Before seriously marketing yourself as a coach, it is important to ensure you continue learning and that your coaching expertise offers value. After you consider and plan for your ongoing professional development and use of coaching tools, a natural next step is your PR and marketing efforts.
Choose Your Focus:
* Consider your niche areas as a coach. Are people looking for coaching in your areas of service? Do the niche areas you offer make sense as a whole?
* How do you describe the service you provide and its value to clients? Think through what is important for your potential clients to know and how to describe it in a way that makes sense to them as they consider possibilities.
Plan Your Efforts:
How are you visible to potential clients?
* Networking events in person and networking sites online provide a way for you to connect with others and to understand their needs and interests.
* Professional membership groups often seek speakers, providing an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and make your services available.
* Search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and blogs enhance your visibility as a coach; intentionally plan what you are doing when to increase the opportunities for getting found online.
* Subject matter expertise as a published author, writer, and trainer often opens the door for others to contact you about coaching.
Building a coaching business successfully takes time and work. Create your 2011 calendar now. Include time to develop your database of networking events, professional membership groups in the area, and contacts. Plan time to call or email. Schedule time each week for SEO, social media, and blogging efforts. Build in time to write. Be intentional to get results you want as a coach.
By choosing your focus and planning your efforts, you are laying the foundation for business growth and your success as a coach!
