10 Tips for Creating a Website to Attract Coaching Clients

If you are a life coach, career coach, health coach, wellness coach, or marketing consultant that is looking for clients, then it is important to have a professional website. It’s one of the key factors that build trust with a potential client. When you are first starting out, coaching websites can be complicated and intimidating. It can be overwhelming to know where to start and exactly what should be included. But there are some things that you can do to make the process easier for yourself. In this article, we will discuss 10 tips (plus a bonus one) on how to create an effective website to attract clients as a coach!

1. Domain name

The simple tip here is to ensure that it is easy to remember and sounds professional. However, finding a domain name that is easy to remember and reflects your business can be difficult. You can feel like all the great names have gone. The first step many people take is to check to see if their own name is available. You can use sites like GoDaddy or Google Domains to check. 

What to Do If the Domain Name You Want Is Taken

One avenue is to consider different extensions from .com you could try  .co,  .net, .org, .biz, .info etc.  However, do consider the challenges of using a different extension with a name that already has a .com name. Also, check to see if that person is in a similar field to you. If they do, then I suggest you try the tip below.

Domain Name Generator

Another approach to finding a domain name is to brainstorm names that reflect your business or personal brand by looking at what you do, the products or services you offer, and any unique qualities about yourself. Get a list of names and words together and play around to see if they work together. You can use a domain name generator site to help you. A couple of times they have helped to come up with some great names for client coaching websites. They certainly open your eyes to new ideas and creativity.

Ask a friend

Most people have that friend who is great with words or naming things. Ask them for a coffee (or cocktail) and see what names you can come up with together. They may just suggest a great website name you haven’t thought of, that hits the right tone and right message you are wanting for your coaching business.

Finding if my domain name is available

Next, take your list of all the potential names you have for a domain and re-check in GoDaddy and Google Domains, to see what is available. Finally, a great marketing strategy is to create strong branding by social media handles with the same name too!

2. Cohesive Look and Feel

In simple terms, make sure your site’s design matches the type of coaching you provide. Ensure your branding across your site and social media profile matches. This helps people to find you as they go from one platform to another and enables them to trust that the profile is yours.

Regardless of what type of coaching you do, it’s important to make sure your own coaching website design matches the types of new clients you want. If most of your clients are expecting more traditional business coaching from someone with an MBA from Harvard Business School, then they’ll be disappointed if they land on a website that is designed that looks like it was designed in the 2000s.  Give your site visitors what they expect to see. Web designers can help you with this or you can use a website template. My best coaching website templates can be found here.

Visual Branding

As a standard, your coaching website design should be aesthetically pleasing to your ideal client. This usually means a clean website layout with intuitive navigation for your website visitor.  The key piece of advice I give to new coaches who are DIY’ing their web design is less is definitely more. Give your visitor’s eyes room to see. Don’t cramp elements together. Allow for breathing space between one section and the next. Check out other coaching websites to see which you think are great examples and make a good impression. And ones that make it hard to connect to them. As you do your research you will see what a great coaching website could look like.

Personal Branding

Most websites for coaches or consultants are also a reflection of themselves. Good marketing strategies (and common sense) say this will create a deeper connection and add a personal touch, across your website and social media channels. This personal connection will help to turn visitors into coaching clients. Infuse who you are into what you are offering. It’s ok to look at other coaching websites for inspiration. I suggest people use Pinterest as a great place to start. Start pinning images of coach websites you like then start to see what commonality they have in common. Draw on those ideas. The look and feel of your site can be refined over time.

Branding is more than fonts and colors

However, it can be a good place to start. When creating a look and feel of your coaching website, the best piece of advice I can share is to start simple. As your business grows you will get a clearer picture of who you are in business, and how you want to represent yourself.  Branding can be developed and improved as you do.  Get to the stage of something you are happy with what you have, and then move on.  Don’t let getting the perfect logo stop you at this stage. I don’t know anyone who has hired a coach, purely because of how their logo looked. There are a number of trust factors.

3. Get Personal

Create an ‘About Me’ section so potential clients can learn more about you. But know your barriers. You don’t have to include your family and kids if you don’t want to. But if that is something you want to share – go ahead. Generally sharing personal images on your about page makes more sense. With professional photographers or stock images used in the rest of the site.

The secret to a great about me page

The key element to remember is your about me page – it’s not about you. It’s about how you help people, creating a personal connection. When coaches first start writing their about section, they tend to focus solely on themselves. It’s a mistake we all have made. For sure people want to discover who you are, know about your experience, and see if they “click” with you. But the most important part is how are you going to help THEM.

Share to make you happy

One of the most important discussions I have with my clients time and time again is around boundaries. There are no shoulds. Share what you are comfortable sharing. Don’t be forced into revealing something that doesn’t sit comfortably with you. Everyone is different in this world. Some people want to include very personal details on their about page, others don’t. There is no right or wrong. Just be comfortable with what you are sharing online. Don’t feel you have to share something (which you heard from a guru) which just doesn’t sit right in your gut. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t share it.

Photo time

It’s a good idea to put some professional photos of you in different places on your website. However, if you are camera shy (yes that includes me), then do really consider having a photo on your about page. Personal Images allows your potential clients to see the “whites of your eyes”. Being able to look someone in the eyes (even if it is just a photo) helps to build trust and rapport with you. 

4. How I can help you

In short, be clear on what you offer and how you help people. Your coaching website should be clear about what it offers and how people can benefit from it. This will not only help potential clients find you but also make sure they know if they are qualified for your services. 

Discovering service and offering what to offer clients as a coach

There are many different research methods to use to discover what services to offer. However I have found the most effective research tool over the years is to ask potential, current, and/or past clients what they need. This approach seems to create the most resistance in people. Actually talking to people, AND listening to their response. Nowadays I do a combination of survey questions to my audience combined with face-to-face (over zoom) interviews. Plus, I review my feedback form at the end of every project. I get it can be hard when you start out. However, this approach is the best to really understand what people need and want from you. They may have some ideas you haven’t thought of.

Niche your offerings

When you first start out as a coach, many think that offering several services will attract more coaching clients. It’s much better to focus on one key service and build from there. When we have several choices to make, as humans we get confused. Just think about choosing what cake or ice cream flavor you want to pick from a long list. The shorter the list, the easier it is to decide what you want. Start with a small range of services and refine and build from there. As you get more coaching clients you will discover which offers you do and don’t like working on.

Be clear of the benefits and features

People come to coaching because they’re unsure about what to do next. They want clarity, not just an opinion or a suggestion. The best way for them to get the clarity they need is by understanding the benefits and features of your offer in detail. So that they can make their own decision about whether it’s right for them. That means you have to be clear on these things before you talk with potential clients – otherwise, you might end up talking in circles without making any progress at all.

5. Kind words from others

As a  coach, you know that testimonials are one of your most powerful marketing tools. If you want to stand out from the rest, then it’s important that you increase the number and quality of your testimonials. 

Asking for feedback

Get started by asking for feedback from your clients every time they leave a session with you. Most people are happy to share their thoughts about working with you. I help clients get more google reviews, and the main approach is being open and honest. As a small business, you are working hard to get feedback to improve your offer and reviews to be more visible.   

Don’t be shy

Increase visibility by posting photos or videos on social media where potential clients can see them. This way, people who might not be able to meet you in person but are considering working with you can get a glimpse of who you are and what they might expect.

Beyond Social Proof

Everyone can use a testimonial. If you’re in business, social proof is the best way to establish your credibility. Testimonials from past customers are a great way. But it goes beyond that. When website visitors see testimonials sprinkled through a site, it subconsciously positions you as an expert/authority in what you offer.

6. Calls to actions

It is important for coaches to have a clear call-to-action on their website. This will help your audience know what they should do next and can boost conversions. It’s easy to get caught up in the design process, but all of that work needs to be validated by how well it converts visitors into customers. A good call-to-action is one that provides enough information without overwhelming the visitor with too many options or steps.

Take the lead

We all know that a website is not just about having information on it, but also about getting your audience to take action. Lead them into what action you actually want them to take. The Call to Action button can be found in many places throughout websites, and its purpose is always the same – get the visitor to take the next action! An example of a call to action can be “contact us” or “learn more.” I think of them as signs in a supermarket. They lead us to where you can find a particular product.

Increase your customer conversion rate

Put simply, a clear and easy-to-understand call to action will increase your customer conversion rates. They create an effective buyer map or customer journey through the information you are sharing on your site. Making your site even more user-friendly. You are making a pathway that makes it easier for customers to take the next step in their journey with you!

7. Create a blog/podcast

Show people your knowledge and expertise. Create cornerstone content or thought leader pieces.  A blog is one of the best ways to establish yourself as an authority on any topic related to your coaching business. It’s also one of the easiest ways for new prospects or current clients looking for more information about your services or expertise to access it quickly and easily without having to contact you directly first. 

Building relationships

Sharing valuable knowledge with people who have come to your website is a great way to build relationships and trust with potential clients. Not everyone is going to be an instant client. Having a range of blog posts or podcasts is a great way to move someone from a cold to a warm lead. They can also be a useful way to build authority with Facebook groups and other places where you are sharing your content.

Cornerstone content

Cornerstone posts are more in-depth pieces that require more time and research to create. View them as “Go-to” articles that provide helpful information or advice on frequently asked questions or topics. They don’t have to create an in-depth piece every week but do consider creating one once a month or every 6 weeks. 

Topic Areas

When you start creating a blog or podcast a great first step is to identify 3 -5 topic areas. That way you can get into those topic areas in much more depth. This will help you be seen as an expert in your field.  Consider what your audience would be interested in reading or listening to. Look at frequently asked questions from the different places you network online. 

8. Book A Call

Make it easy for people to book discovery or consult calls with you. Many business and health coaches are not aware of how much time prospective clients spend looking at their websites, before deciding whether or not to contact them. You may be surprised when you find out just how much time is being spent browsing! 

Connection

It lets prospective clients see that they can connect with you in person and discuss their needs. It also helps them feel more confident about reaching out because they know how easy it is to do so. When people book calls via this method they are usually more engaged during the session than if they had just browsed around your site in search of information. That’s because booking a live chat creates motivation for both parties involved in the conversation!  

Appointments

Every life and business coach is different in how they systemize their work. Some people have set times and days they are available for a discovery call. Do think what times would work well for your potential clients as well. If you are targeting mom’s only having appointments at the same times as the kids get home from school may not be suitable. Also, consider time zones. When I first started I had a few Australian clients, even though I am based in the UK. Now I make sure my call times work for the East coast of the US and Europe. 

9. The price must be addressed

Put simply this topic has to be covered on a website. Pricing can be a big question mark for potential customers, which you should eliminate. There are a number of approaches you can use to address the topic, but if you don’t mention it somehow on your service pages it will create doubt in potential customers’ minds and even be a barrier to purchase.

State Price Clearly

One approach is to clear a package or offer which has a clearly defined price. Listing out what is included for that cost. By having pricing on your website you may be able to avoid negotiating over the phone, zoom, or email. If you are starting out, then offering a “power hour” rate is a good idea. You may also want to put together a group of calls into a package offer.

Price Ranges

A different approach can be to put “starting from” pricing on your offer page.  Pricing ranges are a great way of giving potential customers an idea of what they can afford before they even speak with you. In addition, the price range also helps weed out people who may not be in your target audience when they see that you don’t offer services at their budget level.

Bespoke Quote

If the two above methods don’t work for your offer then you still need to address the price. You can do that by simply stating that what you offer is a custom design for each individual client. So you offer a bespoke quote for their individual situation and needs. You can also add in an application process to ensure your ideal customers are the ones reaching out.

It is also ok to have a different approach for different services. I.e a clear price for a course then have a “starting from” price for group coaching, then a bespoke quote for 1-2-1 work.

10. Questions, Questions

Most business coaches know that their clients are often hesitant to make a purchase. This hesitation can be due to any number of reasons, including feeling like they don’t need the product or service offered at that time or not wanting to invest in something without first knowing if it will work for them. As they move through your website you have the opportunity to address their questions.

Barriers to purchase

This term basically means all the reasons a potential client has in their head why choosing you or your services is not a good idea. Through the website copy, you can address their concerns and move them along the buyer map and customer journey. Sharing the right information to positively influence a decision and move them into discovering more about what you have to offer.

FAQS

A common way to answer common questions is through a frequently asked questions section. When you are starting out think through what questions your ideal clients would have and then you can refine as you actually get asked those questions.

The Process

A subtle way to address these concerns is through a “The process” section. Where you share on your website what it is like to work with you. If you have a 5 step process, outline the basics of what that looks like. Again this just opens up the idea in the customer’s mind to actually working with you.

Bonus Tip – Determine the audience you are targeting

But the most important element is to understand who your ideal client is and how to market the website so that it attracts their attention. There are many different phrases and terms used around this subject. The simplest way to think of this is to visualize a real or virtual space filled with coaching clients you love to work with again and again. Then think through what common elements there are. List those down. Discover what messages are appealing to them. Do they have a common mentality to a particular topic? What words or phrases make them stop and take note. And which ones do they absolutely love and draw them in? Understand what they are looking for in a coach.

Go deeper

Many life coaches focus on women entrepreneurs. It is great to create a service that helps women, but look a little deeper – how do you want to help your ideal client. For example, do you want to empower women? Help them to improve their self-care? Do you want to help women be comfortable in front of the camera, so they can make video content easier? Do you want to focus on how a healthy lifestyle can make you a better motivational speaker? Maybe you want to focus on leadership coaching and how women lead on their own terms. Or show how a podcast host can be an international speaker at conferences. Getting more targeted in who you help, makes creating your message much easier.

Paint a story

Then blend and layer that information into your coaching website design, layout, and structure.  Basically think about your targeting and storytelling across your entire site. So you can turn a website visitor into a coaching client. Create website content that connects to your audience. That is the main secret of an effective website.

Next Steps

When it comes to building a coaching website there are many different options out there. Personally, I recommend using the WordPress website platform for building the best coaching websites.  When it comes to creating a professional coaching website you can research web designers or you can buy a coaching website template.

Work with me

I offer templates for an array of coaching services, including life coaching websites – if you want to build your own website. For those coaches who want to focus on their coaching business (and not learn a new skill), I also created a bespoke coaching website as well. If you are interested, you can book a call here.