Copywriting for coaches is non-negotiable.
It’s an essential aspect of business development that can make or break your coaching practice. For this reason, you should – at the very least – familiarize yourself with copywriting principles to differentiate between good and bad copy.
But what are the frameworks, strategies, and tactics for writing more persuasive copy that sells? And, more importantly, how can you apply them to your coaching business? In this copywriting for coaches guide, we’re sharing all of that, plus some examples.
Table of Contents
Why Does Copywriting For Coaches Matter?
Copywriting is simply the art of using words to persuade. For coaches, it’s about getting people to take action – whether that’s joining your coaching program, subscribing to your email list, or following you on social media.
Copywriting is used in emails, newsletters, web copy, social media posts, sales funnels, and any other marketing materials. Each word nudges your audience towards a goal, like “learn more,” “add to cart,” or “buy now.”
The late legendary copywriter and author of “The Adweek Copywriting Handbook,” Joe Sugarman, once called copywriting “salesmanship in print.”
The benefits of good copy include:
- Build and strengthen the image of your business
- Move prospects through your sales funnel
- Increase conversions with your target audience
- Capture or enhance your tone of voice
- Connect with your dream clients on a deeper level
- Save you time by alleviating your content marketing workload
Copywriting impacts conversions, retention rates, and sales making it essential for attracting, nurturing, and converting leads into paying clients.
You can build this skill through courses, books, attending virtual workshops, virtual summits, or by hiring a mentor – whatever fits your schedule and budget best.
Three Steps To Getting Started With Copywriting
Great copy isn’t about clever words or flashy promises – it’s about knowing your audience so well that your words speak directly to their needs and desires. Here’s how to craft copy that resonates, engages, and persuades.
1. Get clear on your ideal client
Ask yourself one key question: Who are you trying to reach?
To write copy that clicks, understand your target clients’ hopes, goals, pains, fears, and frustrations. Knowing your ideal client is the first step in writing a copy that can persuade them in any meaningful way.
Here is everything you need to understand your ideal client better.
Market research and online research
Effective research goes beyond basic info – it digs into what matters most to your audience. Try these methods:
- Market research: Use surveys or interviews with past and potential clients to learn their challenges and what kind of support they wish they had.
- Online research: Check social media, reviews, and Google Analytics to see which topics draw the most engagement. Comments, shares, and page views can reveal what interests your ideal clients most.
To write effective copy that truly speaks to your audience, you need to understand them from the inside and out. When you’re in the coaching industry, knowing your audience’s needs is the heart of effective marketing.
A great example is Rebecca Ore, a coach who helps people build self-esteem and manage relationships. Her landing page showcases effective audience connection by asking specific, relatable questions.
Questions like, “Do you find yourself showing up in ways you don’t like in your relationships?” and “Do you have a low self esteem and have pretty mean thoughts about yourself regularly?” help her capture real concerns and translate them into targeted, engaging content.
When you know your customer’s pain points – and how you solve them – you’ll create copy that truly hits home.
Identify pain points and desires
People buy things based on emotion and then use logic and reason to justify their purchase.
This means you must identify your target market’s pain points (negative emotions) and desires (positive emotions) to write copy that taps into those triggers. When our emotions are engaged, we become influenced to act.
This is because we are all trying to do one of two things in life: move away from pain or towards pleasure.
It’s called the Pain-Pleasure Principle.
Jane Macgregor, a Canadian health coach, is an excellent example of this.
Her web copy starts with the benefit-driven statement, “Reclaim your body, confidence, and health.” She understands that her target market struggles in these areas. So, she uses simple language to tap into those struggles and then offers relief through her coaching services.
What can you learn from this example?
By understanding your market’s deepest pain points and desires, you can draft copy that speaks to and engages those emotional hot buttons. You can then write copy that positions your coaching services as the solution to their problem.
The result? You become infinitely more persuasive in your communication. And this will inevitably lead to higher conversions and more sales.
Create client personas
A client persona is a framework for your marketing strategy.
It provides an overview of your ideal client and serves as a reference point for your copywriting. Think of it like a blueprint that helps construct your copy. A building isn’t erected without a blueprint to guide the building process. Your client persona serves the same purpose for copywriting.
Your client persona profile will include specifics, such as:
- Pains and frustrations
- Goals and objectives
- Age, gender, and location
- Hobbies and interests
- Wealth and income level
- Marital status and education
To give you an example of how great copywriting can target your client persona, consider Aaron and Jocelyn Freeman, relationship coaches based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Their web copy explains who they help and what they help them with. The Freemans help couples struggling to communicate with each other to repair conflict and stay connected in their relationships.
It’s clear, it’s concise, and it gets their ideal client and unique selling proposition across.
2. How to build trust through copywriting
Building trust through copywriting isn’t just about selling a product or service – it’s about showing up as a real person. Clients get bombarded with offers constantly. So, you want your audience to feel like they’re talking to someone who gets them, someone who’s genuine, not just another brand voice pushing a product on them.
This is where your copywriting comes into play. It’s your chance to connect with your audience on a deeper level, build rapport, and establish credibility. When you do it right, your words create a sense of trust that encourages people to keep coming back and doing business with you.
- Understand their needs: Address their pain points like you’ve experienced them yourself. Using simple phrases that reflect their challenges shows you get it.
- Share helpful tips, not just sales pitches: Offer value without expecting anything in return. This positions you as someone who’s here to help, not just sell.
- Stay consistent: Whether it’s a blog post or a landing page, keep the tone and message consistent. This shows reliability, which goes a long way in building trust.
Take a page from Michal Eisikowitz, a copywriting coach, who does a brilliant job of infusing her voice and personality into her messaging. She’s not afraid to be cheeky, competitive, and a little bold in her copy, but still comes across as an expert in her field. That balance of authenticity and authority is what helps her build trust with her audience, and it’s something you can do, too.
By making your writing approachable and relatable, you’re telling your audience you’re here to help them, not just sell them. And that is how you build trust.
3. Study copywriting coaches and take copywriting courses
As a coach, mastering copywriting is key to building authority, making a bigger impact, and increasing your income, especially when you’re running high-ticket programs or virtual events.
To improve your copywriting, a great place to start is by learning from the best. Studying the work of legendary copywriters will help you understand what makes their messages so compelling – and how you can apply those lessons to your own business.
Here are three copywriting legends whose work should be at the top of your study list.
David Ogilvy
David Ogilvy is often called the “Father of Advertising,” and for good reason. He was all about understanding the customer and using clear, benefit-driven copy to speak directly to their needs.
One of his most famous pieces of copy was for Rolls-Royce. The headline read: “At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.”
This line didn’t just sell a car – it sold a feeling. Ogilvy’s copy made it clear that the customer would be buying a unique experience, not just a product. This ad became legendary because it captured an emotional appeal without over-explaining or fluffing up the message.
Studying Ogilvy’s work will teach you how to craft simple yet compelling copy that speaks to emotions while delivering clear benefits.
Leo Burnett
Leo Burnett, another legend, is renowned for creating some of the most iconic advertising characters like Tony the Tiger and the Marlboro Man. Burnett’s ads were rooted in emotional connections, making consumers feel like they were part of something larger. His simplicity and focus on human truths made his copy unforgettable.
One of his most famous campaigns was for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, where he introduced the now-famous tagline: “They’re grrreat!” It’s short, it’s simple, and it captures the essence of the brand. Burnett had a talent for distilling complex ideas into something that resonated with people on an emotional level.
Another memorable Burnett campaign was for the Marlboro Man, which turned a simple cigarette ad into a symbol of rugged masculinity and independence. Burnett showed that great copy didn’t just sell a product – it could build a brand identity.
Claude Hopkins
Claude Hopkins, the father of scientific advertising, was all about measurable results. He introduced the concept of testing and tracking responses to ads, something that’s just as important today as it was in his time. He focused on writing copy that directly addressed the customer’s needs and pain points, delivering a solution in the clearest and most direct way possible.
A perfect example of his work is his campaign for Pepsodent toothpaste, which featured the famous line, “You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent.”
This brilliant copywriting piece focused on a real, relatable concern for consumers – yellow teeth – and promised a solution. Hopkin’s formula for success was based on understanding the audience’s desires and frustrations and then delivering copy that made them feel understood and motivated to act.
Why take copywriting courses?
Taking copywriting courses arms you with the tools and techniques to:
- Improve your authority: Learn how to write confidently and clearly, positioning yourself as the go-to expert in your field.
- Increase impact: Courses will teach you how to connect emotionally with your audience, something essential for high-ticket offers and programs.
- Boost consistent income: Great copy is the backbone of successful sales pages, emails, and event promotions. You’ll increase revenue from your offers by learning to write copy that converts.
Taking a copywriting course doesn’t just make you a better writer – it helps you build your authority, influence more people, and generate consistent income through high-ticket offers and virtual events. When you’re building a coaching business, investing in a copywriting course could be one of the smartest moves you can make.
Proven Copywriting Frameworks You Can Use To Write More Persuasive Copy
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel when writing your copy.
Many tried-and-true methods generate results. For this reason, all you need to do is take the time to learn a few copywriting principles and fundamentals.
AIDA: Attention, interest, desire, action
AIDA is one of the most popular copywriting frameworks structured around four key stages: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. This model guides you in attracting attention to your coaching practice, generating interest in your services, creating a genuine desire for them, and spurring readers to take action and hire you.
- Attention: Grab attention with shocking statistics from credible sources and link them to your claims. You can also use stories or bold statements to draw your readers in.
- Interest: Once you have their attention, hold it. Use benefit-driven copy to engage your readers. Share stories, examples, or hypothetical scenarios showing how your coaching solutions have resolved pain points and frustrations for others.
- Desire: Use your copy to create a gap in your prospects’ minds between where they are and where they want to be. Show how your coaching services bridge this gap, bringing them closer to their goals. Reinforce this with social proof, like testimonials or “before and after” examples, to spark a genuine desire to compel your readers to act and remove any objection they may have.
- Action: Now, the moment of truth. You need to add a compelling call to action (CTA). Don’t let all your hard work go to waste by throwing in a weak CTA that doesn’t inspire readers to act now. Your CTA should be clear, easy, and obvious. Add a large button that tells prospects the exact action they must take to claim your offer. Make it effortless and eliminate as much friction as possible to improve conversions.
PAS: Problem, agitate, solution
The PAS formula structures your copy to make it precise and persuasive. It does this by honing in on your client’s problem, agitating it, and then offering a solution.
Imagine you coach startup entrepreneurs on how to grow and scale their budding businesses. Here’s an example of what the PAS formula would look like with that particular segment of the market:
- Problem: Tired of seeing leads through the cracks in your sales funnel?
- Agitate: It’s disheartening to lose qualified leads unnecessarily because your sales funnel lacks key elements that could skyrocket conversions.
- Solution: Our sales funnel coaching program offers a step-by-step framework so you can effortlessly move prospects through the customer journey, track behavior and engagement, and optimize your sales funnel to increase conversions.
The PAS formula works because it acknowledges your market’s problem, intensifies it to trigger an emotional reaction and provides a user-friendly solution.
Direct response copy
Direct response copy is a copywriting variation designed to prompt the reader to take immediate action. Some of its elements include an engaging headline, a sense of urgency, and a compelling call to action that encourages the reader to perform a specific action immediately.
A few of the most well-known direct response copywriters (past and present) include:
- Gary Halbert
- Bob Bly
- David Ogilvy
- Joe Sugarman
- Mark Ford
- Eugene Schwartz
- Claude Hopkins
- Dan Kennedy
- John Caples
Tony Robbins, the world’s most successful and well-known life coach, uses his direct response copy exceptionally well on his Date With Destiny page.
The page starts with the power benefit-driven headline “Rewire your mind, redesign your life.”
It then flows with the same intensity down the page, keeping the reader’s attention. Moreover, everything about the copy is reader-centric. Not once does the text deviate from keeping the reader at the forefront. And then it ends with a strong CTA: “I’m ready to redesign my life now.”
Writing Copy: Strategies for Different Coaching Niches
Writing copy that speaks directly with your audience – whether you’re a life coach, health coach, financial coach, or another type – starts with understanding their specific needs. For instance, a copywriter for health coaches will highlight tangible health benefits backed by case studies, while a copywriter for financial coaches might focus on clarity and financial security.
Knowing what your clients value and their goals allows you to shape messages they can relate to. If you’re a copywriting coach or work with niche-specific clients, aim to connect with the emotions and outcomes that matter most to them.
Well-targeted copy doesn’t just increase engagement. It builds lasting trust.
Writing Copy For Your Content: Websites, Lead Magnets, and Email
Creating compelling copy means tailoring it for different platforms. These include websites, lead magnets, and emails. Each of these serves a unique role in your client journey.
Copywriting for Websites
Your coaching website is where most potential clients get their first real sense of who you are. For life coaches or health coaches, a streamlined homepage that clearly conveys your solutions builds confidence and makes it easy for visitors to take the next step, like booking a consultation.
Avoid jargon and keep your language approachable in the copy for your website. Speak to your audience in terms they understand and care about.
Copywriting for Lead Magnets
Lead magnets, such as checklists or mini-guides, are a chance to show value upfront and sell your coaching program. A copywriting formulas PDF might appeal to copywriters for life coaches or health coaches. It can highlight your expertise with quick tips they can use. The best lead magnets solve a specific problem immediately, giving readers a sense of your credibility and leaving them wanting more.
Copywriting for Emails
With email, you’re in a prime position to build relationships through regular touchpoints. For copywriting coaches or those working with high-ticket offers, email provides a space for sharing tips, success stories, or insights. Keep it friendly, actionable, and conversational to make clients feel like they’re receiving personal guidance.
Each email should offer practical takeaways and encourage the next steps, keeping engagement high.
Copywriting for Social Media
Social media lets you expand your reach and interact casually with your audience. For each niche, like a copywriter for coaches, tailor posts to engage specific interests – writing tips, relatable stories, or questions that spark conversation. Ads should highlight pain points and results, staying short and to the point.
Social platforms are also ideal for sharing the lighter side of your brand and building a friendly, relatable presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I hire a copywriter for my coaching business?
If you’re just starting, stick to writing your own copy first. This helps you connect with your audience and save resources. As you grow, say, with five to ten clients and a budget, you can outsource this. A professional copywriter can help you refine your messaging. Here are some recommended books for early learning: The Adweek Copywriting Handbook, The Copywriter’s Handbook, and Scientific Advertising.
How do I hire and vet a copywriter?
Look for a professional copywriter with experience in your industry who can show results. Request samples of their past work to assess their style and ask if they’ve worked with coaches before. Be cautious of red flags: no portfolio, an overly confident attitude, or too-good-too-be-true rates often signal issues. Reliable copywriters communicate well and manage time effectively.
How do I optimize my copy over time?
Good copywriting is refined over time. A/B testing is a great way to see what resonates with your audience. Start by picking a single variable, like a headline or CTA, to test. Track your results and adjust as needed. Each test offers insights, helping you continuously improve your copy based on real performance data.
Talk Their Language, Win Their Trust
Good copy isn’t about fancy words or slick sales tricks. It’s about speaking your audience’s language – straight up, no fluff – and showing them you get it. You understand their struggles, their goals, and the transformation they’re after. When your copy hits that mark, selling becomes a natural byproduct of connection.
The best part? You don’t need to be a polished wordsmith to make it work. You just need to be real, consistent, and clear about how you can help. Nail that, and you’ll have clients lining up because they’ll know you’re the coach for them.
Ready to transform your copy into a client-magnet? Learn the 7-Step Blueprint to build a business you’re proud of so you can craft copy that turns browsers into buyers. It’s free, and it’s the next step you’ve been waiting for.