How to Find Coaching Clients by Owning Your Niche
A mistake many coaches make, whether they’re life coaches, business coaches, wellness coaches, or expat coaches, is trying to serve all kinds of clients. They figure, the more people I target, the more money I can make.
In fact, trying to be all things to all people can have the opposite effect.
Instead, focus on the clients you know best…those who walk on the path you’ve already walked.
You can’t be all things to all people
Before we dive into what I mean when I say you should work with clients on the same path as you, let’s look at why having too broad a niche is a dangerous thing. Especially in coaching, people are looking for someone who is specialized and experienced in the areas they want help with. Think about it: if you want to hire a business coach who can help you navigate an acquisition, would you want to work with a business coach with general experience, or one who’s actually helped with acquisitions before? If you have a gluten intolerance, would you hire a health coach with general health knowledge or one who’s helped hundreds of people navigate gluten issues?
When you try to spread yourself thin to attract more clients, you miss out on the opportunity to dive deeper into one area of focus. The time you spend trying to attract all kinds of clients is time you aren’t building experience that will bring them in naturally.
So, how do you find coaching clients in your niche? Use the following two strategies.
1. Sell to the person you used to be
Kimberly Maska helps people start spiritual businesses. One thing she drills into her students' heads is: “Your ideal client is 10 steps behind you on the same path, a past version of yourself.”
She says, "You've already reached the destination, making you the perfect guide to lead them on their journey because you have already experienced the exact problems they are experiencing now. Your personal experiences are what make you unique and draw the perfect client to you."
Here are some examples to illustrate Maska’s point. If you’re that health coach who specializes in gluten intolerance, maybe it’s because you have your own intolerance and got frustrated with the lack of available information and resources out there, and this led you to become a coach. Maybe you’re an expat coach who has successfully navigated a move abroad and now want to help others do the same.
People hire coaches for very personal reasons. They find something in that coach that resonates with them, and more than likely, it’s their own journey. They see you as a success story for the services you offer.
So rather than trying to sell to just anybody, sell to the person you used to be.
2. Use your own story as your marketing message
Speaking of selling to your former self, you’ll need to be open about your own journey, and, trust me, that can get uncomfortable if you’re not at ease with opening up to the public about your life. And yet, it’s your journey that will help others understand what you’re capable of achieving.
Michelle Brigman, executive coach and president of The Brave Advantage, says that while she projected an image of corporate success, she felt completely exhausted and depleted, and was struggling to find joy and balance in her life. She realized that her professional success did not lead to personal fulfillment and decided to approach her situation as a problem to be solved. She then embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery and self-love.
As she began sharing her story, she discovered that many of her peers were experiencing the same thing and, like her, were suffering in silence.
“This realization sparked a movement,” Brigman says, “I created a safe space for like-minded women to come together, share their experiences, and explore personalized strategies to enhance their physical, mental, and emotional well-being without sacrificing their careers or families. These success stories serve as living proof that every woman can achieve happiness and fulfillment in her own life while still pursuing her aspirations and dreams.”
In your marketing, address the pain points you experienced on your own journey. For me, as a woman who moved to Italy solo, I felt frustrated at the confusing information online about visas. I also experienced a cascade of emotions once I got here to Italy, and if I’d known that they were all normal, I might have adjusted faster. So now I use those experiences to create guides and consultations for people who are looking for information online, and my coaching packages aim to prepare people for the stages of culture shock they’ll experience.
When you speak from an authentic place, people can more easily relate to you and imagine that you are the one who can help them as a coach.
Narrowing your niche actually expands results
It may seem counterintuitive or like magic, but the more you narrow your focus and really own the demographic you attract (who, as we have established, are going through things you’ve gone through yourself), the more people you’ll find in what might seem like a very skinny niche.
But as you narrow your focus, you build your experience and establish yourself as an expert in helping a very specific group of people. So celebrate the niche. Own it. It’s what will help you fulfill your purpose as a coach.
