Making money by coaching others to solve their problems is big business. Just do a Google search for “online coaching” and you’ll find 590,000 results. There are all kinds of coaches out there, online executive coaching, online life coach, health coach online and the list goes on. There are lots of people earning a good living online by selling their coaching services, me included (see 1on1 coaching).
Who is a coach?
A coach is someone who takes his/her knowledge, experience and expertise in a particular field and teaches others to be successful in their own fields. It is not necessary for your clients to be in the same field as you, for example a leadership coach can help business owners in a variety of industries to be successful in their respective businesses. Or you could be an expert in business-to-business (B2B) copywriting and coach general copywriters to become successful specialists in B2B copywriting.
There are even coaches for coaches. A more experienced coach can teach new coaches how to master their own coaching skills. They are like mentors who are always there for you to answer questions and guide you when you are at a loss. There is very good money to be made in doing just that.
What skills are required for becoming a successful online coach?
Probably the most important skill for a good coach, on or offline is the ability to truly listen. Surprised? You cannot help someone if you fail to listen to their problems and understand the kind of solutions they need. It is only with this clear understanding that you can tailor a coaching program that will help your students.
Keep in mind this is different from developing a training course on a particular topic that can benefit many. A good example would be a step-by-step video course on getting traffic. Here, you are using your expertise in online marketing to help others who all have a common problem.
Patience is a virtue that is probably a close second to listening. You are going to hear the same questions from your students over and over again. You may have heard it before but to them it is a new challenge. So you can’t dismiss their questions and make them feel stupid.
They have hired you to solve their problems, no matter how mundane it may be to you. One way to cut down on spending your time is to have a Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) section on your website. This can help answer many of the basic questions without taking up your valuable time.
Even online coaching requires good people skills. You have to learn to build a good rapport with your clients in order for them to trust you and your advice. Your credibility is the most valuable asset online since you may never meet your clients face-to-face.
Never try to fake your expertise. Yes, it is easy to hide behind the built-in anonymity that the Internet provides but if you are in the coaching business, people will see through you if you’ve never done what you are teaching. If you’ve never designed a website before, then being a web designing coach would not be a good idea.
What tools do you need?
For setting up an online coaching business, you will need the following tools:
- A reliable computer with broadband Internet connection
- An e-mail program and a subscription to an auto responder service
- A functional website with regularly updated content that establishes your expertise and pre-sells your coaching services
- An ability to accept online payments
- A dedicated telephone line without call waiting feature that can interrupt coaching calls
- Subscription to an online meeting service
That’s a good start and you can add more sophisticated options as your coaching business grows.
Marketing your coaching business
Plan your coaching business before getting into it. What do you know that you can teach? Do some research to make sure there is a market for your skills. Are people willing to pay money to learn?
Publish a few articles to get your name out there and demonstrate your knowledge. Have you published any books or white papers? These can really help in building your credibility. If not, can you create an eBook on your subject and give it away free? Let it go viral and spread the word about you and your expertise.
Your coaching website is your 24/7 salesperson. Make sure it is a true reflection of you and your coaching business and not some cheap template slapped together just to create an online presence. Publish any testimonials that you have from your past clients. Do you have case studies of students who are now earning a good living after being coached by you? Paid advertisement couldn’t hold a candle to that kind of an endorsement.
If you are just starting out and don’t have any existing clients, use testimonials from your ex-boss or business associates who have benefited from your knowledge and expertise.
Whatever you do, stay away from hyping how much money you’ve made from coaching others. Your prospects only care about what you can do for them and not how successful you’ve been selling your coaching services.
Market your coaching business to get clients to come to you. Show them the results they can expect to achieve by you coaching them. Listen carefully to their problems and provide insightful answers to reassure them that they can move forward towards their goals.
Coaches are well sought after online for those who have good knowledge and/or experience in a certain area. Use what you know about a topic and provide a coaching service to others to help them become an expert like you.
Achinta “Archie” Mitra is a marketing expert and author of several information products and small reports. He is passionate about coaching solopreneurs, consultants, work at home moms and dads and small business owners increase their sales through better DiY marketing. Be sure to sign up for his free reports and marketing updates. Follow DiY Marketing Coach on Twitter.
Related posts:
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
useful information. It’s the best