After you’ve poured hard work and dollars into your website, the last thing you want to do is have it sit there collecting cyber-dust.

You want your website working for you all the time as a dynamic online brochure and possibly as an ecommerce portal.

So pull up your site (or if you’re starting on yours now, take note), and run through this checklist to see if your site needs a makeover.

1. Does your home page:

- Clearly identify and pre-qualify your ideal clients.

When you address your niche market personally you help them feel like they have arrived home. Trying to address a large market or just anyone who comes to your site will make your site less effective as a marketing tool and slow your success.

- Convey how you understand their top problems and desires.

Specificity wins and generalities lose. When your prospects can tell that you know what’s up for them, you’ll encourage them to invest in your services more quickly and you’ll get more referrals.

- Let them see your sense of style.

There’s nothing better than a professional headshot and maybe even a 30 second audio or video clip of you to build trust quickly.

Audioacrobat is the simplest, most economical, service for audio/video.

- Give them a no- or low-commitment opportunity to experience you.

This is a must. Ezines are a brilliant way to give them value and stay in touch (but only if you send them out on schedule). Free reports, assessments — any free thing that allows you to capture their email address and follow up with autoresponders works as well. Aweber provides the best delivery for autoresponders and email campaigns.

- Invite them to take another step with you.

The call to action is critical. Make it hard to miss and direct. Sample sessions, upcoming programs, products — make sure these options are teased on the home page and fleshed out on a linked page.

2. Does your “About You” page work for you by:

- Telling them how your journey led you to coaching them.

Make your bio into an inspirational short story (500 words or less) with three or four titled paragraphs. Make every word relevant to your niche market.

- Building a bond of trust and raising your credibility.

Long and formal CVs will bore them. Instead weave your credentials and relevant previous experience into your short story.

3. Do you have a technologically savvy site that:

- Tracks where leads are coming from with an analytics program.

Google Analytics is easy to set up and provides lots of usable data that’s easy to read. Track online sales, pay per click or sponsored ads, or traffic from posted articles and reciprocal websites. Now you’re really making your website work!

- Automate processes with a shopping cart system.

This may be a phase two addition to your site. Add this when you are ready to sell products and group services, register people for programs, or offer an affiliate program. Professional Cart Solutions is a good online shopping cart (same software as 1 Shopping Cart).

Give your website a tune up or start from scratch with Working Websites for Coaches. This step by step guide simplifies every phase of website creation including writing compelling content that pre-qualifies your ideal clients, managing the web design process, and launching an effective ezine. It includes sample content, example websites, web designers and other resources.