The BIG AHA for a Website That Attracts Clients

Most coach websites (and this is similar for designers, solopreneurs, and service professionals) discuss topics that don’t resonate with clients. What actually works is something far simpler — and I learned it the hard way.

I was blown away because, in a single week, I signed up 3 new high-end clients and added over 12k to my income.

It happened in Paris in March 2008, when I tested my business abroad. I wanted to know if I could really work and travel at the same time.

At the top left, my quick office setup includes a pen, paper, a cheap laptop, and a geeky gamer headset I got off Craigslist a week prior.

The others were just outside the little maid’s apartment. It’s Montmartre, in the northern section of Paris. This neighborhood will charm the pants off Matthew McConaughey.

I was visiting my French girlfriend at that time, eager to explore the city.

Yes, this is one of those stories of struggle and eventual success. And I hope you have a breakthrough as you read this.

In this article, you’ll learn about …

• my painful, failed website efforts
• the game-changing discovery about what works
• what I did to apply the new wisdom and get more clients
• tips for coaches to bring in more leads

Let’s dive in …

In 2001, I left my corporate life, super excited about my career change. But things got challenging quite fast …

It was a tremendous relief when I ditched the 9-to-5 and dove deep into web design.

I’d spend 15+ hour days coding, designing, learning, and simply going nuts about all things related to the Web.

And I loved it!

While I did manage to scrape up a handful of small clients along the way, I was sadly earning under 10k per year — which might work in Thailand. But this is pricey New York.

After a few years living on Long Island and then a few more in Manhattan, my savings depleted, my credit card debt mounted, and I was feeling the pinch.

It’s not easy to downshift from a sizable, steady paycheck to not knowing where money was going to come from to pay the bills.

But I kept the faith and hold on to the idea that “if you do great work, then the money will follow.”

Hoping to attract clients online, I redesigned my website over 13 times. But that didn’t work.

When I first started out, I was hoping the “next version” of my website, boasting my latest design skills, would result in more leads.

But none of them worked.

In hindsight, I can tell you that “learning more technical skills” is NOT the way to attract more clients.

Similarly, I see coaches accumulate more training and certifications, hoping that their big list of credentials will do the trick. But sadly, many remain low on clients.

A better-looking, slicker-functioning website, while nice to have, is not sufficient to bring in clients, and you’ll learn why down below.

Additionally, I tried a bunch of other things with so-so results …

I tried cold calling. It taught me a lot about selling, but I found it wasn’t the right fit for me or the trust needed in selling tech and coaching.

I tried BNI and leads groups. The early meetings and mingling felt too much like the old office life I left. Plus, they seem to only work for termite inspectors, lawyers, and accountants.

I tried Toastmasters. Oddly, I got a few clients from it, even though that wasn’t why I joined. But it still wasn’t online, which is where I needed to focus.

I tried Google Ads. It was very easy to try, but I couldn’t get it to work. Trust is key in professional services, and I don’t think ads build that.

I tried SEO. It worked better, and leads trickled in, but it still wasn’t enough back then.

But then …

Lucky for me, in 2008, the magic happened. I pulled in over 10k in one week.

I was bouncing off the walls with excitement after signing up three new clients for my high-end package — two paid in full before we started.

I was blown away. Joy. Relief. Curiosity.

Sitting in that narrow hallway of the 11th-floor maid’s quarters, I kept asking myself: How the heck did that happen?

Then it hit me.
My website had to be all about the client — not me.

Why did these three complete strangers say yes after just one call? What was really at work here?

A week later, the answer came clear as day: every part of my business — my website, marketing, services, and process — needed to revolve around the client’s needs, not my own.

The more I did that, the more clients showed up.

As you can guess, I also applied this to the websites of coaches who hired me.

Remember, it’s all about the client.

How do you put the client first?

I have a lot to say about this, which is why I wrote a book, The Coaching Website Guide. It’s been revised 4 times since then, to the current 2025 edition.

Back then, what I did were …

1. I restructured my main offer.

I realized clients needed to feel a sense of order. So, I added a clear schedule, key milestones, and regular calls. It gave them confidence that things would run smoothly.

2. I created a big form.

I made my contact form longer with questions about the client’s situation (goals, challenges, etc.) It both (1) showed I cared, and (2) helped me keep focused on their needs.

3. I wrote relevant blogs.

I wrote blogs on topics that my clients cared deeply about. The closer my content was to their needs, the more they wanted to work with me.

Look at these articles I sent to my list …

6 Big Questions Every Coach’s Website Must Answer, got 452 opens while Increase Newsletter Open Rates with Santa’s MV Technique got 231.

I’m sure you can immediately sense the former was more important.

The Big Aha in a Nutshell

I’ve gone through quite a bit of heartache and pain in my quest to build a website that helps me get clients. The biggest lesson was realizing that your website must really be all about the client.

Remember, plenty of people are out there struggling with work, health, and relationships. And, they will feel like an angel was sent from heaven when they experience you website and it’s all about them.