In 2 weeks Brandon got a fully designed website ready to launch and promote his speaking events and podcast
Website transformation
the project
Context
Brandon is a Cleveland-based entrepreneur and podcast owner with a goal of helping individuals navigate the business world while trying to create new stuff. He needed a website to promote his podcast and speaking events.
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Tools used: Figma, Photoshop, Google Docs, Showit, WordPress
Project details
Emphatize
Understanding the target audience
Individuals (35-50 years old) who are trying to climb the corporate ladder in a non-traditional way within their organization, they like creating new things and are willing to take a fair amount of risk in order to try something new. They are likely former / current / part-time entrepreneurs and are often described as multihyphenates. They are willing to listen to a podcast or watch a YouTube video as long as it isn’t too long. Although they are well-spoken and can manage themselves in many different environments, they still struggle to effectively communicate ideas, desires, and needs.
Define
Empathy mapping
Following our discovery workshop, I created an empathy map to put myself in the shoes of the ideal client, and gain insight into their behaviour and feelings.
Say and do?
Gain
hear?
see?
Searches google for advice
Be different but blend in
Going up on the ladder is the next
Learn from podcast and events
Where can I get in contact?
Where can I meet him in person?
I shares events on social media
What types of help does he offer?
I'm not in the beauty industry
Speak up and share your ideas
Looks for events to meet up
Searches for podcasts to listen in
Think and feel?
Pain
What can I learn from him?
Wanting to climb the corporate ladder
Struggle to communicate ideas
Non-traditional ways of working
Feeling heard, seen and understood
Learning how to express themselves
User persona
Meet Peter
Frustrations
Demographics
Goals
Motivations
Location: Silicon Valley
- To climb the corporate ladder in a non-traditional way
- Bring something new to the table
- Overcome lack of confidence and speak up more often
Work: IT consultant
Family: In relationship
Age: 37
- Becoming a more confident person
- Have the soft skills needed to get promoted
- Ready to learn new ways of communication
- Limiting beliefs and negative mindset
- No mentors around who can help
- Competitive industry
- The need to have everything figured out
User flow
After discovering more about the target audience I put together a user flow to visualise their steps and thought process.
Ideate
After crafting the user flow, I devised a number of HMW questions:
How might we...
How might we...
How might we...
How might we...
Make getting in contact and taking action less intimidating?
Encourage people in this topic before they engage with us?
Offer a variety of content to consume so they can find what works best?
Create a more personalised experience for the users?
Wireframes
Using the HMW questions, I sketched initial designs on paper and used Figma to create mid-fidelity wireframes.
Prototype
Based on the wireframes and the provided branding and content elements I build the website mockups
Test
After creating the prototype was done I asked the client to share it with friends and people who he trusts - the same on my end, I shared with people I can count on to click through and let me know where should we adjust the design and functionalities.
5. Sign up for the 1 hour mastermind call.
Their instructions included the following steps
1. Overall navigation and how easy is to find the blog, podcast and contact information on the site.
2. Sign up for the next event.
3. Read and comment on the blog.
4. Look for the podcast and listen to an episode.
Conclusion
Although he had everything ready to go, colors, fonts, logo and the copy he wasn't sure how to put all of this together that would attract the right people. After our session, I did some research and came up with with a strategy that would showcase his expertise in beauty and his speaking gig he was into.
Creating mockups and testing them helped to find the final design and launch the site with the podcast and blog included - just as he imagined.
Just as many busy entrepreneurs, Brandon bought a Showit template in hope of turning it into his own website quickly. Once he logged in he realized that learning a new platform will take time, which he doesn't have.
He also struggled with disregarding the feminine style of the original template and how to turn it into his style, a modern, bit masculine but mostly genderless look that would speak to his audience.
"It is hard nowadays to find a person who can honor their commitments, provide quality work, and do it timely. You’ve done that and more. I am truly grateful. Thanks so much for your help."
- Brandon
Let's elevate your business as well
let's do this
If you've got inspired by this project and would like to embark on a similar experience where you end up with a strategic design and confidence, hit the button below and let's talk.