Prepared for Grant Ellis
This isn't a design critique. It's a diagnosis. Based on your website, your analytics, and our conversation — here's what's actually broken and how to fix it.
What I Found
01Three problems. One root cause.
The dual-audience trap
Ellis Retirement serves two audiences. The homepage tries to speak to both. It speaks to neither. 401k plan sponsors don't find advisors through websites — that's a boots-on-ground business. Wealth management clients do evaluate you online. Right now the site isn't built for either of them.
The broken funnel
579 visitors in 30 days. Zero leads. That's not a traffic problem. Somewhere between the hero and the CTA, visitors can't figure out if this firm is for them. When a visitor has to work to understand you, they leave.
The noise problem
Noisy layout. Text-heavy sections. Outdated visual elements. A five-year-old site in a market that's moved toward radical simplicity. The design is working against the credibility of the firm.
The Diagnosis
02Solid business. Broken
communication architecture.
The root cause isn't any one of those three things. It's that Ellis Retirement has two distinct businesses running through one front door. That structural problem is what creates every other symptom — the split messaging, the cluttered layout, the hedged hero headline.
The fix isn't better copy on the current homepage. It's separation. Two audiences need two front doors. The main site speaks directly to wealth management clients — the psychographic Grant described: fully outsourced, tech-forward, thinking about retirement on a 10–15 year horizon. The 401k side gets its own landing page, in its own language, for plan sponsors.
What the Site Should Do
03Two pages. One job each.
Wealth Management Clients
Hero → Who we are → Who we serve → How we serve → CTA in footer. Each section answers the next question a prospect is asking as they scroll. No dead ends. One button. By the time they reach the footer, they know if this firm is for them.
401k Plan Sponsors
A separate page — possibly under a sub-brand like Ellis 401k or Ellis Corporate — that speaks directly to plan sponsors before they even click. No shared real estate with the wealth management story.
| Element | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Brand identity | 7/10 | Solid bones. Doesn't need a full rebuild. |
| Messaging clarity | 4/10 | Dual audience is splitting the focus. |
| Visual design | 5/10 | Five years old, noisy, outdated. |
| Funnel structure | 3/10 | 579 visitors, zero leads. Broken. |
| Audience specificity | 4/10 | Psychographic is clear in conversation. Not on the site. |
What Comes Next
04Three options. One process.
Every engagement starts the same way — Strategic Foundation first. Positioning approval before a single pixel moves. That's not extra work. It's the work that makes everything else worth paying for.
Website Refresh
Clean up the homepage. Speak directly to the wealth management psychographic. Separate the 401k audience onto its own landing page. No logo changes. Minimal color adjustments. Fast turnaround.
Full Brand System Refresh
RecommendedEverything from messaging architecture through visual identity. New homepage, new 401k landing page, refreshed color and typography. The bones stay — we sharpen everything.
Full Refresh + Collateral
Tier 02 plus supporting assets: LinkedIn templates, pitch deck, client onboarding materials. For when you're building a content-driven funnel and need everything to match.