If you're a coach or therapist with an already established, successful business, then you've probably already asked yourself this question whenever you hear the word 'website'.

Let's face it, if you've already got more clients or patients than you have time for, what possible reason could there be for adding more work and expense to your already busy schedule?

Are you already successful in attracting new bookings? Does word-of-mouth from your existing clients bring you plenty of new referrals? Perhaps you have an effective strategy for leafleting local homes or businesses, and that brings you enough new business as it is?

I recently listened to a podcast interview between Yaro Starak and Leigh Peel about Leigh's successful 'Fat Loss Troubleshooter' blog.  Despite (or I would suggest perhaps thanks to) Leigh's busy schedule as a personal trainer during the day, she has also built up an even more successful blog and internet business, including her popular ebook on weight loss and dieting.

There are many lessons to learn from Leigh's experience about how to grow a successful blog and web business in addition to a successful 'day job', which I won't go into here, but you can listen to the interview and read the transcript at Yaro's blog.

So, if you're already a successful coach of therapist, with a busy day-to-day working life, then I've written this post just for you.

6 Reasons Why Successful Coaches or Therapists Should Have Their Own Websites

1. Its easier to be successful online if you're already successful offline

This should be obvious but is worth emphasizing. If you already have clients, patients and a network of contacts and influencers who help refer new business to you, then a website will only make it quicker and more convenient for people to get in touch with you. A website will allow you to communicate with people collectively rather than purely on a 1:1 basis or via small groups.

2. You've already got lots of useful knowledge and advice to tap into

You've already proven that you have valuable expertise and knowledge. Yes, despite what you might think that is absolutely true. If it wasn't true, would you have any clients at all? In Leigh's case, she is able to publish useful tips and advice to her entire web audience in one go, rather than just repeating the same thing to people individually face-to-face.

3. You've got a ready-made audience from your existing clients and contact network

If you already have clients and patients, then its easy to mention your new website when you see them. A simple "I've started a new website with lots of special tips and advice,  feel free to go and check it out at …." will instantly start to build your audience. And if your content is as good online as it is offline, then your audience is only likely to build up and up.

4. Your perceived authority and expertise will only increase

If you haven't yet published your own book, then a website – and especially a blog – is almost as good. People who write books are perceived as experts, period. So, if you have a blog for the whole world to come and read, with lots of useful content, then in some ways that is even better than being a published author.

Why? Because unless your book is free not everyone will buy it, and of even those who buy the book, only a minority will read it. With a free website however, its much easier for people to consume your content as its free and in bite-size chunks. If they like what they read, they'll devour the rest of your information and will return for more as soon as you have some. Therefore, the more people that read your content on your website, the higher you will be perceived as an expert in your field.

5. You can replace manual labour with automated systems for generating new and repeat bookings.

This is probably the most important reason for having a website if you are already in a successful business. The chances are that your business works thanks to lots of manual processes e.g. answering the phone, making bookings, answering queries about pricing etc, perhaps even chasing payments. Well, if so, then a website can start to automate as many of these processes as you wish.

To start with,  it certainly should capture people's details via an enquiry form. It can automatically send out a reply to that person immediately thanking them for their enquiry. Your website could also offer a page of information in the form of 'frequently asked questions', thereby reducing the number of phone calls with the same questions time after time. Finally, you can even make special offers to people and take orders at the same time. Are you offering a special course of treatments, or a new seminar on a hot topic of likely interest to your existing customers?

6. Google is the new Yellow Pages.

Its a fact that more and more people, especially when they are looking for local services, are turning to Google before going anywhere near the Yellow Pages or other offline directories. So, if you are ranked highly for the following search term 'physical trainer + the name of your town", your details will be the first that they see. no longer do you have to change your business name to be 'AAAA_Your_Name' just to get first in the Directoty listings!

Instead, people will potentially be seeing your name first in the list! And providing your website is of a suitable professional standard, how positive a first impression do you think you'll make? Chances are they'll be contacting you straight away, either by phone or perhaps more likely, that very convenient, simple contact form on your web site. Indeed, they're also likely to sign-up for your e-newsletter or blog at the same time…