Are you looking to find coaching clients?
Maybe you are new coach, or wanting to get a few clients to see if you can really do this. Or, perhaps you’ve been doing this for a little while, but things have slumped.
So you are asking yourself: “Is this really hard right now?”
Yes. Yes it is!
Here’s why: Between AI (can we trust our eyes?) and the economy (Can we trust there’s money?), buying behavior has changed.
People are deluged with bad news on one hand (war! AI killing us all! gas prices!), and wondering if the person selling them something is even real on the other so…*of course* they are more cautious. The world is indeed more stressful.
That’s *clearly* the bad news.
The good news is that if you want to find coaching clients, they are still very much out there. There are people who want and need and are willing to buy your services. And the way that you find them is by focusing on their humanity.
We are a pretty visual, tactile species. We look to look people in the eye to make sure we see their sincerity, and shake their hand firmly to show our agreement. We want to trust the people we purchase from, so we know our investment is safe.
So as coaches, we need to lean into the paths that build trust quickly.
The best part about this big shift? You can get off of social media if you want to!
Here’s what works to find coaching clients…
The way to build trust quickly is through personal, visual connection. Lean into how humans actually work. Why fight biology, is what I always say (as well as “chocolate is a medicinal bean, so it’s like eating your veggies”).
The first path to explore is networking, and by that I mean that you get on the phone or chat with someone in person.
Every single coach I’ve ever met got their first client through networking (and after working with 40,000 coaches, I’ve talked to quite a few).
It’s hard to ignore someone who is right in front of you at a coffee meetup, an event, or on a zoom call. They also get the benefit of witnessing your passion, connecting to your energy, and seeing who you really are in full color. That builds so much trust.
The second quick path to clients is public speaking for free to existing groups or organizations. By that I mean you get in a room (or an online room) and share your expertise with joy, so they can see your sincerity and authority. Then you invite them to work with you!
Why this works: When you have been invited to speak you have automatic credibility, even if you are brand new as a coach. And of course, you have someone’s complete attention. Together, this moves someone from thinking “who is this random person?” to “I need to work with this awesome coach” in just 30-60 minutes. So that’s why this is the absolute fastest path to clients. As a newer coach I was able to close a $5000 client within 24 hours of speaking (I’d invite people to schedule a consult from the stage, and they would for the next day and voila, done!). And I wasn’t an amazing speaker. I mean, I was wasn’t terrible, but I was not god’s gift to speaking.
When people can see and hear you, they know they can believe their eyes. And when they believe in you, they start to trust you. And when they trust you, they hire you.
How to get started…
It’s easy to overthink, so in this case maybe don’t?
Networking is the easiest place to start, because as a human, you already know other humans. (Go you!)
Make a list of at least three people in your network to catch up with over a coffee. If no names come to mind, scroll your socials as a reminder of who you know.
Once you meet, share what you are up to as a coach, and ask if they know of anyone who might fit your niche and offer, and then ask for an introduction. I know, stupidly simple. But give it a try and see what happens.
Need more detailed help?
No worries! I’ve got a super simple 14-Day FREE Client Blueprint. It will help you take one step per day to find your next client in UNDER two weeks, and it covers everything from your niche and offer, to exactly what to say to someone and how to follow up! And don’t worry, you won’t have to sell any coaching to your friends or family.
–>So grab it here (it takes 5 seconds to grab so…why wait?).