I struggled to get clients, but I found a way out.
Today, I want to share what I’ve learned the hard way to build my coaching business.
When you begin the journey of building a coaching business, it’s easy to fall into the trap of conventional wisdom. You believe that success involves casting a wide net, promoting the coaching process, or avoiding the gritty aspects of business.
My own journey as the founder of GoMasterCoach, while filled with typical entrepreneurial challenges, taught me some surprising lessons I wished I knew when I started.
❌ Mistake 1 : Selling Coaching, Selling Processes
✅ Lesson : No one wants to buy coaching. People want to buy OUTCOMES. Share success stories, create possibilities.
In the early days, I was focused on selling coaching as a concept. This approach seems logical—after all, you're a coach, so you should sell coaching, right? Wrong. What I eventually understood, through many disappointing client interactions and a struggling conversion rate, was that people don't want to buy coaching; they want to buy outcomes. This was a game-changing realisation.
To illustrate, consider the difference in response when you shift from saying, "I offer coaching sessions," to "I help you achieve [specific outcome]." The former tells what you do; the latter tells what the client gets. When I repositioned my services to emphasize the transformative outcomes—such as increased productivity, better leadership skills, or more fulfilling personal lives—my conversion rate jumped from 20% to 80%.
➡️ This shift required me to refine how I spoke about my services. I started every client conversation with the question, "What would success look like if we were to work together?" This not only set a positive and ambitious tone for the engagement but also immediately aligned my services with the client’s deepest aspirations.
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
❌Mistake 2: Wanting to coach everyone because….“If I “niche down”, I will reduce the number of potential clients”
✅Lesson: This is the exact opposite. To survive in this crowded industry, differentiate yourself. Narrow down your niche.
One of the most counterintuitive lessons I learned. The fear that niching down would limit my potential client base was pervasive. In reality, the opposite was true. By specifying who I could help the most—identifying a niche based on my strengths and the market needs—I attracted more of the right clients.
Niching helps in cutting through the noise of a crowded market. When you speak directly to a specific group’s pains and goals, your message resonates deeply. For GoMasterCoach, finding our niche meant understanding who benefits most from our unique approach to coaching, and it allowed us to create tailored marketing messages that speak directly to those clients' hearts and minds.
❌Mistake 3: Loving coaching, despising the business of coaching
Many coaches, myself included, come into this profession driven by a passion for helping others and a belief in the transformative power of coaching. However, a dislike or avoidance of the business aspects can stifle your potential. I learned that the skills which make a great coach—empathetic listening, the ability to ask powerful questions, understanding and acting on client pain points—also make a great entrepreneur.
For instance, empathetic listening allows you to really hear what your clients are struggling with, which in turn lets you tailor your offerings more effectively. Powerful questions can help you close sales by leading potential clients to realize the value you can add to their lives. Addressing pain points effectively builds trust and demonstrates your capability, making marketing and sales a natural extension of your coaching practice.
✅Lesson: Leverage and invest in your coaching skills to become a great salesperson:
1. Listen with empathy
2. Understand pain points
3. Ask powerful questions
4. Create a sense of urgency for immediate action.
➡️ Remember: Your coaching skills are your business superpowers.
❌Mistake 4: Being afraid to post on Social Media, afraid to be judged.
✅Lesson: People might judge you but people will see you.
Another barrier was the fear of visibility, especially on platforms like LinkedIn where the potential for judgment seems high. The fear of being judged or criticized can be paralyzing, but visibility is essential for growth. By consistently sharing my values, my mission, and the outcomes of my work, I’ve been able to not only attract clients but also position myself as a thought leader in the coaching industry.
Social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, have been instrumental in this respect. They offer a stage on which to present your authentic self and your professional brand to the world. Every post, article, and comment becomes a means to demonstrate your expertise and connect with potential clients.
➡️ Stick to your values. Stick to your mission. Share how you want to help and the impact you want to make. LinkedIn is the best platform to create awareness and generate leads. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.
As you navigate your own entrepreneurial journey, remember that each challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow. Stay true to your mission, leverage your unique skills, and don't shy away from the business aspects that will amplify your impact. With dedication and resilience, the path leads to not just surviving but thriving in the competitive world of coaching.
I am Geraldine, founder of GoMasterCoach, Master Certified Coach, Linkedin Top Voice.
Join me to learn coaching and the business of coaching in our upcoming training.
PS: If you enjoyed this, share it with a friend.
Feel free to reach out to info@gomastercoach.com if you have any question.
How to Get ICF-Certified as a Coach ?
Why GoMasterCoach Institute ?
A modern training based on the latest industry research, including NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Techniques, Cognitive Biases and Limiting Beliefs Techniques.
Free access to the Coaching Toolbox with 20+ of the top Coaching tools.
Get your Certification 100% online, In Person, or Hybrid.
Preparation for the ICF Credentialing Exam with mock exams and ready-to-use cheat sheets.
10 hours of mentoring with expert mentor coaches.
A Peer Coaching Network to help you accumulate your Coaching Hours.
A support before the Training and well after the Training: Free Support to help you Grow your Business (Branding, Website, Digital Marketing..).
A strong alumni network, which offers Business Collaborations opportunities.
Best Value For Money you Will Find !!!
You can decide either to do it 100% Online from Anywhere or In Person in Singapore:
USD 3,950 for the Online Certification
USD 4,200 | SGD 5,700 for the In-Person Certification (in class in Singapore)
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