Get your idea off the ground & onto a website
I recently spoke with a friend about a volunteer project she’s working on, where she’s helping a local Jewish non-profit. My favorite type of project!
I learned everything I know while working with Jewish non-profits like Tribe 12 and At The Well, and I love talking about work. So I was amped to hear about my friend’s volunteer work! And I got to share insights from my previous work experiences.
While we were talking, I realized there was a clear question that she was trying to answer with regards to this new project:
How might our volunteers create inspiring resources that teach leadership skills and facilitate meaningful connections among young professionals in the Jewish community?
A lot of Jewish non-profits are asking this question, and I think the answer is relevant for a much wider audience. For anyone who’s looking to get an idea off the ground, here is the one thing you need to understand before you dive in:
Your digital presence communicates your authority, and you need to look attractive online if you want to succeed.
Good news though! You don’t have to hire a designer to look legit online. You can do it by yourself. Here are a few tips I’ve got for the digital DIYer who’s looking to get their big idea off the ground:
1. Define your metrics of success.
How will you know that what you’re doing is working? Maybe you’re looking to get a certain number of people to opt-in, follow, or join. Maybe you have a target fundraising amount. Either way, you should define success at the beginning and make sure it’s something measurable so you can gauge how you’ll iterate and improve as you move forward.
2. Define your audience.
Who are the people you’re trying to attract? What problems are they having? How can you solve those problems?
How do they expect to find their solution? Do they expect a full website with a unique name, logo, and color scheme? Do they expect an Eventbrite page, or a Paypal donation link?
Think about where your audience is typically shopping, browsing, following, engaging with the internet. You’re competing with very legit, very beautiful brands to get your audience’s attention, so you need a high caliber online presence if you want to succeed. Here’s how…
3. Create a landing page.
This will be the primary place where your audience will learn about your offerings and sign up to get involved. This is a website page that includes the details about what you offer and the way for people to sign up or pay for more information.
This would be a great use for a simple, one-page Squarespace website, but your landing page doesn’t necessarily need to be a page on your own website. It could be an event registration page, or a crowdfunding donation page.
Regardless of how you build it, it is imperative that this page is easy to read on all screen sizes. And if you’re asking your audience for their email address or payment information, it’s even more important that the page looks legit and secure. If you’re anything less, people will be wary and they won’t opt-in.
Don’t forget to go back and consider your metrics for success. Make sure that your landing page allows you to track and measure your progress toward that goal.
4. Tell the world about it!
You put together an incredible solution to someone’s problem, good job!!! Now it’s time to tell everyone you know. Share your landing page far and wide - use email, social media, and direct messaging to make sure that your community knows about your exciting new offering.
Once your creation is out in the world, you’ll see what works and what doesn’t... so you’ll be able to easily iterate and improve upon what you’ve built!
You don’t need to hire a designer to look legit online!
You can create your own website all by yourself. Sign up with your email and I’ll send over my Website In A Weekend PDF to guide you.
