One of the most common challenges as an executive & leadership coach is securing more clients. You want to spend most of your time coaching leaders and making a difference. As a consequence, marketing and sales often get pushed into the background until your calendar starts to look too empty.
But, getting clients doesn’t have to be complex or time-consuming. It only requires the right approach and a bit of consistency. In this article, we share our seven top strategies for landing more engagements. Prior to that, we need to address why it is essential to attract the right kind of clients.
Why attracting the right kind of clients is key
Savvy business owners are always looking to maximize the return on their marketing efforts. You can achieve that by focusing your energy on drawing the attention of your ideal clients. As a result, you won’t waste time talking to prospects who are not a good fit for your services. Before you invest in any of the following strategies, clarify who exactly you want to reach. Who are your ideal coaching clients, and where do they spend their time?
7 strategies for securing more coaching clients
Once you have defined who you are going after, you can experiment with any of these seven strategies to attract and close more coaching engagements.
1. Build meaningful connections
Social media channels like LinkedIn or Facebook are ideal for expanding your network. Focus on building genuine connections by commenting on other people’s posts, congratulating them for their achievements, and offering your help whenever possible.
2. Create and share high-quality content
Leaders are naturally on the lookout for information that solves their problems. This is your opportunity to establish yourself as the go-to source for highly relevant content that addresses their unique challenges. You can share your content on your website’s blog, via email, and on social media. As a result, you will become known as an expert in your field and will stay on top of their mind.
3. Participate in groups
Facebook or LinkedIn groups are a valuable source of information and guidance for many professionals. When you join groups your ideal clients are engaged in, you will learn more about their challenges. By actively answering questions and offering your help, people will take note of your expertise and begin to trust you.
4. Leverage social proof
There’s hardly any marketing strategy more powerful than social proof. You can show executives and leaders how you have helped someone just like them achieve the results they desire. Whenever possible, gather testimonials and case studies from your current or previous clients and share them with your audience. This will build instant trust and nudge prospects to get in touch with you.
5. Ask for referrals
Your current coaching client might be the best advocates for your business. If your coachees are satisfied with your services, ask them politely if they know someone who would benefit from what you have to offer as well. A warm introduction from a trusted friend or colleague will highly increase your chances of getting hired.
6. Host a webinar
Webinars are live videos where you can share advice about something important to your audience. They are a great way to connect with your audience, answer their questions on the spot, and share your knowledge. Your prospects can get a first-hand impression of how it is to work with you and see if you are a good fit for their needs.
7. Partner with an established coaching organization
Executives trust well-known, credible coaching brands because they can rely on receiving the best experience and results. When you partner with such an organization, you can get access to their vast network of clients and establish rapport with them more easily.
How to further increase your chances of getting hired
There is one underrated step to amplify the effect of each one of the above strategies: consistent follow-up. The majority of sales are not made on the first or second contact as it takes time to build relationships. When you are diligent about keeping in touch with your connections, you are more likely to get hired.