How To Conquer Fears And Become A Successful Life Coach
Never been in business before? Wondering if you’ll make enough money to pay your bills? It’s normal to be nervous about starting and running a coaching business.
The good news is that a life coaching business is built by connecting with people and hearing about their problems. That’s something you probably are doing with people already, just not getting paid for it. Here are some tips for using your natural gifts to serve others and succeed in your coaching practice.
Start Simply
To start your business, keep it simple. Get a merchant account to accept money, complete an easy template to create your website (Squarespace is an example), get a business card, and obtain a business license from your city. Voila! You are in business. It’s not hard at all to start a business.
Manage Your Fears
Your fears might say you can’t make enough money to leave your job. Start by doing this on the side. Most coaches begin by seeing individual clients or conducting a group session when they have time (usually one or two nights a week or a Saturday). Then it grows to part-time, and if possible, they do part-time work or contract work. There comes a point where the business reveals it will sustain you. Unless you have some savings to live on, it’s wise to wait until your business shows it can support you. It will happen. Just keep going and using your gifts to help others.
Market Your Practice Naturally
Market your practice by leveraging your gifts. Do things that feel natural to you to market your business. Some people are always meeting others, so they offer free consultations to experience coaching. Some love doing social media, so they promote heavily on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Others love giving speeches. Whatever comes naturally is usually the best way to market yourself. This way, you are authentic, show your passion more, and feel more connected to others.
Create a Clear Marketing Message
Create a clear, simple, catchy marketing message to share with others. Clarity about what you do and how you will benefit your clients is essential for attracting clients. Keep it simple. You don’t have to be flowery or give a long description. Here are some examples of short statements about a coaching business:
“I help people create work they love.”
“I coach people through major life transitions like divorce, empty nest, or loss of a loved one.”
“I coach people to find the love of their life.”
Know what you are offering and create a message that others will understand and relate to. Need more ideas? Read: 20 Marketing Ideas for Life Coaches
Find Your Success Formula
Keep going until you find your success formula—something you do that works. Create a signature speech you can give repeatedly. Offer a group session that gets a good response. Keep engaging with people about their problems and give free sessions to prospective clients. All successful coaches develop programs, services, and groups that appeal to others.
Don’t Expect Perfection
Don’t expect perfection of yourself in this work. It’s actually not about whether you are “good enough.” It’s about serving others, listening to them, being compassionate, and guiding them forward. Once you learn how to be a professional coach, rely on the tools you’ve been given to help your clients. You do not have to be an expert, just a caring, supportive person with professional tools.
Nervous about starting and running a coaching business? Simplicity at first is key. Grow your business by using your natural gifts. Create a clear, simple, and catchy marketing message, and keep going until you find your success formula. Don’t expect perfection of yourself. Relax and use your caring heart to do this meaningful work.
Fern is the Founder and Director of the Life Purpose Institute, Inc. Before working as a coach; she was a mental health counselor, social worker, and career counselor. She developed her unique coaching method in 1984 and has assisted thousands of people in her coaching practice in making positive life and career changes. Fern developed a strong and compelling vision to help people discover their purpose, move forward in all areas of their life, and create a life they love.
After serving for many years as a Life Coach and licensed therapist in her private practice, she began training coaches internationally to perform this important work. Fern wrote and developed comprehensive manuals and materials for the Life Coach Certification and Spiritual Coach Training Programs.
Want to learn more about the programs at Life Purpose Institute? Schedule a Free Consultation to speak one-on-one with a Program Specialist and get all your questions answered.