The Top 7 Mistakes New Coaches & Freelancers Make on Their Website
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Most new coaches & freelancers are losing clients from their website. Here are 7 reasons why and what you can do to avoid these mistakes!
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video transcript:
The Top 7 Mistakes New Coaches & Freelancers Make on Their Website
In today’s post, I wanted to share with you the top 7 mistakes I see new coaches and freelancers make on their website so that you can avoid making them! If we haven’t met yet, hi! I’m Louise of louisehenry.com where I’ve helped hundreds of entrepreneurs create their dream website. If you’re new here, subscribe for easy tech tutorials that will help you own your online presence.
Alright, let’s get into the website mistakes so that you can avoid them & launch an amazing website instead!
The Top 7 Mistakes:
1. Unprofessional Design
Cringe. You know it when you see it. Poor colour combos, messy layouts and an overall unprofessional look. You’ve got to up your game when it comes to your visuals because people will judge how professional your business is based upon how professional your website is.
If you’re not a designer, invest in learning from a pro and get them to look it over before ever hitting that launch button. (hint hint nudge nudge: I do this for all Website that Wows students).
2. It’s outdated
This is the #1 reason I think coaches should create their own website. You need to be able to keep your website up-to-date, sharing new services, fresh content, recent photos and more.
The worst is when you go to a website and see promotion for an event or launch that has passed.
This is why I recommend Squarespace because you can take the power into your own hands. You can learn how to easily edit + update your website whenever you want (which saves you tons of time & money in your business). Use the code SIDEKICK10 for 10% off your first year.
3. No funnel
This is the #1 secret to a successful website. 98% of visitors will not buy from you on the first visit. It is essential that you have a funnel running in the background that takes them from a visitor to buyer after they have left your website.
Bonus of this method: This means that client pitching is done on autopilot for you. So if you’re feeling a little uneasy about pitching yourself, this is a great hack!
Double bonus: This does not need to be complicated and have a ton of different steps. I recommend starting with a follow-up email sequence that invites people to hop on a discovery call with you (you can even automate the scheduling for you, too!)
4. Uninspired signup form
You know how we just talked about funnels? Well, step 1 is to get someone on your email list.
Time and time again, I’ll see new coaches and freelancers say “sign up for my newsletter.” With most inboxes exploding, adding a generic newsletter from a company I’ve just discovered is not the most appealing offer.
I recommend that you design an amazing piece of content that you can give away completely free that will impress potential clients and also move them closer to working with you.
Give this away on your website in exchange for an email address to get them inside your funnel.
5. No expert proof
You need to imagine that a new visitor knows absolutely NOTHING about you. So you’ve got to prove that you know what you’re talking about and that you are the right person for the job. This can be testimonials, case studies, portfolio samples, logos of where you’ve been featured, photos from any speaking gigs or workshops you’ve hosted, free content and more. As long as it’s something that proves your expert status, you’re good to go.
6. Unclear Niche
Mistake #6 is that it’s not immediately clear who they are talking to. You need to call out your niche right away and it can’t be too broad.
I know, I know. I hated this topic when I started out as well! But there is no denying its importance. If you go too broad with your niche, your website copy will not connect with anyone and this is a HUGE problem.
I know that you could absolutely help a ton of different people with your work. However, you want to ask yourself, who is the MOST ideal client? Who is this the best fit for?
For example, my online course, Website that Wows, could help a ton of different entrepreneurs create an amazing website. However, it’s the best fit for coaches and online entrepreneurs who sell services or digital products. So this is who I speak to in my marketing.
You want your ideal client to feel as though they are in the right place when they land on your website.
7. No differentiating factor
What makes your method or way of doing things unique? Your website MUST emphasise this. Tell visitors what makes you unique and then use your branding to convey this as well.
Those are the biggest website mistakes I see. Remember, your website is your digital storefront - make sure you prioritise creating an amazing website!
If you’re thinking, yes, that’s exactly what I want to do, I can help. I’ll show you how to create a client-winning website (even if you’re never done it before and aren’t tech savvy) inside my online course, Website that Wows.
You know how I mentioned differentiating factor? What makes my course different is that I’ve made it as quick and easy as possible, so that you can do it no matter what your tech skills are. And I include tons of support from me so that you have a pro by your side the whole time.
That’s it for today’s video. I hope you found it helpful. Let me know your thoughts below!
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Squarespace makes it easy to create a stunning, professional website for your business. Watch this simple step-by-step tutorial to build your Squarespace website.