Joel from Bodywork Dynamics in the UK sent in a series of questions to the Ask Eileen page. If you’d like to read Joel’s entire entry, scroll to the bottom of Ask Eileen and see where Joel has been and where he is going.
Folks, Joel is asking for your input, so belly up to the comment box and give the fellow your thoughts.
Defining Your Niche
“So I started [building] my own site (just one of the skills I’ve picked up) and hit my first wall because I would like to do so much; how do I define my niche? I am qualified to teach yoga, martial arts, tai chi and shiatsu.”
Defining your niche is essential. While we’re at it, let’s define “niche.” Niche, in business, is offering unique products or service to a concentrated market.
Knowing what your niche is keeps you from flapping about ineffectively. It looks like you’ve made a strong choice with shiatsu. I’d be concerned about focusing on anything other than that for the time being. You don’t want to get spread too thinly.
But you certainly can use your other skills to attract more shiatsu clients. Would you have time to teach an odd yoga class or two? Perhaps filling in for vacationing instructors would be a good way to keep your connections in those communities, to have a little change in your routine, and to introduce yourself to prospective clients.
Obviously, people who take yoga, tai chi, etc are going to be open to the idea of shiatsu.
What Makes You, You
” … my style and approach of shiatsu (which oddly is different to what is taught and practiced here in the UK?) … “
You say your style is different than what folks in your community will find elsewhere? Fab. U. Lous.
Make sure people know that you are different. Make sure they know what you find more useful/effective/powerful about your approach.
About
“I was contemplating making the ‘about’ page on me and my experience with possible links to articles or something on the other disciplines of yoga, martial arts etc. (or do you think that will be too much?)”
I think the About Me page should be just about you. Either call it ‘About Joel’ or ‘About Me.’ If you just call it ‘About,’ folks will assume it’s about shiatsu.
Writing the About Me page can be anguish for some. Be prepared to come back and rewrite it several times. Keep it brief.
Even though About Me is theoretically about you, it’s really about your clients. Determine what your ideal client needs to know about you. Giving them what they need to know inspires trust. It makes them feel you already understand their needs. And you do.
Be sure to close your About Me with a call to action. “Call for more information/a free evaluation/to make an appointment/to start down the road to health.”
Links to your other interests, skills and passions are great to have available on your site, but I would put them on another page. Certainly put a link to your resource page at the bottom of the About Me page.
Shiatsu Can Help
“I have named a page “Why choose shiatsu?” but maybe this could be better as “Can shiatsu help?” or “How shiatsu works” ? is it generally good practice to ask a question to the reader?”
Personally, I don’t care to ask questions in headings. To me, things seem wobbly when there is a question mark involved. But that’s me. Think about making the heading, “Can Shiatsu Help?” a statement: “Shiatsu Can Help” or “Shiatsu Helps.”
Target Clients
“The page [Can Shiatsu Help?] will focus on how shiatsu can help specific ailments (with some self-help tutorials) and people depending on their preferred pursuits (yoga, tennis, running, martial arts, skiing, golf etc).”
This is the page to bring in the kind of clients you’d like to have. If you prefer to focus on clients who are sport-oriented, here is your chance to speak their language and to address their specific needs.
Overall
I like the simplicity of your site. Good use of white space. I appreciate that you have put an explanation and deadline on the pages that are under construction. That makes me feel like the site hasn’t been abandoned and that you’re not lazy about your professional appearance.
The headline and the pull quote on the Home page are good descriptions of your work and also address solutions to your clients’ problems. Nice thinking.
The graphics are fine, but the pictures of your work are hard to interpret. I think it’s the contrast.
I have a few other details, but I think I’d like to see what our readers have to say.
Meanwhile, I can’t wait to see the progress.
Speak up, Readers!
Joel’s all by himself in Oxted, Surrey (that’s in England) and needs some constructive feedback. Anyone out there building a site now? Anyone learn anything useful about sites recently? Anyone out there want to help a fellow bodyworker just starting out?
All my best,
Eileen
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6 users commented in " Joel Asks You … and Eileen: A new guy builds a website "
I really like the site and in particular Joel’s description of what shiatsu is and how it works. It is a style of writing that I am struggling to achieve myself. So I must agree with Eileen above that more of this distinctive style should be brought out somewhere on the site.
I can’t wait to see how the remaining pages turn out.
Joel the site is really starting to come together. Are the pictures in the site actually of you or are they clip art that anyone else could use? Maybe you could also add a video that actually shows you massaging a client.
Be sure to add testimonials (as you gather them) to your site as well.
Do you have a place to capture your potential clients contact info? What if you offered to send clients a regular newsletter? You would capture their email and be able to tell them about up and coming specials or even let them know of any last minute cancellations you may have to fill an otherwise empty session.
Today is the 17th, so change the date on those unfinished pages if necessary.
Keep up the great work.
To Your Success!!
Jayne Thomas
Hello Hello!
Well isn’t it the way that things start to roller-coaster when you’re on the right track?
I have just had to update the site manually because my server support has been down. (approx 50 page site) which is not much fun with all the associated image files but will payoff for SEO.
In addition I have been given the green lights to start at the gym but the room needs a little lick of paint first. I figure to open in September but will start getting promo stuff out now.
Thank you for your support Eileen, Tony and Jayne I still want to add a lot more content such as recomended stretches and self help videos for all ailemtns and sports.
Presently the pictures of shiatsu are not me but will get some taken this weekend, hopefully a vid of me working too.
Any ideas are very welcome. I will keep you posted on progress. I also have other questions but lets get this bit done first!
Thanks again
Joel
Hi Joel,
I like your web site and your writing is great! As a fairly new web site designer, I know what you are going through. One thing I’d like to comment on: when you are revising the web site, make sure that your navigator bars all match. This can get tricky, especially if you have a lot of pages. I would limit the number of pages at the beginning to about 5 so there’s not so much to change each time. I noticed a couple of errors, so they should be corrected to provide consistency.
I write in CSS which changes all pages simultaneously, and makes life a lot easier, but that’s another story.
I love that you have your phone and email on each page. I am going to do that to my web site.
Great job!
Hi Debbie,
Thank you for your comments I’d like to see your site too.
I have written this site largely in css too, I noticed the navbar issue last night and will resolve it. Its actually only out on one route through because there is a test menu left accidently on the page.
A later job will be to make the navigation bar a bit nicer in general, at the moment funtionality is the order of the day so that the site can start working for me.
I also put my phone and email as an image file to save getting spam from unwanted robots.
Best wishes to you all
Joel
[...] Joel Reeves (I don’t know what letters go after Joel’s name. He’s in England. Whatever they are, he’s earned them.) Joel left a message on the Ask Eileen page last August. His questions prompted an article on building a site. [...]
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