These are exciting times for coaches. Each year, the coaching industry is growing in leaps and bounds as people are realizing that – no matter their challenge – there is a coach that can support them in improving their performance in that area.
You may be one of those emerging coaches. You have been coaching your friends and family for years and now you are taking the leap and launching your coaching business – Congratulations! We are here to help.
One of the most important resources we can offer you, outside of the amazing training provided in Performance Coach University, is the PCU community. Our community is jam-packed of thought leaders, innovators and experienced coaches who are always willing to share as they grow.
Related: Selecting A Coaching Program
We used that to our advantage to create this comprehensive list of ways to help you officially launch your coaching business. We did some research and asked other coaches how they got their first paying coaching client.
Here are their responses:
- Ask the universe and make sure your daily actions are in alignment with what you’re asking for.
- Post on Nextdoor – a neighborhood app
- Let your network know you’re taking on new coaching clients
- My first client reached out to me after finding out that I was a coach at a family event! she was a +1
- Facebook groups
- Networking event
- After one of my videos I posted
- Cold email
- Organic social media
- Chatting at a banquet. She said: I NEED some of that!
- Did a FB Live. She loved what I had to say and signed up
- Relationship building!
- Contracted with a company I used to work for doing something else and when they heard I was a coach and suddenly needed one, there I was…
- He sought me out after I participated in a panel presentation at church.
- I gave 5 sessions for free to three people and they all continued and now word of mouth/referrals.
- Organic posting. No ads!
- By selling them my Solution and not my Product
- I was in Prague eating breakfast with a little known colleague. I saw she was upset and I put on my coaching hat. Later, after she went away smiling, she came back and asked for more of “whatever that was!” She was a consistent client for about 2 years.
- I was interviewed on a podcast and received an email.
- Free Challenges
- By commenting on a training video.
- Her mom referred her to me.
- From talking at my Toastmasters group
- Sitting at an Applebee’s talking to my friend(client started talking to us about a conversation we were having)
- I let clients who had hired me on a consulting engagement know I was in coaching training and would soon be offering pro bono coaching. 2 of them took me up on this offer, and 1 of these eventually turned into a paid client.
- Referral from a friend
- Speaking event
- Believing in myself! Grit and talk to everyone I know.
- Referral from a pro bono client
- We connected, I served her, I proposed how to work together, she said yes. Mind you, this process from the first free session to the first paid session was 8 months. Patience. Serve. Stay in touch by continuing serving.
- I sent an email to my personal email list letting them know I was in business and made an offer for free discovery sessions and a way to opt into my list along with a lead magnet. My first client was my former team member.
- Mine was referred to me by a teacher of mine
The common thread in all of these is that, just like any business, you have to let your community be aware of your new venture. Brand awareness is key and in order for people to become aware of you, sharing and engaging is a must. Keep showing up and sharing from a place of service as well as contribution and your community will find you.
Use all the resources at your disposal and all the opportunities to connect with your next potential client. Book time with your friend who has a podcast or share on social media, reach out to your network, write guest blog posts. Continue to show up in a powerful way and you will have your first client in no time!
To Your Success,
Jairek Robbins + Team PCU
Ready to level up your coaching and leadership game? Want to make a big impact in the lives of others? Add more power to your purpose with our 12-week online Performance Coach certification course. Apply here: Course overview & Application!