Most speakers think a prettier website will finally get them booked and paid what they're worth. But after 15 years in the personal branding industry, I can tell you... your website Design is NOT the problem.
Press play to listen while you read...
You're about to spend thousands on a website redesign…
You've convinced yourself this time will be different.
You think it will finally showcase your expertise the way it deserves…
So you can attract better gigs and get paid more.
I know a little bit about how this works.
I built websites for personal brands from 2009-2022.
I even built the website that help launch Devon Brown to World's #1 Celebrity Event Emcee status.
That's why I know all about personal brand websites that actually get you picked and paid.
And here's what usually happens when you design or redesign your website…
At first…
You feel excited about your new site because you’ve done all the things…
- The colors are more professional.
- The copy is tighter.
- The layout is more intuitive.
You are so proud to show it off and share it with everyone.
You imagine event planners landing on your site and them immediately putting you on the short list to book you for their event.
You picture the inquiries flooding in, the calendar filling up, the rates finally matching your talent.
Yet, three months later…
You're about to spend thousands on a website redesign…
You've convinced yourself this time will be different.
This time it will finally showcase your expertise the way it deserves…
That way, you can attract better gigs and get paid more.
The truth is, I know a little bit about how this works.
I built websites for personal brands from 2009-2022.
I even built the website that help launch Devon Brown to World's #1 Celebrity Event Emcee status.
That's why I know all about personal brand websites that actually get you picked and paid.
And here's what usually happens when you design or redesign your website…
At first…
You feel excited about your new site because you’ve done all the things…
- The colors are more professional.
- The copy is tighter.
- The layout is more intuitive.
You are so proud to show it off and share it with everyone.
You imagine event planners landing on your site and them immediately putting you on the short list to book you for their event.
You picture the inquiries flooding in, the calendar filling up, the rates finally matching your talent.
Yet, three months later…
Your Beautiful New Website…
Still Doesn't Convert
You’re staring at your gorgeous new site wondering why nothing changed.
- Event planners still close the tab within seconds.
- Referrals still struggle to explain what you do.
- Your calendar still has the same gaps it had before the redesign.
Then you find yourself frustrated looking for the next upgrade that might actually move the needle and get you more gigs.
But don’t beat yourself up too much…
It's all too common for talented speakers to invest thousands in websites, logos, and "professional branding" that never moves the needle.
The problem isn't your website. It never was.
After 15 years working with personal brands (including Devon Brown, the World's #1 Celebrity Event Emcee) I've seen this pattern play out countless times.
Here’s Why Beautiful Websites
Don’t Always Work
We hope pretty design will make us look more professional so we'll get picked more and paid more.
But companies and event don't pay for pretty, they pay to prevent and solve problems and reach their goals.
The real issue isn't that your website looks amateur.
It's that your website doesn't quickly and compellingly communicate your unique value…
How and why are you desirably different from every other talented speaker in your market?
If you don’t have clarity on that…
You're website is suffering from Brand Fog.
Brand Fog is any lack of clarity (yours or others) on:
- Who you are
- What you're all about
- Who you help
- How you help
And here's what makes Brand Fog so dangerous…
It's naturally occurring and affects personal brands at every level:
- It shows up early in your career when you're still finding your footing.
- It thickens in crowded markets where everyone sounds the same.
- And it rolls back in when you're ready for your next evolution.
When you have Brand Fog in an overcrowded market, like speaking, it's hard to see why you should pick one persona over the other.
Most speakers just blend in.
When you blend in, people can't find you. If they can't find you, they can't pick you and pay you.
If they find you but it's not clear what value you offer, they won't pick you and pay you.
For most personal brands, the thing that's hurting all your other branding and marketing efforts is Brand Fog.
Why a Pretty Website Just Spreads More Fog
Here's the trap most speakers fall into: they think better design will solve their clarity problem.
But design doesn't create clarity. It amplifies whatever Brand Fog you already have.
If you start with Brand Fog, your beautiful new website just spreads that fog. The colors are better. The layout is cleaner. But the message is still foggy.
Event planners land on your site and see the same thing they see on fifty other sites.
They close the tab. Not because your site looks bad, but because they can't quickly see what makes you the choice for them.
Your website isn't broken. Your clarity is. And that comes through as Brand Fog, even on a beautiful site.
Try this right now:
Go to 5 speaker websites in your market. Spend 10 seconds on each homepage and ask:
- Who is this for? (Can I tell in 5 seconds who they serve?)
- What do I get? (What changes if I hire them?)
- Who are they? (What do they stand for?)
- Why them? (How are they different from the other 4 I just looked at?)
If you can't answer these questions quickly, that's Brand Fog in action.
Beautiful sites. Professional design. But you're still squinting through fog trying to figure out what they're all about.
If you can answer these then that's why they are successful.
Great design enhances the clarity it doesn't create it.
The Lighthouse in the Fog
For personal brands you need to start with "WhyYOU" Clarity...
The clear and compelling strategic advantage of choosing YOU over all other options available.
WhyYOU Clarity is like a beacon in the fog for the people you serve.
It’s a lighthouse that guides them safely through the fog and helps them see you as the reliable, trusted choice.
When you have that kind of clarity, your website becomes powerful.
Not because of the design, but because every element of the design points towards making your value instantly obvious.
- Event planners don't have to work to "get" what you’re all about.
- Referrals flow naturally because people can compellingly explain to others what you do.
- Premium rates become easy because you're not just another option. You're the clear and logical choice.
You can't design your way into WhyYOU Clarity. But this kind of clarity will certainly help you and/or your designer craft a better website.
To unlock WhyYOU Clarity for your personal brand...
You need clarity on three things:
- Who you are and what you're all about. (Your Purpose & Principles)
- How all your talents and expertise connect to one strategic focus (Your Throughline)
- Why people should choose YOU over other amazing options (Your Personal Positioning)
Here’s your micro-experiment for today:
Before you redesign, try this:
Pull up your current website. Set a timer for 10 seconds.
In that time, can a stranger landing on your homepage answer:
- Who is this for?
- What do I get if I hire them?
- What do they stand for?
- How are they different from other speakers?
Be honest: Would someone who doesn't know you be able to answer all four questions in 10 seconds?
If not, you don't have a design problem.
You have a WhyYOU? problem.
Before you write that check to the web designer, start here instead.
Work on the foundation of the WhyYOU! Clarity that will make everything else – your website, your marketing, your one-sheet, your pitch – actually work.
No website redesign will fix your foundation.
So, the question isn't whether you need a better website. It's whether you have the clarity to make that website worth building.
Clear the Brand Fog, so that you can turn your website from another expense into an actual asset that successfully grows your brand.
You'll save thousands by doing first things first.
With you in the pursuit of Awesome,
Nathan & The ICON Guide Team,