How to Write a Business Website That Actually Gets Enquiries
You've spent time and money getting a website built. It looks lovely. The photos are nice. The design is clean. There's just one problem: nobody's getting in touch.
This is one of the most frustrating experiences for small business owners. You know you do great work. You know your prices are fair. You know people need what you offer. But your website isn't converting visitors into enquiries. People land on it and then — nothing.
The issue, almost always, is the words on the page. Not the design, not the colours, not the platform you've used. The copy. Because a beautiful website that says the wrong things (or says the right things in the wrong way) is just an expensive online brochure that nobody reads.
Let's fix that. Here's how to write website copy that actually gets people to pick up the phone, fill in your form, or send you a message.
Start With Your Visitor, Not Yourself
The single biggest mistake on small business websites is making the homepage about the business instead of the visitor. Open most sole trader websites and you'll see something like:
"Welcome to Smith's Plumbing. We are a family-run business established in 2018, providing high-quality plumbing services across the South East."
It's not wrong. But it's not compelling either. The visitor doesn't care about your history — they care about their leaky tap. They want to know: can you help me, and should I trust you?
The "You" Approach
Instead of leading with who you are, lead with what your visitor needs:
"Leaking tap? Boiler on the blink? You need it sorted quickly, done properly, and at a fair price. That's exactly what we do."
See the difference? The second version immediately speaks to the visitor's situation. It tells them they're in the right place. And it uses "you" language instead of "we" language.
The Three-Second Rule
Research suggests you have roughly three seconds to convince a website visitor to stay. That's how long it takes for someone to decide whether your site is relevant to them. In those three seconds, your headline needs to answer one question: "Am I in the right place?"
Make your headline crystal clear about:
- What you do
- Who you do it for
- Why it matters to them
"Professional Bookkeeping for UK Sole Traders — So You Can Focus on What You Love" is far better than "Welcome to ABC Bookkeeping Solutions Ltd."
Structure Your Pages for Humans (Not Search Engines)
Too many business websites are written for Google rather than for the actual humans who visit them. Yes, search engine optimisation matters — but if your copy reads like it was written by a keyword-stuffing robot, real people will bounce immediately.
The Ideal Homepage Structure
Here's a tried-and-tested structure that works for most small business websites:
1. Hero section — Your main headline, a brief supporting sentence, and a clear call to action ("Get a Free Quote," "Book a Consultation," "Get in Touch").
2. The problem — Show that you understand what your visitor is dealing with. "Tired of chasing invoices? Spending your evenings on bookkeeping instead of with your family?"
3. How you help — Explain your service in simple, benefit-focused terms. Not what you do (features), but what it means for them (benefits). "We handle your books so you never have to worry about HMRC again."
4. Social proof — Testimonials, reviews, client logos, or results that demonstrate you're good at what you do.
5. How it works — A simple three-step process that makes working with you feel easy. "1. Tell us what you need. 2. We send a quote within 24 hours. 3. We get to work."
6. About you — A brief section about who you are and why you do what you do. This is where your story, qualifications, and personality come through.
7. Call to action — End every page with a clear next step. Don't leave visitors wondering what to do.
Service Pages
If you offer multiple services, each one should have its own page. A single page listing every service you offer is far less effective than dedicated pages that go into detail about each one. Service pages should:
- Explain the specific service in plain English
- Address common questions and concerns
- Include relevant testimonials or case studies
- Have their own call to action
About Page
Your About page is probably the second or third most visited page on your site. It's where people go to decide if they like and trust you. Write it in the first person, be genuine, and include a photo of yourself. People connect with people, not faceless businesses.
Tell your story — why you started your business, what drives you, what you believe in. But always tie it back to the reader: how does your experience and motivation benefit them?
Write Like You Talk
The most common copywriting mistake on small business websites is writing too formally. Business owners seem to think that a website requires corporate language. It doesn't.
Before and After
Too formal: "We endeavour to provide an exemplary standard of service across all aspects of domestic electrical installation and maintenance."
Just right: "We're electricians who take pride in doing the job properly. No shortcuts, no mess, and always on time."
The second version is clearer, more memorable, and more trustworthy. It sounds like something a real person would actually say — because it is.
Tips for Natural Copy
- Read your copy out loud. If it sounds weird spoken, it'll feel weird read.
- Use contractions (we're, you'll, it's) — they sound more natural.
- Keep sentences short. If a sentence has more than 20 words, break it up.
- Avoid jargon unless your audience uses it. "EICR" means nothing to most homeowners — "electrical safety certificate" is much clearer.
- Write in the first or second person. "I" or "we" for you, "you" for the visitor.
Make Your Calls to Action Irresistible
A call to action (CTA) is simply what you want the visitor to do next: call you, fill in a form, book a consultation, request a quote. It sounds simple, but getting it right can dramatically increase your enquiries.
Be Specific
"Contact us" is vague. "Get a free, no-obligation quote" is specific and removes the risk. Other effective CTAs:
- "Book your free 15-minute consultation"
- "Send us your project details"
- "Call us now for same-day help"
- "Get a quote in 60 seconds"
Remove the Risk
People hesitate because they're afraid of commitment. Phrases like "no obligation," "free," "no pressure," and "cancel any time" reduce that fear and make it easier to take the first step.
Put CTAs Everywhere
Don't hide your call to action at the bottom of a long page. Include it:
- In your hero section (above the fold)
- After every major section
- In your navigation or header
- At the bottom of the page
A visitor should never have to scroll or search to figure out how to get in touch.
Make Your Contact Form Short
If you use a contact form, keep it as short as possible. Name, email, and a message box is usually enough. Every additional field you add reduces the number of people who complete it. You can gather more details later once they've made initial contact.
Use Social Proof Effectively
Testimonials, reviews, and case studies are the most powerful elements on your website. They provide evidence that backs up your claims and builds trust with sceptical visitors.
Where to Use Testimonials
Scatter testimonials throughout your site rather than burying them all on a single "Testimonials" page. Place them:
- On your homepage (your two or three strongest)
- On each service page (relevant to that specific service)
- Near your calls to action (to reassure people just before they get in touch)
What Makes a Good Testimonial
The best testimonials are specific and mention a result:
"Dave rewired our entire house in three days. He was on time every morning, explained everything clearly, and left the place spotless. We'd recommend him to anyone." — Sarah M., Sheffield
Compare that to: "Great service, would recommend." The first one tells a story. The second one could be about literally anything.
If you haven't got many testimonials yet, check out our guide on getting Google reviews — those reviews can double as website testimonials too.
Case Studies
For service businesses where the work is complex or expensive, a case study (or "project story") can be very effective. Walk through a specific project: what the customer needed, what you did, and what the result was. Include photos and, if possible, a quote from the customer.
Don't Forget the Practical Stuff
Great copy won't help if the basics are wrong.
Mobile Responsiveness
More than half of web traffic in the UK comes from mobile devices. If your website doesn't look good and work well on a phone, you're losing potential customers. Test your site on different devices and make sure everything — especially your contact form and phone number — is easy to use on a small screen.
Page Speed
A slow website kills enquiries. If your site takes more than three seconds to load, many visitors will leave before they've even seen your content. Compress your images, use a fast hosting provider, and avoid unnecessary plugins or scripts.
Your Phone Number
If phone calls are important to your business, make your phone number prominently visible on every page. On mobile, make it a clickable link so visitors can tap to call. You'd be surprised how many small business websites bury the phone number at the bottom of a page or only have it on the contact page.
Contact Page
Your contact page should include every way someone can reach you: phone, email, contact form, and links to your social media. If you have a physical location, include a map. If you serve a specific area, mention it. If you have set working hours, list them.
Keep It Updated
A website that hasn't been updated in two years feels abandoned. Even small, regular updates signal that your business is active and thriving:
- Add new testimonials as you receive them
- Update your portfolio or project gallery
- Keep your service descriptions current
- Remove anything that's out of date (old pricing, expired offers)
And while you're keeping your website fresh, make sure the business behind it is running smoothly too. There's no point driving more enquiries to your site if you can't manage the resulting quotes, invoices, and bookkeeping. Accounted and Penny help you stay organised with professional invoicing, expense tracking, and tax management — so when those enquiries start flowing, you're ready to handle them.
Your Website Audit Checklist
Before you move on, run through this quick checklist:
- Does your headline clearly state what you do and who you help?
- Is the copy focused on the visitor, not just you?
- Do you have clear calls to action on every page?
- Are testimonials visible throughout the site?
- Is your phone number prominent and clickable on mobile?
- Does the site load quickly?
- Is your contact form short and easy to complete?
- Does the copy sound natural and conversational?
- Is every page up to date?
If you can tick all of those boxes, your website will be working much harder for your business. And if you can't — well, now you know exactly what to fix.
Accounted helps UK sole traders stay on top of their bookkeeping and tax. Start your free 30-day trial at getaccounted.co.uk.
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The Accounted editorial team covers software comparisons, technology, and the tools UK sole traders need to run their businesses efficiently. All software comparisons are based on independent research and publicly available pricing.
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