Why Your Website Isn't Converting (It's Probably Not a Design Problem)
Here's a conversation I have at least once a month:
"David, I know my website should be getting me more clients, but I'm just not sure it's... working?"
"Okay, tell me about it. Who's it for?"
"Well, it's for anyone who needs help with their finances. Individuals, small business owners, retirees, really anyone who—"
And there it is.
I get it. Turning away potential clients feels scary, especially when you're building something and every lead counts. The instinct is to cast the widest possible net — speak to everyone, appeal to all the audiences, make sure nobody feels left out. I continue to battle this instinct even today.
Here's what nearly 30 years of building websites (and working exclusively with coaches, consultants, and speakers since 2018) has taught me: websites that try to speak to everyone end up connecting with no one.
The "Everyone" Problem
Let me paint you a picture. You land on a website and the headline reads: "Transformational solutions for growth-minded professionals ready to unlock their potential."
Okay... cool. But what does that actually mean? And more importantly, is it for you?
You can't tell. I can't tell. Nobody can tell. It could be for literally anyone with a job and a pulse.
Now imagine instead you see: "For first-time parents who are terrified they're going to screw up their kid's college fund before kindergarten even starts."
Completely different feeling, right? If you're a new parent lying awake at 2 a.m. wondering if you should be investing in a 529 plan (and maybe also wondering what a 529 plan even is), you just found your person.
That's the difference between speaking to "everyone" and speaking to someone specific. One makes you invisible. The other makes you unforgettable.
Your Website Isn't a Net, It's a Magnet
Most people think about websites like fishing: Cast a wide net, catch more fish.
That's not how great websites work. Great websites are magnets. They pull the right people toward you, because those people feel seen the moment they land on the page.
When I work with clients through my Website Intensives, the very first thing we do is get crystal clear on who their site is for. Because your website really only has one job: make the right visitor think "this person gets me" fast enough that they stick around.
Everything else — the design, the navigation, the calls-to-action, all of it — flows from that clarity. Without it, you're decorating a house that doesn't have a foundation.
The Hero Section Litmus Test
Want to know if your website has the "everyone" problem? Here's a quick test. Go look at your hero section — that's the headline and subheadline at the top of your homepage.
Does it describe what you do, or does it describe who you're talking to?
"What you do" headlines:
"Wellness coaching for busy professionals"
"Helping leaders navigate organizational change"
"Financial planning for your future"
"Who you're talking to" headlines:
"Burnout Recovery Coaching for Professionals Who've Tried Every Productivity Hack and Still Can't Make It to Friday"
"Post-Merger Leadership Consulting for Teams Who Were the Last to Hear About It"
"Financial Planning for New Grads Who Just Got Their First Real Paycheck and Have No Idea What to Do With It"
The first set could apply to hundreds of practitioners. The second set makes someone think "wait, are you reading my diary?"
(In my book, The Launch Framework Handbook, I talk about how a Hero Section needs to convey what you do, who you do it for, and what they get. Most hero sections nail the first part and completely whiff on the other two. That's usually an audience clarity problem.)
Designed to be readable in an afternoon, The Launch Framework Handbook will have you building and launching a conversion-focused website without the headaches and frustration that come with a typical DIY project.
— OR —
Designed to be readable in an afternoon, The Launch Framework Handbook will have you building and launching a conversion-focused website without the headaches and frustration that come with a typical DIY project.
"But David, What About All Those Other Potential Clients?"
I know, I know. "If I focus my website on new grads who don't know what a Roth IRA is, what about all the retirees who might want to work with me? What about small business owners? Am I just... ignoring them?"
No. You're not ignoring them. They're not disappearing into the ether. They're just not the star of your website's story.
Think of it this way: You're not shutting the door on other clients. You're just being really clear about who gets the red carpet treatment on your homepage.
You can always create separate offer pages for different audiences later. You can mention other services. You can absolutely work with people outside your core audience when it makes sense. (You will. It's fine.)
But your website needs an anchor. One specific person it's trying to connect with first and foremost. You can add complexity later — and you probably will — but you can't launch with complexity and expect it to work.
How to Pick Your "One Person"
Alright, let’s say I've convinced you. You need to pick one specific audience for your website. But which one?
Here's my criteria: Pick the audience you most want more of. That usually means some combination of:
The most profitable clients
The most enjoyable clients to work with
The clients who get the best results
Don't overthink this. You probably already know who these people are — they're the clients you light up talking about. The ones who refer others. The ones whose success stories you can't stop sharing at dinner parties until your spouse gives you that look.
Make your website about them.
What This Actually Looks Like
Alright, let's get concrete. Let me show you how audience clarity transforms the key sections of your website — because this isn't just theory, it’s actually going to change what you write.
Your Hero Section
I already showed you some examples above, but let's do one more. Here's a nutritionist who works with endurance athletes:
Before (everyone):"Nutrition coaching for athletes ready to fuel their performance."
After (someone):"For marathon runners who bonked at mile 20 and never want to feel that again."
Same business, same services, same nutritionist. But one of these headlines is going to make a specific runner wince and think "okay yeah, that was me in my last race." That's the one that books the call.
Your Problem/Solution Section
This is where you name the problems your audience is living with. I'm a big believer that the best Problem Sections describe your audience's struggles as well as — or ideally better than — they can articulate those struggles themselves. When someone reads your copy and thinks "how did you know?", you've won. Audience clarity is what makes that moment possible.
Before (generic):"Many professionals struggle with work-life balance challenges that hold them back from reaching their full potential."
After (specific):"I help restaurant owners who haven't taken a real vacation in years. Whose staff doesn’t feel comfortable making decisions without calling them first, so their phones are always lighting up. Who aren’t bad at delegating — they just haven't had anyone show them how."
The generic version could be describing anyone with a job. The specific version names behaviors and emotions that a particular person will recognize as their actual life. That's the difference, and it's enormous.
Your Outcomes Section
Your Outcomes Section paints a picture of what life looks like after someone works with you. This is where most websites fall back on vague promises like "transformation" or "breakthrough results" — words that sound nice and mean absolutely nothing.
Before (generic):"Clients experience transformational growth and achieve new levels of success."
After (specific):"You'll take a full week off and your restaurant will run better than when you left. Your sous chef will handle the Friday rush without texting you once. You'll open the weekly P&L and actually feel proud instead of panicked."
Specificity is what makes outcomes feel real. And specificity comes from knowing exactly whose life you're describing.
Where to Start
If your website is currently trying to be everything to everyone — and hey, no judgment, most are — here's your homework:
Pick your one core audience. Who do you most want more of?
Rewrite your hero section. Get specific about what you do, who it’s for, and what they get. Describe your ideal client with specificity.
Audit your copy. Look for generic filler words like "professionals," "leaders," or "people who want to grow." Replace them with specifics. Every time.
Test it. Show the new version to someone in your target audience and ask: "Does this feel like it's for you?"
A confused visitor doesn't book a call. But a visitor who feels seen and understood can't wait to talk to you.
Your website's job isn't to appeal to everyone. It's to build trust with the right someone. And that starts — always — with knowing exactly who that someone is.
When you get this right, everything else gets easier. Your copy, your offers, your whole marketing strategy. Because you're not guessing anymore. You're having a conversation with a real person you understand deeply.
And that person? They've been out there looking for you, too.
Want help getting clear on who your website should be talking to? I created the Ideal Client Clarity Guide — a short workbook that walks you through the questions you need to answer about your ideal audience. You fill it out from their perspective, in their words. By the end you've got a reference doc that makes writing your homepage, About page, and offer pages dramatically easier — because you actually know who you're writing to.
It's free, it takes about 15–20 minutes, and the clarity you get will shape every piece of marketing copy you write from that point forward.
Want to skip the trial and error and build your site using the Launch Framework from the start? Check out Launch It & Love It Template Kits — Squarespace templates designed specifically for coaches, consultants, and speakers, built to launch in a weekend.
Hi, I'm David!
I've poured my 15+ years professional web design and marketing experience into creating website templates and guided lessons designed to help thought leaders (coaches, consultants, professional speakers) get the website they've always wished they had.
