Tools and Resources for New Coaches

Are you ready to start you online coaching business but you're overwhelmed by all the different tech tools? Don't know which ones are essential and which you can wait to purchase until after you have a few paying clients. Here’s a list of tools that every coach needs…

A Website

Unless you plan on coaching the Amish, you need a website. There’s no shortage of options available to new coaches. Two of the best tools for the job are WordPress and SoloBuildIt. WordPress is free open-source software you can use to get a website up and running. But you may have to pay for themes and plug-ins if you want maximum functionality. You will also need to pay for your domain name and hosting fees. Your domain name will cost around $15-25, depending on where you register. Your hosting fees should be between $10-20 per month. 

SoloBuildIt does come with a monthly charge, but includes almost everything you need, including domain registration, hosting, email, analytics, and more.

An Appointment Scheduler

Scheduling your own appointments seems like an easy task on the surface. A potential client finds a time that works for them and asks to meet you then. But you’ve already booked that slot or you’re in a different time zone and that’s 3:00 am your local time. Using a scheduler takes the hassle out of appointments.

You simply select which times and days you’re available for coaching. Then a potential client sees your scheduler and picks the time that best fits his or her schedule. It’s simple and convenient for both of you.

Two good appointment schedulers are Calendly and SimplyBook.me. But if you’re a health and wellness coach, you may need a HIPPA compliant scheduler like Schedule Once or Acuity Scheduling.

Your Virtual Office

If you plan to be a virtual coach, you’ll need a place to conduct your appointments. You can use free or paid meeting tools like Skype or Zoom. One of the advantages of using digital meeting tools is that you can share your screen with your client. This can be useful if you need to show your client how to do a technical task.

Financial Software

No matter what type of coach you decide to be or where you choose to specialize, you’ll need a way to track the money you’re earning. Two of the most popular options are FreshBooks and QuickBooks.

Both apps allow you to send invoices to clients. Even better, you can set up recurring invoices that are generated automatically every week or month. This saves you time and keeps you from having to manually message your clients to get your payments.

Don’t get overwhelmed with all the tools and options that are available. Start with the basics recommended above. Once you’re comfortable with them, you can expand and start adding more apps to your coaching toolbox!

Are You Ready To Dip Your Toe Into Coaching?

I am passionate about health and wellness. I wanted to start a coaching business where I help busy home entrepreneurs and seniors become healthier. But I was worried that I lack the experience to actually do this. My own weight loss hasn't been that dramatic. But I am pretty healthy for my age and despite my extra pounds. So I decided to go for it. 

One small problem...how to get clients when my most visible selling point, weight loss, was happening so slowly!

If you want to coach others, you may be facing a difficult problem. You want to coach but you don’t have any clients yet. How will you get clients if you’ve never actually coached? This dilemma can make you feel like coaching isn’t attainable for you.

But that’s not the case. Here’s what my coach advised me to do…

Coach for Free

Take a few clients on for free or low-cost. Explain that you’ll coach these potential clients for a month or two in exchange for honest feedback and a testimonial at the end.

Keep in mind that the clients you work with should fit your image of an ideal client. For example, if you want to coach busy moms to become healthy then taking on three empty nesters looking to change career paths is a bad move. You’ll struggle to coach them and you’ll feel frustrated when you can’t help them reach their goals.

Host Open Phone Sessions

Start by hosting weekly calls. Welcome your Facebook group to join in these events and share what problems they were facing that week. Then try to provide solutions to their problems.

Invite your community to call you with their concerns. Chat with them for 5-15 minutes. This works best if you have a list or community already built up. Follow up with callers who sound like they might be a good match for your coaching services.

Join Coaching Groups

Look for coaching groups on social media platforms. You might join a business coaching group. Then you see someone has posted a thread because they have a potential client who’s looking for a WordPress coach. You can offer your services as a potential solution.

The advantage of joining a coaching group is that you get to meet other coaches who can refer you and who you can refer. That means if you have a coaching client that needs help with her finances, you can ask your group for a recommendation and know your client is in good hands.

Take It Seriously

Even if you’re just coaching your friend, treat her like you would a real client. Show up to your meetings on time. Take the time to listen to what she’s saying. Ask follow up questions. Go beyond the easy answers to offer real solutions.

Don’t stop there though. Be sure to take notes about what results your client is getting. I started by documenting my own weight loss. I logged how many pounds and inches I lost. When I was ready to start my health and wellness business, I was able to turn my notes into a case study. I even got two clients because they downloaded my study and enjoyed it.

You don’t have to jump into the coaching niche and make a big splash. It’s OK to dip a toe or two into the water. This lets you discover which clients you could be a good fit for and helps you develop your unique coaching style.

Should You Become a Certified Coach?

When I decided to add coaching to my business, I wasn’t sure what to do next. I knew I could take a few courses and become certified but I didn’t know where to start. If you’re where I was and you want to start coaching and you’re not sure about certification, here’s what you should know.

Look to Your Local Laws

Before you do anything, do some research on your area. Many cities and towns don’t require that life or business coaches become certified. If yours doesn’t, then you’re in the clear and can proceed to the next step.

If you live in an area where you need to be certified, then you want to gather a list of requirements. Do you have to be certified through a specific institution such as a university or college? Do you have to practice a certain number of hours before you can begin taking on clients?

Keep in mind that even if you aren’t legally required to do anything, certification adds an extra element of authority to your coaching. It can also be useful and lead to amazing networking 

opportunities. For example, John Maxwell offers certification. If you complete his training, you can promote that certification. This can make it easy to develop a steady stream of clients.

Do Some Digging

Before you get certified from by an organization or school, do some digging. Make sure the place is trustworthy. You can start by using a search engine. Just type a search phrase like this: “(School Name)” + complaints or like this: “(Certification Program)” + scam. Remember, some organizations may hire reputation management experts so go past the first page of results in your search.

Talk to Previous Students

If you didn’t find any red flags from your online sleuthing, then it’s time to discuss the course or school with previous students. Most programs will share a list of their successful alumni with you. Keep in mind that a certification program that refuses to let you talk to previous students should be avoided.

When you do reach out to students, let them know that you care about both the bad and the good. Ask what they liked best, what they didn’t enjoy, and what they wish they’d known before they signed up.

Find the Right Instructors

If you don’t like the instructor or teacher, you probably won’t enjoy your lessons. It might be that your personality isn’t a good match for that instructor or you simply don’t enjoy their teaching style. Whatever the reason, don’t force yourself to sign up for classes that you know you’re going to hate.

As you’re considering different programs, remember to pay attention to how the information will be delivered to you. If it’s an audio course and you hate listening to MP3s, it will be difficult to make yourself do the work. Try to find trainings in a format you like and will use.

Becoming certified as a life or business coach can be a good idea. Just make sure to do your research before you register to become a student.

Finding Your Coaching Specialty

Specializing as a coach helps you stand out. Anyone can become a coach. So why should someone choose you over "Joe LifeCoach" down the virtual street? Is it because you specialize in helping frustrated entrepreneurs lean into their authentic brand? Or is it because you’re the life coach who helps overwhelmed moms figure out how to balance work and play?

Think about what topics you can really dig deep into and help your clients with the most. These are your natural areas of expertise. If nothing is coming to mind, ask these four questions to get focused on what you can offer your clients…

What Do You Find Yourself Teaching?

My friend Susan attends thirty to forty business conferences and seminars a year. She mostly goes as a speaker teaching new service providers how to find high-paying clients. It’s her favorite topic. She never gets tired of meeting freelancers and helping them discover how to raise their rates and charge what they’re worth.

Maybe you don’t attend conferences or seminars as a speaker. But if you did, what would you love to speak about? What would thrill you to talk about for an hour to a roomful of interested attendees?

What Are You Passionate About?

Debra loves using AWeber to create beautiful email newsletters. She’s naturally passionate about blending design with good copywriting to make newsletters that bring in sales for her clients. She’s even had several people ask her to publish a course on the topic so they can learn more from her.

Remember that what comes easily to you may not come easily to others. This means there might be an audience that’s eager for training and advice from you!

What Are Others Interviewing You About?

Kathy didn’t think she had a specialty until she received another invitation to appear on a popular podcast. Then she realized that the common thread between the interviews was her journey as a virtual assistant.

So, she began joining Facebook groups for new and advanced VAs. She jumped in and quickly started answering questions and helping other members. Just a few days later, she had two people ask her to coach them on their new VA businesses. Now she has a book on the subject and runs a very successful VA referral business.

What Are You Naturally Creating?

Sometimes, finding your coaching specialty is as simple as looking at what you naturally create. That’s what happened for Terri—she had an eye for fashion and always made outfits that came together with just a splash of color
.

When a friend complimented her on her ability to blend patterns, colors, and textures, Terri realized she wanted to help entrepreneurs with their business branding. She was already creating beautiful styles in her personal life. She just transferred that skill into her online business.

Finding your coaching specialty can take some time. Don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t come to you right away. It’s often hard to recognize your talents. Ask a supportive friend or loved one what you do best and listen to their answers.

Are You Ready To Be a Coach?

You all know the story of how I started my online business...or at least you should. I've shared it repeatedly! And while it may have started just as a way to bring in some extra income, once I discovered how to build a network marketing team online, I was hooked.

As time went on, I began mentoring other members of my team. I’d teach them the basics of social media marketing and how to set up their online business. Then I began working with marketers from other companies. I even promoted their products to my mailing list if I thought they were good quality.

But when a friend suggested that I might be a good business coach. frankly...I was shocked. I’d never considered becoming a coach. I’d assumed I wasn’t qualified enough to be one. But my friend shared several important facts with me:

You Don’t Have to Be Spammy to Coach

When it comes to coaching, some people have an idea of a sales page filled with a coach who shows off her mansion, expensive sports car, and exclusive lifestyle. She tosses phrases about like “seven figure” or “eight figure” and promises you the exact same results if you’ll only hire her.

But what you might not know is that there are plenty of business coaches who run modest businesses. They live in suburbs and they make enough to afford the lifestyle they want.

They don’t have fancy sales pages but they do believe in what they’re doing. They don’t guarantee that you’ll achieve the same things if you follow their advice but they do promise to support you on your journey.

You Can Have Fun Coaching

When I imagined coaching, I’d always thought about coaching executives in stuffy suits and having to talk about how to add dollars to the company’s bottom line. This type of situation bored me to tears and I didn’t want to do anything like that.

You can design a coaching program that feels fun to you. Maybe you’ll agree to meet your client on Skype once a week for casual chats. Perhaps you’ll use Facebook Live videos to stay in touch inside a private group while your dogs lay quietly beside you.

You May Already Be Coaching

As my friend continued to talk, I became excited. I realized I was already coaching and had been for years! I just hadn’t put it out there by calling it “coaching”. Now though, I felt more confident about the idea of coaching.

Some people are natural teachers. If you are, you might be like me. You may already be coaching others. Maybe you call it “mentoring” or “teaching” or “consulting”. But many of these activities involve coaching in some capacity. Owning this is the first step toward starting your own coaching business.

Keep in mind that there’s no right or wrong way to coach. It’s just a matter of discovering your coaching style and energy while providing a supportive environment for your clients.

Ready to learn how to build your coaching business?  Take my multiple streams of income challenge!

Practice What You Preach

The last thing we're going to talk about when it comes to landing your dream coaching client is living what you teach and leading by example. This is probably one of the easiest ways to attract people to you. It's a powerful way to show others that you don't just tell people what to do, but that you actually do it too. In other words - you don't just talk the talk, but walk the walk!

Just as in the case of testimonials and case studies giving prospective clients proof of your credibility, living what you teach can also be an extremely powerful tool in building a successful coaching business and attracting those dream coaching clients. People will be drawn to you when they see you have what they want. Meaning, if they struggle with lack of confidence but see you living boldly and confidently, they're naturally going to be interested in you and want to know how to get that.

Another example is that if you teach clients to have an attitude of gratitude then you should make sure when you're posting on social media sites or interacting with others on your website or blog that you're not always complaining about life and being negative. Instead, if you really believe and stand behind teaching others to have an attitude of gratitude then that should carry over into your life and you'll automatically just live it.

When you're passionate about your beliefs and what you coach others to do, it's only normal that it will spill over into your personal life and others will see that. So make sure you're living what you teach because leading by example is one of the greatest tools you have.

Here are some ways you can lead by example:

Honesty - don't try to exaggerate about results you have with your coaching business. Be truthful about achievements your clients have made and what you really can help people with. Never be dishonest and misrepresent who you are or what you do.

Responsibility - don't blame others when something goes wrong. Own the mistake and take the responsibility.

Listen - listen to others, it's not all about you. You have to learn to close your mouth and open your ears. Listen to what others around you are saying.

Inspiration - be an inspiration to those around you. A good coach is also a good leader and a good inspiration!

Authenticity - being authentic ties into being honest too. It means you're not afraid to open yourself up and be vulnerable. It means you're not misrepresenting who you are. Instead, you're leading by example and showing those around you that it's alright to be authentic and yourself instead of trying to be someone you're not.

Again, these are just some of the ways you can lead by example. Lliving what you teach is about living each day to the fullest, going about doing your business in such a way that it shows others you really believe and have confidence in what you're doing and live it on a regular basis.

In closing, just remember that it does take time and effort to land your dream coaching client. If you put into practice what you learned from this series, it's definitely something that can be achieved. And wouldn't you rather take the time and effort to do things in the beginning that will ensure you'll land dream clients instead of finding yourself working with people that aren't a fit?

Pricing Is Critical – But Not For The Reasons You Might Think

Now it's time to talk about that part of landing your dream coaching client that a lot of people don't like talking about - charging what you're worth. There's no right or wrong way to do this. It's going to be different for everyone. But there are some things to take into consideration when deciding what to charge

It's not just about profit - yes, you need to charge what you're worth so you build a successful, profitable business. But pricing has to do with so much more than profit.

Take into consideration your target market - you have to think about your market and what they can afford too. For example, if your market is a new business owner within the first year of business, more than likely they're not going to be able to afford $200 an hour. On the other hand, if your market is making $50,000 to $75,000 a year and want to move their business to the next level - six figures a year - then you probably shouldn't be charging them $100 an hour because that's too low for that market. It's all about balance and figuring out what the sweet spot is for them.

Costs of running your business - another thing to take into consideration when charging what you're worth is the cost of running your business. Think about your monthly expenses and break it down so you get a ballpark figure out what you're hourly fee needs to be in order to meet those expenses and have enough left over to pay your team, yourself, and put some money back into your business and savings. Don't forget to include taxes in your calculations.

These are just a few things you need to think about when pricing your services. Charging what you're worth can really be summed up with this: it's based on the value you bring to your clients. Special skills, your unique selling proposition and more are all things that can be monetized when it comes to your coaching fee. Kendall Summerhawk says it best when it comes to this: Value is perceived by your clients. Pricing is perceived by you. Your dream coaching client wants to know that they can easily justify spending this amount of money with you because of the value they will be getting in return. Your job is to help show them this.

And lastly, in order to charge what you're worth you have to be able to share that price without batting an eyelash. In other words, you have to have confidence that you're worth what you're charging.

Show Off Your Expertise With Well-Placed Testimonials And Case Studies

What’s better than social proof? A solid testimonial from a raving fan. Here’s how to get those all important first testimonials, and some common mistakes to avoid.

If you're a brand new coach who hasn't had the opportunity to work with a client, you may need to offer your services to a handful of people for free. If not free, then for a low introductory special. This way you can coach these individuals and then gather their testimonials and case studies based on their results. If you've been a coach for a while, you should have a system in place so that you're always asking for testimonials from clients and building case studies to add to your marketing materials.

Why is it important to get testimonials and use case studies? This may be a bit obvious, but it's easy for all of us to say how great our service or product is. After all, we worked hard and it's our 'sweat and tears' we've put into it so of course we know how great it is. But that doesn't matter to your prospective client. They don't want to hear you tell them how great it is, they want the proof from other people. They want to know that others have worked with you and achieved results they're looking for.

One thing to keep in mind about testimonials, though: Don't just use a name. It's easy to write fake testimonials, so without a photo (or better yet, video) those kind words about your coaching work will be largely ignored. Instead, be sure to include a photo, location, website URL and other identifying information. Do whatever you can to show others this is a real testimonial from a real person.

While testimonials are a great thing, let's talk about why case studies can be even better and are important to your coaching business.

As mentioned already, testimonials are a must have, and they certainly add some credibility to you and your coaching services. But a testimonial doesn't really show what an individual client can expect to gain. That's where case studies come into play.

When you're looking for your dream coaching client, you want them to be able to come to your website and know without a shadow of a doubt that you're going to offer them the solution they need to one of their biggest challenges. And the best way for them to see this isn't by reading all the great testimonials clients have written, it's by being able to look at a few different case studies you've shared and actually learn how you helped someone solve a problem.
 
Does this mean you shouldn't use testimonials anymore? No. They still serve a purpose. But you should use them in conjunction with case studies to help build your credibility and give prospective clients proof that you do what you say you can do.

Instant Credibility

It's not easy building and running a successful coaching business. There are all sorts of coaches out there and it takes time to build your reputation and credibility. But credibility is essential to your success so you have to be willing to take action in order to build it. As mentioned earlier, you can build an online presence and that will help with building social proof but you have to go even further than that. And one of the best ways to do that is by writing a book.

You're probably shaking your head, thinking no way. I don't have time to do this. I don't know what I'd write about. It's too hard to get a book published. Nope, I just can't do this.

While these used to be good excuses, in this day and age they're not. With all the technology advances and access to things like Amazon, writing a book is a lot more doable today than it ever used to be. Gone are those days of having to find a publisher to pitch your book to and waiting to see whether they'll accept it or reject it. Now, it's just a matter of writing the content - and if you've already been blogging for a while, you have a wealth of content available for repurposing.
 
There's just something that screams expert when you can say you're an author. This builds a level of credibility that can't be beat. Think about it: anybody can set up a blog and start sharing their expertise on a topic. Anybody can write articles and submit them to directories or share on other blogs as a guest expert. Anybody can be a guest on a podcast. But not everybody will put in the time and effort to become an author. If you take the time to do this, not only are you building your credibility, but you're also a step ahead of many others in the market. That’s the power of publishing a book.

And think about how credible you’ll be when you take books with you to a speaking engagement or in person event, where your dream-coaching client may be. Handing someone a book rather than a business card makes an unforgettable first impression. Or maybe you have a chance to meet with a prospective client who is local - wouldn't you want to be able to hand them a copy of your book? Talk about an extremely powerful way to show your expertise and credibility!

As you can see, writing a book is an excellent way to build your credibility and now is the perfect time to do it.

How to Make Saying “Yes” a No-Brainer

The next strategy for landing your dream client is to make saying yes to your coaching services a total no-brainer.

Stop and think for a minute.  Have you ever been to a website before where it was so busy (a gazillion navigation buttons, a bunch of different options to buy one product, a notification to do this or wait, do this instead) that you could not choose which button to click?  What did you do? More than likely you went away without doing anything, including spending any money with them!

A confused person doesn't know what to do and instead of doing something, they do nothing instead. And that's not what you want for your coaching business.  You want people to have clarity about what you're offering and clear guidance on how to get it.

So, how do you achieve this?

You have to give your prospective clients a very clear call to action.  This means don't give them a bunch of different options to choose from or things they have to think about.  Keep it simple!  Spell it out for them.

Another way to make saying yes to you easy is to play on their emotions.  We're not talking about being manipulative here, but instead playing off of one very normal emotion all people experience - regret.

For example, you can play on this emotion of regret by letting your potential clients know that if they don't act now, they'll miss out on the special price.  If they don't act now, they’ll find themselves regretting the decision because when they do come back they’ll see the price increase.  You can also do this by mentioning to the prospective client that you only have one opening available right now for a coaching client.  Again, if they don't act now they’ll find themselves regretting that decision when they come back and you can't take them on.

 

All in all, when it comes to making the “yes” easy, it's just a matter of playing off their emotions in a positive way, and showing them (by your social presence/proof, expert articles, guest expert appearances on podcasts, etc.) you have the solution they're looking for.  And once you've closed the sale, put it in writing for them.  Have them sign a contract.  This will spell out exactly what they're getting and leave no area for questioning.

The Art of the Free Consultation Call

Want to know the top “tried and true” method of landing your dream coaching client? It’s simple. Offer a free consultation.

Here’s why. Very rarely will someone hire you as a coach – especially if your services are priced on the higher end – without first getting on the phone with you. And that goes both ways. You should not agree to work with a new client without first getting to know her better.

The reason this is so important is because your prospective client wants a chance to get a feel for you and to ask you any questions they may have. It also gives you a chance to do the same thing, and to get a feel for her, her personality, what she’s looking for in a coach. You’ll also know if she’s really serious about making changes, or if she’s just a wannabe with no real ambition.

An average consult call is about 20 minutes. Set a timer if you have to so you don't get stuck on the phone longer than necessary. Twenty minutes is ample time to let you (and your prospective client) feel things out and make a decision as to whether or not you're a good fit to work together.

Another reason a free consultation call is a good idea for your coaching business is because if someone is on the fence about hiring you, you can land the sale during these 20 minutes. You'll be able to answer her questions and show your expertise in that little amount of time on the phone.

Here are a few questions you should be asking a prospective client during a free consultation call:

• What is your biggest challenge?
• What would it mean for you if you were able to find a solution for this challenge?
• How do you think a coach can help you better achieve your goals?
• Have you worked with a coach before, and what was the outcome?

These are just a few ideas of things you should ask a potential client. And maybe these are things you don't even ask on the phone, but in a pre-consultation call questionnaire (if you have something like this set up).

Of course there are also cons to offering free consultation calls. There are those people out there that are what's known as freebie seekers - they take and take and take all the free information they can get but never turn around and invest any money. In fact, these people normally have absolutely no intention of ever spending any money with you. Another con is the fact that you're giving away 20 to 30 minutes of your time. It may not seem like much but a 20-30 minute chunk of time here, and another chunk of time there can add up pretty quickly. 

Does this mean you shouldn't offer free consultation calls? No, because they can be very useful. You just need to ensure that you're not attracting all those freebie seekers with no intention of hiring you. One way to help nip this in the bud is to have a questionnaire that gets filled out before you even schedule a consult time. Find out some basic information first - how long they've been in business, how much money they make, etc. This will weed out the freebie seekers and those that can't afford you saving you from wasting both your time and their time with a free consult call. 

To sum it up, the main objective of a free consult call when you set one up is for both your prospective client and you to feel each other out and see if working together is a good fit or not.

Build an Unforgettable Online Presence

Of course you already have a website, right?  But an unforgettable online presence requires a lot more than just a single domain with a blog and a “hire me” page.  It’s also critical to include your social circles, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and others.

A word of caution before we begin, though: social media can be a huge time suck if you let it be.  Set up some boundaries for yourself and stick to them!  It may be that you find 15 minutes a day enough time to hop on social media and interact with your market.  Or maybe you need 30 minutes.  Just make sure that however long you decide to devote to it, that you get on there and do what you need to do and not get sidetracked.

So, should you be on all the different social media sites? There isn't a correct answer for this.  It's going to depend greatly on your target market.  You have to find out where they hang out and build a presence there.

The idea behind your social presence is to engage with your market easily.  Sure, they can comment on your blog and you can respond back to them there, but it isn't a great platform to interact with them on a more personal level.  On Facebook, for example, your audience will get a glimpse into who you are as a person and learn more about you on a personal level.  This is huge because people buy from those they know, like and trust!

Here’s something you need to be cautious of, though.  If part of your coaching message is teaching your clients to have an attitude of gratitude, but every post you share is negative, that sends a mixed message to your audience.

Take a second to think about how your market will interpret the post you're getting ready to share.  That old saying "think before you speak" should be true for social media too - "think before you post!"   For example, do they really need to know that your daughters are squabbling amongst themselves and currently none of them are speaking to each other? Some things just aren't meant to be shared, especially if you're trying to build a relationship with current clients or your market of potential dream coaching clients. 

Another important part of building your online presence is “social proof.”  Aside from building that personal relationship with your audience, you're also building social proof and showing them that you are the best at what you say you can do.  Interact on these social sites, offer helpful advice to those with questions and share your message (don't forget to include your USP).  People will begin to think, “Hey, she really does know what she's talking about.  I'm interested in talking to her/finding out more about her services.”
 
That’s the true power of an unforgettable online presence.

The Secret of the USP

A unique selling proposition, also known as USP, is that thing about you and your service(s) that sets you apart from the rest of the crowd.  You may be thinking, but I just spent all this time narrowing down my specialty and figuring out who my ideal client is so why would I need to figure out a USP?

Well, let's face it - no matter how narrowed down your target market is, there's more than likely going to be someone else out there in the coaching world who also targets your market.  So now it's important to show your market what makes you stand out from the competition.  Your unique selling proposition needs to be incorporated into your marketing message because it's just one more way to ensure you're attracting the right market and landing only those dream clients you wish to work with.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to USP's is trying to keep their prices lower than others in their niche.  This isn't a good idea, though.  First, you absolutely must charge what you’re worth, and engaging in a race to the bottom of the pricing barrel will only result in lowered standards and unhappy clients.  Never use pricing as part of your USP.

Instead, because you took the time and made the effort to narrow down your ideal client, there isn't anyone who knows your target market better than you do.  Build your USP around this.  For example, you know your market's challenges, any patterns they have, and more - so build on these things and create a USP that includes those (and your solution) in some way.  It must resonate with your target audience so you attract the right client.

Finally, there’s one last thing to keep in mind when it comes to your USP.  It must answer the key question: why should someone do business with me?  To answer this, think about the benefits your services offer as well as the solutions you’ll help clients find.

Just like narrowing down your niche and ideal client, the more specific you are about your unique selling proposition, the easier it will be to market it.  And as you and your business grow, it's a good idea to reevaluate every so often to see if your USP has changed at all.  If it has, you'll need to tweak your marketing efforts in order to reflect this.

Discover Your Perfect Client

We’ve already mentioned why you can't be a jack-of-all-trades or try to work with everybody because it's a quick path to burnout and a surefire way to end up attracting clients you don't enjoy.  To build a successful coaching business you have to not only know what your specialty is, but who your ideal client is.

Maybe you already have a general idea in mind, but this isn't the time to be generic.  Now is the time to narrow it down as much as possible.  Don't just say your ideal client is a  business owner.  Instead narrow that down even more.  For instance, you might say, “My ideal client is a person aged 40-60 who has wants to start a business or who has attempted to start a business and needs help actually getting it launched."

As you can see, there's a huge difference between those two answers.  The more specific you are about your ideal client, the less time you'll waste (yours as well as that of your prospective client) on unnecessary communication (free consult call, email exchanges, etc).

That may sound "rude,” but it isn't.  Think about it.  If you know your ideal client is that person in the example above, why would you take the time to correspond/communicate with that 30-year old online business owner who has been in business for 5 years and is already making a 6-figure income?  They're in a different place than the ideal client you want to work with.  

So, how do you define the ideal client?  Here are some questions you can use to create an ideal client profile: 

• Is your ideal client a man or woman? Either?


• How old is your ideal client?


• How much money do they make a month/year?


• What is the main issue (struggle) that you can help solve?


• Where do they live?


• What type of lifestyle do they lead?


• What are they passionate about?


• Do they travel a lot?


• What is their personality type?

This is just a small list of questions to use when creating your ideal client profile. Remember, the goal here is to be as specific as possible, to narrow it down as far as you possibly can.  In fact, you might also consider creating another client profile - the client you do NOT want to work with.

Once you know your ideal client, you'll be able to create a marketing message that resonates with those people and draws them to you.  Once you have your ideal client narrowed down, it's time to move onto the next phase of how to land your dream coaching client - creating a unique selling proposition.  More on that tomorrow.

You Can't Be a Jack of All Trades

Hone in on your specialty!  This is probably the most important thing you'll need to know as a coach – make sure that you put the time and effort into really focusing in on your specialty and deciding what you will (and won't) do for your clients.

Probably the biggest mistake that many business owners make – not just coaches – is not working through this step.  I know I had a problem with it for quite some time!  I thought I didn't need to narrow my focus or get specific about clients.  Let's face it - when you're just starting out, any client is better than no client at all!  But that's exactly the wrong approach.    Yes, you do need to build your client base, but trying to be all things to all people is a sure way to find yourself burned out and unhappy with your business.  Trust me, I know! 

Another reason it's important to focus on your specialty is because if you don't and you just start doing anything and everything, you're going to provide less-than-stellar services because you don't enjoy what you're doing.  This is not the way to build your reputation and credibility.  Instead, when you hone in on your specialty and know exactly what it is you'll be providing your clients, you'll go above and beyond what is expected of you because you enjoy what you're doing.  And this will make people become your raving fans.  And raving fans like to talk.  In a good way!

Let's take a look at an example of how to narrow down your offerings.  You can't just say you're a “coach” or even a “life coach.”  Those are two very general terms that don't describe your niche or specialty at all. A better option is to say your specialty is a business coach who works with women in their 40's to 60's who are just getting started, or want to get started, with a new business venture.  (Sound like anyone you know?)  You can narrow that down even further by offering coaching that specifically helps them with the start-up process of marketing their business (setting up social media profiles, creating a marketing plan, etc), choosing and establishing a business entity, or learning the ins and outs of profitable networking.

So, as you can see, focusing on your specialty will help ensure that you are only attracting people who fit your ideal client profile and who you will enjoy working with most.  This is exactly what you need when it comes to building a profitable coaching business you're excited about.

Now that you have your specialty narrowed down, it's time to move onto the next important stage of landing your dream coaching client.  And that starts with knowing who they are.  We'll talk about that tomorrow! 

How to Land Your Dream Coaching Client

So, you're ready to open the doors to your coaching business – congratulations! This is an exciting time. But this is also the time that you really have to dig in and start doing the hard work of landing new clients. This can be an easier process if you know how to go about it correctly.

To make it easier for you, consider these 10 strategies top coaches have learned to embrace:

• Hone in on your specialty - you can't be a jack-of-all-trades
• Discovering Your Ideal Client
• The Secret of the USP – Or Why a Unique Selling Proposition Helps Seal the Deal
• Building an Unforgettable Online Presence
• The Art of the Free Consultation Call
• How to Make Saying “Yes” a No-Brainer
• Instant Credibility – In Hardcover
• Show Off Your Expertise With Well-Placed Testimonials And Case Studies
• Pricing Is Critical – But Not For The Reasons You Might Think
• Practice What You Preach: It’s Not Just A Cliché

Over the next few days, we will look at each of these in-depth.  So check back often!