carolyn leasure looking up with the words "designing your true north

This has taken up 98% of my brain cells since Friday:

I saw this video last week with a guy who planned a surprise engagement after dating someone for just a few months.

He invites both families, rents a fancy venue, hires a photographer – the whole shebangibang.

At first, she’s surprised – in a good way.

Once he gets down on one knee, though, she freezes. For like a full 2 minutes. Then she’s, like, trying to whisper to him to stop or something, but he’s not getting up…

It was BRUTAL.

The comments were rough, too:

😬 "Who proposes without talking about it first?"
🫣 "Read the room, dude."
🥴 "That's not romantic, that's terrifying."

Most contact pages are marriage proposals that only 20% of visitors are ready for.

You've got this beautiful form sitting there like an officiant at a wedding.

Sure, your page might look gorgeous an all candle-lit, but what if your visitor was still interested in getting to know you better?

Many of your site visitors are in research mode – they're interested but want to get deeper before they're ready to hit submit.

For people who land on your contact page but aren't 100% ready, reaching out feels like agreeing to a damn big commitment.

These days, prospective clients need 7 hours of consuming your content, 11 different touchpoints with your brand, across 4 different platforms before they're ready to say yes to the dress.

Last week I talked about how your About page needs to flip the script from "here's my resume" to "I get your world."

But even when people feel understood through all those touchpoints, they might not be ready to commit.

And that's totally normal!

“SteAL My PrOvEn 6-pArt FORmuLa!”

j/k j/k, that's not me 😏

But for real, this is my contact page formula to welcome your right-fit clients into your world:

1. Contact form at the top (for the ready-to-go folks)

The people who are already sold need an easy path forward. Don't make them hunt for it.

2. "What happens next" section (kills the mystery anxiety)

Nobody wants to fill out a form and disappear into a black hole. Spell out your process so they know exactly what to expect next.

3. FAQ section (addresses last-minute hesitations)

All those questions swirling in their heads? Answer them before they become reasons to leave OR reasons to send a million emails. Bonus: FAQs pulled from actual client questions are an SEO gold mine.

4. Mini bio (builds that know-like-trust factor)

A condensed version of your About page that reinforces why you're the right person for the job.

5. Recent blog excerpts or client wins (shows your expertise in action)

Give them a taste of how you think and work. Let your expertise speak for itself.

6. Secondary CTA (newsletter signup for the "not yet but maybe later" folks)

How about a first date instead of marriage? This provides a way for interested-but-not-ready people to stay connected. Your email list becomes your long-term nurture sequence.

The result:

Instead of losing the "almost ready" people, you're nurturing them toward that "hell yes" moment.

Some will book immediately, others will join your email list and book three months later after seeing your expertise in action.

Your contact page shouldn't be where conversations die – it should be where they get excited to start.

Here's something to try: Over the next week, pay attention to the new websites you visit. Are you ready to book right away? What keeps you in their world when you're not quite ready to commit?

If your contact page feels more like a surprise proposal than a thoughtful conversation starter, let's fix that. Book a Scouting Session and we'll map out how to guide visitors from curious to committed.

Take a quick peek into the studio:

🍿 Watching:

If you've been on my list for a minute, you KNOW I'm an Outlander fan. Blood of My Blood is the prequel based on Diana Gabaldon's series – and the depiction of 18th century life in the Scottish highlands doesna disappoint 😘

🔎 Tech Find:

The Passions Collective is back for the 2nd year of her Client Experience research. Take the survey and you'll get the results - invaluable for service providers & coaches.

🌱 Growth:

Next week is my people's New Year, meant to be a time of reflection. About 7 years ago, I started doing 10Q, which "emails you a question a day for 10 days. Afterwards, you send your answers to the secure online vault. One year later, your answers are unlocked and returned and the process begins anew."

The questions are more introspective than anything else (ie not religion-based), and 10Q has become a time capsule of sorts. Spending five minutes in reflection for 10 days is its own positive, but looking back on seven years of my goals, hopes, worries, and more is an unexpected gift. 10Q is free and open to all.