How to Best Unlock Website Design Magic to Market Your Book

 Welcome to Book Marketing Mentors, the weekly podcast where you learn proven strategies, tools, ideas, and tips from the masters.  Every week, I introduce you to a marketing master who will share their expertise to help you market and sell more books. 

Today, my special guest is Emilie Davis. Emilie, a 15+ year marketing veteran, champions authenticity as the key to success. 

 Her approach empowers passionate entrepreneurs, coaches, and consultants, fostering genuine self-expression and crafting marketing strategies that ignite business growth with enthusiasm, not exhaustion. 

 As founder of LinkHouse Consultants, StoryBrand Guide and WIX Legend Partner, she specializes in turning author’s websites into captivating Magic Mirrors, reflecting each client's unique identity to motivate inspired action. 

 Emilie's extraordinary high-heeled shoe collection serves as inspiration for others to embrace their authenticity.

 She’s a speaker colleague, dear friend, and designer of my Aviva Publishing website, Emilie, what a pleasure it is to welcome you to the show.

And, thank you for being this week’s guest expert and mentor.

 
Emilie Davis [00:02:03]:

 Thank you, Susan. It's delightful to be here.

Susan Friedmann [00:02:05]:

 Oh, I wish people could see your high heels, and I know you showed them to me before. They're adorable. And listeners just However, your imagination can take you with the most incredible high-heeled shoes imaginable From rhinestones to polka dots to extraordinary colors, just know that they're in Emily's closet. Excelled.

Emilie Davis [00:02:31]:

Just a note though, I do like buying secondhand high-heeled shoes because while I believe in having really cute ones, I also believe in sustaining the planet and not wasting too much money on it.

Susan Friedmann [00:02:42]:

I like that. That's a good intention. Emily, one of the questions that I get asked over and over again when it comes to websites is, Should I have an author website or a book website? Now if somebody came to you with that question, What would you recommend?

Emilie Davis [00:03:06]:

The first question I always end up asking people is how do you intend to use the site? And I'm not saying to sell books because that's the obvious answer. Right? Like, of course, I want to sell books. But the literal how are you going to Utilize the website as a tool when you're selling your books. For example, if you are planning on going out and doing workshops And you're going to be selling large amounts of books at once, like maybe you're gonna do some bulk purchases to an organization and you wanna make it easy for them to purchase your books, Then you may need a website that is geared more towards the book and make it easy to do wholesale or things like that. Whereas if you're going to be appearing on podcast where you are being featured and your personality has to come through, A website geared around you and what you can do and how the book fits into that is a much more natural fit. And sometimes people just don't think about how do I actually want to use it in the way that I want to market, and how can websites make my life easier. So that's really the the starting place I come from is what actions do you want people to take, and how do you want to use the website?

Susan Friedmann [00:04:21]:

That's fabulous because, yes, I mean, It goes back to that question, which is key is, how do you want to use the book? What do you want it to do for you? Since I mentioned over and over again, it's challenging to get rich on just selling books, Also doing speaking, coaching, training, offering those opportunities as well helps to, As you rightly say, how do you want to use this website? And if you want people to know that you are a speaker, a trainer, a coach as well, Then obviously, you wanna highlight that on the website. Exactly. And something I love to say is website should be more than art On the Internet. Sometimes we get wrapped up in what we should be doing. Like, we've seen other people do websites a particular way, so Maybe they make it really artistic, and it's got beautiful animations or videos and lots of things happening. But, functionally, it doesn't serve A purpose. Like, it doesn't actually drive people towards purchasing. It just makes them feel warm and fuzzy just looking at it.

 Emilie Davis [00:05:00]:

Exactly. And something I love to say is website should be more than art On the Internet. Sometimes we get wrapped up in what we should be doing. Like, we've seen other people do websites a particular way, so Maybe they make it really artistic, and it's got beautiful animations or videos and lots of things happening. But, functionally, it doesn't serve A purpose. Like, it doesn't actually drive people towards purchasing. It just makes them feel warm and fuzzy just looking at it. 

And if you don't have Action behind your decisions and you don't know where you're trying to go, your website's just gonna end up as art. And My preference is always what lifestyle do you wanna have when you're addressing a website So that it can be that tool that makes your life better. How can you make your life better using a website? And especially for authors, I'll just share a story of 1 I was speaking with who came to me, and I asked her why she needed a website because she already had one. And we looked over, and it was actually very professional and nicely messaged the whole thing, but she had gotten advice that she needed to do this huge list of things from redesigning her website so that she could update it herself so that she could be able to create courses and then Train people on how to do her courses. Like, she had this huge list of things that she needs to do. But as we spoke, it came out that her heart Was in workshops where she gets to go in person and talk to people in groups. I mean, really, the book, She was not looking to sell a million copies. She was looking to change a 1000000 lives, and that was the really big thing for her.

Emilie Davis [00:06:42]:

And so We had a real honest discussion about, do you need a new website to accomplish that goal? And for her, the answer was no. What she had set up while she was writing the book Had the messaging around what was in her book and what I recommended was once she was at a point where she wanted to do those workshops, Then you add the page that advertises the workshops and you drive people there. So it'll make her life better the way that she wants to Advertise and sell her book using it as a catalyst for what she really wants to do in changing people's lives.

Susan Friedmann [00:07:15]:

 Her simplicity is the name of the game too. As you said, we want the website to do all these miraculous things for us. But at the end of the day, I think you mentioned it earlier. It's like, what do you want people to do when they visit your site? Now talk to us about that because I know Having done, and this is where you and I met through StoryBrand, you're still a guide, I was a guide, and I know that they've got a particular formula when it comes to your call to action on a website. So talk to us a little bit about that.

Emilie Davis [00:07:54]:

Yes. So StoryBrand is a wonderful marketing framework that creates deep connections with your customers by presenting The customer is the hero and the person who's selling as a guide for that person to get what they really want. Donald Miller is the person who devised that framework, and I encourage anyone to go out there and get the How to Build a StoryBrand. It's a wonderful book Just for selling in general, when it comes to websites, it's very, very important that you know what action you wanna have people to take Because a lot of people have this feeling that they're going to be like a 19 seventies used car salesman if they have a button on the top of their site that says buy My book. You know? We're so afraid of being too pushy, too pushy that they actually make it difficult For people to buy from own when they want to. So the purpose in StoryBrand of how you lay out your website Is to make sure that you speak directly to the client or customer's problem upfront. There's what we call the grunt test for the first Part of the page that you see, the part that immediately loads, making sure that immediately someone within 5 seconds or less can tell what you do. What is it that you are providing? And a lot of times we try to use really Vague terms or artistic terms to make us sound cooler, look cool, or to be witty as opposed to being clear that, you know, Become a better athlete.

Emilie Davis [00:09:25]:

If that's what your book teaches people to do, do that. Make more money. Just being really, really clear on what it is That you do or your book does so that people don't have to spend too much time thinking through that. And the call to action of buying the book Or scheduling a consultation or find your next workshop, those actions need to be thought through before you build the website Because you want the messaging to direct people to take that action. A lot of times, we're just like, oh, I just want them to buy the book. How do you want them to buy the book? Do you want them to buy it through Amazon? Do you want them to buy it through you and then you're fulfilling it? You wanna make sure that the customer experience is crafted on the site towards what you really want to be delivering and how you want your life to be, what actions you want them to take. And don't fool yourself into thinking you don't want them to take an action or even worse, that you just want to inform them because nobody just wants to be informed on the Internet. There's no secret that they're on your website because you want something from them.

 
Susan Friedmann [00:10:28]:

And That call to action. It's like that one clear call to action that, You know, I know that listeners, if you go to the Aviva publishing website, you can set up a strategy session with me. You know, a call. It's a free call. It's like having 1 call to action, and you'll see that throughout my website and anything that Emily designs is that there is 1 call to action that goes right the way through so people know exactly what they need to do if they want to take the next step working with me or just even speaking to me. So, yeah, I know that that's something that is part of the whole StoryBrand template is to definitely Have just 1 call to action. Another question I get, Emily, is When? When should I have a website in this whole marketing process? Is there a particular time that would be better than others to actually have a website?

Emilie Davis [00:11:37]:

I think a lot of people wait a little too long website because they're like, well, I'll do it once it's published. I would recommend against doing that because, again, going back to how do you want to use the site. And if you're publishing the book, you know you want to generate interest in the book, and excitement around the book. And hopefully, you're setting up Ways that you're going to be selling the book. Right? Using it on podcasts or at workshops. And if you're setting those things up, Once you have the primary message of the book, if you know how it's going to help people, that's when I think you should go ahead and start looking at doing a website so that you can drive people to either sign up to be notified when it becomes available or to schedule a call with you to talk about when the book comes out, we're going to do x, y, and z together. What actions do you want people to take to prepare for the selling of your book? And that can really help you in your marketing lead up To the release of the book, to have a place that you could send people that says, this is what my book is about. Here's an answer to your questions.

Emilie Davis [00:12:42]:

And not be afraid to change it once the book launches Because the content that you have up front and center before the book launches may be different than after the book launches. But, you know, with the way that websites work today, it's really not that big a deal anymore to change text on a website and to gear it towards What you need today versus what you need in 6 months. And so, again, going back to use your website as a tool. It's there for you. You're not there for it.

Susan Friedmann [00:13:10]:

Oh, I love that. It is a tool. That's all it is. Yeah. And you're right. I mean, I've got, authors who, once they've got the book cover, They have that on the website, and, you know, it's going to be published in fall of 2023 or spring of 2024. It doesn't matter. And you can even have, what, a form, you know, get on our list to be the 1st to hear when the book's launching.

Emilie Davis [00:13:38]:

Exactly. Well, and I know some people, again, worried that, well, I don't have a finalized cover. And again, it's okay. We can use mock-ups. You can have a cover reveal. That's really big on the Internet right now is when authors are releasing books, do the cover reveal on your own website so that people can see what it's gonna look like. And You can bring people along during the process. And even if your book shifts in editing or something, again, excited.

Emilie Davis [00:14:04]:

It's your tool. Don't feel like it's sacred and you can never change it once it's up there. Partner with someone that will help you as it evolves so that You get what you need today from your website, not what you might need in 8 months.

Susan Friedmann [00:14:21]: 

There are so many people out there designing websites, and you also have software that you can do it yourself. How do we know how to choose the right person to work with us on the website? And one of the things you just said, this is what spurred that question was literally, you know, somebody who can work with you. But Talk to us about some of the other things that you should look for, the pros and cons, the dos, the don'ts in terms of finding the right Partner when it comes to website design.

Emilie Davis [00:14:59]:

I'm a big advocate that marketing works best when you show up as yourself. And so I really believe that you want a website that reflects you or your book. And the book is really a part of authors.  It's an extension of them. So making sure that someone gets you when you're speaking with them. And I do recommend interviewing website designers Because you will get a sense for how they work, how they think, and what their working style is. Some people would really prefer So just get a punch list. Like, send me a list of what you want on the site, and then I'll come up with a design and you can sign off on it.

Emilie Davis [00:15:38]:

And some people like that. They don't wanna think about it At all. You get better results when you do that soul searching together, and there is soul searching that goes into website design. When you can explore what you really want to say or who you're really trying to attract With different parts of the website because you can have a landing page going towards bulk sales, and you can have a landing page going towards workshops. And they should not say the same thing. They should have a similar tone, a similar personality, but they didn't have different requirements. So you wanna make sure that whoever it is you're working with, You feel connected that they get who you are. There are a wide variety of website designers.

Emilie Davis [00:16:20]:

I mean, you've got really inexpensive ones and really crazy expensive ones. So you do need to take a look at your budget and what you want to do. But I in my work as a marketer, I have what I call, like, a marketing reflection chart to help you make decisions on what type of marketing you wanna pursue. And one of the first questions I ask people is, are you excited about this marketing opportunity? So when it's a website, are you excited about working with this person? Do they really seem exciting? If the answer is yes, then you go to do I will make room for it, which is time and money. So the way that they describe their process, do you have the time to work the way that they want to work, and do you have the budget to work the way that they need to work? And if the answer to that is no, then you need to really consider whether or not it's a good choice for you. And If you don't have excitement about something, you're gonna lose a lot of momentum going in. So that's really key.

Emilie Davis [00:17:20]: 

And there's more to that decision chart that I was describing, Just realizing we're in an audio medium, maybe not the easiest, but the connection with the person who's doing it. Because if you can explore the options and explore solutions to problems. Like, I want to use my website when I am Doing book signings. How can we do that? If you can problem solve with someone, that's gonna make you feel a lot more supported than just getting bills because you're updating text. You wanna make sure you take ownership of your site, and so partnering with someone that can help you do that is really important.

Susan Friedmann [00:17:53]: 

Yeah. I think that whole aspect of soul searching and knowing if you feel comfortable working with this person, like any relationship Well, any good relationship, it's like a marriage. It's got to work both ways. They've got to get you as you rightly say, and You've gotta get them and feel that, hey, they understand you and they can reflect what you want even though sometimes, and I know that I have done this. I don't necessarily know what I want. So the idea of coming up with a list of all the things that I want on the website would put me off because I don't know. So coming up with that together, I think, is it's like a relief.

Emilie Davis [00:18:41]:

And I agree. You don't know. And this is just me. This is not common in the web design industry, so you don't have to necessarily hold this standard. But I like to include in my website packages a period after launch for tweaks that are already included in your price. Like, we just understand we're gonna make shifts and changes Because sometimes you have to use your site in order to understand how you want to use your site. And as you said, you don't necessarily know going in, oh, I definitely want to have a bulk sales page, that may be something that comes as you're speaking with your editor or your publisher or somebody that you're working with On the book, you may have that epiphany. And you wanna have that flexibility.

Emilie Davis [00:19:23]: 

So even if you are working with someone that you agreed on, you are only gonna do 2 pages on the website. It's gonna look this way. Just have a conversation with them upfront to be like, okay. What would it take if I need to shift the messaging or if I want to do that, just make sure that you can have a positive conversation in that way because you should own your site. You should have control over it so that it can serve  you. 

Susan Friedmann [00:19:45]:

I think that's so important, especially in this day and age of social media When authors as well as, you know, anybody out there put so much, I don't know, faith in social media and think that's going to help them with the sales. Whereas if that goes away tomorrow, you've got nothing left. And so the idea of your own website and then, of course, building an email list through that website is gold dust.

Emilie Davis [00:20:16]: 

That's true. When you have ownership of the communication that you have with people who are interested, That's really important. I also like to say websites they're like houses, and you can build an English cottage, a cute little English cottage in the woods, Or you can build a gigantic mansion. Either one is fine as long as it serves the purpose that you have for it. What do you need it to do? The way the Internet works is not that you put up a website and then magically thousands of people show up on it and give you money. I wish it did, but it doesn't work that way. You still have to build roads. Again, you can build a cute little country lane that goes to your cottage, or you can build an 18-lane highway.

Emilie Davis [00:20:56]: 

You just have to understand there's cost and effort and all of that sort of a thing. You know, I'm not saying this to try to make people feel overwhelmed with building a website. It actually can be a really great focusing tool for you to figure out how I want to sell my book. How do I want to show up for other people? And how do I want to work with people? What do I want this to do for me? A website with all that soul-searching will help you get focused. And so, going back to your question of when I should put up my website, well, when do you want some focus? When do you want to have something that can help you to start now in selling your book and promoting your book. That's when you need to get a website.

Susan Friedmann [00:21:39]:

And starting that email list, building that database from the website from the get-go is a starting point, and then using social media potentially To encourage people to sign up on your website or Mhmm. Some kind of freebie, lead magnet, Ethical bribe, whatever you want to call that. Exactly. It is to get their name and email address. That's invaluable. And, of course, now, you know, how many lists are we on? And we're like, oh, no. It's not another list. You've got to respect that list when you build it and not overdo it with promotion.

Susan Friedmann [00:22:20]: 

Otherwise, people and you send out, or they'll just unsubscribe.

Emilie Davis [00:22:26]: 

Well, and really, you just wanna provide value. Whatever you're sending out, Make sure that if you were to receive your own email, would it provide value to you? And I know you've had fabulous email experts Come on this podcast as well, and there's a lot of strategy behind what you do after you get the email. But don't be afraid to ask for it if you genuinely want to provide value. You want people to get your book not just to make money but because you have something to say. And you spend all this time saying it, and so you wanna make sure that they can. So don't be afraid to ask. Don't be afraid to do a direct call to action. Don't be afraid to do an email list subscription request. Make sure that you're giving people the opportunity to connect with you because you're worth getting to know.

Susan Friedmann [00:23:19]: 

You're definitely worth getting to know. And remember that authors. You're worth getting to know. I love that line. That's beautiful. Yes. I totally agree with that. Now we haven't touched on it yet, which I'd like for you to give us.

 Maybe just an idea of the kind of money people could be thinking about when it comes to and call it an investment because it is an investment. We want a return on that. What kind of money are we talking about that, you know, people should consider, you know, being realistic about Finding the right person. What kind of numbers are we talking here? 

Emilie Davis [00:23:59]:

So I think I mentioned earlier, there's quite a big spread and people know you can go on Fiverr and get a really, really cheap website. But you always need to consider what's the experience I want to have when I'm creating it And what is the maintenance long term? Those 2 things influence cost quite a bit because you can get really cheap hosting, But you usually end up having a lot more problems with security or not working properly or being slow and things like that over the long term. And so you, you can bepennywise and pound foolish when it comes to that. And as far as experience goes, are you Talking and brainstorming with someone and helping to collaborate to create something that will really help you, or are you just asking for a website, they ask you for a picture of your book, and then they just put it up?  So you're having very different experiences. From what I have seen, If you are investing between 25100 to 85100, depending on how the actual functions of the website are, That's really the area that you're looking at. Right? If it's less than 25100, often, you're getting either someone who's less experienced or Someone who's providing an experience that maybe is not what you really need at this stage if you're looking to focus on promoting your book.

Susan Friedmann [00:25:18]:

You mentioned earlier,  is to have an interview with the designers and maybe have an interview with 2 or 3 ex- so that you can compare and, again, find someone that you feel you connect with. I mean, we don't all connect with the same kind of people, So finding someone, as you said earlier, who gets you

Susan Friedmann [00:25:40]: 

And who can help you with this process and that they're doing more than just designing a site. They're getting involved, and they're interested, and they want to guide you Also with the marketing process because, you know, you talk about, you know, your magic mirrors. You want to reflect your client's identity And motivate them, and that comes out in the work that you do with your clients. And, obviously, having experienced you, I know exactly how you work, and I loved it. And it was a whole different experience from ones that I had had in the past. What are some of the other mistakes that you find that authors make when it comes to Thinking about the site or working with a designer.

Emilie Davis [00:26:31]: 

 I think one big mistake that people make is not thinking about What emotions do I want to inspire people. They think about websites as being cold, but it's just putting information out there, and then people will buy, but you have half a second when people first open your website to not only have that message that pops up, what is it that I'm Telling people I do or I'm promising them that they will get, what feelings do you want to inspire in them? And often, that comes from photography or imagery that you have a particular emotion that's going to come across. So whether that's someone scaling a mountain with a look of triumph on their face or a picture of you showing what success looks like, either one can work depending on what You're trying to inspire in the other person. The number one mistake is not thinking through the actions you want people to take people build a website around what they have seen others do instead of what actually fits into What they want and how they want to use their website and not thinking through that. So that's the number 1 I see. But number 2 is not thinking through the emotions either.

Susan Friedmann [00:27:42]:

Yeah. The whole emotional aspect. And then once you've got that, that messaging is to be consistent with that. So wherever you find yourself, either as a podcast guest or even writing on social media or posting, that message is consistent. Yeah. So people know you for that. And, obviously, that messaging comes Most often from the book because that's what you're looking to promote, yourself as an expert in a certain field.

Emilie Davis [00:28:14]: 

Well, and something that I think is easy, a trap to fall into when you're a writer specifically, so you get worried that my website's too repetitive because we try to have variations and sentences and things like that when you're writing a book. But on a website, marketing is actually about repetition. And you have to remember that most people are not going to read every word of your site. They're going to skim it. So headlines are important, and repeating ideas, and reinforcing ideas is really, really important. And we just have that feeling that's like, oh, but we already said that earlier. But the chances are the person didn't see it the 1st time or the 2nd time, but they caught it the 3rd time. And so you wanna make sure that you're unafraid of repeating yourself because marketing's about repetition and memorization.

Emilie Davis [00:28:58]: 

If you think about Ads that you've seen, they often have the same catchphrase over and over. Every ad will have new imagery and new things to entertain us, But we remember what the ad said because we've heard it before. And so think about that on your website, too. A lot of your authors are probably coaches or consultants are just have experience where they recognize that it can be hard to do something for yourself. Like, the example is always you're inside of a jar, And you can't read your own label, but you can read everyone else's. So even on your website, it may be tempting to do all your own messaging because, well, I wrote the book. I should be able to write the website. It is really helpful to have somebody on the outside help you to clarify that message and to put it in the right order so that, You know, you had the clarity on the book, but let somebody else help you to get that clarity on the website.

Susan Friedmann [00:29:48]: 

Something I know you do particularly well is to help people with that because I know when I came to you, you know, I wasn't exactly sure of the messaging, And you help, you know, synthesize that. So that is a brilliance that you add to the services that you offer, which is a great segue, of course, into you telling us about the services that you, through consultants, can offer our listeners. Yes.

Emilie Davis [00:30:20]: 

So what I love to do is just to help passionate people see themselves clearly, And I do that through messaging and website design. And so my team, what we do is we help sit down with you and really Examine what it is that you do, how you serve people, and who you want to serve, and make sure that you get really crystal clear on that message, but then implement it with a website. I mentioned earlier it's a great focusing tool. And so when you are looking to launch a book or launch a promotional tour, or to do something that the book is helping you to do, having a website that showcases who you really are And is really clear on messaging that will help you generate marketing momentum. Because when you are enthusiastic and excited about what you're doing, It just changes everything. It allows you to have more energy, which then will generate more income, and it allowa you to try new things and have new experiences in a way that maybe you hadn't thought of before. So I always leave room for inspiration. But when you can Clarify your messaging and then put it into a website so that you can connect with those customers you really wanna serve, that's when magic happens.

Susan Friedmann [00:31:33]:

And you're all about magic. Yes.

Emilie Davis [00:31:35]: 

I love magic. When I believe so when I say magic mirror, it's not that I'm magical. It's that you are magical, and you need to have that reflected back at you. You have a magic. You just can't always see it. So let's let you see yourself clearly, have that magic reflected back at you, and then you're gonna be able to generate the marketing momentum you really want to connect with the people you want to work with.

Susan Friedmann [00:31:57]:

And that's so true. We just don't see things in ourselves. We see it in others. So the brilliance of having Somebody like yourself who's able to reflect back that magic and, you know, allow you to even appreciate it because sometimes that I know for me, I'm a culprit of this. I don't always see the magic that I can give others, and help others with. So, how do we find you, Emily?

Emilie Davis [00:32:26]:

The easiest way is to go to magicmirrormarketing.com, And you can see my website there.  I'm on LinkedIn Facebook, and Instagram as Linkhouse on those. I would love to connect with people. If you have questions or just want a consultation, I love speaking to people just to find out more about them and what makes them magical, And that's what I get really excited about.

Susan Friedmann [00:32:51]:

And I know you have a little free gift for all of us.

Emilie Davis [00:32:54]:

I do. So, I have a Marketing Strategy Chart that leads you through when you're thinking about a different marketing strategy, a shiny object. They're like, should I do this thing? Lazy through a series of questions to say, don't do it, try it and see how it goes, or do it. And the best one is when you have the enthusiasm to do it. I'm gonna offer that for free. If anyone wants to sign up for my email list, they can have it.

Susan Friedmann [00:33:18]:

And how do they get that, Emily?

Emilie Davis [00:33:20]:

So we'll have a link in the show notes that allows them to go to my website and sign up through email, and they'll be able to get it. 

Susan Friedmann [00:33:27]:

And Emily, as you know, we always end with a golden nugget. You've shared so much brilliance and wisdom with us, but I will just squeeze you for a little bit more.

Emilie Davis [00:33:43]:

The number one thing I want you to remember about your website is - it is your website! Websites are not art on the Internet. It is a tool for you. You should use it so it'll make your life better. And don't be afraid to change it to serve you. You don't serve it.

Susan Friedmann [00:34:05]:

Those are words of wisdom listeners, I know you're gonna have to listen to this again and even another time just to, you know, really get all the wisdom that Emily's shared with us. So thank you so much.

And by the way, if your book isn't selling the way you wanted or expected it to, let's you and I jump on a quick call together to brainstorm ways to ramp up those sales because you've invested a whole lot of time, money, and energy, and it's time you got the return you were hoping for.
So go to BrainstormWithSusan.com to schedule your free call.

And in the meantime, I hope this powerful interview sparked some ideas you can use to sell more books. Until next week, here's wishing you much book and author marketing success.