How Do You Get Your First Coaching Client?
Why three? It’s not a random number. Three is the tipping point for most coaches. It demonstrates that you have real pull and that this coaching isn’t just a pipe.
Getting three long-term clients helped some leave their jobs, start coaching full-time, and later break six figures in revenue. So, what a difference those first three clients can make for your income and confidence
Here’s the breakdown of which marketing strategies were most popular among the 27 successful life and business coaches:
Number of Mentions Per Strategy
For example, eight experts mentioned offering free coaching to get their first three clients.
- Coach People You Know for Free
Challenge yourself to have 30 complimentary conversations. Then, offer to continue working with them on a paid basis or ask if they know anyone else interested. Instead of just coaching your heart out and hoping people will sign on with you, I recommend being a little more strategic…
First, choose a specific problem that you can work on with potential clients. Here’s a list of the most profitable coaching niches. This specificity makes people more eager to try free coaching because they understand how it could help them.
https://youtu.be/5wFN_3WtGRc - Attend Networking Events
During COVID, many networking groups that used to happen in person transitioned to meeting online. For example, Toastmasters is a public speaking group where you can meet potential clients without leaving home.
To get clients from networking events, focus on three things - Think about how you introduce yourself, and consider inviting people to a free coaching session at the end.
- Form genuine connections with other group members by curiosity about what they do.
- Ensure you can follow up with specific people you meet who might be interested in working with you.
- Speak Or Run a Workshop
This is the fastest way to get coaching clients. As a speaker, you are immediately recognized as an expert. The workshop can be online or offline, free or paid. In the end, invite the audience to a complimentary strategy session by saying, if what we mentioned today was helpful for you, and you’d like to talk about how to apply it in your particular circumstances, then I’d like to offer you each a flattering policy session with me.” - Blog, Podcast, or Make Videos
Content advertising is more of a long-term game. You write blog posts, make videos, or record podcast interviews in the hopes that your potential clients will find them. But sometimes, the results happen sooner than you expect. - Use Social Media Strategically
You might love social media. You might hate it. But you can’t deny that it’s a great resource when you’re starting as a coach.
Until you’ve built your email list, your existing network on social media serves as your initial audience. If you don’t have a social media network, you can use existing Facebook or LinkedIn groups to meet potential clients and answer their questions. - Generate Referrals
The key to generating referrals is to be very specific in your request. Don’t say, “Hey, do you know anyone who wants coaching?” People need help sorting through their mental Rolodex and coming up with a name.
On the other hand, when you ask to be connected with a specific type of person with a particular goal, it’s much easier for people to help out.
- Host Your Meetup
To avoid attending someone else’s networking event, you can create your own using Meetup.com. These can be hosted in person or virtually – your choice. The key is to make your group topic specific enough to stand out to your ideal clients. At the end of your meetups, you can invite them to a free consultation to help them with whatever your area of expertise is. Are you seeing a theme here? Getting people into a conversation where you can directly offer coaching is key. - Put Together an Ad or Flyer
Right now, Facebook ads are a very popular form of marketing. However, I don’t recommend them if you’re starting. Facebook ads require specialized knowledge and work best once a “sales funnel” is built.
An easier alternative is to put together a local ad or flyer. For example, if you’re a health coach, you could drop off some flyers at your local chiropractor’s office. You could even put up a listing on Craigslist describing what you do. While it may seem wild, several famous coaches started doing this.
