3 Things to Know to Build Your Brand as a Coach
As a brand strategist for coaches, many coaches ask me, “Do I really need a brand?” Many people want to have a thriving coaching business, but they’re not exactly excited to build a brand.
What many coaches come to find is that building your brand can actually help you grow your business faster and easier. A brand helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace. It helps you get known as an expert in your field. And, most importantly, building your brand makes it easier for your dream clients to find you and hire you!
What Is a Brand, Anyway?
The Dictionary of Brand defines a brand as “a person’s perception of a product, service, experience or organization.” A brand isn’t just relegated to Coca Cola, Apple or Nordstrom. Every business is its own brand.
Your brand communicates who you are as a business, what you stand for, who you serve, and the value you provide to your clients and the world at large. A strong brand can differentiate you from your competitors and help you get known as a coach in your specialty.
When you build your brand, you proactively decide who you want to be in the mind of your potential clients, and you take action to communicate that through all aspects of your business.
Common Reasons People Avoid Branding
Unfortunately, many coaches miss out on the opportunity to build their brand because they have one of these common objections:
- Building a brand is expensive. While branding may sound like a complicated or expensive process, you don’t need a giant budget or a team to help you. You can define your brand on your own terms and your own time.
- Branding seems inauthentic. When done effectively, your brand showcases your strengths and talents and allows the real you to shine through so that you can attract more of your dream clients and do more of the work you love.
- Focusing on building on my brand will take me away from key activities like finding clients! On the contrary, a strong brand will help you attract your ideal clients and streamline your marketing efforts, so it becomes even easier to find clients.
What Building Your Brand as a Coach can Do for You
So now you know why a brand is important. But what can building your brand do for you as a coach?
Building your brand can help you:
- Get known for being an expert in what you do.
- Stand out in a crowded marketplace.
- Make it easier for your dream clients to find you.
- Get laser-focused on your best marketing activities.
- Grow your business and make a greater impact.
When you focus on building your brand, the effects ripple through your business. Your marketing activities become easier, sales flow more naturally, and you become a magnet for your ideal client!
3 Things to know to Build Your Brand as a Coach
A strong brand showcases your strengths, values and expertise in a way that connects with your ideal clients. Here are three things you’ll want to know to help you build your brand as a coach:
1) Your Brand Values
As a coach, you’re familiar with values. Your brand values communicate what you stand for in your business. Clients are likely to choose a coach whose values align with their own. When you know your core values and can speak to them, you’ll attract like-minded people who share the same principles.
2) Your Strategic Differentiators
One way to stand out in a crowded marketplace is to focus on what makes you different from other coaches in the same niche. Consider your background, skills, expertise and personal experience. How does what makes you different provide value to your clients? Speak to these differentiators—and the benefits to your clients—on your website and in your marketing.
3) Your Client Experience
Coaching is all about your clients’ transformation. Consistently delivering stellar experiences results in happy clients and referrals! Consider what is remarkable about the specific experience that your clients undergo. Use testimonials to share the transformation and results that your clients have experienced.
Your Brand is Always Evolving, as are You
Your brand communicates to potential clients what you stand for, why you’re different and what it’s like to work with you. A strong brand makes your marketing flow more seamlessly and makes it easier for potential clients to find you.
If you want to grow your business and attract more clients, focus on building your brand. Defining your unique brand as a coach will help you stand out, grow your coaching practice and make an impact in the lives of more clients.
Stacey Hagen (USA)
Stacey Hagen is the founder of Create Coaching & Consulting, where she works with coaches who want to grow their business and make an impact. She helps her clients clarify their message and build their brand so that they can attract their dream clients and make a living doing what they love. Get her free template to create your unforgettable elevator pitch. Connect with Stacey on Facebook, Instagram, and her website.
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