How Do Successful Coaches Create A Thriving Practice?

Attracting clients to your coaching practice requires a considered approach that combines various communication, marketing, networking and ways of being to create a thriving practice.

At Empower World, we believe the foundation of any process we use to attract clients is by being aware of who we truly are. This encompasses our purpose, top values, passions and empowering beliefs - and with this understanding, we can be authentic and come from our heart and a place that feels confident.

When we become clear about what is truly most important to us - including who we want to work with and what challenges and opportunities we want to solve, then it becomes easier to identify ways to support your coaching practice.

Below are some considerations for you as a coach to start or enhance what you offer to the world. This is based on what we at Empower World have done as well as what we know others in our profession have also utilised.

1. Coach as much as you can! This supports you to refine your coaching skills and enables your clients to experience powerful conversations in a way they haven't experienced before. Let your family and friends and all of your networks know that you are offering coaching programmes, whether paid or pro bono as a way of building up your experience. These clients can support you to grow your reputation by providing testimonials by either talking to others about your work or sharing their experience with you as their coach on social media. Capture in writing what they say about the work they do together in your sessions and with you and ask permission to share it on your website and social media platforms.
2. Build an online presence to support your referrals. We believe referrals are incredibly powerful based on our own experience. This might be by utilising a mix of various digital channels. Creating a professional website is one of those considerations, optimised for online marketing search engines so your potential clients can find you easily can showcase your expertise, coaching services, testimonials, and contact information. Social media platforms such as Linked In and Facebook can also allow you to share valuable content to engage with your audience and establish yourself as an authority in your desired coaching niche. This doesn't mean posting daily, but rather consistently to let your audience know you are active as well as who you work with, what you do and how.
3. Identify your potential target audience - knowing this may change as your practice evolves. Identifying your potential niche, which means the type of client/s you want to serve, as well as understanding their needs, challenges and aspirations means you can tailor your messages and can 'speak' to and 'call' in the people you wish to serve.
4. Offering valuable content that addresses the pain points or the desires of your target audience can create client attraction. This type of content can include blog posts, articles, videos, podcasts, workshops, or infographics. Providing valuable insights attracts potential clients who resonate with your coaching approach and philosophy.
5. Leveraging your social proof, consisting of client testimonials and reviews about their experience working with you, builds trust and credibility, making it more likely for potential clients to choose your coaching services.
6. Networking and collaborating are powerful ways to meet potential clients and build relationships with other professionals or clients in your field. By volunteering in related communities, and attending industry conferences, workshops, and networking events online and in person, you can create opportunities to work with new clients, join organisations and create joint ventures which can build your reputation and support the creation of your practice. We at Empower World have found this to be hugely rewarding in so many ways, particularly in making beautiful connections with the people we partner with.
7. Offering complimentary discovery sessions to your potential clients can provide them with a taster of your coaching philosophy and style. This allows them to experience the value you provide.
8. Running targeted online ads through platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or LinkedIn Ads. This allows you to reach your audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviours. This does require expertise in this field to be effective. (Empower World has not utilised all of these suggestions).
9. Continue to engage in professional development to be up-to-date with the latest trends, research, and techniques in coaching. This also aligns with networking as well as enhances your skills and credibility, making you more attractive to potential clients.

It's ok not to have a niche! Don't let not having a niche stop you from coaching and inviting clients to work with you. So many coaches freeze and stop coaching when they hear the marketers say "You must have a niche". We coached and built our practice without having an initial niche. The niche often evolves as you begin to pay attention to the type of clients you find you love working with. Practice compassion with yourself, it's okay not to know. It's much better to be coaching than standing still not doing anything.

Attracting clients to your coaching practice requires authenticity, passion, consistency, patience, and a genuine commitment to supporting others. Implementing some of these strategies and adapting them to your coaching philosophy and unique style can build a thriving practice over time.

At Empower World, we've used many of the approaches above. We also recognise our practices evolve over time, attracting people from all walks of life - people who at the end of the day want to make transformational change for themselves and others. This means remaining flexible, adaptable and willing to experiment and adjust as we receive feedback as to what works and what doesn't.

Be empowered.

Below are five ways we can support you to make a difference:

(1) Set up a Discovery Call, to find out what you can do to make empowering change
(2) Download our "How Coaching Can Change Your Life"
(3) Sign up for our offers
(4) Connect with us on LinkedIn
(5) Forward this email to someone you believe would benefit from coaching, learn to coach, develop leadership skills and so much more

#Coach #Training #icfdohachapter #Mentoring #ICF #Supervision #Coaching #Life #Organisational #Development #Mastery #Executive #newperspectives #Change #Management #Skils #Leadership #Development #Presence #Personal #Development #Fulfilment #Team Building #MiddleEast #Australia #UK #Europe #Singapore #Asia#leadership #leaders #doha #qatar