How to Choose a Web Designer and Drive Growth
There are so many flavors of web designers out there that it can be hard to find a good one. Checking out their web design portfolios and client testimonials are must-dos.
But to know if it will work out well, you’ll need to meet them, chat, and try them out.
A bad fit means wasted time and money. The common issues are:
- “The disappearing designer” — they just go poof and never respond
- “Scope creep” — the project expands and never ends due to lack of clarity
- “The micromanagee” — when your freelancer needs too much hand-holding
These kill your mojo.
Three Keys to Choosing a Web Designer for Coaches
I’ve hired techies, designers and assistants in the past. Over 13 of them. When you want someone to get things done, speed things up, it’s massively better when your hired gun:
- has multiple skills because there are a lot of moving parts to a website — tech, visuals, images, software, and more.
- can complete tasks on time and make quick decisions to get things done.
- can listen well and show they understand your vision — so you trust they’ll take action in the right direction.
So, I suggest you ask yourself, Who would make a great fit? What skills, work habits, and communication style are ideal?
Growing your income, adding new clients, and seeing progress comes from getting things done — swift, smart action.
Getting up the first mountain of your business, proving you can get it to work with a batch of clients is inevitable if you’re always taking steps upward.
More Questions to ask YOURSELF before choosing your web designer.
Figure these out before meeting with potential designers, techies, or VAs.
- Do you require a specific platform (site builder)?
- What’s the main result you want? More bookings? List growth? Other? And, how’s the copy looking — got nothing or too many ideas?
- Are you ging to niche or stay more general?
- Visually, what’s most important?
- What’s an ideal timeline and budget?
The coaches who go the furthest launch quickly, get out there, and then improve.
In a Nutshell: The Ideal Web Designer is a Catalyst for Biz Growth
The key is to be clear about WHO YOU NEED so you can quickly move to the first goal — like 10 paying clients in the next 3-6 months.
Many of the coaches I have built websites for will land new clients BEFORE we finish their websites because we aimed for the right goals and took swift action.
Remember, think about your business needs and the best-fit designer so that you see real, rewarding growth.
Ever hire a web designer? How did it go? Got a tip you would share? Post below.
I love hearing real stories from coaches around the world. Tell me about what’s worked for you, or perhaps something that went bad. Just post below, I’d love to know.
Thanks Kenn — this was a great read. Having in-house support has really helped me evolve my site as my message becomes clearer through client work. Curious what you’d prioritise for coaches working with an external designer to get that same clarity?
Great question.
Yes, client work is fabulous as a source for clarifying your messaging.
For coaches with an outside designer, who may not be around you regularly (I think this is what you mean), it’s a great move to share your client stories with the designer.
I usually elicit these from coaches as I design for them:
* Client testimonials but in story format, and definitely use words clients say
* Ask the coach about he/she does that works so well
* Making a list of 20+ challenges, struggles, worries, goals and dreams of the main ideal client
The messaging usually surfaces from that.
This article made me reflect on my process for hiring a web designer to update my coaching website. I started by looking at the contending web designers’ own websites. Were they easy to navigate? Captivating? Demonstrating the knowledge & skills of the designer? In all those cases, your website was the winner.
I also made a list of all the changes I wanted to make prior to jumping on a call. Although some of my changes were basic (& probably any designer could handle them), others were vague like “I want to make it clear that I also coach men along with women.” That’s where the real designer magic kicks in. I appreciated your suggestions & am thrilled with the results. Now, I’m curious what vague requests you’ve received from other coaches & how you implement them.
The vague stuff, good question. Thanks for that.
Visual design is a biggie — making it look good.
Many coaches want to “feel good” about the design yet can’t pinpoint what would do it. I’d say it’s when the wording, the images, the colors, all “feel right.”
And things feel right when they are:
1 – layout feels simple, not cluttered
2 – organized in a way that makes sense “to the client” (the buyer)
3 – aligned to flow and lead visitors deeper and to take action
4 – color combo/scheme is cohesive
5 – imagery is consistent
Much of this comes from the Coaching Brand Archetypes I talk about. Here:
https://coachingsitesthatwork.com/coaching-brand-archetypes/
Messaging is another bigger — some story or framework to stick to throughout the site.
Really juicy question!
I’m curious. Do you specialize in a single platform or are you able to design in any platform the client wants to use?
I mostly use WordPress, so I’m a specialist there.
But I’ve used nearly all of them.
WordPress is the most complex of the design platforms, which brings handy capabilities — of which I make the most use of SEO, content, blogging, traffic building.
Being a techie (programmer all my life), I’ve used, and can quickly learn any of the builders. Conceptually, they are similar — and most aim for an interface that patient, everyday people can learn.
I’ve designed and supported clients in lots of others like Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy Builder, Coaches Console, and more.
Kenn, I love the ‘launch and improve’ philosophy. I’m a big believer of launching imperfectly and grow as I go – often getting feedback from both friends, clients, strangers – and invite pros like you too to help….
I especially appreciate your point about finding a designer who understands the ‘flow’ of content. A website that looks beautiful but doesn’t guide the visitor is like a well-dressed salesperson who stands in the corner and refuses to speak. It’s ‘present… but absent.’
Question for you: In your experience, do you find that coaches struggle more with the visual identity or the messaging (copy) when they first come to you? And do you recommend they nail down their ‘messaging strategy’ before they even book a discovery call with a designer? Or are you a “message-crafting ninja” as well? 🥷
I thought a lot about this.
And I’d have to say “all of it” — messaging, visuals, and they don’t want to do the tech.
Overwhelm is a good word for this.
Yes, content is a biggie, and that usually means a closer look at the ideal/target client.
One thing I find tremendously useful, is to do your personal research before to be able to ask the right questions and feel confident about your web designer. There can be many good designers out there, but just among a few you will find the right one for you.
Ask yourself, “Am I commited to invest the necessary time to get the best experience and results from my Web designer?”. Find the time, it will be key to your sucess.
That’s true … a big part of the work is the coach who is buying the services. Content needs to be created.
Though today, with AI, and with a designer who has some copywriting experience, it can go swiftly. THanks for chiming in Daniel.
Lots of good advice about websites for coaches starting out. I wonder if you have considered an article about websites that evolve as a coaching business grows and refines. In some ways it’s harder to reshape a website than starting from scratch because you are faced with what has been created in the past but you may have outgrown iit. The right fit for web designers is essential but so is a website that grows WITH you!
Baggage ;P
Often it’s good to start fresh, especially if the focus of the biz (clients/offerings) have changed because the domain name may change, the graphics, etc.
I’ve been through varying situations — total redo, revise a site, enhance one.
One tricky part is if you have multiple audiences … the further they are from each other the more difficult.
So, like a business coach who works with home builders wouldn’t have a hard time speaking to these two types of clients: (1) new homebuilders and (2) seasoned home builders.
A yoga instructor who also wants to add spiritual life coaching to their business often struggles (the cases I’ve seen) because they are promoting 2 quite different services even though it appears to be under a similar realm of zen-ness. One part is getting people into the studio with local promotion. The other is generating leads for one-on-one coaching clients. I suppose there may be a clever way to co-mingle the two. I just seen lots struggle with the two, especially on their websites and marketing materials.
This is often what works: one website (conversion tool) for one client with important struggle. SO like a teacher wanting to change/enhance their careers for more pay, enjoyment, benefits.