What makes a great website?  If youʼre a health coach, your answer is probably a website that brings in clients and money.  So why is it that some websites attract clients like crazy, while others donʼt?

Itʼs because great websites focus on the right things.  Health coaches donʼt attract clients by having the prettiest or most professional looking site.  And itʼs not about using great graphics, videos, or WordPress, though those can all be great, and I recommend using them.

In this article, Iʼll take you through four easy steps that will help you have a great website – one that attracts your ideal prospects and converts them into clients.  It starts with understanding that online marketing for health coaches is about building relationships, not about selling stuff.  And your website is an integral part of the process.

Your ideal client is desperately looking for help with a health issue.  And we know they arenʼt looking for another pill to cover the symptoms.  They are looking for a person who really understands their problem and has the knowledge to help them.

In other words, they are looking for a relationship with the right person.  And your website is one of the important ways that you establish yourself as “the” expert they want to work with.

Here are the steps to get more health coaching clients with your website:

Step 1 – Focus on Attraction

To attract your ideal client, you first need to know what they like and donʼt like.  That means you need to know your niche really well.  Some people are attracted to yellow-highlighted text.  Others are annoyed by flashing red arrows.  Some people love video, while others might prefer written information.  If your ideal client is having challenges with their eyesight, hearing, or focusing their attention, you will want to keep that in mind when deciding what to put on your website.

What colors will they connect with your services?  Red is attention grabbing and a high energy color.  Greens are usually soothing, and blues inspire trust.  A lot of health coaches are using green on their sites because of the connection to “natural and holistic”.  Yellow is another common color used.

You also want to consider the market you are serving and what colors they will most likely be attracted to.  If your ideal client wants help with stress relief, you want to avoid a site with lots of high energy colors, like red, vibrant purples, and orange.  Instead, use soothing, calming colors.

What words and phrases grab their attention, especially industry specific words?  Remember that as a health coach, you are probably in the habit of using terminology that your ideal client is unfamiliar with.  Itʼs fine to use those sometime, but you mainly want to use the words that they use.

Make a list of everything that you know attracts or repels your ideal client.  Then use this information when creating your website content and graphics.  Not sure what your ideal client likes most?  Just ask them.  Give them two to five choices on a headline, color scheme, or graphic and ask them which they prefer and why.  Youʼll usually be surprised by the results.

Step 2 – Make it Easy

Once youʼve made your site attractive, you need to make it easy to them to find information.  Remember that 90% of the people searching online are looking for information.  And if youʼre a health coach, that means your ideal client is online right now looking for a solution to their health problem.

Here are the 3 areas you most want to focus on:

• Easy Navigation – Keep it simple with no more than seven navigation choices in any one grouping.  If you have more pages, use drop-down menus to put them in subpages.  Or you can create a secondary navigation elsewhere on the page.  When using categories in a blog, keep it to under 12 categories and use subcategories if necessary.  Any more than that and it becomes harder to navigate.

• Easy to Read – Avoid clutter at all costs.  Group the page into two to four sections so the content is easy to scan and read.  Use the layout of an attractive magazine page, and avoid looking like a messy bulletin board full of posted notes.

• Easy to Find Relevant Information – Include great content, and organize it in a logical way so itʼs easy to find.  Donʼt forget to include a search box on your site.  And put titles on your webpages and blog posts that include descriptive keywords.  For example, “3 Ways to Prepare for Detoxing This Spring” is a much better title than “Get Ready for Spring”.

Step 3 – Give Clear Directions

Your site is attractive, and youʼve made it easy for them to get great information.  Now you want to make it easy for them to work with you.  Without this step and the next, you wonʼt have clients.  Youʼll just have fans who love your site – which is good but doesnʼt pay the bills.

Start with an opt-in form that offers valuable, relevant, free information in exchange for their name and email address.  If you plan this well, your free offer will be irresistible to your ideal client and build a list of prospects for your health coaching business.  At the same time, it will filter out people you donʼt want to attract or work with.

Have clear instructions (text, audio, or video) on what you want them to do, such as “Just enter your name and email address below to receive your free report “How to Boost Your Metabolism in 30 Days or Less.”  Or you might use “Call 123-321-4321 for your free fitness breakthrough strategy session.”

Your instructions should tell them what you have for them, why they want it, and what you want them to do next.  The above examples do all three of those clearly in just one sentence.

Step 4 – Follow Up

To build a relationship with someone, you need to interact with them on a regular basis.  In online marketing, that means following up with prospects who are interested in what you have to offer.

Start with a series of email messages that are automatically sent to anyone who signs up for your free offer.  Next, send a health newsletter out regularly – two to four times per month – filled with tips, strategies, and articles on your health care topic.

Other ways to follow up include sending emails that offer free teleseminars, webinars, or complimentary strategy sessions.

Summary

You want to attract more high-paying clients and grow your health coaching business.  To do that, your website needs to be an integrated part of that process, not just a pretty online brochure.

It can be as simple as a one-page website with a free, irresistible offer and opt-in form.  My clients who are new at coaching are getting amazing results with these.  Or you can use a WordPress site that helps establish you as “the” expert they want to work with.

In just four easy steps, you can turn your mediocre website into an online marketing system that helps you get more clients and more sales more often.

Are you ready for a coaching website that attracts your ideal client?  Get free instant access to tips and articles on how to get more clients and sales from your health coaching website.  Just visit http://www.KarenBrunet.com.  From Karen Brunet, onlinemarketing consultant, where “Itʼs not just a website…Itʼs the Mother Lode!”