Is a DIY Website Template Effective for Your Biz?

Spoiler: Yep. Here’s how to decide whether a DIY website template or custom website design suits your biz.

I stepped outside my comfort zone in 2023. Until then, I’d spent my time as a web designer comfortably providing 1:1 custom design services to clients in the health and wellness industry. I loved it (still do), and felt so satisfied with that work.

But I was missing something in my service offerings. A range of my potential clients weren’t ready for the custom design experience, but they still needed a sophisticated, easy-to-use website that amplified their brand.

I’m a problem solver by nature, often focused on service (my background is in nursing); the more I encountered this type of client, the more I wanted to find a solution to serve them.

Enter the LRC Signature, a DIY website template that is completely customizable to your brand. It was designed with YOUR audience in mind — I wanted to provide a strong foundation, so you wouldn’t have to spend so much time wondering where to start with your site.

The goal was to create something easy, effortless, effective…and maybe even a little fun.

Yep. Creating the templates took me totally outside of my comfort zone (I really like getting to know you), BUT taking on that challenge helped me grow as a creative service provider, too. So much so, that my own website needed a refresh when all was said and done.

And that’s the thing. Your site is never one and done. It’s going to grow and evolve as you and your business both change. My aim is to support your website goals no matter what phase you’re at, which is why LRC offers both DIY website templates AND custom website design services.

So, there are times when a website template will work wonders for your digital marketplace, and there are times when you need to hand everything over to a professional. Depending on where you are, there is value in both.

So which phase are you in right now?  Let’s find out.

Signs a DIY Website Template is Just What You Need

Soooooo, you want your website to be the go-to, perfectly branded, easy-to-navigate website in your industry? Anyone who has walked the entrepreneurial path in the last twenty years knows how important a website can be to capture the right audience for what you offer.

But when you’re not a designer, it can be hard to make your website dreams happen all on your own. And when you’re a newbie, your budget might not support hiring an expert. Which can feel like a bummer, because you’ve got something AMAZING to offer. How do you show up online looking like a total badass?

A DIY website template, girl! You CAN do it yourself when the foundation is strong (and easy to use).

A DIY website template is just what you need when:

>> you’re ready to make an entry-level investment in your website

>> you want to manage your website yourself and make changes easily

Here’s what I love about the LRC Signature Templates:

>> ZERO coding. (yep, I said it. NONE.)

>> They’re mobile AND desktop friendly. Your clients will see a well-designed site no matter where they’re coming from.

>> Installation is super easy, with step-by-step instructions, so you can get your site up and running quickly.

>> The templates are customizable to your brand — it is absolutely possible to use a template AND stand out from the crowd.

>> Did I mention you get launch support from me?

I wanted to create accessible templates that give you (and your customers) an elevated online experience, without the hassle and heavy-lifting that can come with building (and coding) a brand new website.

Creating these templates for you was really a labor of love on my end. Check them out here!

When It’s Time to Make the Custom Website Investment

“It’s my business so I feel like I should do it myself.”

👆 I hear this from clients all the time.  And if I’m honest, I hear it from my own inner voice, too.  Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt like you needed to be an expert in your offers AND an accountant AND a marketing wiz AND a social media manager AND a website designer AND…(insert all the things you’re doing to make your biz happen).  

It’s exhausting, right?

And just because you feel like you should do everything that needs doing doesn’t mean it will be good (for you or your biz).

TBH, this is the battle I’m constantly fightinggg…when is it time to DIY and when is it time to outsource?

Here are the top signs it’s time to call in reinforcements for your website design:

If your site has been: 

>> on your to-do list for too long

>> sitting half-finished for months

>> slowly evolving into chaos because you aren’t sure what will work best…

…it might be a sign that it’s time to outsource.

Here’s my big tip: look for a designer who will help you understand why their designs are strategic for your specific offers and clients.  The more you know, right?

Hiring help doesn’t mean you’ve failed.  Your business will be stronger with one more pro on your side.

What do I love about custom website design?

>> Getting to know YOU.

>> Creating a site that is tailormade to achieve your specific business goals (yep, strategy can make that happen!)

Pretty simple, but that’s it. That’s my happy place.

I’m not just designing a website.  I’m designing a website to showcase the holistic parts of you and your business, honoring your passions and your quirks (and your ideal client) in the process.

I’d love to chat.  No matter where you are in the growth of your business, your website goals can be met. Let’s start the conversation. Can’t wait to meet you!