When I think of relationship coaches, I think of either warm and fuzzy or tough love. But what if your method is soft, but your look says tough? This is part of the problem for relationship coach Dave Rudbarg’s website. “I look like a bouncer, but I’m really a big teddybear,” says Dave.

Site Problems

5 second Impression: Nondescript site, probably created with template software, or else it’s a “splog.” At worst it looks amateur, and at best, it looks cold and uninviting (two words you DON’T want associated with coaching!).

Ok on to the issues.

1. Floating head of doom! The first thing my eye is drawn to is Dave’s head. Dave is not smiling. In fact he looks kind of mad. Is this guy going to kick my ass if I don’t shape up in my relationships (I wonder)? A smiling picture would be much more inviting. Also the “Get Relationship Coaching” header looks slapped in there. I suspect they picked this URL to get the keywords, but once the visitor is there, the header could be Dave’s name, or something more inviting/unique.
2. Site lacks identity and navigation.  It’s nondescript enough that it has that “splog” look (those pages you land on that are made to LOOK like websites but aren’t really). This is reinforced by the lack of navigation on this page. I talked to the page developer, and he said that this page is meant as a “landing page” and not a “website.” However, users don’t know the difference. If they “land” on this page after a google search for “relationship coaching,” they will assume that this is a website!
3. The hard-sell approach is wrong for this type of client. I’m pretty sure this site was designed to emulate some of the “hard sell” sites out there. You’ve seen them – the kind that tease you with the “I know the secrets and you don’t, just buy now to get them.” I’m not sure this tactic works with a relationship coach. Users want to see and hear the person, read some words of comfort, at least. A short video of Dave speaking would be great (chest up). There is video, but that has its own issues…
4. Floating instant start video. While a video of Dave speaking would be helpful to get a feel for his coaching style, having this floating video that automatically starts when the page launches isn’t the best way to go. Let users decide when to start the video. Plus, the video doesn’t paint a very flattering picture of Dave – he’s looking a little unkempt.
5. Non-helpful first text on the page: “Clearly you’re looking for relationship help, please read on.” Since it’s clear I’m here for relationship help, this text is unnecessary.
6. Where is his unique selling proposition? Why would I choose him to be my coach? In a service/coaching business, your best ammo comes from current customer referrals – testimonials on your website. Dave has many glowing testimonials, but they are buried at the bottom of the site! Just by reading them I get the sense that Dave is a great intuitive coach. This attribute can be translated into FAST results in coaching – he is able to get to the bottom of your issues quickly. Also, the bottom of the site mentions that he’s a “coach” (vs a therapist), mentioning this difference at the top might differentiate him from the competition!
7. “Fuzzy language”: language on your site should be direct and to the point. Pussyfoot language wastes space and time.

The following text is way too long:

Please Take A Moment To Fill Out The Form Below- So I Can Help You Get A Fresh Perspective On Your Relationships- Request Your Free Call Now

What if we shortened it up to:
Request Your Free Consultation Now To Get A Fresh Perspective On Your Relationships

or even

Get a Free Consultation Now!

Conclusion/Recommendations:

A visitor to this site sees barely any information that could help them decide whether to contact Dave for a free consultation (the call to action on this site). In fact, the cold nature of this website could drive potential customers away.

My recommendations:

• Design-wise, give the site a softer feel (with colors!) and give it a unique identity. Use pictures with Dave smiling and looking professional.
• Change the tone of the site from a hard sell to a soft sell. Tighten up the remaining language for the call to action.
  
• Write concise copy to show Dave’s unique value proposition. We could mine the testimonials for great keywords: intuitive, effective, compassionate. If Dave really wanted to get crazy, he could integrate another part of his life – he’s a rock and blues singer! He could be the “Rockin’ Relationship Coach.”
• Have a short small video on the front page that the user can choose when to start. The video should show Dave from chest up, and show him at his best.
• Move testimonials front and center – have a column that shows rotating testimonials.