When you're just starting your fledgling coaching business, it's common (and perfectly a-ok) to get scrappy and do it messy. Maybe you found success in landing leads within Facebook groups and converting them into clients by taking the conversation to Facebook Messenger.
But once you've worked with a few clients and are ready to grow your reach, those "do-it-messy" techniques aren't sustainable and not having a website can actually be holding your coaching business back.
At the mercy of others
Social media outages
Being at the mercy of social media is risky business and an unnecessary risk.
Remember in late February 2021 when Facebook blocked all Australian news content from being shared? This ban negatively impacted all Australian news sites... as well as some companies who weren't even based in Australia or classified as news sites. If any of these companies were strictly run on Facebook and didn't have their own website for potential customers to visit to discover more about them, they would've taken a HUGE hit to lead and client generation.
Just last week (March 19, 2021), Facebook-owned social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp went down due to a major outage. This wasn't the first incident: Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs went down in December 2020 and both platforms experience massive outages back in Thanksgiving 2019.
Fortunately these outages and bans were temporary but it helped drive home the importance and necessity to have your very own spot on the interwebs for potential customers to find you, learn more about you, and book your services.
Pandemic problems
With stay-at-home orders in place worldwide and the risk of COVID-19 infections high, many business owners were forced to get creative with their offerings and business models to stay relevant, stay open, and serve their customers. This led to the most creative and flexible businesses finding methods that transformed their services into virtual versions of themselves. Since the onset of the pandemic, businesses have been rushing to get websites up to ensure their online presence is secured -- making it easy for their customers to find and interact with them.
This means businesses who've been resistant to getting a website hang out on the struggle bus, driving AND giving tours. When your competitors have websites and you don't, the choice is simple for customers to book/buy from another business who makes it easy for them to purchase.
Blaze your own trail
Your coaching business doesn't have to be at the mercy of social media or pandemic whims when you have a website. Having your own virtual spot on the interwebs also provide very positive, impactful growth to your business. Read on to find out how having your own coaching website can boost your business growth.
Your website is your best employee
No matter what phase of business you're at, your website can serve you and your clients in spectacular ways. Imagine your website as an employee in your business.
- This employee is available ‘round the clock, 24/7
- They're always willing to help potential clients & students find the info they need for you
- They always look the part and represents your coaching business perfectly
- They are far more cost effective than hiring a public relations manager, a receptionist, and a marketing specialist
- They attract & vet your ideal clients for you freeing you up to focus on your zone of genius: creating transformations with your clients
- They even book your clients & sell your courses for you
- They make you money on autopilot
Credibility + Expectation
Nowadays, people expect a legitimate company to have a website. Over 30 percent of consumers don't even consider a business if they don't have a website. Think about it: when you're doing research on a service or product, how often do you go check out their website to get a feel for who they are, who they serve, and what solutions they provide? I assure you, your target audience and potential clients are doing the same check into your business as well. Having your coaching website reduces the research effort and makes it easy for them to get to know you.
Available at your fingertips
Having a coaching website opens the door for so many possibilities because it makes your company easily accessible to your target audience. When customers can find you with ease and reach out whenever they want, it removes the limitations of timezone differences or work hours.
Your website is available 24/7/365. If your client wants to book a free discovery call with you while they're in the throes of insomnia, scrolling the web at 2am, they can! Maybe they want to review the solutions you have for their pain points? A quick view of the information you provide on your site can help that visitor decide you're the one they want to work with and that they're ready to invest in your services immediately -- they can easily book your services and/or purchase your course or digital products on the spot without having to wait for you to personally interact with them.
Create connections
One of my favorite ways a coaching website can serve you (and serve you well!) is it creates a connection to your potential client. Building relationships and creating connections are essential in business today. By browsing your site, your clients can learn about you, your services, the products you offer, and get a general feel for how you work and what they can expect when they interact with you and your coaching business. Creating that solid foundation, that connection, is key and super easy with your website!
Showcase your value, your products, + services
Without being able to personally interact with you, it's difficult to shine the light on your value and your products and services -- unless you have your own website. Customers can easily peruse your offers and learn what working with you is like. You can provide videos explaining your coaching framework and the transformation you provide. You can offer checklists or quizzes that help establish your expertise in your field, making you the obvious choice in who they should work with.
Provide social proof
Your website is the best way to impress by highlighting the songs and praises of former clients. By displaying your top testimonials, you're able to help positively influence the buying decision of your website visitors. Seriously, 90% of consumers say their buying decisions are impacted by online reviews. And when you sprinkle this social proof throughout your site, it provides instant credibility. (Bonus points if it's a video testimony!)
Save time with automation
Automation is a powerful component of online business that can be a fabulous key to an exceptional client experience. Your website can make it super simple to book a call with you, buy your course, or sign up for your webinar with ease.
Having automation on your website frees you up to do your best work: provide transformations to your clients. You don't have to spend hours in DMs convincing clients they should choose you -- your website can do the convincing for them. You don't have to be present to send them the link to your booking calendar, it's embedded on your site. You don't even have to create an invoice and write an email sending it to them -- automation can take care of those admin tasks for you, giving your more time in your day!
Increases your coaching business visibility
Having a coaching website is a big boost to the visibility of your business. It dramatically broadens your company's reach to thousands more potential clients than what spending 30 minutes inside a Facebook group can provide. Your target audience can do a simple Google search, see your website, and check you out at the click of a button. Your previous clients can also share your website's URL with their friends.
Your website is the most valuable marketing asset your coaching business can have. It makes acquiring new clients a breeze, reduces your time spent completing manual admin tasks, and boosts your sales ten-fold. If you're feeling frustrated by the lack of clients, time, and money within your business, a website can directly improve each.
Are your interests piqued? I'm happy to provide answer to your questions in a zero-pressure convo. Feel free to book some time with me and discover how I can help get more time back in your day and more money in your wallet with your own coaching website.
