Don’t send out an announcement about your new website. Nobody cares about your website launch.

You’ve worked hard on it, you’ve probably spent a good amount of time and money on it. It was a huge project and you want to recognize your staff’s efforts! But that’s not a good enough reason. Don’t send a press release about how much time you spend making your hair look great. Unless your business is making hair look great.

Why? Because chances are your new website is about you, it’s not about them.

“Come read pages of text about our different programs” might sound interesting to you. “Come peruse our annual report” might seem like your idea of a good time. “Come click through every staff member’s bio and read about their quirky choice of favorite food” might be how you’d spend your next half hour.

But it’s probably a yawner to most people, even those who love your organization.

Don’t get me wrong, a great new website will be more engaging, and the proof will be in the pudding! Definitely improve your website! Check the analytics. Is it performing better? Are people navigating around more intuitively? Are they staying on the site for longer? Are they seeing more content you want them to see? That’s great!

But just the fact that you have a new website? That probably won’t get anyone’s pulse racing.

UNLESS!

Unless you are letting your constituents know: Now you can...

If you’ve added a new capability that people will be interested in or excited about using, then that’s real news. Use the “Now you can” test.

As in: “Now you can watch first-person videos from people we serve and sponsor them directly.” How cool!

Or: “Now you can manage your own recurring donation on our website.” Great, that used to be a pain.

Or: “Now you can sign up for and manage your own volunteer shifts, and see your entire volunteer history and award levels.” Let’s check it out.

If you don’t have a really solid “Now you can” that will bring value to the people receiving the email, then just don’t send your launch announcement. Instead, let people discover your beautiful new website next time they go to check you out. They’ll think this is just how you operate. (Or if you must, mention it in a p.s. on another email that actually is bringing them real value.) Be a pro, and act like you’ve been in the end zone before.

And most importantly, for the love of Pete, treat your new website as the starting line, not the finish line. Turn it from a one time event to a new level of commitment to constantly improve everything about how you reach people, interact with them, and deliver ever-increasing value to them as they help you have greater impact in the world.