Appreciate reviews of my website

[SlimDownShapeUp]

Hi,

I would appreciate a review of my website. I am a personal trainer. My website has two purposes:

1. As an advertisement/link/contact details of my mobile personal training service in my area. On advertisements (online and offline) I list my website so that potential clients can visit and learn a bit more about the service.

2. I provide an online personal training service. This is where I would really appreciate comments/opinions. I would like comments on how well the site encourages people to sign up for online personal training. I have found it works well for clients I talk to or know, etc and then refer to my website because they already know me personally, my skills as a personal trainer, etc. But what I would really appreciate is how the offer of online personal training comes across to 'cold leads' or people who come across my site with no prior knowledge of me, my business or what I can do for them.

I appreciate comments/constructive criticism/reviews. The site is www.slimdownshapeup.com

Thanks

[Chris Bates]

Your website is too text heavy, and doesn't funnel me into contacting you.

More focus is drawn to subscribing to your newsletter, rather then me contacting you to set an appointment. I think you would get a lot of "big button" users, people who look for big things to catch their eye. Rather then people who prefer lots of information and text.

I think it would be good to make it a bit more personal as well, with profiles/bios on the trainers available.

Overall, no I don't think your website would be effective for cold leads. It's effective for warm leads, because it gives already interested people more information. Cold viewers would get bored before being sold.

You need a re-design, that's more focused on the "time poor, big button" users you would likely get. You also need to develop your copy and your sales message, to catch peoples attention faster.

Cheers,
Chris

P.S. Online Personal Training... Now there's a niche!

[vxd]

I don't like the design. It's not appealing, welcoming or personal.

I thought the website's alignment was wrong at first because of the menu box. Usually people would associate that grey box to be aligned to the left of the screen not the middle. It just doesn't look right to me.

Is there suppose to be a logo in the darker box on the left?
All I see is the grey box.

You have too many colours and font size on the home page. Keep it simple and clear for the viewers. Too many colours, font and font size tend to distract the viewer from the main purpose of the website which is the content.



To answer your question about how well the site encourages people to sign up:
I think if you make the website more welcoming then people will consider signing up.

You need to work on the design and the usability of the website.
The website is slack and lazy and this will effect your image as a Personal trainer.

[answermyphone]

hello,
I am just finalising my own website so have given this some thought. I'll have you look at mine too when it's up!!
I was looking at your site and thinking what do I need to feel about this service to opt in for personal training.
IMO I need to feel secure. I've had a baby, looking weighty and feeling unfit. I need to see happy, healthy and normal people. I also want to know a bit about who is going to be making me sweat. Will I like you? will you be worth my time and money investment? Will I trust you, what is your success in the past. To me, personal training is about lifestyle, energy, feeling good, achieving goals, feeling good. This would talk to me on a website:
Consistent, confident and clean font
great images that create a mood and a personal feel and is inviting me to use your service
lots of opportunity to connect with you
Ask me some questions Are you interested in online training? and some outcome questions Are you looking to feel good again?
Hope this helps and good luck with your business.

Nicci
Answer my phone
my website is coming...so I know how much work is involved!!
0428645501

[rowans]

Are you getting much traffic from Google?

Considering how old the domain is, you have very few links,and your site has not been index for quite a while by the search engines.

The grey seems to be a distraction - does not add any value.

It's good to see an opt in box offering a incentive "NEW! Our Free Six Part Weight Loss Series: The Forgotten Ingredients For Weightloss Sign up for free today"

This should be on everypage, either above the fold or on the sidebar, add a bigger button, with my appealing "subscribe" join or get our newsletter


Your font changes size through out site

I like your Story how you changed your body.

The copy needs a bit of work, try show them how they will benefit from services and how they will feel being fit and healthy.

[geminithinker]

I agree with Chris. Definitely too much text.

Also seems a bit impersonal? Body weight is a very personal thing and it would be good to have a design to appeal especially to a female audience since you're also highlighting training specifically for mums

[tr3nton]

Need your business name at the top somewhere, not just some womans leg.. this appears to be on the home page (not in the header area) but not on the other pages.

I don't like having to scroll down to see all the content, then back up to go to another page. (aside from FAQ, as obviously this is a long list of questions/answers). Also, better to just have the questions listed for FAQ, with a link to the relative section in that page. Why not have the text a bit wider on the page? - to the right?

minor details - on your navigation, i can see a darker gray box around each navigation link, which imo should just be the same colour as the background. Perhaps highlight the currently active link? i.e. leave the dark gray background around the link.