For most solos and small practitioners, the top rainmaker is the person looking back at them in the mirror. However, with the right website, you can generate more qualified leads and count on your closing skills to seal the deal.

Here’s how:

You know that old saw about you never have another chance to make a first impression? In this context, you never have another chance to get a lead unless you capture a prospect’s contact information. 

You can do this in several ways: through email newsletter sign-ups, social media log-in, embedded contact forms, free reports, real time chat and more. We use them all and find some perform better than others.

First, you need to provide an enticing offer for visitors to cough up their contact info. Offer a free report, a no-cost consultation or partner with another local business to offer a discount on a service like a spa visit or the like. You need to make it good.

Secondly, be sure your website has a form that makes it easy for visitors to fill out (not too long!) and that filters queries into your email inbox. There are a number of them available; if you use WordPress, there’s a built-in form for this purpose.

Third, keep track of what offers draw the best response and keep testing. You can use a free tool likeBoostSuite that will measure your lead form’s conversion rate. If it’s less than five percent, you need to try something else.

Treat your website visitors like a welcome guest and don’t let them leave empty-handed. Your leads will increase as a result.