If there's one thing I've learned from helping countless small business owners, it's that most websites aren't set up to turn visitors into customers. They're often too focused on showcasing products rather than solving customer problems. 

Today, I'm going to show you how to realign your homepage to focus on customer-centric messaging using our proven BrandScript framework. 

Before I get into it, if you want more info about this framework along with visual examples of what a successful homepage looks like, check out the full Marketing Domination episode here.

Now, let's dive into the 10 essential things your website needs to effectively draw in leads and seal the deal on sales.

1. The Header 

So the first thing you need is a strong Header Section. This is the first thing visitors see when they land on your site, so it’s the most important section of your website. Think of your header as the front door to your business online—it's your first chance to make a solid impression.

So, what needs to be in the header? First off, your logo needs to be clear and positioned where you can easily see it, typically in the top left corner. Next up, you need a compelling headline. This isn't just any tagline; it should be a powerful statement that speaks directly to what your customer wants and needs. It should address their pain points or desires and clearly communicate the value you offer.

Now, let's talk about the call to action, or CTA. This could be a button or a link that encourages your visitors to engage further with your site. Whether that's scheduling a consultation, signing up for a newsletter, or starting a free trial, your CTA should stand out and offer clear guidance on what to do next.

Last but not least, the visuals. Including an image of happy customers or a snapshot of your product in action can massively boost engagement. Remember, the right image can communicate more about your brand and value proposition than words alone.

The goal of your header is not just to attract attention—it's to convert that attention into action. That's why every element of your header needs to work together to guide your visitors into your sales funnel. 

If you want to know whether you’ve got a strong header section or not, use the Grunt test. Get someone who knows nothing about your business, have them take a look at your header for 3 seconds, then ask them to answer what you do, how it makes their life better, and what they need to do to get it. 

If someone can glance at your header and immediately understand these three things without prior knowledge of your business, you've passed the Grunt Test. This means your messaging is clear and compelling enough to convert casual browsers into potential leads.

2. The Value Stack 

Now, the only two sections you shouldn’t move are the header and footer, other than that, you can move the rest like Lego blocks however you like.

I like to put the value stack right after the header to keep that momentum going. This part is all about laying down top benefits your business delivers to customers.

I use visuals like icons or emblems paired with super short text to outline the top three benefits. Why three? It's long enough to be persuasive, but concise enough to keep things snappy and easy to grasp.

In our BrandScript, we outline potential success and failures—think of it like seasoning a dish just right with success as the main flavor and failure just a pinch to highlight what's at stake. The benefits we list are about painting a picture of success, showing customers the "happily ever after" they can expect.

For example, if we’re talking about a fitness business, I wouldn't just list features like “access to fitness programs.” Instead, I’d highlight benefits like:

• Accountability: Ensuring you stay on track with your fitness goals.

• Customized Nutrition Plans: Tailoring your diet to enhance your fitness journey, making you love how you feel and look.

• Efficient Workouts: Designed to fit into your busy schedule, maximizing your time and results.

So, in your Value Stack Section, showcase the benefits that directly improve your customers' lives, and ensure these benefits are visually appealing and immediately understandable. This isn’t just about listing what you offer—it’s about making it crystal clear how your customers will be better off with your services. 

3. The Stakes Section 

This section is all about highlighting the stakes—what your customers stand to lose if they don't take advantage of your services or products. It's a powerful way to tap into the motivations that drive your customers' decisions by reminding them of the problems they face and the potential consequences of not addressing these issues.

In the Stakes Section, we focus on making it crystal clear what's at risk. It’s not about fear-mongering; it's about stating the reality of the challenges your customers face and showing them how your business is the solution they need. 

For example, if you're in the fitness industry, this section could address the risks of neglecting health, like decreased energy levels, potential for long-term diseases, and a lower quality of life.

Here’s how you might structure it:

• Start with a question or statement that hits home: "Are you tired of feeling sluggish and out of shape?"

• Outline the consequences: Dive into what happens if they continue on their current path—highlight the emotional and physical impact of not engaging in regular physical activity.

• Connect the dots: Show how these issues can be resolved by engaging with your services, like personalized training programs that fit into their busy lives and offer sustainable health benefits.

This section should act as a wake-up call that resonates emotionally with your audience, compelling them to take action before they suffer more severe consequences. It’s about painting a picture of the negative outcomes they can easily avoid by choosing your services. 

Use compelling, relatable language that speaks directly to the heart of their daily struggles, making it clear that you understand their situation and have the perfect solution to help them turn things around.

4. The Value Proposition 

Unlike the Value Stack Section, which is all about the benefits. Here, we dive into the actual features and services we provide that make those benefits possible.

In the Value Proposition Section, we lay out the concrete offerings of your business. For instance, if you're a fitness app, this is where you'd showcase features like being able to stream workouts at home or access customized training programs at the gym. It’s about showing the tangible aspects of your service that deliver the promised benefits.

We use various design elements like icons, images, and custom graphics to make this information engaging and easy to digest. This section is not just about listing what you offer—it's designed to connect these offerings directly to your customer’s needs and goals.

The goal here is to make it clear what you deliver and how it directly benefits the users. This way, when customers look at your website, they can easily understand the value you provide and how it applies to them, helping to move them closer to making a purchase or signing up for your service. 

So, always make sure your Value Proposition Section is detailed, visually appealing, and directly tied to your customer's success. Remember, features tell, but benefits sell.

5. The Guide Section 

This is where we get personal, not just about what we offer, but about who we are and why we can be trusted. This part of your website is drawn directly from our BrandScript, it focuses on showing empathy and establishing your authority.

Start by empathizing with your customer’s struggles and showing that you really understand the challenges they’re facing. This could be through a simple statement that resonates with their needs, or through testimonials about the results you’ve achieved for others just like them.

Then you want to display your authority, why should they trust you to solve their problem? That’s where you can showcase successes, stats, and maybe even logos from big brands you've worked with. It’s about proving that you’re capable of solving their problems without sounding like a show-off. 

For example, on my site, I share a little about how I've helped others in your industry succeed, not just because they were talented, but because they had the right marketing strategy in place.

This section can vary visually—sometimes it's a collection of testimonials, other times it’s a list of logos or even before and after photos, like with my client Magnus, who works with thousands through his fitness app.

So, the main takeaway from the Guide Section is to focus on empathy, showcase your authority subtly, and always aim to connect on a human level. It’s about building trust, and this section is where you lay that foundation.

6. Packages and Pricing (Optional)

Now, this section is optional, so the first thing you need to consider is your business model. For some businesses, especially service-based ones like consulting or personalized services, you might choose not to list your prices directly. 

This is because your services might be highly customized and require a consultation to determine the client's needs and the scope of the work. Or, if you’re selling a more high-ticket item then putting the price might actually deter customers from buying.

In those cases, your pricing section could focus more on the types of services you offer or the value you provide, rather than specific prices.

For other businesses, especially product-based or standardized service offerings, listing your prices can be beneficial. This transparency helps customers make quick decisions and can filter out those who aren't in your target market because of budget constraints. 

For example, my wife and I own an IV therapy clinic, so on the website we list the different treatments with specifics on what each treatment involves, its price and its duration. This kind of detailed breakdown helps customers understand exactly what they’re getting and at what cost, which helps with quicker decision-making.

But for my marketing agency, we have a lot of customization so I don’t give prices until after I’ve had the client call and know what they need.

If you're not sure about listing prices, you can still show the types of packages you offer without specifying costs. For example, you could list packages like "Basic," "Premium," and "Enterprise," each with a description of what's included, and then prompt visitors to contact you for more detailed pricing. This approach not only gives a sense of your service tiers but also initiates a conversation.

7. The 3-Step Plan

Make it easy for your visitors. Break down the buying process into simple steps. For example:

1. Schedule a consultation.

2. Customize your plan.

3. Enjoy the benefits. This straightforward approach helps demystify the process and encourages people to take the first step.

This section is all about simplifying your interaction process so that doing business with you feels super easy and compels your customers to move forward.

Step 1: Define Your Call to Action

Your first step should always be a direct call to action. This is your way of telling a visitor exactly what to do next. For example, as a marketing consultant, my step one might be “Schedule a Free Consultation.” This is an invitation to engage directly and sets the stage for the relationship.

Step 2: Clarify the Process

The second step should bridge the initial contact and the final outcome. This is where you outline your process, what happens after they take the initial action. If the first step is scheduling a consultation, the second might be “Receive Your Custom Marketing Plan.” This shows that there’s a structured process following their initial commitment.

Step 3: Paint the Picture of Success

Finally, end with a step that illustrates the benefits or the final outcome of doing business with you. For example, “Execute and Dominate Your Market.” This not only reassures them of the potential success but also leaves them with a positive vision of what’s to come.

When it comes to layout, keep it simple. You can align these steps horizontally or vertically, but make sure they’re easy to follow. Use clear, bold text and maybe an icon or an image that represents each step to make them stand out and be memorable.

And remember, each step should be actionable and lead seamlessly to the next. This helps reduce any friction or confusion and helps guide the visitor naturally to take action.

8. The Explanatory Paragraph

For those who want more detail, provide a longer explanatory paragraph or section. This is your chance to dive deeper into your offerings, the problems you solve, and the unique methods you use. It’s also a great place to optimize for SEO without sacrificing user experience.

Here’s how to write a clear, direct, and informative paragraph

1. Start with Clarity: Begin with a clear and direct statement that explains what your business does. This could be your one-liner or a slightly expanded version of it. The key here is to immediately address the core value your business offers.

For more information on how to craft a killer one liner, check out this previous episode of Marketing Domination.

1. Include Detailed Descriptions: Dive into more detailed descriptions of your services or products. Describe how your offerings stand out from the competition and specifically how they benefit the customer. Avoid jargon and keep the language accessible and straightforward.

2. Focus on Benefits Over Features: Instead of just listing features of a product, explain how these features solve problems or improve situations.

3. Use SEO Strategically: While the StoryBrand framework emphasizes clarity and brevity, this section is your chance to incorporate important keywords that can help improve your site’s SEO.

4. Incorporate Your Brand Story: This is a great place to weave elements of your brand story into the narrative. Share why you started your business, what sets you apart, and how you’ve evolved. This helps build a deeper connection with your audience by humanizing your brand.

5. End with a Call to Action: After providing all the necessary information, guide your visitors towards a clear call to action. What should they do next? Whether it’s to read more, get in touch, or view a product, make sure it’s easy for them to take that next step.

To keep your homepage sleek and user-friendly, use a 'Read More' link for longer explanations. This allows interested visitors to expand the section if they want more information, keeping your homepage clean while still catering to those who need more details to make a decision.

9. Lead Magnet Section 

This is absolutely key for any small business looking to capture potential customers who aren’t quite ready to commit but are interested enough to engage further.

A lead magnet or a transitional CTA is essentially a value exchange. It’s where you offer something of value—like a PDF guide, a mini-course, or even a discount code—in return for your visitors’ contact information. This sets the stage for future communications and nudges them down your sales funnel.

Here are some examples of effective lead magnets

• Marketing Domination Checklist: Ideal for small business owners looking to improve their marketing efforts. This checklist provides actionable steps to enhance their strategies and can be followed up with detailed guides or a consultation.

• Restore U Functional Medicine’s Hormone Quiz: A great example for healthcare professionals. It engages users interactively and provides personalized results that lead to tailored services.

• MachBuilt’s Discount Codes: Perfect for e-commerce sites. Offering a discount not only incentivizes the first purchase but also opens the door to ongoing sales.

Lead magnets allow you to build a list of potential customers who have already expressed interest in what you do. This is gold for any small business because you’re not just reaching out to cold leads; you’re communicating with people who have taken the first step towards your business.

Remember, the key to a successful lead magnet is relevance and value. It should be so good that your ideal customer thinks, “I can’t believe this is free!”.

10. Footer Section 

Last but not least, the footer. This section is the anchor of your site, literally the foundation where you link everything together. It’s your opportunity to guide visitors to essential pages without overwhelming them at the top of the page. 

Think of your footer as the place where all your important links live—like your privacy policy, terms of service, contact information, and even your sitemap. It's also a great spot for social media icons so that your visitors have a way to connect with you on other platforms.

The footer also serves as a secondary navigation area, which is crucial for improving your site’s SEO by ensuring all pages are interconnected and avoiding orphan pages that search engines don’t really like.

But it’s more than just a utility space; it’s a chance to keep visitors engaged. For example, if you’re running a blog or a podcast, link to your latest episodes or posts to keep the content fresh and engaging. And if you have a lot of FAQs, consider adding a link to a dedicated FAQ page to clear clutter from the main pages. 

This was a pretty long read but I hope it’s been helpful! Because trust me, revamping your website with these 10 things can significantly increase your ability to attract and convert leads. Each section plays a critical role in not just drawing visitors in but also moving them down the sales funnel.

Ready to transform your homepage and boost conversions? Reach out today, and let’s make your website work as hard as you do. 

Or, if you’re here early, I’ll review your current homepage for FREE if you DM me the link to your website along with the phrase “please review my website” on Instagram @seangarner.

I’m only doing this for the first month after the release of my “10 Things Your Website Must Have To Get More Customers” podcast episode. So, hurry up and message me now!