Planning guide
What should a coach's website say before the first call?
A coaching website has an unusual job: it sells a relationship that is hard to picture. The best ones make it concrete by naming the audience, describing the process, presenting the coach honestly, and inviting a low-pressure first conversation. Here is how we plan each of those parts with you.
Name who you coach and what you do not
"I help people live their best life" fits every coach and persuades no one. Be specific: new managers in their first leadership role, mid-career professionals considering a change, founders running a small team, or people returning to work after a break. Then say what is outside your scope. If someone needs therapy, legal advice, or financial planning, a respectful line pointing them elsewhere builds trust.
Describe the engagement step by step
Visitors cannot buy what they cannot picture. A how-it-works page should cover the first call, how an engagement is structured, session length and frequency, whether you meet by video, phone, or in person, and what support looks like between sessions. A simple timeline graphic of a typical engagement can do a lot here. If you offer group programs or workshops, give each its own page. Describe the work, not the outcome, since results depend on the client.
Present yourself honestly
Your about page carries much of the decision. Share the career path that led you to coaching, the training you completed, and any credentials you hold, named exactly. Testimonials can help when clients agree to share them, but they should describe the experience of working with you rather than promise a promotion or a new life. Use real names only with permission.
A few articles or a short guide in your own voice let visitors hear how you think before they ever speak to you. Write about the questions clients bring to you most often, without giving individual advice. These pages also give search engines more to understand about your work and your audience.
Make the first call simple and private
The discovery call should be one click from every page, booked through a scheduling tool such as Calendly. Keep the form to a name, an email, and an optional line about what prompted them to reach out. Do not ask about health, finances, or personal history in an ordinary form. Pages for each audience you coach give searches like "career coach for new managers" something to match, and a Google Business Profile with your service area and reviews helps nearby people find you.
