Do I need a website for my life coaching business?
That’s a question I’m hearing more and more from new coaches. My answer is yes, you do need a website. People do their research online. Your ideal clients are looking for you. You need a website so they can find you.
Having said that, you don’t need a website on day one. For example, you may want to test the waters to see if coaching is right for you.
In this case, you can look for your first clients within your personal network. Contact people you already know and tell them about your coaching business. You can learn more about how to get your first paying client(s) here.
But once you’re committed to becoming a life coach, then a website is a vital part of your online presence.
A good life coaching website allows potential clients to browse before they buy. They get to know you without feeling pressured to commit. They can put a face to your name and learn about all that you offer.
But you don’t need a fancy website that costs you thousands for the custom design and logo. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to make it look “perfect.”
You simply need a basic website that sells. I call it a minimum viable website. And it won’t take you long to set up.
In fact, if you follow the directions in this post, you can get your life coaching website up and running in just a few hours.
Can you spend more time getting all the bells and whistles in place? Absolutely. You can always improve your site.
But, if you use wanting a perfect website as an excuse to not make progress on your life coaching business, that’s not good.
If that’s you, I challenge you to bravely let good enough be good enough. Don’t allow your website be a stumbling block to launching the business of your dreams.
Instead, follow this process to quickly get your site up and running. You can always go back and modify it later.
And for a complete guide on how to start your coaching business, check out my book Make Money As A Life Coach. When you follow the steps in this book you’ll not only start your business, you’ll also sign your first paying client(s) in as little as 30 days.
Set up a Basic Website
Before you can add content to your life coaching website, you need to purchase a domain and set up your site. I highly recommend hosting with FastComet. Their cost includes a free domain for life, which is an amazing deal.
I don’t want you to get hung up on the technical details of starting a website. So, I have a step-by-step guide for you to follow.
Click over to this post on starting a blog.
Follow the first five steps to get the foundation of your website in place. This will show you how to install WordPress, select a theme, and add pages.
If you want your life coaching site to have a blog, you can certainly continue through the tutorial. But you don’t need a blog to have a profitable coaching business.
Customizing Your Site for Your Life Coaching Business
Once you have a basic site, and know how to add pages, it’s time to optimize it for your business.
For your minimum viable website, you need four main pages:
- A Home page
- An About page
- A Services page
- A Contact page
Keep reading to see what to include on each one. As you set up each page, keep your ideal client in mind. What do they want to see? What colors will speak to them?
Everything on your website should speak to your target audience and draw them in.
Your Home Page
When someone navigates to your URL, they wind up on your home page. It’s an important page. The goal of this page is to introduce yourself to your potential clients and help them get a vision of the possibilities.
You want to capture their attention so that they visit the other pages on your site.
If you offer a free discovery call, make sure it’s easily accessible from your home page. Don’t make potential clients dig for it.
Also, put your picture on this home page. People connect with people, not websites. This is especially true for a coaching business. Showing your face helps potential clients see that there’s a real person behind your site.
I recommend including a couple of testimonials on your home page. You can use a plugin like Easy Testimonials. This will allow you to cycle through testimonials and make them look great.
Testimonials give you social proof. They tell your potential clients that someone else did this before them and benefited from it.
Don’t have any testimonials? You can:
- Ask a friend that you’ve provided coaching to for one
- Ask your current clients for a testimonial
- Collaborate with someone in your ideal audience and offer a discount in exchange for a testimonial
Again, don’t get caught up on this.
If you don’t have any testimonials right now, make plans to get some in the future. Then keep moving on. You can launch your site without them.
Some life coaches have a FAQ section on their home page. If you decide to add these, make sure they are client focused. Speak directly to your potential client. Use “I” and “you” throughout to keep the language welcoming.
Your About Page
Your About page is the place to let your passion shine. Tell your story. Show some vulnerability by telling your unique life experiences, and then swing the story to position yourself as an expert. You overcame obstacles and know how to help others do the same.
But, don’t get the impression that your About page is all about you. It needs to share your story, but more importantly, show why YOU are the best person to work with your client.
Use this space to talk about your idea clients. Let them know what you can help them with. Explain what they can expect when working with you.
As an example, check out my about page. But make sure you don’t copy and paste! You want to bring your unique personality to your About page.
Consider ending your About page with a couple of fun facts or a quirky picture. Something that gets behind the scenes, to help build a connection with your readers.
Your Services Page
This is your sales page, the part of your life coaching website that turns prospects into clients. It’s where your messaging comes together, and you share what you offer.
Dive deep into your ideal client’s world and use language that resonates with them. Know how they speak and talk directly to the people you’d like to work with.
Be clear about the specific problems or challenges you help with. And be explicit about the outcomes your clients can expect from working with you.
For example, in my first coaching offer I helped clients write and publish a bestselling book. This was a specific and desirable result to my prospects. And much more compelling than describing myself as a “writing coach”.
Also, provide practical details about what to expect. How do you connect with your clients? How many calls do they get if they sign up for ongoing coaching? What do they need to do to prepare for the calls?
Answer as many questions as you can, to help make the decision easy for your clients.
You can list your life coaching rates on this page, if you want. It’s a good way to offer some transparency.
However, there are many successful life coaches who don’t list their rates on their site, so do what feels right for you and your audience.
Your Contact Page
Your potential clients need a way to get in touch with you, no matter what time of day (or night) they land on your site. You need a contact page.
I’ve discovered that simple is better. Don’t ask for too much information or have a cluttered contact page with tons of data boxes.
I recommend using a Contact Form plugin. It’s an easy way to get a contact page up and running. Make sure you go into the settings and verify your email address. Otherwise you won’t get notified when someone contacts you.
Beyond the Basics for Your Life Coach Website
Those are the basic four pages I recommend having on your website. They can get you up and running.
Then, when you have some time, here are some other pages and features you can consider adding:
- A checkout page (to automate the payment process)
- A blog (to provide useful information to your readers)
- An email sign-up form with a freebie (to build an audience of prospective clients)
Starting a Life Coaching Business
A website that sells is one aspect of a successful life coaching business. To learn more about getting started with this rewarding business, read these posts:
Ultimate Guide: How To Start A Life Coaching Business
Do You Have These 7 Traits Of A Successful Life Coach?
How To Get Coaching Clients When You’re Starting Out
