Most coaches are struggling to get coaching clients willing to pay them what they are worth.
One of the reasons is that most coaching websites sit somewhere on the scale between inadequate and utterly tragic.
Some look good, some look bad, and many are in between.
But almost none are set up to convert visitors into subscribers and clients.
Your coaching website is almost certainly your most important asset when it comes to your online marketing.
It’s effectively your shop window and will often be the first point of contact with potential clients.
So, it has to be right, just as the front of any brick-and-mortar retail outlet you own would have to be right.
In this post I will look at this site as the example, and I will do so because for the most part, it is a very good coaching site.
Could it be improved upon?
Absolutely, it really should have some testimonials on the home page, and the photos could be better, but it converts, and that is what matters the most.
1. Make sure people immediately know what you can do for them
Does your coaching website immediately and clearly articulate the benefits of hiring you?
Nobody enters a store without knowing what the owner sells or why it will help them.
Yet many coaches expect people to do the equivalent with their website.
You have a handful of seconds to deliver that message before the back button has been hit and your potential client has gone for good.
Think of the physical shop window I mentioned in the introduction. Would you ever walk into a shop that you didn’t know what it sold?
Perhaps, if you’re on vacation in some sleepy Italian village with nothing better to do. But for the most part, no you wouldn’t. Neither would anybody else.
The screenshot above is taken from my home page, it makes it perfectly clear what I do and who I help.
I help coaches get paid for coaching!
If you’re a coach who wants to get paid for coaching, I will almost certainly have your attention.
And at that stage, that’s all I want.
2. Make sure your About page isn’t about you on your coaching website
I know this sounds counterintuitive, but the About page on your coaching website really isn’t about you.
Well okay, it is, but it should mainly be about your ideal client.
For the most part, visitors to your coaching website don’t care about you.
They just care about what you can do for them.
They’re not interested in where you went for your last vacation, that you love knitting sweaters for homeless rabbits, or that you once saw the Virgin Mary in a bowl of soup.
Also, and rather remarkably, most of your visitors don’t care that much about your coaching qualifications either.
Your readers care about the obstacles you’ve overcome, the adversity you’ve bounced back from, and the dragons you’ve slain that are relatable and meaningful to them.
As a coach, you will be able to relate to my story of struggling for three years to get clients and almost quitting on numerous occasions.
From the start, you know that I understand what you’re going through because I went through it, too, and can almost certainly help you.
Your About page should be set up like the Hero’s Journey, but with your ideal client as the hero and you as the mentor who has walked the path first.
3. Have CTA’s on EVERY page
A CTA is a call to action, and your website should have at least one on every page.
It’s best to have just one (two at the most) because if you have too many, you risk confusing people into doing nothing.
On a longer page (especially a sales page) you should replicate the same CTA multiple times so people don’t have to scroll up or down to act. But keep the CTA consistent as much as possible.
When coaches land on the Fully Booked Coach homepage, I want them to subscribe to my newsletter so I can start offering value and building their trust.
As such, the CTA’s down the page reflect that desire by offering them my lead magnet (more in a moment) in return for subscribing.
If someone is still reading by the time they get to the bottom of the page, there is the option (CTA) of booking a consult, but it’s not my main focus on that specific page.
Of course, if people navigate to the Hire Tim or Contact page, then the CTAs change accordingly so they can book a Zoom consult or email me.
By the way, if you click the button (or even here), you can get my book, and I think you will like it.
4. Have a lead magnet/opt-in
A lead magnet, otherwise known as a freebie, is something you give people in exchange for subscribing to your newsletter.
You must have one, and it must offer real value.
If you can’t charge £5 or $5 for your lead magnet, then it’s not good enough.
Writing and editing my book, How to Become a Fully Booked Coach, took me a fucking long time.
I then spent several hundred pounds having it designed so it looks great.
All for something I then give away.
But for many people, that book is my first opportunity to show them I know my shit (and I do).
Few people will read every page on a website, but they will sit down and read a book.
Your lead magnet doesn’t have to be an ebook.
It could be a series of emails, an audio program, a white paper, a report, or a sequence of videos.
It really doesn’t matter what it is as long as it has standalone value for your ideal client and can be delivered digitally.
And it must be obvious and easy for people to sign up to get it.
Pop-ups are a pain in the arse, but they are a pain in the arse that will help you get prospective clients onto your newsletter list. So use one.
5. Use warm photos of YOU!
We are in the business of connecting and building trust.
Nobody hires a coach who they don’t connect with and trust.
Warm welcoming images of you allow you to connect with people immediately.
Nobody connects with a picture of a flower, a beach, or even a fucking dolphin.
Well, ok, maybe some people connect with dolphins, but nobody hires one to coach them.
If you’re nervous about uploading your photo (and a decent one- no shit iPhone selfies, please) because of what others may think, you’re probably in the wrong job.
It’s okay if you’re a tad overweight, has lost most of your hair, and aren’t ageing especially gracefully.
Er, wait a minute, that’s me!
Shit!
Oh well, at least Millie looks young and sprightly.
6. Get your contact page right
Shockingly, your contact page may be the most important page on your site.
Yet, it’s often the most neglected by coaches on their website.
Most people who take the trouble to view it will be considering hiring you to be their coach.
Why else would they go to your contact page?
But, just because they’re considering it doesn’t mean they complete the next phase and actually do it.
As such, you should make the page welcoming and reassuring.
And the process of contacting you should be as straightforward as possible.
You should also then explain what they can expect next.
I have my email address and two links to book a Zoom consult on my contact page.
In an ideal world, I’d like to have my phone number prominently displayed and clickable too.
Sadly, however, my cell service is so bad where I live that it could create more problems than it’s worth and as more and more people are not using phone was the initial point of contact it’s not really a problem.
Note: Never have links to your social media accounts on your contact page. You have worked hard to get people there, don’t allow them to drift off again.
7. Use social proof
Nobody walks into an empty restaurant in a town they don’t know when the one next door is bustling and vibrant.
People rarely buy books that have zero reviews.
And few people want to see a movie with no buzz.
We all use social proof in this manner because it allows us to make rapid decisions that are more likely to be correct.
Examples of social proof you can use as a coach to build credibility and trustworthiness quickly and effectively are:
- Testimonials
- Blog comments
- Books you have written (especially if you are published rather than self-published)
- Newsletter subscribers
- Social media followers
- Social media shares
- Online reviews about your coaching
- Being interviewed on Radio/TV/Podcast about your niche
It should go without saying that any social proof has to be relevant.
Having a clip of you being interviewed on TV because your cat got stuck up a tree, and then a firefighter got stuck up there too, trying to rescue it, and now a cat is attacking a firefighter up a tree, is not social proof.
I backed off from using social proof for years because it felt like I was being arrogant.
It’s not arrogance; it’s being smart and helping to assuage any fears people may have about hiring you.
8. Set up your testimonial page properly
As mentioned, testimonials can help massively in building social proof.
However, it’s not just a question of slapping them up there and hoping for the best.
It’s easy to buy fake testimonials, and people know that, so you need to do everything you can to show they are legitimate.
You do that by using full names and, if possible, linking through to one of their social media profiles.
I tend to link to my client’s websites because that clearly shows they are real coaches and real people.
Videos work best with photos a close second, but you always need a full name.
Anonymous testimonials or ones that just use a first name are probably useless.
Also, try and mix them up.
It’s fine to have an occasional longer testimonial if you also have some shorter ones that people can scan or watch quickly.
Note: A lack of testimonials (less than 4 or 5) can just trigger red flags that you’re either a brand new coach or not very good.
I’d hold back on a testimonial page until you have at least 6.
Alternatively, you could sprinkle them through the site so it’s not apparent how many there are.
9. Have a Client Journey
Most coaching websites focus solely on getting clients through the door.
But what happens after they sign up?
That’s where your client journey comes in.
A client journey is a framework that outlines the process you take clients through while working with them. It’s a powerful tool that can significantly boost your success as a coach. Here’s why:
- It appeals to all buying types, from impulsive decision-makers to those who need every detail.
- It sets clear expectations for potential clients before they book a consult.
- It creates transparency and builds trust by showing how you operate.
- It helps with your positioning, setting you apart from competitors in your niche.
- It can be repurposed into a book, course, or group training program.
- It demonstrates your expertise in each area of your coaching process.
- It keeps you on track, serving as a checklist for your client work.
Your client journey doesn’t necessarily need a dedicated page. I have mine on the Hire Tim page
Remember, your client journey is a framework, not a rigid process. Be clear that you’ll adapt it to each client’s needs.
By including a well-crafted client journey on your coaching website, you’re not just selling your services – you’re giving potential clients a roadmap to success with you as their guide.
Check out 7 reasons to have a client journey because it will give you some more important reasons for figuring out yours.
10. Keep your site updated
If you have an events page, ensure it’s not months since you posted anything.
Or that you’re still advertising a course that took place in 2019.
Make sure the copyright information in your footer says the current year. There are plugins that will do this automatically.
Don’t link to social media accounts that you haven’t posted to in months or even years.
And if you only blog occasionally, set it up so the publication date isn’t publicly visible.
If your site looks out-of-date, you will be out of clients.
11. Have a blog
There are a number of advantages to having a blog; here are some:
- It will bring you clients
- helps MASSIVELY with your SEO
- It will give you content for social media
- It allows you to position yourself as an expert
- It forces you to compose your thoughts
- It makes you a better writer
- It will make you a more effective coach
Here are the downsides.
- It’s hard work.
- You will have to deal with clients
So I guess if you don’t like hard work and aren’t arsed about becoming a fully booked coach, then don’t bother with a blog.
12. Hire a designer
Of course, you could just hire a great designer who knows most of this shit, and then hire me to help you liaise.
If you do want to go down that route, I can HIGHLY recommend my designer, Paul from BlackBox
Conclusion
Most of the mistakes/ommisions I see on coaching websites are relatively easy to correct.
None of the above requires you to be especially technical.
Most are just copy and image changes that can be done either free by yourself, or reasonably cheaply and quickly by your designer.