Getting Clear About Your Coaching Niche

Find your perfect niche

Do you have a coaching niche?

If you’ve ever struggled to get clients to invest in your services, or if you’re hearing too much of the old “I can’t afford it” excuse, you’ve likely stumbled upon a common issue that holds many coaches back from making the money they deserve: an unclear niche.

Your niche is the combination of the people you serve, and the specific problem you solve for them.  While you don’t need to have the “perfect” niche this minute to start getting clients, you need to at least have some clarity around who you’re here to serve at the present time.

The problem with not having a clear niche, and trying to appeal to everyone is that when everyone’s a prospective client, no one is. You dilute your marketing message.

Let me explain…

The importance of a clear coaching niche

Clients like to work with someone who understands them and understands what’s important to them. If they don’t feel that you’re someone that ‘people like them’ would go to, they won’t become a client. When you’re clear about who your clients are, and learn to understand their wants and needs you are able to market directly to them in language that gets into their heads and their hearts.

Even big companies like McDonalds split their customers into distinct groups and market to them differently. For example, do they run a 30 sec TV advert that says “we do burgers, fries, shakes, salads, ice creams, toys and parties – we do all sorts of fast food, so come to us if you’re hungry”? No, they market one product at a time to a different group – Happy Meals to kids, Salads and more healthy food to young women, etc.

The problem with “I coach anyone”

So why is it that so many coaches say ‘I can coach anyone’?

Now, if I was considering getting a coach, would that make me think “So they’ll coach anyone? Great! That means they can coach me?”

No, it makes me think either that they don’t have any areas of coaching that they’re particularly good at or they’re desperate for clients! And having an energy of desperation is repellent to potential clients.

As a Coach, you could find that there are many issues that your client wants to work on. For example a Business Coach might be brought in to a company to help with writing a business plan, but as the coach gets more involved, they might find that the owner has some confidence issues that need to be addressed. When you give them what they think they want they ultimately get what they need.

See, niche marketing isn’t about the type of coaching you do.

It’s about choosing the type of person you feel most connected to serving and energetically aligned with. You will find that you are going to have a group of people who you are just naturally going to add value to.

Getting clear about your coaching niche

So how do you get clear on who you serve?

#1 Look to your own life experiences

What problems and challenges have you had in the past and have moved on from? Clients want to work with someone who has walked in their shoes.

Coaches, especially women, often go around discounting their life experiences and personal stories in their marketing, but the truth is it’s what clients want most! And if you’re thinking “nobody wants to hear about that,” I’ll challenge you right here and now to look around, and do a little research. You might be looking at a very profitable niche opportunity.

#2 Don’t paddle upstream, go with the flow

What groups of people are already investing to solve a specific challenge you could specialize in? Are your ideas/services already present within the group of people you are considering?  Are they already investing money in what you’re offering?  

Trying to change people’s minds in your marketing is just like trying to paddle upstream, instead you want to be “in the flow” of the mindset that already exists.

#3 Get clear on the things that you require in order to be fulfilled in your work

This might be a time requirement, such as not working on the weekends, or some other factor that will help you determine what, and with whom, you want to connect. Be honest with yourself about what you want and what you feel you’re passion is and don’t be afraid to get really specific.

One of the mistakes that people often make is not drilling down enough with their niche and then they find that the clients they are serving, or attempting to serve, are not true energetic/vibrational matches.

#4 Get into action (inspired action)

The only way to know if you have a profitable niche you actually really love is to TEST – i.e., get out there and get a client or two! See how it feels, roll around it for a little while. Test whether it feels like a fit.

And the great news is you don’t have to wait until you have a website or a big list.  You simply need to create a short program on your topic and tap into the opportunity to connect with your ideal potential clients. (Hint: you don’t “find” the opportunity as much as you become aware of it and say yes.)

For example, I obtained clients from getting some intuitive guidance one morning upon waking up about calling to offer a program at an organization I belonged to. I was invited to a special event they had coming up to speak on their stage for about 15 seconds to offer the program, I gave my spiel which was very well received, had a few conversations with interested potential clients and a week later had new one-on-one clients.

Outlining your program, connecting with potential clients and having conversations will tell you so much more about the potential of your niche than you could ever figure out on your own, researching for hours on end in front of the computer.

And last but not least, get support

It can be very difficult to pinpoint your perfect niche opportunities, especially if you’ve been struggling with it for a while. Get the support of a coach or mentor who can be your “fresh eyes.”

With the help of your support team and a commitment to move forward, you’ll quickly move through the angst and confusion of choosing your niche and finally get to the fun part – working your magic doing that thing you do for people who love you and will pay you handsomely for it!

And the added bonus of getting help and making your niche clear to yourself is that you’ll be using your mind and your energies to align yourself with success in this niche. You will have a clear purpose for yourself and your business that will allow you to attract success easily!

Ready to discover your perfect niche? Find your soul-clients now!