction, etc.). Put that lens on when you give us content and we’ll illuminate their path.

Let your personality show.

Customers interact with the people who make a company what it is. Show us who you are (literally, tell us about yourself) and you will make your company stand out. Get excited about what makes your business unique—after all, one of those things is you.

Be involved in the process.

Website content may not always seem like a priority in the grand scheme of things, but if you make yourself available for your marketing team and help them fill in the blanks when needed, your story will shine brighter for the effort.

Gathering website content doesn’t have to be overwhelming or daunting. Start with the basics, whether you just started your business or you offer complex multi-level services or products, and we will guide you as we craft your story together.