As a small service business owner, you have to recognize and remember this important detail as you are building out your website (no small task indeed).

Your website is not about you. It lives to serve your clients. So, set your pride aside if you want to be booked and happy. 

A while ago, I read Donald Miller's "Building a Story Brand" and had the most eye-opening moment. The hero of a brand is the customer. Not its CEO. Why?

If you want to receive tons of inquiries from interested clients, you have to invest in them first. Position your client as the hero of the journey on your website. Too often I witness this mistake: the first paragraph on the site talking about what you do. "I picked up a camera at the age of ten. I am an amazing photographer. Book me. Etc. Etc." Obviously, this is a bit extra, but you get the point. 

Writing the hero copy on your homepage (with AI's help).

Instead, rewrite your first three paragraphs from the POV of a helpful guide, the sidekick to the hero's journey.

Let's do some examples from Chat GPT:

1. Personal Trainer

At [Your Business Name], we believe every client has the power to achieve their fitness goals and become the best version of themselves. Your dedication, determination, and drive are at the heart of your journey. We're here to provide the guidance, support, and personalized training plans to help you conquer every challenge and celebrate every victory along the way. Together, we'll map out your success story, one workout at a time.

2. Wedding Planner

Your love story is unique, and your wedding day should reflect that. At [Your Business Name], we understand that this beautiful journey is all about you. Our mission is to bring your vision to life with meticulous planning, creative ideas, and a personal touch. From the moment you say "Yes" to the moment you say "I do," we're here to guide you through every detail, so you can focus on what matters most: celebrating your love.

3. Financial Advisor

At [Your Business Name], we know that your financial goals and dreams are at the heart of your journey. You're striving to build a secure and prosperous future for yourself and your family. We're here to empower you with expert advice, personalized strategies, and unwavering support. Together, we'll navigate the complexities of financial planning and investment, turning your aspirations into reality. Your success is our mission.

Rewriting the hero copy to sound human.

Ok - these are not extremely terrible, but reading them makes me want to throw up. Nobody writes like this. So remember that if you use AI to help you with copy, you MUST rewrite them in your own language and put thought and feeling behind it

I am going to rewrite them as an example. Also keep in mind, that your homepage ideally needs to be 2000-3000 words for Google to understand what you do and prioritize you, so I recommend three short paragraphs for the hero's journey section of your homepage. As close to the top, as possible!

From my (human) perspective:

1. Personal Trainer

Welcome to getting serious about crushing your goals. This is a pivotal point in your journey where YOU HAVE DECIDED that this is your time and took the first vital step into the direction toward the best shape of your life - you decided to hire a professional personal trainer. Your dedication, determination, and drive are at the heart of your journey. No need to do this alone. With over seven years of experience, guiding future athletes like you, I am here to provide knowledgeable support and personalized training plans to help you conquer every challenge and celebrate every victory along the way. Together, we'll map out your success story, one step at a time. 

Let's schedule our consultation.

2. Wedding Planner

Every little detail of your wedding vision matters, because this is the biggest day of your life: celebrating your love. Your story is so unique and we know that you want your wedding day to reflect that. We pride ourselves on bringing your creative ideas to life. Our mission at [Your Business Name] is guiding you through every detail with a full focus on what matters the most to you. With over 150 weddings meticulously crafted by our talented team, we are so excited to celebrate you as our official clients.

Welcome. Let's begin!

3. Financial Advisor

At the heart of your financial goals and dreams, is a secure and prosperous future for your family. We know how important this is. Our experts are standing by ready to empower you with excellent customer service and personalized strategies that will set you up for success. Leave the complexities of financial planning to us. Your family's financial security is our mission.

Let's turn big dreams into reality.

Phew! Those are infinitely less stuffy, wouldn't you say? I mean I am pretty invested in the last company. Haha. Bad puns is my mission.

I urge you to start by outlining your dream client profile (get some help on this blog), so you can visualize them as you are writing and to use AI as a starting point but to get human with it. Imagine what would get you to grab your wallet and book immediately. 

Brain Dump Exercise

Feel free to use this overall flow to get you to start thinking about your copy in a new light:

Dream client (help defining her here):
Wants: (To let go of control and have someone plan her wedding for her, but for it to still be her idea)

Needs: (Someone with enough expertise and a team to make her Pinterest board a reality)

Desires: (For everyone to walk into the ceremony area and the reception room and immediately whip out their phone to take a video b/c it's that awesome)

The service/offer:
What problem do you solve: The stress of planning and trying to work within a budget but not even knowing where to start.

Details: All in one dream wedding planning package where we send a questionnaire, have a consultation and then take over and check in to make sure everything is aligned. You relinquish the control and we do the heavy lifting. We have everything covered.

Problem awareness: 
What problem is your ideal client facing? The problem is that she does not know where to start and is afraid that her vision is not going to come out perfect if she lets go of control.

Solutions:
How can you help your audience? You will do a weekly check in to make sure everything stays on par and reassure your client that her vision is of at most importance.

Client Results/Testimonials:
What results have you and your clients have seen from your work?

This is where you showcase the before/after, problem/solution driven outcomes you have done for your clients. Don't just write testimonials, present results and specific situations!

DO NOT FORGET to write more copy for the TOP hero area on your homepage. I recommend three short paragraphs like the ones I wrote above. You can throw in some images or other decorative elements but the point is that the client feels VERY deeply understood, empowered and moved.

Do not have your about blurb at the very top of your page. While your client does care about you - they are here to spend money on what they need. Tell them how you've got their desires covered!

Do have a place where they get a glimpse into who you are, your photo and a blurb. Just don't have that be the first thing they see. Make sure there is a button to learn more about you/your story/meet you and a CTA button to book. They could be sold already after all that hero copy ;-)

Your About Page: Do not make it a snoozefest!

This is without a doubt where you come to shine. Your About me page should not be a reiteration of your homepage and how you help blah blah blah. This is where you make personal connection and exhibit your humanness and personality. I suggest keeping it more upbeat and relatable but it's okay to show a bit of your vulnerable side too. Something like "I wear my heart on my sleeve, I don't do small talk, I am fired up by intellectual conversation, slow mornings and a light jog, I love shopping for candles at Target, staycations, Sunday thrift store diving, a bowl of fresh pasta, queso, Netflix bingeing, I read XYZ book cover to cover, etc. BE PLAYFUL! People buy from people.

DID YOU KNOW? The About page is the second most visited page on business websites? DO not skimp here!!!! Lots of personal copy, pictures of you, testimonials, some of your favorite blogs or resources toward the end and focus on HUMAN connection.

Bottom Line: We all have our own best interests in mind, use this as an advantage.

Once you realize, that at the core everyone is a little bit self centered and when we are choosing where to put our hard earned money, we will go with the person that best aligns with our self interests.

Address all of the biggest desires, pull out the kind of language that leaves no doubt in your hero's mind: you are the one to take them there.