Takeaways:
- Ashley says that once she left the corporate world, she didn’t have a safety net. She was all in, and knew it was make it or break it time. Sometimes once that safety net is gone we really force ourselves to get it done and make it happen. Take risks- they’re worth it.
- She talks about the importance of a website. Sure social media is great, but if Instagram or Facebook changes and you lose engagement, you want to have a place people can connect with you that you OWN. Your website allows you to have those emails and people on your side if they know your website, because you own it.
- Let’s talk website design. Ashley is amazing at this and says the number one tip is having a big, bold call to action. Who you are, what you do, how you’re going to help them, and how they can be a part of it. Short, sweet, to the point.
- Another key point Ashley shares is that in people’s first few seconds on your website, they should be able to know the value you’ll add to them if they choose to work with you. Sell them on that final transformation, because like she says, they don’t really care about all the steps or the whole process, they care about RESULTS! Speak directly to your ideal client.
- Ashley says main pages or sections you want to make sure you have on your site are: Home page, an about me, Work with me (freebies, courses, etc) and then a blog page! These 4 are crucial, but minimize your options so people aren’t overwhelmed.
- Don’t let yourself get stuck in tasks that you aren’t good at. OUTSOURCE! Why let yourself get stuck and stressed out to do something you’re not good at? You need to invest and give yourself the time and space to focus on the things you are meant to be doing in your business.
- Ashley swears by WordPress, because you own 100% of your website. It allows you full access to your code files, and all of your content. WordPress gives you the flexibility to have several plugins, unlike other sites. Even though the design factors can be cool on Squarespace, you can’t quite customize it the way you can on WordPress.
Highlights:
- (01:32) A little more about Ashley Kaplan
- (01:59) How Ashley got started as an entrepreneur.
- (03:34) What it was like leaving the corporate world for entrepreneurship.
- (04:32) Why you shouldn’t solely rely on social media for your business.
- (07:12) Design tips for a killer website.
- (08:25 The power of speaking directly to your ideal clients…and writing how you speak!
- (12:01) What pages should you have on your website?
- (13:03) Creating content that shows up on google.
- (14:10) How often should you create content?
- (17:09) Common mistakes Ashley sees people making when building and designing their websites.
- (18:40) The power of NICHING DOWN- and how it helped Ashley’s business.
- (19:18) Ashley’s top tips for redoing your website.
- (22:39) How much should you budget to spend on your website? What is too much, what is too little to pay someone?
- (26:06) What are Ashley’s favorite website themes on WordPress?
- (27:01) Plugins- which ones should you have, can you have too many?
- (28:40) Why WordPress? Why not Squarespace or Wix?
- (31:10) What can you do to speed up your website time?
- (32:07) The best book Ashley’s ever read.
- (33:09) The best investment Ashley has ever made into her business.
- (34:45) Ashley’s course- why it’s an amazing investment if you’re in need of a website.
- (35:58) What does it mean for Ashley to make an impact?
- (36:49) What’s next for her?
- (37:20) Where can you connect with Ashley?
Quotes:
“They want to know how you’re going to help them”
“Sell them on the transformation that they are going to experience when they work with you.”
“Text on a website is not academic…be YOU”
“Write how you would speak”
“You want your visitors on your website to have to burn as few calories as possible”
“Less is more”
“If you’re doing it yourself, you can do it so so cheap”
“The best is yet to come”
Resources:
Connect with Ashley:
- Website- ashleykaplan.com
- Facebook group: Worry-Free WordPress
- Ashley’s Course- Worry Free WordPress Academy
- Instagram- @wordpresswithashley
Plugins for Building Your Website:
Books:
Watch Full Interview:
