Natalie and I connected on Instagram a while ago. We both followed Lindsey Roman and connected on one of her Instagram caption challenges in 2020. When we first met, Natalie had just started a virtual assistant business.

Over the years, Natalie and I stayed in touch by engaging with each other on the ‘gram. One day, she reached out in hopes that I could design a website for her business, as she had pivoted from virtual assistant to business coach. She desired to have a website that would reflect her new business and elevate her work.

Choosing a Website Design

We chatted about different options for Natalie and the style she wanted for her new site. The best option for Natalie’s budget was a template customization. 

”When it was time to pick a website designer, I picked Hoffman Creative Co. because Maggie was both professional and personable. I felt sure her thoughtful personality would translate to thoughtful work, and I wasn’t disappointed.”

Since I’m an affiliate for Elizabeth McCravy’s template shop,  we looked through those templates for her new site. Natalie chose the Laine template. 

Customizing a Showit Template

I love all aspects of website design, and customizable templates are something fun for me too. You might be thinking, “Really Maggie?! You like to design on templates, not just make from scratch?” And the answer is yes. Template customization is a great opportunity for me to test my design skills to match the design or the original template so it matches nicely. Templates provide the “foundation” for the design. Then, I get to add my client’s personality and brand to help complete the look.

“Maggie, I am overjoyed, I am blown away, I am in AWE that this beautiful thing is my very own future website!! The usage of the floral elements is PERFECT!! That was actually one of my favorite parts. Love everything else, love the way you used colors and each of the photos you picked. I’m really enjoying getting to see how this template looks when it’s made for me.”

You can read more about template customization and my thoughts on it here.

New Pieces to the Website

Typically in template customizations, we are able to add more pieces to the overall website. In Natalie’s case, we added an affiliate links page. Natalie wanted a centralized location to have all her links for her business. I was able to pull pieces from the template and build a custom page for her.

We also built her a blog, and a shop—which she will be launching later this year!

“My favorite part of my new website is the blog page because it finally provided my business with an SEO-optimized place where I could publish long form content. Thanks to this blog, I’m connecting with more members of my audience on a closer level than I’ve ever been able to.”

From Template to Custom Website

It was so much fun working on this template customization for Natalie. The website is fully personalized to her and her brand, and I think it turned out great!

“This new website gives my business the most professional appearance I’ve ever had. I feel more proud of my business and proud to direct people to a beautiful, easy to use space. The ease and flow of the website has made it easier for my audience to understand exactly whom I serve and what I offer.”

Natalie’s Review of Hoffman Creative Co.

“For a potential client who knows they need a website but they’re not in the financial position to invest in a completely custom website, hiring Maggie for template customization is the best first website investment you could make. She is a master at transforming a site to truly feel like your own totally unique space. Maggie is the person to go to because she is prompt, she is truly an expert, and she leaves her clients feeling cared for and informed. If you know it’s time for a website and you feel overwhelmed at the thought of tackling it yourself, Maggie is the ideal service provider. Investing in her services and offloading that overwhelm will be the smartest decision you can make for your website needs.”

Thank you so much Natalie for trusting me with the template customization of your website! I had so much fun being able to work together. I can’t wait to see how this blesses your business. If you want to check out her final website, you can find it here. 

If you’re looking for a business coach, be sure to reach out to Natalie! Her years of experience are invaluable, and she will be dedicated to working with you to reach your goals!

If you’re looking for a new website or even a website revamp, let’s chat! I’d love to help you bring your dream site to reality.