Does Your Website Send “Don’t Work With Me” Vibes?
Most health coach sites do. Here are the top 5 mistakes I see.
I’m shocked by how many websites I see that broadcast “don’t work with me” vibes.
It happened just the other day when a website “expert” presented to a mastermind group I’m in.
She was talking about her website service. I was interested in what she said, so I went to her site to find out more.
Oh Lordy! What a sh*t show!
Since she was selling a website service, her site should have been outstanding! It should have pulled me in and made me want to know more.
Instead, it looked so overwhelming I didn’t want to read it.
These subconscious messages repel your site visitors
I’ve reviewed hundreds of coaches' websites. And honestly, most of them are terrible.
I apologize for being so blunt. But I can see why so many coaches tell me their websites don't help them get more clients.
Ultimately, your website has ONE job…
It needs to show people why you're the obvious choice to help them.
Yet many sites do the opposite.
Here are the 5 “don’t work with me” signals I see most often.
1. The Visually Noisy Website
Whenever I land on a website that’s “visually noisy,” I feel overwhelmed. It’s like walking into a messy house, where there’s stuff strewn all over the place. I’m afraid to take a step and want to get out of there as quickly as possible. (That was the problem with the sh*t show site I told you about above.) Here are some things I often see that give your site a visually noisy look: Lots of writing … especially long paragraphs to wade through. Icons that are used to “fill up” white space and don’t actually do anything. Too many photos that don’t serve a purpose.
Okay, that was an example of what I mean. That paragraph probably looked overwhelming before you even started reading it.
I often see websites with lots of looooong paragraphs like that one. They look daunting to read.
Here’s how to rewrite that paragraph so it’s more inviting:
Whenever I land on a website that’s “visually noisy,” I feel overwhelmed.
It’s like walking into a messy house, where there’s stuff strewn all over the place. I’m afraid to take a step and want to get out of there as quickly as possible.
(That was the problem with the sh*t show site I told you about above.)
Here are some things I often see that give your site a visually noisy look:
Lots of writing … especially long paragraphs to wade through
Icons that are used to “fill up” white space and don’t actually do anything
Too many photos that don’t serve a purpose
See the difference? Exact same words, just presented in a way that’s easier to read because it has more “white space.”
It’s more inviting … like a place you’d like to hang out in.
That's the exact feeling you want people to have when they visit your site.
2. Copy that’s confusing or hard to read
If you ever wanted a reason to blame your middle school English teacher for something, this is your lucky day!
While English teachers want to help kids become “good writers,” they’re actually responsible for making many adults feel insecure about their writing.
They grow up thinking “good writing” sounds a certain way … usually “professional,” “academic,” or “scholarly.”
The problem with that kind of writing is it’s often confusing. And quite honestly, it’s usually downright boring.
Have you ever caught yourself reading an article or a book and realized you didn’t remember what you read in the last 3 paragraphs? It’s probably because the writing was confusing or hard to read.
My copywriting mentor said it’s not the reader’s fault when that happens. It’s the writer’s fault. They made the copy too difficult for people to read and process.
That’s one way people write confusing copy. Here’s another way…
People often believe good copy is “catchy” or clever. This is especially the case when it comes to writing a headline.
This approach can work great in Madison Avenue style advertising.
But most of the time, catchy headlines bomb. They just aren’t clear.
So the problem with these things is they make a person have to work. They have to think to process what you’re saying and figure out what it means.
A good writer does the work so the reader doesn’t have to.
The best way to do this is write the way you talk.
If you have a hard time doing that, it’s because you’ve been conditioned. Here’s a tip to help you out.
Pretend the thing you’re writing will be read by a 10 year old. If you use words and sentence structures that a 10 year old would understand, your writing will be better than most people’s.
3. Pictures that send the wrong message
Pictures make an instant impact. They send a message that goes right into your brain without passing through any “thinking” filters.
That’s why it’s so important to pick the right pictures for your website.
Your pictures should relate to what you do and who you serve. If your perfect client is menopausal women, don’t show pictures of twenty-somethings on your site.
Ideally, your pictures will reflect how your perfect client will look and feel after they get your help.
4. Buried treasure
For my son’s 4th birthday, I planned a pirate party. I planted clues around the yard that would lead them to the buried treasure.
The clues finally led the pack of pint-sized pirates to the sandbox with a big X on it. (X marks the spot!)
Then they started digging feverishly…
And they found the treasure!
The birthday boy got to open it while his mateys waited anxiously to see what was inside…
The kids had a ball!
But the people coming to your site aren’t there to play pirate.
I often see websites that have the treasure buried at the bottom of the page or even deeper inside the site.
What do I mean by treasure?
It could be the type of coaching you offer … an opt-in for a valuable resource … the unique way you get people results.
You need these things on the home page.
5. Website “dead ends”
Every page on your site should include a call to action that invites the visitor to take the next step with you.
It can be to opt in for your amazing lead magnet (you do have an amazing lead magnet, right?), an invitation to check out another part of your site to hear more, or to read your latest article, etc.
Here’s why this is so important.
You need to invite your site visitor to keep engaging with you. Otherwise they reach a dead end. That creates a negative feeling … even if it’s subconscious. So make sure every page has a call to action on it.
If you’re building a website, or considering a refresh, you might enjoy this post: This Kind Of Website Gets You More Health Coaching Clients
