How Fast is Your Coaching Site?

I received a request from a coach this week to review their site and provide feedback. I have access to a number of powerful diagnostic tools that let me know how effectively the site will perform in crucial areas.

I typed their domain name into a diagnostic tool and it told me that their home page would take over 35 seconds to load on a standard dial-up connection. I was floored. Now would you wait over 35 seconds for a page to load? No? Me neither.

Here's the kicker. The site could have the best message in the world. It could be the best looking site on the entire internet. It could even have an offer that makes visitors drool and want to contact the coach right away. But if the visitors don't wait around for the page to load - it ain't worth diddly.

So you want the tool huh? Just go to the page below and then type in your domain name and see how long your page takes to load:

http://www.websiteoptimization.com/services/analyze/

Scroll down to the heading that says 'Download Times' and look at the figure for a 56k modem. If it's more than 10 seconds, those people won't hang around that long to view your site. You might as well have no site at all :-(

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Do You Want to Build a Successful Coaching Practice?

Together with a number of other top coaches in the UK, I'll be delivering a workshop at the Coaching Essentials event on Wednesday 6th July at the Woburn House Conference Centre in Central London.

This promises to be a great event that will provide you with strategies on how you can build your own successful coaching practice.

You can download the full programme brochure (PDF) or visit the Coaching Essentials website to find out more. Alternatively, contact Carlton McCleary on 020 7544 1010 or 07956 507 134.

I look forward to seeing you there.

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> Tips for a quicker site

Here are a few tips to help you to get your coaching site loading within 10-seconds:

1. Use only a few images - Although images can make a site look great, they also take a longer time to download than simple text. In addition, each image needs to be requested from the server individually and this increases download times further.

2. Optimise your images - Make sure that any images you use on your site are optimised so that they still look great but have a lower file size. Typically, GIF image files are much smaller than JPEG files (though not always).

3. Use Cascading Style Sheets - Consider using CSS to further reduce download times. This technology allows you to create some neat visual effects without necessarily using images.

4. Avoid flashy site - Some sites on the internet use Flash technology to produce a visually impressive site. However these are typically large files that take a long time to download. Wave goodbye to your sub-10-second loading.

If all of the above is gobbledegook then please give it to your web person and I hope they will understand it. If not, look for another web person.

Hey - if you want a site that loads well within 10-seconds and performs in other areas too, I can certainly help you ;-> Just send me an e-mail.

P.S. Have you booked onto the f'ree Client Attracting Web-site Teleclass on 29th June at 8pm UK time?

The teleclass will focus on the key elements of a client attracting web-site. The content will be first class and I'll be following up afterwards with comprehensive notes and an audio too. Just send an e-mail to websiteteleclass@authenticpractice.com. If you don't receive the confirmation e-mail within 24 hours, then e-mail me and I'll send the details on to you personally. Thanks!

With very best wishes,

Authentic Practice
helping coaches to get more clients
45 Capitol Court
Old Coach Road
Wollaton
Nottingham
NG8 1GX

Website: http://www.authenticpractice.com

Tel.: (0845) 123 5105
Mobile: (07811) 262 111

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I work with coaches who have a strong desire to help others but are currently struggling to get clients. I help them to attract more clients and create a stable coaching practice to make a difference in the world.

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