How to create a great website: a guide for coaches

I’m currently on a course to become a business and personal coach. At some point, my colleagues and I are going to have to launch a website to market our wares and get some clients. As someone who’s created a fair few websites in my time as a copywriter in an advertising agency, I thought I would share some of the things I’ve learned about the process. 

First, get your priorities straight

As a newly qualified coach, you might be tempted to focus all your energies on creating a beautiful, all-singing, all-dancing website. This way there be the dragons of distraction, procrastination and perfectionism. Right now, your priority isn't to launch a website: it's to get some clients. These are two very different things.

People don’t buy coaching from a website. They buy it from a person. In this case, you. By far the best way to get clients will be through personal referrals. Mine your existing networks. Reach out to professional colleagues, friends and friends of friends. Think carefully about who you could approach one-to-one. Make sure you get testimonials from people who benefit from your coaching.

As for proof of your credentials, you can probably get by for a while with an up-to-date LinkedIn profile and a well-written coaching bio. This is a short description about what you do, who you do it for and why you're qualified to do it.

But anyway, about that website…

Having said this you probably will need a website at some stage. If nothing else, it'll allow you to say 'yes, of course' when someone asks if you have a website. More seriously, a website is a great way to reinforce your reputation as a credible professional. Crucially, it also allows potential clients to get a good sense of who you are before they've even met you. This is where things like telling your story and understanding your personal brand come into play. But more on that later.

Ready to play first impressions?

Ok, we've established that you should have a website. So, the next question is, what does your site need to do?

To answer that question, let's play a game.

Imagine your ideal client. Right now, they're just going about their business with no idea who you are. They have zero thoughts about you – either good or bad. At this stage, let’s score their impression of you as 0.

The aim of the game is for your ideal client to visit your site and a few minutes later (at most) emerge with a very favourable impression of you. Let's score it as a 10. When your potential client's impression of you is at 10, they're still not ready to hit the buy button. But they’re definitely looking forward to talking to you to find out more.

Here's what your site needs to do to get you to a 10.

It loads fast and is super easy to read  (+2)

Nobody wants to wait more than a few seconds for a site to load. Very few people think the pay off of whizzy animations is worth waiting for. What people do want is easily digestible, nicely presented information. If your ideal client is on a packed train and they’re curious to find out who exactly this coach is that their friend recommended to them, your site needs to provide answers quickly. If it doesn't, you're already at -2.

To be fair, pretty much all sites these days are mobile optimised. Just make sure you check what yours looks like on a few different phones and that your audience can get what they need fast. If you’ve got lots to say, keep your landing page light and put the more in-depth information on sub pages.

Your client sees what's in it for them (+2)

Start with your client and the problems you can help them with. How will working with you benefit them? Your opening gambit shouldn't talk about how you've fallen in love with coaching. They don't need to know that your unique approach combines CBT techniques with the ancient practices of mindfulness and the well-timed use of vision chairs. Do this and your potential client won't have a clue what you're going on about. They probably think vision chairs are something you find in Specsavers.

This is why having a coaching niche can be such an advantage. You can make it really clear that you understand your client's challenges, speak their language and get their world.

You feel like someone they'd like to work with (+2)

People buy people. This is obviously true. And it’s even more relevant for coaches. In a crowded marketplace where even your niche is saturated, the only thing that differentiates you from other coaches is you. Your experience. Your story. Your personal brand.

The worst thing you can do on the 'About' bit of your site is exaggerate or distort the truth. Don't try to be someone you're not. Don't try to be everything to everybody. You'll just come across as bland and unmemorable. It's much better to present yourself authentically. You're an interesting, multi-layered person with a lot to offer. This way you give clients who are right for you the best possible chance of thinking 'This is exactly the kind of person I need!'

Another way to build trust with potential clients is to make sure you have a good quality photo of you on the site. It makes a big difference if your reader can see the person behind the words.

Your satisfied customers do the selling (+2)

If I say I'm amazingly insightful, incredibly empathetic, and make Nancy Kline look a chatterbox - who's going to believe me? Obviously no one. And even if they did, their first impression of me is probably going to be that I'm arrogant. But if someone I've coached thinks nice things about me and they're even prepared to take the time to write something for my site, this is much more credible evidence of my ability. This is why your site should definitely feature a few well-chosen testimonials. Although don't overdo it. Think four or five not forty.

The imagery isn't cringetastic (+2)

There are a ton of clichéd images in the world of coaching. You know those stock shots of a man with a lightbulb above his head to show he's had an idea. Or a woman with a briefcase leaping over a hedge. Or a group of people juggling on top of a mountain as a metaphor for how they’ve reached the pinnacle of their potential despite having so much going on in their lives. Please don't go there.

Obviously, the best way to create a great looking site is to hire a designer to do it for you. But if you're committed to doing it yourself, try to choose images that reflect your brand that aren't cheesy. As always, if it doubt, keep it simple.

Bonus points for a decent video

If you’re confident in front of camera and have access to good quality video, I’d say this is pretty much the best thing you can do. There’s no better way for someone to get an instant impression of you than through a short film. The downside is that videos sometimes buffer and don’t work. That's why I'd say you need words to tell your story too.

Some examples of good coaching sites

To bring all this stuff to life, here are a few examples of coaching sites I think work. I've chosen these after a quick hike through the coaching landscape. Apologies if I've overlooked your masterpiece.

1) Claudi Danser

Claudia's site is really clear and to the point. From the first page I can instantly get what she offers and why she's a totally credible executive coach. She writes in the language of leaders and highlights the results her work delivers. This is obviously right for her target audience.

2) Emma Thomson

What I like about Emma's site is how she effortlessly makes her three niches - leadership, maternity and career coaching - all part of the same story.

3) The Career Psychologist

I've chosen this one because it covers a team of psychologists - as opposed to a one-person business. The headlines on the site are great - they really spell out what's in it for clients. The imagery also works for me. It's humorous not cheesy. Plus there's a really interesting blog.

How to get started on your own site

If you have no experience with all of this stuff, I’d definitely recommend hiring a designer to create your site. It’ll save you a lot of stress, time and effort. You could possibly have a go at the copy yourself. Just remember, you’re not writing a dissertation. Keep it simple, sharp and succinct.

If you are interested and confident enough to have a go at creating your own site, there are a lot of website builders out there. For my own creative consultancy site – andrewsewell.com – I used strikingly.com The upside of this tool is that it’s very easy to use. Simply choose a template and add in your own content and images. The downside is that you can’t customise the templates much. It’s also a bit tricky to create a bespoke email that matches your site. In the end, I settled for good enough rather than perfect, which at least helped me stop overthinking it and actually publish the damn thing.

Hope this is useful. Cheers, Andrew

I'm Andrew Sewell - an award-winning freelance writer with a background in employer branding. I've helped create recruitment marketing sites for all kinds of organisations: Deloitte, Lloyd’s of London, Tesco, HM Prison Service, to name just a few. Right now, I’m training to be a coach with Barefoot. Hence my sudden interest in coaching sites.

Like I said at the top, I've based this article on my experience as an ad copywriter rather than a coach. It'd be great to get feedback from some experienced coaches out there. How vital is your website to the success of your coaching business?