Why You Should Be Brave On Your Website
"I'm not doing a good job of taking care of myself."
I realized that this morning in a moment of brave honesty.
Bravery is such an admirable quality because it requires vulnerability. And there are so many flavors of courageousness. It might be wearing a bright color, asking someone out, quitting your job, or admitting that you need help.
If you want to be brave, but you’re not sure how, start with introspection. Be honest with yourself about something that’s hard to admit.
When everyone tells you to smile so you look “nice” or like you don’t take yourself too seriously, not smiling in your headshot can be a fierce act of bravery.
Like for me, this morning, when I was reflecting about how I had an amazing time at happy hour last night with two close friends. Why did it feel so good, and why don't I do that more often?
The truth is that I'm not taking care of myself, and I felt shame. I thought working hard, developing goals, closing deals — hustling — was making me happy. And it is, but work isn't everything. I'm not fueling my body with clean food, I'm not moving my body in a way that feels good (because I'm not doing it at all), I'm not resting, and I'm not filling my life with joyful experiences.
This is something I preach to anyone who will hear me, but especially my copywriting clients. You need to be brave and honest in your business and on your website.
There are a few reasons why:
People want to work with people. Being honest will help readers know, like and trust you, which is a huge goal for every website. Readers will relate to you more, and respect you for being vulnerable.
It’ll make you happier. I dream of a world where we’re all able to live confidently in our own skin. Your website is your little corner of the internet, so let your personality shine. It’ll relieve some of that anxiety that’s been building up as you do things because you should even when you don’t want to.
You’ll find better clients. It’s scary to say no to some customers or projects, but when you do you’re freeing yourself from bad clients and bad projects that aren’t a good fit for you and your skillset.
So, you want to be brave. How do you get that across on your website?
Use words, images and colors to express your style, even if that style isn’t what’s popular right now.
Switch things up on your About page and tell clients what you’re not about, rather than what you stand for.
Write a blog that expresses an unpopular opinion and why you stand behind it. The people who don’t get it aren’t the clients for you. But the ones who do get it? They’re your tribe.
Throw templates out the window and do something that’s totally different — totally you.
When everyone tells you to smile so you look “nice” or like you don’t take yourself too seriously, not smiling in your headshot can be a fierce act of bravery.
Not sure how to get started? Be brave and ask for help. You could be doing so much more with your time (like making money serving a client!) than wasting hours trying to conquer something that just isn’t your “thing,” like writing your website.
