Dear Reader,

A lot of people come to me because they think they need a new website.

The homepage feels dated. The About page has never quite sounded right. The business has changed, and they're convinced what they need is better copy.

That's certainly where the conversation starts.

It almost never ends there.

Somewhere along the way, we stop talking about the website and start talking about the business. The clients they most enjoy working with. The work they've quietly become known for. The ideas they repeat over and over again without realizing those ideas are what set them apart.

Eventually, someone says, "I've never thought about it that way before."

That's the moment I'm listening for.

Not because we've found better words. Because we've uncovered something the website couldn't possibly have said yet.

The website wasn't broken.

It was revealing that the business had changed and the language hadn't caught up.

I've come to think of websites the way physicians think about symptoms. The symptom matters. It's what brings you into the office. It also tells you where to begin asking better questions.

That's why I don't get especially excited about rewriting a homepage.

I get excited about the conversation that happens before we write it.

If your website has been nagging at you lately, don't start by asking what needs to change on the page.

Start by asking what has changed in the business.

The answer is usually much more interesting.
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Best,

P.S. If you're wondering whether your website is asking for better copy or revealing a deeper clarity problem, the Voice Clarity Workbook is a good place to start. And if you'd rather talk it through together, I'd love to have that conversation. Hit reply and we’ll find time to talk.