Mobile websites are one of the fastest growing trends in online marketing. The majority of cellphone owners have smartphones that can access the Internet. And iPad sales in 2010 have made it one of the top fastest selling electronic devices in history. That means that mobile website use will only continue to grow.
But can a a mobile website help coaches and consultants get more clients? And if so, what would that look like?
First, let’s take a brief look at how mobile sites are used. Most people use their cellphone or iPad to access information while away from home or office. They’re using it to read email, text message others, interact on social media sites, and get restaurant or weather information. They’re watching videos and listening to audios, but they aren’t surfing the web, like most of us do with our desktop or laptop computers.
What that means for coaches is that people won’t be surfing on their cellphone looking for coaching services. And they probably won’t be searching on their cellphone for help with problems such as getting their baby to sleep through the night or learning how to have a 6-figure business.
So if you had asked me in 2009 if coaches needed a mobile website, I would have said “No.”
BUT…
This is 2010, and my answer has changed to “Yes!” Why? First, because a lot more of your customers are using cell phones. and Second, because it will help you generate more leads and sales when used with email marketing.
Mobile Website Strategy for Coaches and Consultants
If you’re doing any Internet marketing for your coaching practice, then you’re already sending newsletters and other emails to your list of prospects and clients. Many of those people may be checking their email on their smartphone.
So what happens when you send a newsletter out with a feature article excerpt that says, “Click here to read the rest of the article…”? If your website is not mobile friendly, people won’t be able to read the rest of the article from their phone.
I read a study in 2009 that said that most people who read an email message on their phone won’t go back and open that same email on their computer later. That means there’s a good chance your prospects will never go back to finish reading your article.
And what about other links that you include in your emails, like links to teleclasses, products, and programs you’re promoting? Will your prospects and clients be able to see these on their cellphone when they click on the link?
You want to make the sign up process for your teleclasses and programs as simple as possible. Don’t assume that people will remember to look at your email a second time when they are at their computer.
Even if they don’t make a purchase from their cellphone, they should still have the opportunity to immediately read all the juicy details about what you have to offer.
Mobile Friendly Websites
Now you probably won’t need a separately designed mobile website. All you need is a website that is mobile friendly – meaning a site that someone can view from a smartphone. Many WordPress sites appear just fine on mobile devices. The sites that I create for my clients – both HTML and WordPress – are mobile friendly and look very nice on an iPhone.
I recommend that you check your website on an iPhone, Blackberry, or Android to see how it is displayed. It probably won’t look perfect – like it does on your desktop computer – due to a difference in browser translation. But as long as you don’t have words or images overlapping each other, you should be fine.
Get More Clients
Use this strategy as one more method to get more clients and more sales more often. Best wishes on getting your mobile friendly website up and running.
And if you need any help, just give me a call at 423-463-0003 and ask for a complimentary consultation.
Thank you, I have recently been searching for information about this topic for ages and yours is the best I have discovered so far.
I’m really glad this was helpful. Lots of people are talking about mobile-friendly websites for local businesses. But it’s hard to find information on how service professionals – such as coaches and consultants who work globally – can use mobile-friendly websites to get more clients.
Let me know if you’d like more information on this topic and I’ll write another article.