Build Your Coaching Business
The ICA Business Building classes really helped me create a clear message and niche. The process was perfect and the Trainers all have successful coaching businesses themselves.
- Ange Anderson (ICA Graduate, Australia)
Your Signature Offer is a
representation of who you
are as a coach.
~ Module: Create Your Signature Offer
Stand out from the crowd
The amount of information at our fingertips these days is unlimited. You can sit at your computer and find anything, anywhere in the world. It is no longer an option to be a “generalist coach” If you want to be found by the people you are meant for, you need to niche down. Your clients are looking for someone who ‘understands’ them.
A Signature Offer helps you stand out from the crowd
Focus on quality and context
You have heard the saying “You can’t be everything to everybody” This is true of coaching as well. In order to provide the best quality service to your clients, you need to focus on a certain client group and be the best you can be for them. Although coaching is not about specifically providing advice, learning the context in which your clients operate helps your coaching.
A Signature offer helps you, and your marketing, be more focussed
Provide Solutions, not just Coaching
Probably the most critical thing to consider when building your coaching business is that your clients are looking for more than just coaching. They are looking for a solution to problem, and want to know you are the right person to help navigate this positive change with them.
A Signature Offer helps you deliver and communicate that in an effective way to the clients you are meant to coach.
Target Your Clients with Your Uniqueness
We highly recommend you spend time working out what sort of coach you will be, who your clients will be and how you will connect with them. You will need a powerful and clear offer that explains the problems you solve, and how you solve them. On the surface it can look very simple. But there is an art to making something complex look simple. When creating your Signature Offer it is often more about what you leave out than what you put in. Much of your time will be spent researching and refining your offer through a series of interconnected “cogs” all leading to the final product.
ICA's Business Building labs will guide you through this process, providing the tools, templates and resources to get your coaching practice online, and be seen by clients or future employers. By the time each student graduates they are 'coach ready' 'business ready'.
Take Your Coaching Business Online
The last 2 years has seen a rapid uptake of online or virtual coaching. Clients are now familiar with Zoom and Skype and finding it an increasingly convenient way to connect. As a coach you have a global market so it makes more sense than ever before to promote your services online. And, as a school with over 20 years delivering coach training online, we know first hand what it takes to set up an online business, and share this with our coaching community via business labs.
Market & Niche
The first step to building your coaching business is to define your niche. This might seem difficult if you have more than one "target group" or group of interest. But, this step is about your marketing, not about who you choose to coach. The tighter you can package your message the higher the chance of connecting with your ideal client.
Business Model
You most likely decided to become a coach because you wanted to make a difference, wanted to create a new or additional revenue stream, or a combination of both. Your passion will be at the core of your motivation. But, there must also be a ROI for your time and investment; what do you hope to get back, and in what time frame?
Brand & Website
Your brand is a feeling. A personality. An offer. Your logo, website, linked in profile, business cards, brochures, and business cards will all represent your brand, but they are not a brand in themselves. Instead, they communicate your values and credibility, and create a feeling for prospective clients around who you are and what you represent.
Systems
It's a common misconception that systems and structures are limiting. But, think of the walls in your house - they hold the roof on, keep you warm and dry, and keep the unwanted elements out! The same applies to systems and structures in business. It's important as a coach that you have the sales, marketing and customer infrastructure to attract, process, manage and track your clients in a way that is ethical and helpful.
Promotion
This is where you create an awareness around your offering by presenting a product or service for purchase. It's where the time and effort you have invested into defining your market, niche, model, brand and systems return as a business asset. They will inform your placement (website, social media, print media etc) and promotional (paid or organic) strategy, and guide your business decisions and actions.
A Coaching Tool ICA Coaches can integrate into their business offering.
The FlipIt Framework has been created by, and exclusive to, International Coach Academy. It's a 4 step process for change that ICA coaches can use as a stand alone framework, or integrate into their one on one coaching services, workshops, or group and team coaching.