Discover Your Coaching Niche

Archive for January, 2008

In the first two parts of this article we explored the first four of the five biggest marketing problems for coaches.  These were:

1. Seeing marketing as a necessary evil and
2. Using inappropriate marketing tactics
3. Belief that marketing=sales or promotion
4. Lack of knowledge of specific marketing strategies

We now continue with the fifth biggest problem.

5. Insufficient time marketing

While no coaches believe that clients will just fall in their laps, many coaches starting out do not realise quite how much time they need to spend on marketing activities.   

It’s clear that many coaches simply do not spend enough time consistently marketing their practices.  The result of this is the lack of the cumulative effect of relationship building with prospects.  And without a relationship, your prospects are unlikely to turn into clients.

Remember the quote at the beginning of this article?

“Realise that the business you are in IS the business of marketing your services!”
- Dan Kennedy.

If you’re not spending all your time marketing when you’re not actually coaching – what are you doing for your business?

Conclusion

With such a diverse range of common marketing problems, it’s not a wonder that so many coaches have so much trouble in this area.

From the discussion above, the problems are partly based on coaches’ attitudes to marketing, partly on the lack of specific marketing knowledge and partly on insufficiently developed marketing skills. 

So which of the following do you have problems with in your practice?

1. Marketing is a necessary evil
2. Inappropriate marketing tactics
3. Belief that marketing=sales or promotion
4. Lack of knowledge of specific marketing strategies
5. Insufficient time marketing

If you were to decide to resolve just one area, which would it be?

Taking action

Knowledge of the issues you face is one thing, and taking action is another.

So, why not ask yourself the following questions?

1. What insights have I gained as a result of reading this article?

2. What will I now do as a result of reading this article?

3. What is the one thing that you do today from this article that will help you?

4. What three things can you put into place this week as a result of reading this article?

5. What would it be like for you to have implemented these three things?

6. What specific problems will they solve?

7. What will you do, precisely?

8. By when?

Alun Richards helps coaches discover and reach their coaching niche.
Discover yours  with the free Discover Your Coaching Niche Mini-Course available here: http://www.nichecourse.co.uk 

© Copyright Alun Richards 2007. All Rights Reserved. You may freely distribute this article providing you do so in its entirety; ensuring the copyright and contact details above are included.

In the first part of this article we explored the first two of the five biggest marketing problems for coaches.  These were:

1. Seeing marketing as a necessary evil and
2. Using inappropriate marketing tactics

We continue with the next two biggest problems.

3. Belief that marketing=sales or promotion

It is clear that some coaches see marketing as synonymous with promotion and sales.  Naturally, true marketing is far wider, and starts much earlier in the product lifecycle. 

And it’s the initial activities of determining who your target market are – and their wants – that are the most valuable.  Those coaches who do not engage in those high value-add initial activities will find their marketing is like a ship with no rudder.

4. Lack of knowledge of specific marketing strategies

A significant number of coaches are not clear on what marketing strategies they should be adopting.  They are not aware which specific strategies are the most successful for coaches.  This lack of knowledge often results in a lack of action – or the expending of energy and money on ineffective strategies.

Even those who know successful marketing tactics often do not use them effectively, or with sufficient persistence.

This article will continue in the upcoming posts.

“Realise that the business you are in IS the business of marketing your services!”

- Dan Kennedy.

According to recent research from BrandingYou!, coaches say they have five main problems with marketing. Have a read and see if any of these are familiar.

1. Marketing is a necessary evil

Some coaches believe that marketing activities are a necessary evil or an undesirable add-on to their hours spent coaching in front of their clients.

These coaches dislike marketing, especially the promotional activities like networking and cold-calling that they see as somewhat invasive.

This may stem in part from the perception that they shouldn’t boast about their services. Or that being seen as ‘sales-y’ is a bad thing. These coaches often completely neglect or minimise marketing activities – with predictable results.

2. Inappropriate marketing tactics

Other coaches have had bad experiences using promotional tactics that are inappropriate for coaches.  They’ve used techniques that are suitable for mass market products, but are not suitable for more relationship-based professional services. 

Knowing which tactics are effective for the promotion of professional services is vital to the success of your practice.  The kinds of promotion that work well in the mass market, like advertising in the media do not serve coaches well.  So the results for coaches have often been costly and disappointing.

This article will continue in the upcoming posts.

Why – coaches often ask me – why should you have a coaching niche?

Why indeed, does anyone have a coaching niche?  Well, let me cover a few specifics.

Stephen Van Yoder, in his book ‘Get Slightly Famous’ (which incidentally I strongly recommend) points out the following benefits of discovering your niche and branding yourself.

Benefits

• You differentiate yourself from your competition.
• You confer top of mind status to you and your services.
• You increase your authority and the credence of your decisions.
• You place yourself in the leadership role.
• You enhance your prestige.
• You attract the right clients and the right opportunities for you.
• You earn recognition for yourself and for your services.
• You position your focused message in the hearts and minds of your target customers.
• And you increase your earning potential.

But in addition to these, there are specific benefits to your marketing.  When you specialise, when you select a niche, all aspects of your marketing are leveraged:

• You get known fast by your target market.
• You will maximise word of mouth marketing.
• You can use existing – often free – distribution channels.
• You are much more likely to gain referrals from your target markets.
• Testimonials have more relevance and power.
• If your material is relevant, viral marketing can be potent.
• You’ll gain reuse of your coaching marketing material.
• PR opportunities are more likely.
• Your relevance to your prospects is increased.

And through understanding your niche’s needs and wants, you’ll spot trends and be able to respond quickly to them.

Summary

Having a niche is like turning up the volume knob on your marketing.  In a mass, undifferentiated market, your message gets lost.  In a niche market, your voice is clearer, and your audience is listening harder.

This means that your message is likely to get heard.  And if your message is relevant, it will quickly spread amongst your market.  And that’s what we want, isn’t it?