Are you looking to jumpstart your coaching business but don't know where to begin? Whether you're a pro or a beginner in the industry, this article has got you covered.
Get ready to dive into a comprehensive Step-by-Step Practical Guide on how to start your own online coaching business. We'll walk you through all the essentials and provide you with expert tips to ensure your success.
The following article covers:
7 steps to start and promote online coaching business
7 steps to start and promote online coaching business
Online coaching is one of the most demanded professions nowadays. So let’s review the step-by-step guide on how to create & promote your online coaching business.
#1 Define Your Coaching Approach
You need to get clear on a few main aspects: Niches, Types, Styles, and Techniques.
For the first step, review your
- Coaching Niche. When you choose a niche, all the other aspects, such as style, philosophy, and target audience, will become more apparent to you.
- Coaching Style. There are various coaching styles available. They include democratic coaching, authoritarian coaching, transformation coaching and many others.
- Coaching Technique. Some common techniques include asking powerful questions, goal setting, visualization, brainstorming, action planning, etc.
- Coaching Platform. One of the best platforms we can suggest is Uteach. It comes with website-builder, coaching sessions, marketing tools and other exciting features.
- Coaching model. Choose an approach that fits you best, such as GROW, CLEAR, STEPPA, WOOP & others.
#2 Identify your target audience
You should identify your target audience if you want to construct truly efficient coaching sessions. Plus, knowing your target audience is the first step if you expect your marketing strategy to work.
Here are the top-notch tips & steps on how to identify your target audience.
- Conduct Market Research in order to identify industry trends, selling niches, etc.
- Create Buyer Personas to understand who is your ideal client.
- Identify the market segment that does not fall into your target audience category and is unlikely to make a purchase.
- Do Competitor Research, identify keywords they rank for, search intents they try to match, and who are their target buyers. When doing competitor research, consider both direct and indirect competition to understand the market better.
Never Underestimate the power of monitoring competitors and market leaders, as you will gain so much knowledge related to every aspect of your business from them.
#3 Develop a well-structured coaching program
To create a successful coaching business, you need to have a well-structured coaching program that will be truly efficient for the participants.
Think about what elements you would include in your program. For example, what type of questions you will use to guide the clients or decide on tasks if you are going to assign them?
You would also want to ensure you included assessment tools in the program. An example of a great assessment tool is Wheel of Life. Analyse which one fits your program better and adjust it accordingly. And lastly, do not forget about the power of practical activities. Visualisatization, journaling and similar activities will ensure you sessions are not limited to only the theoretical part.
#4 Price your program
Pricing the program can really be a game-changer when starting an online business. To ensure you are on the right track with this step consider your specific niche and your level of expertise.
You can price your coaching sessions at an hourly rate, monthly, or the coaching program as a whole.
Consider these strategies before pricing the program:
- Penetration pricing is skimming through market prices and offering the lowest price to get clients.
- Value-based pricing means that you should price the program thinking from the customer’s perspective in terms of what or how much value they will gain from it.
- Dynamic Pricing, with this strategy, you can occasionally change prices on the program and sessions depending on the current demand in the market.
Your market research can greatly help with figuring out the rates. So, you can see the price ranges other coaches of your niche offer and adjust it to your program.
#5 Start marketing & promoting your services
One of the most vital steps, if you want to generate sales and get return-on-investment, is marketing. It is complicated yet simple at the same time.
Depending on your starting budget you can decide what digital marketing tactics you can start with. Is it organic marketing, or is it paid marketing?
For example, you can start promoting your business using organic marketing channels. They include posting on social media, having a blog, conducting email marketing or implementing SEO techniques. Paid marketing, including Google and social media ads will also contribute to generating more sales.
Check 18 Great Ways To Get Coaching Clients In the Short & Long Term.
#6 Develop your unique brand
Branding and right positioning are not far less important
To stand out from the rest and generate sales, you must know about the key principles of successful branding.
- Audit your Marketplace - observe competitors, and learn from their mistakes and success.
- Having clear deadlines is another key element you will need to incorporate into your daily activities if you want to build a brand.
- Have a mission statement for your brand and follow it
- Do not underestimate the power of the right design.
Develop a consistent brand message. How would you like your clients to perceive your brand if it was a person? To have a better idea of it, consider doing a SWOT analysis of your business idea and clarify strengths and weaknesses and further actions.
#7 Keep patience. Measure & improve
Keep in mind that brand building from scratch, even online, takes time, practice, and patience.
Make sure that coaching is your passion. And, if it is, then get started now to learn within time.
Keep in mind that you constantly need to keep track of every aspect of your business, including website, marketing, client-relationship management, and finances. Besides being a coach, you should be an entrepreneur who takes full responsibility for your brand.
Measure results, keep track of progress, and generally have business goals to stay motivated.
Choose between 1:1 and group coaching sessions
Do you need I need to start my business with Individual or group coaching?
Both options have their unique benefits and limitations.
Individual coaching can be the perfect choice for you if:
- You prefer to work with individuals rather than a group
- You are a beginner in the industry and want to start with an easier-to-manage-option
- You do not have so many clients yet, so there is nothing to worry about time-management
- You want to have more flexibility in terms of your working schedule
- The topic you discuss with the client requires privacy, or you do not feel comfortable discussing it in a group.
- Etc.
Group coaching can be an option for you if:
- You feel more comfortable working with groups rather than with individuals
- The goals of your coaching program can be better accomplished in a group setting
- You are looking for an affordable option both in terms of time and money
- Your coaching approaches support collaborative settings and learning from others
- Your topic encourages diverse perspectives and opinions
- Etc.
In fact, you are not forced to choose one. Depending on your experience, you can also offer both of them. We would recommend starting off with 1:1 sessions as those are easier to manage. Then, when you become an experienced coach with an established online presence, you can start group coaching sessions.
Best 6 online coaching platforms
Also, you would need a platform as a coach who wants to have an online coaching business. Many of you may think of building a website from scratch with Wix or WordPress, but no, it takes too much time & effort (as well as resources).
Instead, choose a platform already meant for online educators and coaches, giving enough customization options to host your website with a custom domain and white labeling.
Here, we are ready to present the Best Online Coaching Software which you can utilize and expand your business.
Uteach
Uteach is one of the leading platforms in the e-learning industry, and there are several reasons for that.
- Offers lots of customization options to ensure that you are able to design your website to communicate the unique message of your brand
- All-in-one potent automation that allows you to take control over every aspect of your online coaching business from one place
- Offers integration with popular platforms and apps that will help to enhance the user experience
- Works fast and has an incredibly beginner-friendly interface
Main Features
- Website Builder that allows you to build every aspect of your website in a visual drag & drop builder, change themes, etc.
- Course Builder with SEO boxes that allow users to add courses and optimize them before publishing
- End-to-end live sessions - this feature is especially useful for coaches to host online coaching sessions.
- Automation, including calendars, notifications, email campaigns
- Blog option to create a blog and publish relevant to your industry content in order to utilize the power of organic marketing fully
- Dashboard to take control over marketing & payments
So if you are a coach who wants to find an easy-to-use yet powerful coaching platform that will give you the opportunity to expand, then Uteach is the right choice for you. Plus, it is worth mentioning that it has extremely affordable pricing plans and a 14-day free trial run period.
Coaching Loft
Coaching Loft is another tremendous cloud-based software for coaches. It offers enough features to start and successfully handle coaching sessions.
The main features include the following:
- The automated appointment scheduling system
- Tools to improve the engagement of the clients
- Coaching notepad
- Cloud file storage and sharing
So, as a beginner coach, Coaching loft can be a great place to start. However, if you plan to have a full-featured business and further expansion, then consider Uteach.
Thinkific
One more good coaching platform that offers enough features to host online coaching sessions is Thinkific. Thinkific is not just a coaching platform; it is a full-featured platform that will work great for online course creators, instructors, and educators.
The main features it offers include:
- Drag & Drop course builder
- Membership site builder
- Community
- Cohort-based classes model for online coaches
- Incredible support
Everything a coach may need for a successful session.
Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is all about community. It allows you to bring courses, memberships, webinars, and even coaching sessions together and create a potent community.
Its main features are:
- Tools to create good-looking landing pages
- Tools to sell bundles
- Activity feed to ensure that members of your community are engaged and up-to-date on the latest news
FreshLearn
FreshLearn is an all-in-one creators’ platform to create, market, and sell digital products online directly to your fans on your branded website.
Some notable features that FreshLearn offers:
- Connect all your digital products to your domain and build your brand.
- Gamify the whole course journey to keep the members excited while taking courses online.
- Set up assessments with a scoring mechanism to help your students gauge their progress.
- Customize the certificates you can reward your students with upon course completion.
Kajabi
The last platform on our list is called Kajabi. Kajabi promises to give you an opportunity to turn your knowledge into income, and it successfully meets its promise.
It is a great platform for coaches who want to have online coaching businesses.
The main features that Kajabi comes in handy with include:
- Website builder to ensure that you have enough customization options
- Custom domains for better branding
- SEO-optimization tools
- Unlimited Hosting
- One-click publishing
FAQ about online coaching
It is time to dive into the Frequently Asked Questions about Online Coaching. Are you ready to find answers to everything? Then, let’s start!
How much do online coaches charge?
Pricing depends on multiple factors, such as niche, expertise level, and certification.
New and Average coaches charge around $50 - $75 an hour per client or offer packages (usually six sessions each) that cost around $300 - $400. More established coaches charge $75 - $250 per session from a client or offer a package that can cost up to $1500 for 6-8 sessions.
When you offer group coaching, usually, the price is 30% less than for individual sessions or packages.
Based on this data, you can earn a minimum of $63,200 as an online coach.
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How to get first coaching clients?
Many beginner coaches struggle with getting the first clients as they have no built-up reputation that speaks for themselves. To get your first coaching clients, you can:
- Utilize the power of organic and paid marketing
- Organize free coaching sessions
- Offer discounts and special offers
- Agree to go on interviews on various podcasts to improve your brand’s visibility and reap the many benefits of podcasting, such as expanding your audience reach and establishing personal connections with listeners.
- Start a Referal/Affiliate marketing program
Be creative and have fun with every aspect to succeed.
Do coaches need certification?
The short answer is yes, but the long answer is not really.
Technically, as a coach, you do not need a certification. However, you need expert-level knowledge in those which you will gain through continuous self-development, practice, and courses that will also provide you with a certification.
What skills do Coaches Need?
The skills every coach needs are:
- Active Listening
- Questioning
- Communication
- Effective goal-setting
- Giving constructive feedback
- Observing
What Questions Should I Ask?
Essentially the questions you ask as a coach vary depending on the niche and model you choose to implement with the client. However, in general, questions under the categories presented below should be included in almost every coaching program.
- Identifying Goals
- Identifying Current Reality
- Identifying Solutions & Options
Check the best 57 questions to ask during a coaching session.
How to name your coaching business?
Think about what makes you different from other in the market to find a unique name for your business. You can even include your name or use business name generator tools. Play with words, write down the ideas until finding something you genuinely like.
Do I need to create an LLC for my online coaching business?
Getting an LLC for your online coaching business is one of the best values you can get in terms of legal protection and for peace of mind. Whether or not you need to open an LLC for your online coaching business depends on several factors, such as the nature of your coaching practice, your personal preferences, and the legal requirements in your country or state.
Operating as a sole proprietorship may put your personal assets at risk in case of legal issues or financial debts incurred by your coaching business. Creating an LLC can help protect your personal assets, offer pass-through taxation, and enhance credibility with clients and vendors. There are only one-time filing fees and LLC yearly fees to be paid, making it an affordable and highly flexible option from a tax point-of-view.
Start your online coaching now
Stop hesitation and get started!
Online coaching is one of the most in-demand industries nowadays, and with the right marketing strategies, you will easily find coaching clients and build amazing income streams.
Choose the platform that best works for your needs, one of the industry leaders is Uteach. Uteach will provide you with everything necessary to build a full-featured coaching business website, do marketing and collect payments from one place.
Plus, it offers lots of SEO optimization features, ensuring that your website is SEO-friendly. So, with the right long-term organic marketing strategy, you will rank higher in SERPs.
Just start now to build your audience and find clients faster!
