How To Get Clients As A New Coach

(Even If You Don’t Have An Audience)

Attracting a steady stream of new clients is a real focal point for many new coaches but it can leave you feeling totally overwhelmed especially if you are just starting your coaching business.

In such a radically changing and competitive world, it leaves everybody questioning where to invest his or her time for the best results.

But make no mistake, this is no time to fling your doors open and accept just anyone. You need a controlled approach to gaining new clients, where you consider your options carefully so that later down the track your appointments are not full of wrong-fit clients. You need to work with those you are best equipped to work with and who can really benefit from your services. Happy clients equal repeat clients and they are the best customers in the world.

Building an online presence is no longer a ‘nice to have’ it is a necessity. It has become a major platform to engage your audience and keep in touch with customers too whilst establishing you as an expert and thought leader. If you have a particularly visual brand then consider Instagram (maybe TikTok too) or if you offer Professional Services Linked In has more business bias and thus it is a must for Coaches but also attracts CEOs, Brands, Influencers, Industry Leaders and Marketers.

You need to build an online presence that is representative of you and your brand that will consistently attract the right clients and of course bring your business to the attention of others who are seeking your type of services. However, bear in mind you are not required to be WonderWoman or Superman and have a presence on ALL social platforms in order to be successful. Pick a platform that feels right to you and possibly one other and then concentrate on building those.

p.s. Don’t forget to do hashtag research and find hashtags that have around 200k or fewer posts. This way you’ll have more chance of showing up and less chance of getting lost in a much bigger pool.

Let’s look at some specific actions you can begin to employ:-

1. Build Relationships
Of course, marketing yourself or your brand is not all about social media. You still need to get out and network to build relationships, collaborations… and maybe even partnerships with influencers too!
No matter what your business is, your audience exists on the internet, they are out there looking for you right now. The key is to show your uniqueness, your special sauce that makes you the stand-out person to connect with that they believe can solve their issue. To do that, you need to tailor your content to appeal to your ideal customer and the pain point they need/want to solve. It’s a marketing fact that it takes numerous ‘touches’ on your brand before a potential customer takes action to engage with you. This could be through posts you’ve done, Facebook Lives or even a Webinar. In short, they need to know, like and trust you before they will invest in you/your products or services.

2. Talk More!
This is the most cost effective way of gaining more customers. Create content that is a conversation starter! Maybe do this on a Live. This can elicit participation, including questions from a new audience. You can search for Groups online using keywords relevant to what you do and then research the questions they ask, addressing them in your Lives and creating content around these hot topics.

3. Where is my Audience Online?
Start by asking questions of those you already have a relationship with or who are existing clients to learn about what platforms or Groups they are in so that you can go and research the type of questions they are asking. You can also use online Polls including Stories to ask simple ‘Do you like X or Y’ to help you see where your audience is spending their online time.

Listen to your audience, then create an offer to solve that exact problem. Sell more to the clients who are already paying you. Make sense?

You can also visit Groups online where you think your potential customers are and help people without being overtly salesy. The more you engage with people, joining in with discussing the issues they face, the more people will start to follow and resonate with your message and services. Whatever you do, don’t just engage for the sake of saying something – make sure it’s always relevant.

4. Get Organised
You need to formulate a plan for creating content on an ongoing basis. In effect, you need to reserve time each week for specific activities. This is where people can get absolutely carried away trying to be all things to all people, taking on too much, running themselves into the ground, desperately trying to make things happen. Work out a Plan that is achievable which allows for client time too. It’s all about BALANCE. It’s as much about marketing yourself as searching for new clients. Make sure your Plan takes both into consideration.

5. Create an Email List
This is a much-underestimated use of your time but one that will pay you massive dividends further down the line. Come the next recession (unfortunately there will always be one), you NEED a list of warm leads to promote your products/programs or services to without the need for advertising spend. This is your List. I write to my List each day. This isn’t a necessity when you start but aim for a couple of times a week – just dropping a tip or giving some interesting insight. Share your own stories of why you are in this business or perhaps share case studies/client success stories or a behind the scenes in your business.

6. Organic Audience Growth –v- Paid Ads
Organic growth takes time. There are many examples of extremely successful entrepreneurs who have grown their followers into the millions using this strategy. However, if you have the budget, paid adverts can generate fast results in a matter of a few days. So a mix of organic, plus paid ads where it makes fiscal sense, is ideal.
Remember it’s all down to you understanding your audience and using your laser focus to speak to the needs of those who seek your services, which will directly impact how successful both organic and paid advertising will be for you. This can be about tweaking your Messaging or changing your Call To Action or even your Offer, so be prepared that you may not start to see results quickly and be ready to make tweaks and changes.

7. What Content Ideas work best?
The best content will always be that which serves your audience. Be inspirational! Make sure it’s a great fit to attract your ideal customer.

You can use:-

• Live or Recorded Videos
• Stories and Polls
• EBooks
• Cheat Sheets
• Blogs
• Podcasts/Be a Guest on someone else’s
• Guides
• Quizzes
• Reports/PDF’s
• Mindset Meditations

Think about what may appeal to your audience that is both valuable and relevant.

8. Consider joining Clubhouse
If you love speaking, then this is for you. Speaking live helps you refine your own message and of course you can offer a freebie giveaway. Clubhouse is open 24/7 worldwide and has become the runaway success of 2021. Hearing about your business in your own voice is exactly what some people need to inspire them to take action and connect with you.

9. Start Blogging
Blogging can be a fantastic way of your building credibility with your coaching audience. I have a Blog on my website but you can also repurpose this content to post elsewhere or even for someone else. A handful of Blogs can really go to work for you! They also have endurance, creating impact for a long period of time in some cases over years but still getting new viewers today.

10. Create Video Content
Video has become a massive attraction magnet for businesses and it drives engagement more than anything else on the internet. This can range from simple Lives lasting a few minutes, to Video Testimonials that people love because they can see real people talking about their own experience of you, to Workshops or even a Video Series.
Video is consumed by your audience so much easier; if they’re on a train, in a Dentist’s waiting room, anywhere! You don’t need to read reams of text or try and see anything, so it’s easy to understand its massive appeal.
Today’s mobile phones are a cost effective way to record video and of course, most of us carry a mobile with us all the time! Create a list of videos you can do and don’t forget if you need it, there are some amazing Teleprompter Apps available to help.

Don’t forget you can always repurpose the content to other channels and perhaps even consider starting to grow another platform like YouTube.

Live video is probably one of the best things you can do to communicate with your audience.

FINALLY
Listen to your audience, diagnose their pains and challenges, prescriptive a solution via an offer, leverage social media… and you’ll be a winner.