| Are you finding it harder than you first expected to | | | | Take a look at the marketplace and see if anyone |
| build your coaching practice and attract clients? If so, | | | | else is providing similar services to that market. If so, |
| have a look at what you're selling and who you are | | | | you have a potential niche market that you could |
| selling it to. Is it what people are actually buying already | | | | focus your efforts on. If not, it's back to the drawing |
| in the marketplace? If not, it's time to change. | | | | board I'm afraid - unless you want more frustrating |
| You see, I find many coaches choose their target | | | | times ahead. |
| market rather haphazardly, if at all. Unfortunately, a lot | | | | Once you have found evidence that a market exists |
| of coaches make the mistake of playing it safe by | | | | for the type of service you want to sell then it's |
| remaining a 'general life coach' and often struggle as a | | | | relatively easy from there. You then just need to |
| result. This is a disastrous approach. Why? | | | | develop a more distinctive and powerful marketing |
| There are just too many generalist life coaches out | | | | message and get in front of those people. |
| there at the moment and the marketing message is | | | | Tips for Choosing Your Niche |
| simply not compelling enough to attract clients | | | | Here's a summary of what you can do to begin to |
| consistently. It's a well beaten path that leads to a | | | | move yourself forward: |
| town called nowhere. | | | | 1. Brainstorm niche ideas -- Take the time to note |
| Please appreciate that your choice of target market | | | | down all of the niche markets you could go after. |
| will determine how easy or hard it is to attract clients | | | | Quantity is more important than quality at this stage. |
| into your coaching practice. It therefore makes sense | | | | 2. Look for evidence -- For each niche idea, take a |
| to make a wise choice. | | | | look at the marketplace to see evidence that a |
| I'd like to highlight a related criterion that is of major | | | | market exists. If a market doesn't currently exist, then |
| importance to how good a choice of niche you will | | | | you have another choice to make. You can either |
| make for your coaching practice... | | | | cross it off your list or persist to become the trailblazer |
| Whenever choosing a target market, I recommend | | | | for your idea. |
| you look for evidence that people are already buying | | | | Note that the latter approach will take more time and |
| the specific type of service you want to sell. This is a | | | | effort and has a lower probability of success. It's far |
| point of critical importance and it's one that I can't | | | | easier to satisfy an existing market demand than it is |
| emphasise enough. | | | | to create a market demand from scratch. |
| For example, let's say you wanted to focus your | | | | 3. Choose your coaching niche -- From the niche ideas |
| practice on working with people who want to boost | | | | that have and existing market, select one to focus |
| their confidence - this is just an example and not a | | | | your efforts on. |
| suggestion. | | | | |