If you’ve been on social media at all these past few years, you’ve probably noticed it’s impossible to avoid the plethora of online coaches offering content to their followers to sell either individual coaching, group coaching, or online learning programs. It’s obvious that coaching is one model of work that had really moved online, and this sector has benefited greatly from social media platforms to help coaches find prospective clients and gain a platform for teaching. So whether you’re an armchair relationship expert, an established IRL (“in real life”) business performance consultant, or a general life coach or therapist, your business could greatly benefit from transitioning to an online work model.
What is Coaching?
Coaching is described as any creative or collaborative process through which the coach and the client work together to strategize and implement a plan to assist the client in reaching their peak potential to achieve personal or professional goals. This process can include overcoming limiting beliefs, changing behavior patterns, and putting strategies into place, as well as providing accountability to reach desired outcomes.
What You’ll Need:
Training – Unless you’re already an established author, celebrity, or influencer and have public credibility to be teaching what you teach, it’s most helpful to attend a course of study to become certified. There are many different programs out there, but the most respected will lead to the qualifications and certification hours required to be certified by ICF (International Coaching Federation). This certification will show that you’ve done the training and work hours to be qualified by this prestigious organization, and is the certification most likely to be needed if you are hired by a corporation or business to work with their employees or management teams.
Tech – You will need, at the most basic, good WIFI to support calls, a quiet and private space in which to work to uphold client confidentiality, and access to basic online calling platforms including Zoom, FaceTime, and Skype. You will probably want to eventually have your own website outlining your skills and services (with a friendly, approachable, smiling headshot), and a scheduling application such as Calendly. It can also be helpful to have onboarding documents hosted via Google Forms or Google Docs. You will want a way to collect payments, such as Venmo, Paypal, Zelle, or Square. You will want an invoicing platform such as Quickbooks or Freshbooks. Social media platforms will be helpful for getting the word out about your services, targeting ads, as well as posting helpful content to your followers to engage them in the questions that may make them ponder the benefit of coaching for themselves.
Empathy and Experience – Honestly, what will make you a great coach is the ability to listen and truly connect with your clients. If you’ve been through challenges in life and overcome difficulties to meet your own goals, you will have more empathy for those in the same circumstances. You will do a lot of listening and asking powerful questions to help your clients uncover their own answers, rather than offer advice. Advice is left for the realm of consulting, which is also something you can offer online if you have expertise in anything from nutrition to online dating.
Multiple Offerings
It’s very helpful to have a variety of options available so you aren’t relying on one stream of income when coaching. Offering various ways that people can work with you can appeal to different people’s needs and budgets as well, bringing you more clients and more income. For example, you can offer individual one-on-one sessions for one price point, or group coaching for another price. Another option is to create an online course that a larger number of people can attend either via live online sessions with you or recorded videos and worksheets that they can use to learn at their own pace. It depends on how you prefer to work and what your clientele asks for. You can also ask your audience what they are looking for from you, and create something to appeal to their needs.
Many coaches also end up becoming authors. You can write a book or e-book on your area of expertise to market to your audience and reach new potential clients online once you’ve had some experience in your field. This can be another good source of income and can reach even more people who may or may not seek out coaching with you.
Have a Niche
Having a niche can be key to finding and appealing to your ideal client. For example, maybe you specialize in supporting people who are caregivers, or you want to help people reach their goals in diet and fitness. You can also be someone who helps people uncover their true desires in life, leave careers that aren’t fulfilling, or become more confident to attract their ideal relationships. Whatever it is that you have successfully navigated in your own life is probably a good indicator of what you’ll be a coaching “subject matter expert” in. What did you go through and conquer yourself five years ago? What life challenges do you have an especially soft spot in your heart for the people who are experiencing them?
Marketing to Attract Prospective Clients
However, it is that you decide to show up to market to clients, the most important thing to remember is to be genuine, authentic, and yourself. Let your desire to truly help others shine through, as coaching is a helping profession just like therapy or teaching. People are most likely going to be drawn to your sense of peace and joy if that’s what they’re seeking, so doing your self-work first and foremost is of utmost important, since you can’t preach what you don’t practice yourself.
Most online coaches create some format of free content via posts and videos on social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. From the numbers of viewers there, a certain percentage may take advantage of the coaching program or session offer you pitch. This field often uses a “freemium” model, or free several day program that draws viewers who then commit to a longer program once they’ve sampled your work. Most coaches also offer a free consultation via a 30 minute phone call to see if the client/coach relationship is a good fit.
Some people focus on corporate coaching and end up with in-house positions with companies as well. If you are focused on private practice and just starting out, it can be helpful to reach out to your friends and family with a letter about what you are doing and why it’s important to you, and ask for referrals if they know anyone looking for a coach. You may also run some social media ads, and of course, attend networking groups to meet people in person. Have a strong but succinct elevator pitch that describes what you do and who you help (niche) so that people you meet can easily understand it. Word of mouth is typically how many coaching practices grow, so meet people and do great work and pretty soon you’ll have a thriving practice of fulfilling work helping others meet their highest potential. Subscribe for more business, sales, and investing posts. Have a lovely day!
