While catching up with a friend last week, I learnt that he is working with a life coach to define and achieve his life goals. I found it fascinating how life/career coaches can empower someone to achieve their goals.
The next thing I know I was looking up a career coach online for one of my career goals, and the process was not as straightforward as I might have imagined. After visiting several (half-baked) websites and signing up for the ‘no-obligation clarity calls’, things somehow didn’t seem to work out. In the end I couldn’t find a coach that matched my requirements, but here are my suggestions for them to convert more people like me:
Social proof is everything: I doubt if there is any other industry where social proof is more important than the coaching industry. Testimonials (video testimonials if possible) are essential to inspire trust, and I didn’t find these on most of the websites (at least on the homepage) I visited.
If testimonials aren’t possible, please highlight how many people you’ve worked over the years and the impact of your work. I would say something like this to start with - “Transformed 350+ everyday professionals into badass go-getters since 2010”
Also if you can please highlight your certifications, brands you have worked with (if applicable), and other relevant information to inspire trust.
Price and process transparency: Having an hourly/program pricing online is helpful not just for the prospects coming to your website but also for yourself. You are likely to get more potential, qualified leads, and it will save you tons of time talking with people who can’t afford your services.
Also, please be transparent about your process - weekly group workshops, or one on one sessions, it needs to be on your website. Saying “I offer many different coaching packages at a variety of price points.” won’t take you far I am afraid.
Empathetic responses: I received templated replies to my messages/mails which is another way of saying that you don’t care. Once again, I can’t think of another industry where personal touch and empathy matters more. A customized message addressing the prospect’s concerns, is the simplest way to build connection.
These are leads that should be easier to convert. They have already approached you and you need to ensure they feel you’ve heard them. In case you are too busy to write custom responses, please consider hiring a Virtual Assistant.
You are the brand: Brand names like ‘Rise and Shine Now’ or ‘Strategic Career Intervention Consulting’ aren’t really required, because you are the brand. These names can be the legal names for your business, but not important from a marketing perspective.
Eg. If your name is ‘John Doe’, then ‘John Doe - the career/life coach’ is the brand. There is no need to create a brand name like ‘Confidence Booster Inc.’ and confuse the audience. Unless of course John is a business owner who hires coaches to serve his clients (like an agency).
Website/UX Design: The websites I visited looked like they were from the early 2000s, at-least 40% of them. You definitely don’t need the most modern and fastest website in the world, but it should be ‘acceptable’ quality. A responsive website providing clear information on the services and the coach, along with an option to schedule a call should be good to begin with.
There are several no-code website builders like Carrd, Wix, SquareSpace, WordPress, etc to get your website created very easily. Calendly is the most popular app for scheduling appointments and meetings, and it could be integrated with your website. This could make scheduling the discovery call a seamless process.
The points mentioned in this post are basic and should be easy to execute. Once you have checked all the boxes above, you can move on to the next steps - creating lead magnets, email automation, social media optimization etc. One step at a time towards your goal, as mentioned by the career coach I didn’t hire.
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