When getting ready to launch your health coaching business, you might be eager to begin building your website. You may feel the need to have a respectable place where potential clients can learn more about you — a place outside of social media to easily see your qualifications.
But before building your website, make sure it’s ready to work for you, rather than just serve as a landing strip where visitors come and go. If you publish your site prematurely, you may confuse instead of creating new leads or converting them.
Understand the technology needed for building your website
Let’s first review the technology that powers your website.
1 Domain name
Your domain name is your main URL — for example, nataliegensits.com. Now, you can often get free, less customized domains and hosting through a program or host, such as WordPress. But usually, you do not own these domains, and you may be more limited in the functionality of these sites.
If you want to purchase a specific domain name, type “domain name search” into your browser. Then use a resource such as Namecheap or GoDaddy to see if your preferred domain name is available. You may be able to purchase your domain name for as little as 10 to $12 per year depending on its availability and the demand for that domain name. Your domain name then becomes an annual expense.
2 Website host
Next, your web host is the provider that hosts your website, such as GoDaddy, DreamHost, Bluehost or SiteGround. With “basic hosting,” the host simply stores your website while you manage the backups of it. Think of hosting as your storage space for data, be it, email, or website-related, but in this case, it’s for your website. I suggest paying more for managed hosting, which includes some additional features, including having backups done automatically for you.
If you’re planning to have your website built by a professional, be sure to pay for a plan that allows at least one “delegate user” or “delegate access”. This allows you to grant your website designer access to your staging site and account without sharing your personal data and passwords. You can always downgrade your plan after your site is live if you’d like.
Website hosting ranges from $100 to $300 per year, depending on your plan. I used SiteGround for several years and can recommend it, although I only used my site as a landing page during that time.
Currently, I’m trying a different host out. Know that it’s not a big deal to change hosts once your site is built and live, so don’t worry about finding that perfect host. Just find one that offers what you need right now. Especially if you’re paying for your domain name, you own it and can connect it to a different host as needed.
3 Email host
If you’re wanting a personalized email connected to your domain name (example natalie@Nataliegensits.com), you will need to pay for email hosting. Email hosting can cost as little as $20 per year. Website hosts such as GoDaddy, DreamHost, SiteGround and Bluehost provide email hosting as well. Just know that it is a separate function from website hosting.
Prepare to put these three technical pieces into place before building your website.
Domain name $10+ annually
Web hosting $0 to $300 annually
Email hosting $20+ annually
Total $30+ annually
These prices are based on my recent examples and will fluctuate, of course.
The Difference Between a Web Developer vs a Web Designer
In short, a website developer will work on the coding needed to design a website. A website designer will work with the visual elements and layout to make it more user-friendly and help you get a higher conversion (placement of your buttons, etc.), but must work within the limitations of the coding. If using a theme, for example, a designer must work within the limitations of that theme because she is not usually versed in altering the coding to get the site to do what you want.
That’s why it’s best to work with your designer to find a theme that offers all the functionality you will need for your website before putting her to work!
Acknowledge the Power of Words Before Building Your Website
One of the biggest mistakes I see with newer websites is that the copy fails. Know that you can post well-written copy — even professionally written copy — but if it’s not client-focused copy, it will not convert as well. This means it will not turn visitors into leads or clients.
If you want your website to convert, you need client-focused copy. This means your copy speaks more to your potential clients than it does about you. It tells your visitors how they will benefit from working with you. It helps them determine if they are your ideal clients or not, ideally in the upper half (i.e. top of fold) of your homepage, which is prime real estate.
How To Write Client-focused Copy
1 Hone your elevator pitch — that is your purpose statement. Reflect — what is your story behind why you are health coaching? What problem do you help solve? What success or benefit will your ideal client receive from working with you specifically?
2 Get to know your ideal client intimately. Who have you already helped in this purpose? Or maybe you are a version of your ideal client or have been in the past. Know your ideal client like your bestie. Can you answer those Newlywed Game Show or bridal shower questions about her or him?
Understand the long-term problems she needs help with. Know the smaller thing she needs right now. For these two questions, after talking directly with my ideal clients, I personally go deeper into prayer, asking God and His Holy Spirit for clarity. This is so I can stay true to His purpose and not slip into the idea of trying to manifest my own desires or assumptions.
3 Speak or write to your ideal client, one to one.
- Always incorporate a problem, your solution to that problem and the success that he or she will experience from working with you.
- Use her language and lingo instead of your technical lingo — without being wordy. Focus on her or his benefits more than your credentials.
- Provide a clear, single call to action (CTA).
Of course, once your website goes live, people don’t just automatically flock to it. That’s why it’s important to create a lead magnet that people can get via your website — to create a reason for your ideal clients to visit your site and drive traffic to it.
But now that you have a clear understanding of the technology needed, the physical building of your website will feel less daunting and more exciting. You’ll be grounded in your purpose, committed to your ideal clients and showing up naturally with confidence. Then with your client-focused copy, your could-be clients will be more informed about how you can help her, and more likely to book a discovery call with you.
If you’d like help polishing your elevator pitch and niche and getting set to drive traffic to your website, book a free discovery call about my Website + Kickstarter Copy Package by clicking here.
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