I recently came across a request for more information on how to better brand a website. Here is my answer paraphrased.
To build a brand first, before you have the ability to capture an abundance of leads and the strategies to follow up on those leads...
....is IMHO putting the cart before the horse.
Branding is a function of eyeballs loyal to you. Not your site.
You are not selling books. And even if you were selling real estate books as an example, look at how long it took for Amazon to become a Brand name. How much Red Ink went into their branding? You are selling houses, and a home is not sold thru a shopping cart online.
In California where I am, there is 1 licensee for every 75 people in the state. Do you think there is 1 online bookstore or offline for that matter for every 75 people?
Branding is not what a website is for...at least initially. It is to capture leads.
Once you capture your leads, then the real "conversation" and "courtship" begins.
I have written a great foundation on followup drip marketing here:
It is in your follow up that you have the opportunity to create a brand and loyalty.
If you spend too much time in your website on you, then you take away from your lead capture mechanisms. Brand and Call to Action compete as elements on a page. One has to lose, one has to win.
If you want to have a brand or brochure website, then have it seperate from your lead generation website. So both can do what they are designed to do.
