Why Certain Websites for Coaches Pop or Flop

Women today represent the fastest growing segment of business owners. More and more women are choosing to drop secure corporate jobs to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. And for those who left the workforce to care for families, they are coming back, only this time on their terms.

Coaching is a popular choice among professions where you can be your own boss.

You have the opportunity to get personal and empower others while enjoying a flexible work schedule. Plus it’s a rewarding profession where you help others by sharing the knowledge you’ve acquired.

From my office now based in Paris, I have seen and met many expatriate women who have used their skills and expertise to reinvent themselves as coaches in pursuit of a new career. For years, I’ve had the chance to work with many coaches as their web designer and marketing strategist. From life coaches, family counselors, nutritionists, to even the coach that trains TEDx speakers, I’ve had the experience to be part of the growth of many successful coaches.

Their success is a result of several factors, but if there’s one thing they all share, it’s the need to have proper marketing tools and strategies to attract new clients. In my line of work, I focus on websites and think of them as one of the most important marketing tools today. 

People turn to Google nowadays to find things they need. And if your website looks outdated, doesn’t come off as empathetic, or feels sales-y, this isn’t going to give you a great chance to attract new clients.

I wanted to share three website tips that I have incorporated into coaching websites I’ve created with two aims: grabbing attention and building trust. The differences can make your website pop or flop for you.

For this post, I’ll touch on the homepage – the page which is usually most visited and sets the tone for your audience.

1. Emotion up your headlines. Dare to be bold.

In the past, I remember hearing, “Don’t mix emotions with business. Don’t share your personal life.”

But I’d argue that this is not the case anymore, especially with coaching. I believe people are interested in hearing personal opinions because it shows what they value.

“Words have energy and power, with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble.” -Yehuda Berg

When it comes to headlines, a few good words can set the stage for everything.

Marie Forleo does a great job with her headline speaking to her target audience: “The World NEEDS That Special Gift That Only You HAVE.” She is targeting women that want to build personal careers but are stuck. And so her headline speaks to her audience’s soul.

Emotional, short headlines connect with people because they give way to a greater meaning than just offering a product or services.

Try to develop headlines that touch your audience’s desires. Or go the opposite way and touch their fears. Hit what people aspire or dread and they’ll be more curious about what you have to say.

2. Target your client’s pain-points instead of talking about you

Many business websites focus on talking about themselves as opposed to the problems of their clients. By this, I mean they write predominantly about what they do and who they are.

There’s no doubt that people want to know who runs the business, but that’s not why people decide to do business with you. Most of the time, they choose you because they are convinced that you can solve their problem.

If you have a website and want it to attract more paying clients, highlight pain-points of your target audience and demonstrate that you know how to handle them.

People pay for problem-solvers.

And when you write about your audience, it demonstrates that you are an expert in your domain:

• You understand their hardships.
• You have experience dealing with their issues.
• You have solved their problems before.

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• 3. “Dress to impress” attitude onlineFirst impressions set the tone for how people perceive one another. It’s why most people dress a little nicer for a first date or first meeting with clients.

In today’s world, people will most likely visit your website BEFORE meeting you in person. And so what if you took that “dress to impress” attitude to your website?

Branding on your website communicates your personality, your style and your attitude toward work. Your logo, typography, designs, photos, colors, all add up to give an impression about you. Rounded typography and warm colors typically evoke a sense of being approachable whereas minimal design and darker colors can give a sense of clarity and precision.

Branding is sometimes skipped when starting a business because it is thought to be an expensive exercise. Branding can definitely get expensive, with good reason. Think about how many people buy stuff just because of a certain logo or what a brand represents.

But there are inexpensive options that can be quite good when starting out. There are design services that offer design packages (logos, typography, colors, social media banners, etc.) under 100 euros. Many designers around the web have started creating similar services to help people launch with a brand that is decent.

You don’t need to aim for a Louis Vuitton branding, but creating a little more H&M-feeling is a lot better than something homemade that has no style sense.

Search online for affordable branding options and you’ll be amazed at how many services can help jump-start your online presence.

Always review, learn, and update

Treat your website as an evolving marketing tool that gets better with time.

As you talk to clients, have sales discussions, and acquire more experience in your domain, you’ll hear keywords, new ways to describe pain-points and new ideas that you may have never thought of.

Update your website regularly and make an effort to keep strengthening it. The better your marketing tools, the better your chance to connect with potential clients.

Thanks for letting me share. Hope this helps you to help others!