There’s a big myth in the coaching industry that makes it hard for coaches, especially new coaches, to attract and secure new clients.
Want to know what that myth is?
The MYTH is that everyone wants coaching.
The FACT is that the percentage of people who know what coaching is, recognize the value and actively seek it out is actually rather small.
On the flip side there is a HUGE percentage of people who would benefit from and happily invest in coaching… when it is positioned the correct way.
When you talk about and market your services, do you focus on the coaching?
Do you emphasize how powerful and transformational coaching is, how your coaching methodology works and the logistics of the coaching relationship?
Do you use vague language (e.g. coaching helps people get to the next level) or industry jargon (e.g. coaching empowers people to find their own answers)?
If so, I bet you’re not consistently attracting as many new clients as you would like and that marketing feels like a struggle.
The good news is that you can change this quite easily by focusing on the problems and challenges people have and the solutions, results and outcomes that are possible by working with you.
The majority of people are not walking around thinking, “I want to hire a coach.”
Instead they are thinking…
“I’m unhappy at work and need to find a new career that I actually enjoy.”
“The new manager I hired isn’t connecting with the team and I don’t know what to do about it.”
“I really need to lose weight, get in shape and feel healthy and energized again.”
“I’ve got to figure out how to stop procrastinating and get more organized and productive.”
“I’m stressed out, overwhelmed and feel completely disconnected from my spouse and family.”
“My business isn’t growing and I need to get more clients.”
“I’m tired of being single and going on bad dates. How can I find my soul mate?”
People don’t really care about coaching.
Instead they care deeply about their problems.
That’s why when you position your coaching as the best way to solve big problems or achieve specific outcomes, people pay attention and are interested in hearing about what you offer.
Here’s to YOU being seen as the best solution!
Post a comment below and let me know what you think.
“Thank you so much Michelle! This was great. I appreciate the pace and amount of content you covered.”
“Michelle, I continue to benefit from the training I received from C&GR – my company made a six-figure profit last year, and is on target to multiply those results again this year!”
“C&GR’s ‘heart-felt, business’ philosophy has added dramatic sizzle to my coaching practice. I have had a 400% increase in revenue. What I used to earn in one month I now earn in one week. I presented a workshop to 77 people and had 1/3 of the audience desire a comp session. 50% of those people became my clients in 10 crazy amazing days. Wouldn’t you like 8 new clients in 10 working days? I have also developed 6 Strategic Alliances which provide me a steady stream of clients and also a beautiful new granite kitchen island. I love C&GR and I love my coaching life!”
Hi Michelle
I work in a sales team for a technology company, and what you say makes sense. It’s more or less the same principle as selling drills. (You must know this one…), people don’t buy the drill, they buy the hole.
I will be starting my coaching training soon and my plan is to get work as an executive/business coach. I have watched a few of your videos and I think they do their job very well, breaking down the principles of business planning into simple easily understood and actionable concepts.
Keep up the good work and many thanks!
Liam
When words like fantastic and great and… and… and just don’t seem to cut it, what else is there to show deep appreciation?
OK, here’s one I have not used yet… AWESOME!
Michelle, I’ve been following your epic blog posts. I’m a Californian stationed in Asia (Singapore). Your insight, guidance and straight-up talk is brilliant. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Bill!
I couldn’t agree more! I have to have clarity around the problems I want to work with in order for me to attract the correct people into my practice! Going deep rather than wide has brought me success!
Namaste
Dawn
Thanks Dawn! You’ve certainly been around long enough to know :)
Thank you Michelle! I’m looking forward to my past “tests and trial’s”, and moving forward in the midst of adversity as inspiration, encouragement and producing RESULTS for my coaching clients.
Great – and I recommend you identify specific types of adversity you support your clients with!
Debunking this myth is so helpful for coaches. I’m always saying to my clients, ‘people just don’t care whether it’s coaching you’re giving them or not! They just want a solution.’ It’s an important lesson you’re sharing. Great blog by the way. :)
Thanks Rachel! I couldn’t agree more!
Your ideas are SO on point, as always. My question is how do you identify/target the results that clients want if, too often, they are looking for “quick” answers, or ones that don’t entail a lot of work for them? And, we can’t honestly promise that!
Thank you!
Hi Sara, One of the best ways to understand what clients want is by doing target market research. And you are correct that as humans we typically want things as quickly and easily as possible! With that said, people generally that a big change or result does not usually happen overnight. When your coaching focuses on helping people address a big hairy problem (the kind of thing that keeps people awake at night) or achieving an important and lasting outcome, the kinds of people who are coachable and make good clients realize they need to put in some work to make it happen. Hope this helps!