One of the best things about starting a business today is that technology has almost completely decimated the barrier to entry. It is possible to start a coaching business for very little upfront capital, and you can start making money without the need for multiple systems and assets. We have seen coaches start their businesses on TikTok or marketplaces like Fiverr to bootstrap their startup. So you may be asking yourself do I need a website for my coaching business?
Alternatives to a Coaching Website
Let’s start by taking a look at the ways coaches are selling their services without using a website. There are two main ways coaches can start coaching without a website:
- Social media
- Online marketplaces
Both of these ways of starting a coaching business without a website allow you to find coaching clients and close the deal all in one spot. Let’s take a look at each alternative to a coaching website in detail.
Coaching Website vs Social Media
Starting a coaching business on social media is a popular option because it allows you to attract and nurture a large audience. Get the algorithms right, and you could get your new coaching business in front of thousands of your dream coaching clients. Here are the benefits of social media vs a coaching website.
Benefits of Social Media
- Social media platforms are free to set up, and you can build an audience for free.
- Social media platforms allow you to reach your dream coaching clients in a non-salesy way.
- Social media platforms open two-way communication between you and your dream coaching client.
Limitations of Starting a Coaching Business on Social Media
- Social media platforms have no way of processing payment or enabling the coaching, so you will still need third-party apps.
- Social media platforms are ruled by ever-changing algorithms meaning that your traffic can dry up at any moment.
- Social media platforms make it difficult to display all your services and offers in one place.
- Social media platforms increase the customer journey time because they need to wait for you to answer your DMs.
Coaching Website vs Marketplace
A marketplace allows you to put your products and services in front of people who are looking for them. You can use service marketplaces like Fiverr or Upwork or product marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon KDP. Here are the benefits of a marketplace vs a coaching website.
Benefits of a Marketplace
- Marketplaces do the work to bring people looking for services or products – especially if you advertise on marketplaces tailored to your service.
- Marketplaces are set up to allow buyers to place orders and will process payments for you.
- Marketplaces are like training wheels – they allow you to focus on coaching while you learn the business side of things.
Limitations of a Marketplace
- Marketplaces, like social media, use search algorithms, so your coaching business traffic is at the mercy of algorithms.
- Marketplaces can limit your pricing because of the high competition.
- Marketplaces standardise profiles and listings, so it can be difficult to stand out or find your voice as a coach.
Benefits of a Website for Coaches
It is so easy to sell your coaching services using these two methods that many people claim that you don’t need a website to run a coaching business at all.
We say differently, and not just because we’re website copywriters.
We believe that coaches should absolutely take advantage of social media and online marketplaces to keep their starting costs low. Coaches should start their business on social media because it allows them to test the water without investing too much money. However, once you’ve made your first sale, you should create at least a basic website. Here is why we’re pro websites for coaches:
- Control over your business – When your business is solely done over social media or a marketplace, you are at the mercy of a third party. If the business shuts down or an algorithm changes, your business could go from successful to a ghost town overnight. Having a website keeps you in control of your coaching business and gives you options.
- Streamlined customer journey – On social media and marketplaces, you have to sit back and wait for your clients to come to you. With your own website, you can manage the customer journey better to make it easier to convert leads into coaching clients. You can organise all the information customers need to make a buying decision in one place and allow them to take the first few steps instantly.
- Professional email address – Once you have a domain name, you can create a professional email address that has your domain name after the @ instead of using a Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo email address. It is such a small thing, but coaching clients will trust you more when you are using a proper business email address.
- Organic search traffic – You can optimise your website to send you traffic from dream coaching clients who are searching for your coaching services. SEO provides your coaching business with the most qualified free leads of any other lead generation method.
- Endless automations – You control your website, so you can set up automations and test tools to make your process more efficient. Better efficiency means you can serve more coaching clients and increase your profits.
The good news is that your coaching website can start off as simple or as comprehensive as you want it to be. You can start with a simple one-page website using a website-building platform like Wix, WordPress, or Squarespace. Once you have a web presence, you can upgrade your website when you are ready to grow your coaching business. At that point, you will have the funds to hire a website copywriter, graphic designer, and web developer to create an intuitive website.
When you’re ready to hire a website copywriter for your coaching business, consider our bid officially in. We create website copy that puts your personality front and centre, so your dream coaching clients can get to know, like, and trust you while learning more about your coaching program. Ready to make your website the heavyweight of your sales team? Learn more about our website copywriting services for coaches here.