How to Build a Successful Online Coaching Business

Around the world, there are lots of great coaches who would love to help people, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic. But many of these coaches do not know how to find clients, let alone how to sell them their services. 

Because of the pandemic, the market has changed and so have our purchasing habits – we now buy online more than we ever have before, proving that old strategies of gaining coaching clients don’t work as well as they used to. 

Therefore, we must study and adapt to new market trends and start implementing new sales and marketing approaches if we want our coaching businesses to stay healthy. 

I hear quite frequently from those I’m helping transition their coaching business online that they have no idea where to start, how to position themselves, which platform to use, what type of clients to target, how to attract the right audience, how to communicate online, what to offer, how to be different and stand out from all the competition and how to secure a consistent flow of paying customers. 

Unfortunately, as an independent coach in today’s world, your coaching skills and competencies are not the only thing that matter. Nowadays, a coach has to be a digital marketing specialist and a sales expert. Moreover, a coach has to be tech savvy. And all of this before we even start coaching someone. It’s all a little overwhelming, right? 

But there’s good news – I am here to tell you that you do not need a perfect web page, fancy sales funnels, a full list of subscribers on your email list or a huge number of followers on social media to be successful. Nor is it imperative to invest in Facebook Ads in order to generate hot leads and turn them into paying clients. There is a quicker and easier way to reach your coaching clients online. 

Nail your Niche. 

It all starts with knowing who you help, what problem you solve and the results you bring to the table. This means identifying your niche before taking any other steps in your business. 

Many coaches make the fundamental mistake of trying to sell their coaching services to whomever crosses their path. As a coach myself, I understand this – it’s easy to get caught up in the process. But with this approach, you will get very little traction if you position yourself as “just another coach.” 

Be Results-Oriented. 

The reality is that clients tend not to care about your specific coaching skills, your online course or your workshop. But they do care about the results we can help them to achieve. 

Therefore, you have be results-oriented and position yourself as a specialist for the challenges they’re trying to overcome. 

Know your Audience and Communicate Effectively. 

Once we get clear on that fundamental piece of our business, we then have to learn how to effectively communicate with our target clients online, which is arguably the most difficult part. It’s easy to talk to people face-to-face and explain what we do. But with only a split second of time online, how do we attract followers and provide a convincing answer to their most important question: “What’s in it for me?” 

What does it mean to “effectively communicate” online? Eighty percent of your online business is copywriting – the things you write every day on behalf of your business. 

A post on social media, a blog, a sales letter, a presentation or maybe just a simple email. Knowing how to translate your offerings into written words is critical to your success in selling coaching services, digital products or online events.  

To improve your copy, the first thing you need to do is remember your niche and craft your avatar. This means focusing on one specific problem you want to solve for your client and trying to put yourself in their shoes. What are their thoughts and feelings regarding this problem? Do not try to be all over the place and solve everything in one sweep. Once you’ve identified that problem, craft one unique solution for it. Master that one sales funnel and craft an unforgettable customer journey before identifying another problem or challenge you’d like to help clients solve. Remember, a confused mind never buys – make your offerings clear. 

Be Authentic – Even Online. 

Another misconception coaches have when transitioning to online business is the belief they have to find clients, when in reality, our goal is quite the opposite. We want to attract clients. And this is a huge difference. 

Instead of chasing all the butterflies out there, plant the flowers that will attract the ones you want directly to your garden. 

To do that, you have to know which butterflies you want in your space and what flowers they like and need the most. You have to show that they want what you have, and the best way to do this is to communicate from your authentic self. 

Be yourself, talk about your wins, your learnings and your accomplishments, but also your fears, your struggles and your mistakes. This is where attraction happens and where your business is built.