How to grow your audience as a coach

Author

Kavit Haria
August 27, 2024

In partnership with

Hey there,

Kavit here. I hope this email finds you well and energized about your coaching journey.

Writing to you today from Boston where I’ve just spent an exhilarating 3 days at Harvard Business School on an executive course about innovation, growth and scale. The amount of conversation about AI was also through the roof. My mind is blown, I’ve made some excellent connections and I can’t wait to share more in the coming weeks. 

Before we get started, a word from this week’s sponsor…

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One of the biggest challenges I see coaches encounter is building their audience — i.e. their “top of funnel”. You might be great at what you do, and you might get referrals every now and again, but how do you get in front of new people consistently with organic content? And how do you then turn those followers into clients? 

In fact, I just received an email about this last week… 

"My biggest block/concern is that I feel like I don't have enough of an audience. How do I grow my business or my email list without followers? I put out content and it feels like it is falling on deaf ears. I want to be able to make an impact AND build my client list AND build my business. It feels like I am stuck in slow motion and a slave to the algorithm."

This resonated deeply with me, and I bet it does with many of you too

So, let's start by diving into a strategy to overcome this challenge and really get your coaching flywheel spinning.

1. The "Abundance Amplifier" Mentality

When you're struggling to grow your audience, it's easy to fall into a scarcity mindset. 

You might find yourself thinking, "There's not enough clients to go around," or "Why would anyone choose me over established coaches?" 

This mindset can paralyze your growth and dampen your creativity. Let's flip the script with what I call the "Abundance Amplifier" mentality.

  • Reframe Competition as Collaboration: Instead of viewing other coaches as competitors, see them as potential collaborators. There's enough success for everyone, and often, working together can create even more opportunities.

  • Celebrate Others' Successes: When you see another coach succeeding, genuinely celebrate their win. This trains your mind to see success as abundant and achievable, rather than a limited resource.

  • Focus on Value Creation, Not Comparison: Instead of worrying about how you measure up to others, concentrate on how you can provide unique value to your clients. Your unique experiences and perspective are your superpower.

  • Adopt a "Learner's Mindset": View every challenge or setback as an opportunity to learn and grow. This resilience will fuel your progress and inspire your clients.

  • Practice Gratitude for Your Current Audience: Whether you have 10 followers or 10,000, cultivate genuine appreciation for each person who engages with your content. This positivity will shine through in your work.

  • Visualize Abundance: Regularly imagine yourself impacting thousands of lives through your coaching. This vision will guide your actions and decisions.

  • Use Affirmations: Start each day with empowering statements like, "I attract the perfect clients who value my unique gifts," or "My impact grows exponentially as I serve others authentically."

"A rising tide lifts all boats. As you grow and become more successful, make sure you're bringing others along with you. There is enough success for everyone." - Zig Ziglar

Here are some coaching trends to keep an eye on → 30 Coaching Trends That You Must Know [2024 Edition]

2. The "Borrowed Audience" Strategy to Accelerate Your Reach

When you're starting out or feeling stuck, it can seem like you're shouting into the void. But here's a powerful way to amplify your voice: borrow someone else's audience.

This isn't about piggybacking on others' success. It's about creating win-win situations that benefit everyone involved, especially the audience.

Here's how to put this into action:

  1. Identify 5-10 individuals or businesses in adjacent fields who share your target audience but aren't direct competitors. 

→ For example, if you're a career coach, you might look at resume writers, LinkedIn profile optimizers, or professional headshot photographers.

  1. Reach out with a collaboration proposal. Offer to create valuable, co-branded content that serves their audience. 

→ This could be a joint webinar, a guest blog post, or even a short video series. The goal is to drive their audience to become your audience. 

  1. Make sure your offer provides clear value to their audience and aligns with their brand.

→ The key is to focus on what you can give, not what you can get.

Marie Forleo, a life coach and entrepreneur, used the "Borrowed Audience" strategy by collaborating with Kris Carr, a wellness advocate with a substantial following. 

They created joint content, such as webinars and blog posts, that provided value to Kris’s audience, who were interested in self-improvement and health. This partnership allowed Marie to introduce her expertise to a new, engaged audience, accelerating her reach and contributing significantly to the growth of her coaching business.

Building your audience and coaching business alone is the hardest way to do it.

3. The "Transformation Showcase" Method: Turn Client Wins into Magnetic Content

No matter where you’re at in your coaching journey, one of your best sources of content is client wins, stories, case studies, and testimonials. 

Mel Robbins, before she became a household name, used a similar strategy. She would regularly share specific, tangible outcomes her coaching clients achieved, which helped potential clients envision their own success through her coaching.

The idea is simple: you use your clients' successes to create compelling, authentic content that demonstrates your coaching impact while respecting client confidentiality.

Here are some different ways to do this… 

  1. "Before and After" Graphics: Create visually striking images that showcase client transformations. For example, "From 3 failed job interviews to landing dream role in 6 weeks" or "From working 70-hour weeks to achieving work-life balance without sacrificing income."

  2. Anonymized Case Studies: Write detailed blog posts or record videos breaking down the coaching strategies that led to a particular client transformation, without revealing the client's identity.

  3. Transformation Timelapse: If you work with clients over an extended period, create a series of posts or a video showing their progress at different stages of the coaching journey only with their permission.

  4. Client Win Wednesdays: Dedicate one day a week to sharing a specific, tangible outcome a client achieved through your coaching. This creates anticipation and a regular content rhythm.

  5. Success Story Snippets: Share brief, impactful quotes from clients about their transformations across your social media platforms, always respecting privacy.

  6. Aggregate Impact Reports: Periodically compile and share the collective impact of your coaching. For example, "In the past quarter, my clients have collectively earned 5 promotions, launched 3 businesses, and reclaimed 250 hours of family time."

This method adds a powerful element to your flywheel. Each client's success becomes a beacon, attracting new potential clients who see themselves in these transformations. 

Get some more tips on how to write case studies → How to Write Case Studies as a Coach

I'd love to hear which of these ideas resonates most with you. What's one action you're going to take this week to amplify your reach? 

Hit reply and let me know – your insights always inspire me and help shape future newsletters.

Keep that flywheel spinning, and remember: your unique voice and expertise are exactly what someone out there needs right now. Don't keep it to yourself!

Until next time, 

Kavit