How to Build a Coaching Website That Gets Bookings

Most coaching websites don’t fail because the coach is “bad at marketing.” They fail because the website is confusing, slow on a phone, or makes it hard to book. Parents are busy. Adults who want training are busy. If they can’t see your price, your plan, and your next open time in 30 seconds, they bounce.

Here’s the good news: you do not need a fancy trainer website to start getting bookings. You need a clean page that answers the big questions fast and points people to one clear action: Book a session. And if you’d rather skip building a site at first, platforms like AthleteCollective can handle scheduling, payments, and client management so you can focus on coaching.

Background: What “good coaching websites” really do (and what they don’t)

Let’s break down what a website is supposed to do for a coach.

A good coaching online presence does three jobs:

1. Build trust fast

   • “Is this coach legit?”
   • “Do they work with kids?”
   • “Are they safe and professional?”

2. Make it easy to buy

   • Clear services
   • Clear pricing
   • Simple booking button
   • Simple payment flow

3. Answer the common questions

   • Where do sessions happen?
   • What ages do you train?
   • What should we bring?
   • What’s your cancellation policy?

What a website is not supposed to be:

• A long life story
• A highlight reel with no next steps
• A “contact me for pricing” mystery box

Most coaches need a minimum viable website first. That’s a simple one-page site with:

• Bio + photo
• Services
• Pricing
• Booking button
• Testimonials
• Contact

That’s it. You can build this on:

• Carrd (around $19/year for a basic pro plan)
• Squarespace (often around $16/month for a starter plan)
• WordPress (can be low cost, but setup and upkeep can be more work)

Squarespace has a helpful guide on the basics here: https://squarespace.com/blog/how-to-build-a-coaching-website
Wix also covers the “get started” steps here: https://wix.com/blog/how-to-start-a-coaching-business-online

Main Content 1: The minimum viable trainer website (one page that converts)

If you only build one page, build the page that gets bookings. Here’s the layout I’ve seen work over and over.

1) The “above the fold” section (top of the page)

This is what people see before they scroll. It must be clear and simple.

Include:

• A professional photo (not a blurry team pic from 2017)
• One clear sentence: who you help + what you help them do
• A booking button

Example headline (youth):

• “Private basketball training for ages 10–16. Build confidence, footwork, and game speed.”

Example headline (adult):

• “Strength coaching for busy adults. Get stronger in 45-minute sessions.”

Booking button text that works:

• “Book a Session”
• “See Availability”
• “Start Here”

Avoid:

• “Learn more”
• “Contact us” Those are weak. You want action.

2) Services (simple, scannable)

List 3–5 services max. Use plain words.

Example:

• 1-on-1 Training (60 min)
• Small Group Training (2–4 athletes)
• Team Skill Sessions
• Online Program (4 weeks)

For each service, add:

• Who it’s for
• Where it happens
• What they get

Keep it short. Two to three lines.

3) Pricing (yes, put it on the page)

Pricing filters out the wrong people and attracts the right ones.

You don’t have to list every custom option. But you should list a starting point.

Example pricing with real numbers:

• 1-on-1 (60 min): $85
• Small group (60 min): $35 per athlete (min 3)
• 5-pack (60 min): $400 (save $25)
• 10-pack (60 min): $750 (save $100)

If you want help setting rates, see our pricing guide by sport and our session package playbook.

4) Testimonials (the trust builder)

You don’t need 50. You need 3–6 good ones.

Best testimonials include:

• The athlete’s age or level (“12U”, “JV”, “new lifter”)
• The result (“made the travel team,” “added 30 lbs to deadlift”)
• The feeling (“more confident,” “finally consistent”)

Example:

• “Coach Sam helped my 13-year-old stop fearing the ball. Two months later, he made the A team.” — Parent, 13U baseball

5) Contact + safety basics

If you work with minors, parents want to know you’re serious.

Add:

• Email
• Business phone (Google Voice is fine)
• City/area
• Simple note: “Background-checked” (if true) and insured (if true)

Helpful related reads:

• Do I need a background check to coach youth sports?
• Liability insurance for sports coaches: what you need and what it costs
• Coaching waiver template (essential clauses)

Main Content 2: Booking, payments, and the “coaching apps” decision (website vs platform)

Here’s the thing: the website is only half the battle. The real battle is the back-and-forth texting.

If you’ve ever had this conversation 20 times in a week, you know:

• Parent: “Do you have anything Tuesday?”
• You: “Maybe. What time?”
• Parent: “After 6.”
• You: “I’m booked. What about Thursday?”
• Parent: “How much again?”
• You: “$85.”
• Parent: “Can we pay after?”
• You: “Sure.”
• Parent ghosts.

That’s not coaching. That’s admin work.

Option A: Website + separate tools (more DIY)

This setup can work, but you have to connect pieces.

Typical stack:

• Website (Squarespace/Carrd/WordPress)
• Booking tool (Calendly, Acuity, etc.)
• Payments (Stripe, Square, PayPal)
• Forms/waivers (Google Forms, PDF, e-sign tool)

Real cost example (monthly):

• Squarespace: $16/month
• Scheduling tool: $0–$20/month
• Payment processing: ~2.9% + $0.30 per card charge (varies by provider)
• Total: $16–$36/month plus processing fees

This is fine if you like tinkering and you’re organized.

Option B: A coaching platform (simpler ops)

If you want fewer moving parts, use a platform built for coaches.

Instead of juggling Venmo, texts, and spreadsheets, AthleteCollective lets parents book and pay online while you manage everything from one dashboard. That means:

• Your availability is always up to date
• Payments are tied to sessions
• You can track sessions and revenue without guesswork

This matters because speed wins. The coach who replies fastest (or has instant booking) usually gets the client.

If you want to go deeper on systems, our booking and scheduling system guide and how to collect payments beyond Venmo & cash are solid next reads.

A simple rule for choosing

• If you’re under 5 sessions/week, keep it simple. One-page site + basic booking is enough.
• If you’re at 10+ sessions/week, the “tool pile” starts to break. That’s when coaching apps and all-in-one platforms save you hours.

Practical Examples (with real numbers): three coaching situations and what to build

Let’s make this real. Here are three common setups and what I’d do in each.

Example 1: New personal trainer starting from zero (adult clients)

Goal: Get 5 paying clients in 30 days.

Minimum setup:

• One-page trainer website on Carrd ($19/year)
• Embedded scheduling link
• 3 service options with prices

Offer:

• Intro session (45 min): $49
• 1-on-1 (60 min): $90
• 8-session pack: $640 (that’s $80/session)

Math:

• If you sell 5 people the 8-pack: 5 × $640 = $3,200
• Even if you spend $19/year + a booking tool, you’re profitable fast.

Website wording that helps:

• “Train in-person in Austin (South Lamar).”
• “Perfect for beginners who want a plan.”
• “Book your first session this week.”

Comparison scenario:

• If you hide pricing, you might get more messages.
• But you’ll waste time on people who can’t pay $90/session.
• Listing prices usually means fewer leads, but better leads.

Example 2: Travel baseball coach doing private hitting lessons

Goal: Fill weekday evenings and Saturday mornings.

You’re probably fighting two problems:

1. Parents can’t tell what you offer
2. They don’t want to text 10 times to schedule

Minimum viable coaching website sections:

• “Hitting Lessons (Ages 9–14)”
• “High School Hitting (Ages 15–18)”
• “Small Group Cages (3–5 hitters)”

Pricing example:

• 30 min lesson: $55
• 60 min lesson: $95
• 4-pack (30 min): $200 (save $20)
• Small group cage (60 min): $35 per hitter (min 4) → $140/hour gross

Simple profit comparison:

• 1-on-1 for $95/hour = $95/hour
• Group cage at $35 × 4 = $140/hour
• Even after a cage rental fee (say $30/hour), you net $110/hour before taxes.

Website “booking” win:

• Put a button: “Book a Cage Time”
• Show your locations: “XYZ Indoor Facility” or “Field 3 at ABC Park”
• Add a clear cancellation line (24 hours)

If you need one, grab our private training cancellation policy template.

Example 3: Youth basketball skill coach running small groups

Goal: Keep groups full all season.

Your website should sell the program, not random sessions.

Program example:

• “8-Week Ball Handling + Finishing”
• 2 sessions/week, 60 minutes
• Max 8 athletes

Pricing example:

• $249 per athlete for 8 weeks
• If you fill 8 spots: 8 × $249 = $1,992
• Run two groups: $3,984 for the cycle

What to put on the page:

• Dates and times
• Who it’s for (age + skill level)
• What they’ll improve
• How many spots are left (even if you update it manually)

Add one short video:

• 20–30 seconds of a drill station
• Parents don’t need Hollywood. They need proof it’s real.

And if you want to avoid spreadsheet chaos with rosters, payments, and reminders, setting up on AthleteCollective can keep your bookings, payments, and client communication in one place from day one.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions (that kill bookings)

These are the big ones I see coaches make on coaching websites.

• No clear booking button. If people have to hunt, they leave.
• “Contact for pricing.” You’ll get tire-kickers and waste time.
• Too many services. If you offer 12 things, people choose none.
• Bad mobile layout. Most parents are on phones. If it’s hard to read, it’s over.
• No real photo of you. A logo alone feels sketchy for 1-on-1 coaching.
• Long paragraphs. People scan. Use bullets and short lines.
• No proof. One or two testimonials can do more than a full resume.
• No policies. You don’t need legal-speak, but you do need clarity.

Quick reminder: if you coach minors, your online presence should also show you take safety seriously. That can be as simple as: “Background-checked. Insured. Parent welcome to watch.”

Step-by-Step: Build a one-page coaching website that gets bookings (in one afternoon)

You can do this in 2–4 hours if you stay focused.

Step 1: Pick your platform (10 minutes)

• Carrd if you want cheap and simple (great for a one-page site)
• Squarespace if you want an all-in-one site builder and clean templates
• WordPress if you want full control (but expect more setup)

Step 2: Write your “clear sentence” (15 minutes)

Use this formula:

• “I help [who] achieve [result] with [type of coaching] in [location/format].”

Example:

• “I help middle school athletes get faster and stronger with small-group speed training in Phoenix.”

Need help with your bio? Use our coaching bio that converts parents.

Step 3: Add services + pricing (30–45 minutes)

• List 3 services max to start
• Add real prices
• Add one package

If you’re stuck, read our guide to setting coaching rates with confidence.

Step 4: Add booking (30 minutes)

Your goal: someone can book in under 60 seconds.

Options:

• Embed a scheduling tool
• Or use a coaching platform link

If you want the simplest path, set up your business on AthleteCollective so parents can book and pay online while you control your calendar.

Step 5: Add proof + basics (30 minutes)

• 3 testimonials
• 1 short video (optional)
• Location, email, phone
• Simple policy line (cancel/reschedule)

Step 6: Test on your phone (10 minutes)

Open it on your phone and ask:

• Can I tell what you do in 5 seconds?
• Can I find pricing in 10 seconds?
• Can I book in 30–60 seconds?

If the answer is “no,” simplify.

Key Takeaways / Bottom Line (what to do next)

You don’t need fancy coaching websites to get clients. You need a clear, fast, mobile-friendly page that builds trust and makes booking easy. Start with a one-page trainer website: photo, simple services, real pricing, testimonials, and a big booking button. Then tighten your systems so scheduling and payments don’t eat your week.

If you’re building your coaching online presence from scratch, pick the simplest setup you’ll actually maintain. A clean page plus a solid booking flow beats a “perfect” site that never launches.