5 Coaching Website Mistakes to Avoid
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5 Coaching Website Mistakes that Turn Clients Off

Posted by Marissa Russell (USA) | July 29, 2016 | Comments (9)

1. You aren’t providing a call-to-action on each page on your site.

There are few things worse in website user experience than going on a website, getting excited about a product or service, and having no clue how to buy it or learn more about it. If the next step for the prospective client to take is not clear on every page of your website, you increase the odds of them giving up and moving on to another coach. Information alone is not enough. Prospective clients need both information and direction of what to do next.

2. You aren’t displaying the prices of your coaching services.

Hiding the prices of your coaching can send a message that you lack confidence in your pricing and fear that it will scare people off. By not listing your prices, the very thing that you are trying to hide, your expensive offerings, is still implied to prospective clients. Be transparent with your clients about exactly what they are getting into, so they will be better enabled to trust you from the very beginning. No matter what price your services are, your ideal clients who see your value will find a way to pay for them, not move on to someone else. Display your prices with boldness, knowing that you have the skills, experience and testimonials to back them up.

3. You aren’t telling your prospective clients the specific benefits of working with you.

You are going to help your clients become more successful. Wonderful, but what does that look like? In what specific ways can you help your clients? Is it through helping them prioritize and clarify goals? By holding them accountable for actions? It is important to tell your clients exactly what you can do to improve their lives or you will look like a snake oil salesman.

4. You have outdated blog posts on your website.

Outdated blog posts can make prospective clients question if you are even in business anymore or if you are taking your business seriously. If you are actively operating your business in 2016, there is no reason why your latest blog post was written in 2011. How can someone trust you to help them improve their life if you won’t even actively maintain your website? If you do opt to have a blog on your website, ensure that your latest blog post is never more than two months old. If you do not want to keep up with the blog maintenance, eliminate your blog on your website. It is better to have no blog at all on your main website than one that makes you look negligent and inconsistent.

5. Your website doesn’t feel personal.

Who are you? Your client is not getting coached by a company; they are getting coached by a human being. Does your website reflect that? Are there pictures of you, an “about me” page, a video with you speaking, or any of the like? Coaching is a highly personal service, and it is important to give prospective clients insight into who you are as a person so they can trust you enough to enter a coaching relationship.

Marissa Russell (USA)

Marissa Russell is CEO of The High Achieving Woman, where she coaches typically high-achieving women who have fallen off track back to greatness.

The views and opinions expressed in guest posts featured on this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the International Coach Federation (ICF). The publication of a guest post on the ICF Blog does not equate to an ICF endorsement or guarantee of the products or services provided by the author.

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Comments (9)

  1. bren murphy says:

    Good one Marissa, I’m sure my website needs a revamp and a fresh blogpost – I’m on it! Grateful!
    Bren

  2. Marissa great article…I am adding my prices to my website and adding a call to action to every tab!!!
    Thanks
    CoachTBankston

  3. Thank you queen Marissa, My website by the grace of God is being built long over due launching Aug. 2016 and you have given me great insight on what is needed for me to implement. Awesome. August is the 8th month the number of new beginnings this came right on time. God bless your endeavours.

    Thank you,
    In Demand Coach Kisha J
    *The Stiletto Queen Of Transformations*

  4. Marissa. Great article!!! I’m going to look at each item take note on my website. Thank you so much for this very valuable information. Many Blessings & Much Success, in…lifelightlove*anita

  5. Leona says:

    Thank you for the encouragement to post prices on my website. I do that, and sometimes wonder if that is the best idea!

  6. Dean Curtis says:

    Great list! I’d like to know more about displaying our pricing though. Your logic seems sound. But I don’t know too many that do this!

  7. Thanks for the tips. I also have posted prices and unposed them. Am now considering re-posting
    them…..seems like this is a dilemma for many….. Thanks again for the sharing….Enjoy…Chris

  8. Coach Zeeh says:

    Very crisp, informative and to the point article Marissa! Thank-you!

  9. Martha says:

    Great article. I’m not in complete agreement in regard to the prices being put on the website. I’ve had several business coaches say the same thing: “By putting your prices up on your site, prospective clients are basing their decision on price rather than your value.” I don’t feel this is hiding prices. So people could make an immediate judgement coming to your website that your price is too high without even knowing what you have to offer. On the other side of the spectrum, you want to attract ideal clients who are willing to invest in themselves and not have multiple discovery sessions only to find out that they are not ready to invest. Thank you for this article!
    Martha

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