Congratulations coach! You’ve put in the hard work to make your dream of becoming a coach a reality. Now…it’s time to get to work!
You’re probably wondering how to launch your business and start attracting clients. If so, you’re in the right place! Keep reading to discover the next steps you’ll need to take to run a successful business and attract your dream clients.
Step One: Launch Your Business
Getting your business ready to launch is an exciting first step! As a coach, you have to wear many hats. Before stepping into your roles as head of marketing, finances, and operations, you need to have a good grip on the basics.
Here’s what you’ll need to get squared away before announcing you’re open for business:
Name your Business
Have fun with naming your business, but don’t go too crazy. Your name should reflect who you are and what you do. If the creative juices aren’t flowing, you can’t go wrong with your first and last name followed by “Coaching” (ex. Jane Doe Coaching).
It’s important to get your business name right. Your business name will be used for your website URL, email address, and social media handles. Spend some time to brainstorm a name for your business before moving any further.
Choose Your Domain Name
Once you have a business name you feel confident about, you’ll need to claim your domain name. A domain name is usually yourbusinessname.com. Curb the creative juices here. You want your URL to match your business name as closely as possible. GoDaddy, Squarespace, and Bluehost are popular places to purchase a domain name.
Set Up Your Website
Now that you’ve got a domain name, move on to setting up your website. You can hire a website designer if you’d like, but when you are starting out, it can save you a lot of money to do it yourself.
Plenty of website services will cater to “do-it-yourself entrepreneurs” just like you. Check out WordPress.org, Squarespace, Kajabi, and Showit. Try our a few of their services, and opt for the one that feels most comfortable for you.
As for content, – no matter what hosting service or design you select – there are four pages you absolutely must have on your website.
Your Website Home Page
The first page you must have is a “front” or “home” page. Your home page should quickly establish who you help and how you help them. Be sure to feature a high-quality photo of yourself on this page.
The very next thing you want your visitor to see is a free offer. Your free offer should be something valuable that your visitor can gain instant access to in exchange for their email.
We’ll share more on the importance of capturing emails later in this article, but for now, follow these steps:
- Create a freebie: This could be an ebook, devotional, meal plan, mindset exercise or anything that relates to your specific type of coaching. Just remember, the priority of this freebie is to offer something valuable and capture their contact information.
- Set up a sign-up form: Create an account with an emailing service of your choice. ConvertKit is a great way to start out. Create a sign up form through your email service. Once you’ve got email opt-ins rolling in, set up an automation sequence so that your freebie can be delivered to the recipient on autopilot.
- Send subscribers to a thank you page: Finally, send your new subscribers to a thank you page. It’s a big deal for someone to give you their email! Show your appreciation and remind your subscribers that they’ve got something amazing waiting in their inbox.
Your Website About Page
Use this page to show how you help your ideal client and why you are passionate about it. You can share more personally about yourself, but don’t go overboard. The idea is to highlight yourself as the right coach for your ideal client.
Your Website Coaching Page
Go more in-depth on your coaching services on this page. Share about who you serve, why you love serving them, and why it matters to you. Show your ideal customer how you will address their specific pain point. Convince them that the change they wish to see is possible and you are the person that can help them achieve it.
Your Website Contact Page
Make it easy for visitors to connect with you! Share a high-quality image of yourself on this page and provide a link to email you directly. You will also want to embed a simple contact form.
Discovery Calls
Once your essential web pages are ready to roll, make sure you offer opportunities for website visitors to take the next step and book a Discovery Call with you. Start by setting up a scheduling service. Create a Calendly or YouCanBookMe account. Embed links to the scheduling service of your choice on relevant pages of your website. You can add this link to the banners or footer of your website for extra exposure.
Prepare Coaching Packages
Finally, prepare your coaching packages. Clients don’t just book you to coach. Your clients will book you for the perks you offer in your packages.
Wondering how to design packages that lead to a purchase? Keep reading!
Nail Down the Details
As you start designing your packages there are a few details you need to nail down. First, take into consideration the length of each session. Coaching sessions typically last 30-60 minutes.
Next, decide where you will meet your clients and how often. Will you meet online, at your office, or somewhere else? Will you get together once a month, once a week, or more?
Define the Purpose
Now that the fine details are squared away, define the purpose of your coaching. What outcome can your client expect as a result of working with you? Make your outcome an obvious component of the package.
Will you help your clients grow their business, lose weight, heal their marriage? Take a moment to consider the outcome you will help your clients achieve. How will you include this as a component of your package?
Highlight the Process
The purpose of your service is clear, now show your client how you will deliver the outcome you promised. You don’t want the process to be a mystery. It should be easy to understand and enticing.
Consider the systems, shortcuts, or strategies you will share with your client.
Set the Price
Your packages must include a price. Most coaches that are just starting out charge between $50 and $75 per hour. Start by identifying your hourly rate and build from there.
Next, take each element of your package into consideration. Will you offer workbooks, access to group coaching calls, weekly check-ins? Determine what extra elements you will add to your one-on-one coaching time. What is each element worth?
Craft a price for your package that reflects your hourly rate plus the worth of the other elements in your packages.
Curious to know more about designing the perfect package? The Coach School will teach you everything you need to know about designing irresistible coaching packages! Don’t launch your business alone. Learn how The Coach School can help you grow the coaching business of your dreams.
Step Two: Market Your Business
You’ve got the backend business essentials covered. Now it’s time to spread the word!
Get ready to harness the power of your story to create engaging content that your ideal customer craves.
Address Imposter Syndrome
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of marketing your coaching business, let’s take a moment to address “imposter syndrome.” Imposter syndrome is something that nearly all of us will experience when we start something new.
We wonder if we have what it takes. We convince ourselves that it’s only a matter of time before other people will discover that we’re a fraud. Sound familiar?
As you work through the rest of this article, remember this: there are people out there who need what you have to offer.
Everyone starts out as a beginner. Embrace the early stages of your business and tell the pesky little voice of doubt in your head to take a hike.
Know Your Perfect Person
Creating compelling content starts with knowing who your ideal customer is (or as we like to say at The Coach School, your perfect person). Your goal isn’t to produce marketing that speaks to everyone. The goal is to create content that speaks to your perfect person.
You can start creating this kind of content by identifying a problem that you solve. What problem does your perfect person have and how can you solve it?
With a solution to your perfect person’s problem in mind, start thinking of ways you can communicate the power of your solution. You want to show your potential clients how life-changing your services can be.
Finally, brainstorm how you want your perfect person to feel after working with you. Potential clients will purchase based on emotion far more often than logic. Pause and jot down the emotional impact of working with you.
Be Relatable
You’ve got a problem to solve and a powerful message that will incite emotion in your perfect person. As you share your message, don’t forget to be relatable. Know your audience and meet them where they are at.
You can connect with your audience by sharing vulnerably. They want to know that you are a real human that “gets them.” Wondering how to connect and be vulnerable? Use storytelling.
Use the Power of Story
Using story-telling is a great way to connect with potential clients. It will take some practice and brainstorming, but once you have a good grip on storytelling, you can weave it into social media captions, emails, blog posts, podcasts, and other marketing mediums.
Here’s the formula you need to craft a story that converts:
- Hook: Use hooks to grab attention. Draw your audience in with a bold statement.
- Story: Once you’ve got them on the hook, share a story. Your story should elicit emotion and give your audience an aha moment.
- Close: Remind your audience what’s at stake here. They’ve got a problem and you have the solution!
Step Three: Set Up Your Systems
With amazing marketing, it’s only a matter of time before you start signing clients. Before your schedule gets too full of client appointments, let’s make sure you have systems in place.
Systems will help you run a smooth operation, save your sanity, and provide a high quality service to your clients.
Automation Systems for Coaches
The first system you need as a coach is an automation system. Automate as much as you can to save time and energy.
Scheduling is often the first place to implement automation. Research schedule platforms. Platforms like Calendly, Acuity, or SimplyBook sync with your calendar and allow you to schedule client meetings without lifting a finger. Simply set your hours, send clients a link, and let them schedule their appointments.
Next, schedule payments. Make it easy for you and your client to make payments in a timely and efficient manner. Research options for automated payment.
PayPal and Stripe are popular payment systems. Both platforms can bill your client automatically on a time table of your choosing.
Time Blocking Systems for Coaches
Automation is a big time saver, but “time blocking” is another great way to protect your time so you can get stuff done!
Running a coaching business requires more than just meeting with clients. You need to set aside time to work on marketing, finances, continuing education, and a whole host of other tasks (not to mention your personal life!).
Time blocking works by reserving 30 to 90-minute chunks of time on your calendar. Assign these chunks a task like paying bills, session prep, or writing. Turn off all other distractions during this time and commit to focusing only on the task at hand.
Client Management Systems for Coaches
Automation and time blocking will make things smooth on the back end of your business. A client management system will make things equally as smooth on the front end.
You want to give your clients a high quality experience. A crucial part of their experience is the onboarding process. Take the time to set up an onboarding process that will impress your client and get them excited all over again to start working with you.
Coaching Client Onboarding Process
- Step 1: Welcome Letter – Draft a letter that you will send to all of your new clients. Welcome them and provide next steps.
- Step 2: Intake Form – Develop and intake form that you will use to get to know your clients better. Ask for their contact and biographical information and other information that will be relevant to the work you’ll be doing.
- Step 3: Communication Expectations – Establish communication expectations. Should your client text, call, or email to get a hold of you? What days and times can you be reached? Make your expectations about communication abundantly clear.
- Step 4: Progress Tracker – Give your clients a tool they can use to track progress. After all, the point of working with you is to achieve life change! Help yourself and your client keep a pulse on the life change that is unfolding in real time.
You’re Ready Coach!
You’re ready, coach! You’ve got the basics of running a coaching business nailed down. You know how to market effectively. And you’ve got systems in place to help you save your time and sanity.
Wishing you had some support when it comes to launching your business?
Check out The Coach School. The Coach School is a 12-week program that was created for coaches like you that need guidance and support when it comes to running your business.
