As a life coach, you probably feel pretty confident as to why you chose this career path. You love the satisfaction of helping others, the flexibility of working where you want and the ability to choose who you want to work with.
But, have you considered why your clients choose to hire a life coach? By considering why people hire life coaches, you can make your marketing efforts much more effective and develop a deeper connection with your clients. In this article, we are going to explore the top reasons why people choose to work with a life coach and why it is critical that coaches understand the reasons if they want to run a successful business.
3 Reasons Why People Hire a Life Coach
They are feeling stuck.
The number one reported reason that people hire a life coach is because they are feeling stuck. Maybe they had a recent life or career transition and they aren’t sure which path to follow next. Or perhaps they have experienced a trauma that has left them paralyzed to take steps forward. Even positive changes have the ability to cause fear and paralysis.
Transitions of any kind can challenge people in ways that are difficult to manage without outside help. It can put into questions their abilities, their confidence and feelings. When this occurs, it is not uncommon for people to remain in place, staying “stuck” until the situation changes and the path forward is clear.
They need help following their dreams.
Many people have goals and dreams that remain dormant, sometimes for their entire lives. The expectations of society or their families keep them following the safe path rather than exploring something that seems like a risk or is outside of the norm.
Maybe they wanted to be a doctor, but they were told that medical school was too expensive. Or, they had dreams of starting their own Etsy shop selling handcrafted goods, but it wasn’t practical with a family and bills to pay. Maybe their goal is to move out of their hometown and try life in the big city for a while.
No matter the size of their goal, there is a reason why they haven’t moved forward with it. People who have finally decided that it’s time to follow their own dreams may seek a coach to help them clarify the goal and take steps to achieve it.
They want results.
Some people have already made a commitment to their goals, but need help staying accountable. Defining their goal is an important first step, but what follows is a great deal of hard work, dedication and motivation.
Often, even the most enthusiastic goal-getters flail from time to time. They may get sidetracked by a life change or by old thought patterns that have reemerged. They find themselves getting distracted by the next shiny object in their path, forgetting that they have made a commitment to themselves.
Life coaches can help them stay on track by working with them to create a clear plan with milestones and timelines. Through regular communication, they are supported, encouraged and held accountable when resistance causes them to veer off the path.
Understanding Why Your Clients Hire You
People hire a life coach because they want results and they need help getting there. At the minimum, they want help achieving a goal, finding a new relationship, gaining health, starting a business or discovering their purpose.
What they get as a residual effect is so much more. Coaching clients can expect to experience other outcomes that are the building blocks to successful, happy relationships and lives. Some of these outcomes include better communication, higher self-confidence, more productivity and an overall feeling of wellbeing and balance.
As a new life coach or a seasoned coach who wants to continue to scale their business, it is critical that you understand the underlying or blatant reasons why someone would seek out a life coach. From there, you can focus on the right tactics for growing your business and providing more value for your clients. For example, you will be better equipped to create targeted products and programs if you know what a person is trying to achieve in a coaching relationship.
One of the most fascinating things about being a life coach is the chance to meet people where they are in their lives. Through hard work, you get the chance to see what they become. It doesn’t get much more rewarding than that!