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Here is your 2-chapter preview of "Framer for Founders." You're about to learn *why* Framer is the secret, plus the 10-point checklist for picking the perfect template.
Introduction: The "Agency-in-a-Box" Myth
Let’s be honest. You need a new website.
You’re a founder, a creator, a small business owner. You’re incredible at what you do—whether that’s baking custom cakes, providing expert consulting, or selling your handmade goods. But you are not a web developer.
And yet, here you are, stuck in the frustrating gap between your ambition and your budget.
You’ve probably looked at your options. Maybe you tried WordPress, only to get lost in a sea of "clunky" plugins, "dated" themes, and constant security warnings. Maybe you tried a simpler builder like Squarespace or Wix, but after hours of work, you realized your site looked exactly like everyone else's. It felt... generic.
Then there’s the agency route. You got a few quotes from professional web design agencies. When you saw the $5,000... $10,000... $15,000 price tags, you nearly spilled your coffee. You just want to look professional, credible, and attract clients—you’re not trying to launch the next Amazon.
This is the "Agency-in-a-Box" myth: the idea that your only choices are a cheap, cookie-cutter template that makes you look like an amateur, or a bank-breaking custom build.
I’m here to tell you there is a third, better way.
It’s called Framer.
Over the last few years, Framer has emerged as the secret weapon for top-tier designers and startups. It creates websites that are lightning-fast, visually stunning, and perfectly responsive on every device. But here’s the secret: you don’t have to be a designer to use it.
If you can use a tool like Canva, you can use Framer.
The Promise of This Guide
This ebook is not a boring technical manual. It’s a playbook. I’ve built this guide specifically for "Creative Chris"—the business owner who respects beautiful design but doesn't have the time or desire to become a coder.
You have the vision. You have the business. This guide will give
you the tools and the step-by-step plan to build the website
you deserve.
We will walk through, click-by-click, from a blank canvas to a fully launched, client-attracting website. You will not write a single line of code. You will learn how to use AI to write your copy. And by the end, you will have a website that looks like it was built by a high-end agency, but that you built yourself.
Let's get started.
Table of Content
Introduction: The "Agency-in-a-Box" Myth
The old way (clunky WordPress, cookie-cutter Wix) vs. the new way (Framer).
Promise: This guide will walk you through, step-by-step, from a blank canvas to a fully launched, client-attracting website. No code required.
Chapter 1: Why Framer is Your New Business Partner
What is Framer? (And why it’s not just for pro designers).
The "Visual Canvas": Why it’s as easy as using Canva or Figma.
The power of Framer AI, speed, and built-in SEO.
Your First Step: Signing Up (This is where you place your affiliate link!)
Text: "To get started, use this link to create your free Framer account. By using this link, you're supporting this guide and helping me create more content for you!"
A walkthrough of the simple signup process.
Chapter 2: The Hardest Part, Made Easy: Choosing Your Template
The "Beautiful-but-Broken" Template Trap: Why functionality beats flashiness.
How to "Read" a Template: Identifying the sections you actually need.
(e.g., Services, Portfolio, Blog, Testimonials, Pricing).
My Top 5 "Business-Ready" Template Recommendations (You can make this an affiliate section for other template creators or your own).
Checklist: The 10-Point Template Test Before You Buy.
Chapter 3: The Framer Dashboard: A 15-Minute Tour
Don't be intimidated. Here are the 5 buttons you'll actually use.
The "Pages" Panel: Your website's blueprint.
The "Assets" Panel: Your media library.
The "Insert" Menu: Your toolbox.
The "Style" Panel: Your design controls (colors, fonts).
Understanding "Breakpoints": How your site looks on Desktop, Tablet, and Mobile.
Chapter 4: Simple Customization: Making the Template Yours
The "Brand Kit": Setting your Global Fonts and Colors (The #1 biggest time-saver).
How to swap images (and where to find great, free ones).
How to change text (and the one mistake everyone makes).
Working with "Components": The secret to updating one thing (like your Nav-bar) and having it change everywhere.
Deleting Sections You Don't Need (And how to do it without breaking the site).
Chapter 5: Stop Selling, Start Guiding: The StoryBrand Framework
This is a key chapter. See the written content below.
Why Your Website Isn't About You (It's About Your Customer).
The 7 Parts of a Perfect Story.
You are the Guide (Yoda), Your Customer is the Hero (Luke Skywalker).
Structuring Your Homepage: Hero, Problem, Guide, Plan, Success, CTA.
Chapter 6: The "Problem-Agitate-Solution" (PAS) Copywriting Trick
This is another key chapter. See the written content below.
The "P": Identify the real problem your customer has.
The "A": Agitate that problem. Why does it really hurt?
The "S": Present your service as the clear, simple solution.
Using PAS in your "Problem" and "Solution" sections.
Chapter 7: Your Secret Weapon: The Ultimate AI Copywriting Prompt
This is your highest-value asset. See the prompt below.
How to talk to AI to get copy that doesn't sound like a robot.
The "Dynamic Prompt" that writes your entire website.
How to edit the AI's output to sound like you.
Chapter 8: The "Boring" Stuff That Gets You Clients (SEO)
What is "On-Page SEO"? (And why Framer makes it simple).
Using Framer AI to generate SEO-Optimized Titles and Descriptions.
Optimizing images with free tools like shrinkifly.pics
Adding "Alt-Text" to your images (Why it matters).
The difference between H1, H2, and H3 headings (and how to use them).
Chapter 9: The Launch Checklist
Connecting Your Domain (e.g., yourbusiness.com).
Checking your Breakpoints (Does it look good on mobile?).
Proofreading (Twice!).
Setting your "Favicon" (that tiny icon in the browser tab).
Hitting "Publish"!
Chapter 10: What's Next?
You did it! Now what?
How to view your site's analytics.
How to use Framer's built-in CMS (Blog).
Want More? (This is where you upsell your own agency services, e.g., "Need a custom build or advanced features? My agency, Barroso Digital, can help.")
Chapter 1: Why Framer is Your New Business Partner
Before we dive in, let’s quickly cover why Framer is the right tool for the job. You’ve heard the name, you’ve seen the hype, but what makes it different from the dozen other builders out there?
1. It’s a Visual Canvas, Not a "Box" Builder Most website builders (like Squarespace or Wix) are "box" builders. You can drag an element, but only into a pre-defined "box" on the page. It’s rigid and limiting.
Framer is a visual canvas, just like Canva or Figma. You have total freedom. Want to move that button 10 pixels to the left? Just drag it. Want to layer text on top of an image in a creative way? Go for it. It’s an intuitive, "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" experience that gives you creative control without the technical headache.
2. It’s Built for the Modern Web (Speed & SEO) Old builders like WordPress are built on dated technology, piled high with heavy plugins that slow your site to a crawl.
Framer builds modern, fast-loading React websites. You don't need to know what that means, but here’s what your customers will experience: your site will load almost instantly.
Why does this matter? Google's #1 ranking factor is user experience, and speed is a huge part of that. Framer sites are fast by default, so Google automatically loves them. The platform also has all your SEO settings (titles, descriptions, alt-text) built right in, in a way that’s simple to manage.
3. Built-in AI to Do the Heavy Lifting Staring at a blank page and wondering what to write? Framer has an AI assistant built directly into the text tool. You can highlight a section and ask it to "make this sound more professional," "shorten this," or "translate to Spanish."
In Chapter 7, I’ll give you a "mega-prompt" that will use this AI to write almost your entire website’s copy for you, all based on a professional marketing framework.
4. It Grows With You You can start with a simple, one-page template. Next month, you can easily add a blog (Framer has a built-in CMS). Next year, you can add a "book a call" feature or a new services page. You will never "outgrow" the platform.
Your First Step: Signing Up for Framer
Ready to get started? The first step is to create your Framer
account.
Framer has a generous free plan that lets you build and design your entire site without paying a cent. You only need to upgrade to a paid plan when you’re ready to connect your custom domain (e.g., yourbusiness.com) and go live.
A Quick Note: To help support this guide and allow me to create more content like this, I ask that you please sign up using my affiliate link below. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it gives me a small commission for recommending a tool I truly believe in.
Here’s how to sign up:
Click this link to create your free Framer account:
LINK --> Join Framer <-- LINK
You’ll be taken to the Framer homepage. Click "Sign Up" in the top-right corner.
Chapter 2: The Hardest Part, Made Easy: Choosing Your Template
Welcome to the Framer template marketplace. It’s like a candy store for designers—everything is beautiful, animated, and impressive.
It’s also the #1 place where business owners make their first mistake.
I call this the "Beautiful-but-Broken" Template Trap. You find a template with stunning 3D animations, text that glides across the screen, and a design that looks like it won an award. You buy it instantly.
But when you try to add your own content, it all breaks. Your "Services" text is too long for the tiny animated box. Your team photos don't look good in the weirdly-shaped "About" section. You realize the template was a beautiful, fragile sculpture, and you just tried to use it as a hammer.
A template is a tool, not just a skin.
Your goal is not to find the "prettiest" template. Your goal is to find the template that is best structured to sell your specific service or product. Functionality always beats flashiness.
How to "Read" a Template for Your Business
Before you even look at the templates, grab a pen and paper and answer this question:
"What are the 5 essential sections my website needs to have?"
Think about your customer's journey. What do they need to know to trust you and buy from you?
For most service and product businesses, the list looks like this:
A "Hero" section: The very first thing they see, with your one-liner (we'll write this in Chapter 7).
A "Services" or "Products" section: A clear, simple breakdown of what you offer.
A "Testimonials" or "Proof" section: Who have you helped? What do they say?
An "About" section: Who are you and why should they trust you?
A "Call to Action" (CTA) section: A clear "Book a Call" or "Buy
Now" button.
Now you can go shopping. As you browse the Framer template marketplace, ignore the fancy photos and colors (we'll change all those). Instead, look at the structure. Does this template have clear, logical sections for the 5 things you listed?
If a template has a "Portfolio" but you're a consultant, can that section be easily changed to "Case Studies"? If a template has a "Pricing Table" and you do custom quotes, can you easily delete that section without the whole page collapsing?
Look for templates that are built for business, not just for a designer's portfolio. Words like "Agency," "Startup," "SaaS," "Small Business," or "Consultant" in the template description are usually a good sign.
My Top 5 "Business-Ready" Template Picks
(Self-promo note: This is a perfect place to sell or link to your own templates if you make them. If not, you can link to popular, highly-rated templates. For this guide, I will create 5 placeholder descriptions of types of templates to look for.)
The "Consultant" Template: This is clean, professional, and text-focused. It prioritizes sections for services, case studies, and a strong "Book a Call" CTA. It's perfect for coaches, financial advisors, and agencies.
The "Portfolio" Template: This is visually-driven, using a grid to showcase your work. It's ideal for photographers, artists, custom cake makers (like you!), and designers. Make sure it also has a strong "About" and "Contact" page.
The "Simple Product" Template: This is for selling one or two core things. It has a great "Features & Benefits" layout and a "Pricing Table" section. Perfect for authors, digital product creators, and SaaS.
The "Local Business" Template: This one emphasizes trust and location. It often includes sections for "Our Team," a map, business hours, and lots of testimonials. Perfect for a local shop, cafe, or studio.
The "One-Page" Template: This is the ultimate minimalist
approach. Your entire StoryBrand narrative (Hero, Problem, Plan, Success) exists on a single, scrolling page. It's great for launching a new idea, a specific campaign, or if you have one clear service.
Use this checklist before you click "Buy."
[ ] Does this template's structure match my 5 essential sections?
[ ] Does it have a dedicated "Services" or "Features" layout?
[ ] Does it have a built-in "Testimonials" or "Social Proof" section?
[ ] Does it have a good "Call to Action" (CTA) button in the navigation bar?
[ ] Does it have a built-in Blog (CMS)? (Even if you don't need it now, you'll want it later for SEO. It's hard to add later.)
[ ] Click "Preview": How does it look on Mobile? Is it clean and easy to read, or is it cluttered? (Most of your traffic will be mobile!)
[ ] How does it look on a Tablet? (The most overlooked breakpoint).
[ ] Are the animations simple and smooth, or are they distracting and slow? (Avoid "page-loader" animations that make users wait).
[ ] Does the template come with a "Style Guide" or "Components" page? (This is a huge bonus! It means the designer built it properly, making it much easier for you to change colors and fonts globally.)
[ ] Do I functionally need this, or am I just wowed by the "cool" factor? (Be honest!)
Once you've found a template that passes the test, purchase it. When you open it in Framer, it will be added to your dashboard as a new project.
In the next chapter, we're going to open it up and give you the 15-minute tour so you know exactly where everything is. You'll be a pro in no time.
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