You’ve got your coaching certification hung in your office, your niche and ideal client identified, and even a Facebook page set up.

You’ve just crafted an offer to sell your services, and you launch it out into the world…

And…

Nothing.

You get a few likes on Facebook. A couple of emails congratulating you from your coach friends.

But no takers.

You can’t believe it. You’re sure the price feels right. You know there are people who need your help, and you know deep down you can help them.

You keep checking your email for a consult request. Or your phone for any new comments on your posts. You’re tempted to start emailing some people directly asking what’s up.

You were sure you’d have a least some interest…

It’s disheartening.

And after a while, you start questioning whether you can do this life coach thing after all.

Knowing What Your Clients Want

There could be many reasons why the offer hasn’t taken hold - and almost none of them have to do with there not being people that need your help, or your ability to help them.

A common problem I see is when life coaches don’t design their coaching offers or programs to give their clients what they really want. There might be too much emphasis on process or procedure, for example. Or not enough on results for other clients.

Imagine someone who decides to host a party for several families who’ve recently moved to the neighborhood. This person loves cooking, and she’s gone all out, making her favorite appetizers and serving different kinds of drinks. The guests arrive.

This person introduces everyone, and they’re mingling enjoyably. Although the host shows offers the appetizers to everyone, no one takes any.

The food looks great, this person thinks, and she’s worked so hard!

She made baked brie with pecans, grilled calamari, and prosciutto wrapped figs with cream cheese and walnut.

Finally, someone happens to mention that he and his family are vegan. Someone else mentions not eating seafood…

Oh.

The reason clients aren’t responding to your offer might be as simple as they don’t want what you’re offering.

How To Figure It Out

How do you craft something they do want?

Well, it’s simply really. You ask them.

Ok, you might be thinking, that’s fine if you have a client or two. But, what if you’re just starting out, and you don’t have many, or even any, clients to ask?

Here are three good ways to help you get more information to build a strong program - one that your potential customers really want.

Ask Your Friends

You know you probably know one or two people that could be your ideal client. Ask them if they wouldn’t mind helping you out with some market research. Keep the conversation general, so you don’t end up making them feel on the spot. As you describe your ideal client, ask them to imagine themselves in that situation and help brainstorm what exactly they’d need or want.

Or, maybe you have a friend that would have been an ideal client several years ago. For example, if you’re a relationship coach and one of your friends went through a rough patch in her marriage a few years ago. In this case, you may be able to be a bit more direct, asking “What would have helped you then?”

Hit Up Your Coaching Colleagues

Chances are you’re connected in some way with other coaches, either those you trained with, others you’ve met networking or in online groups. Ask if anyone is familiar with your target market and see if they’d be willing to hop on the phone for an interview. The information you get will be gold, and, as a bonus, you’ll get to know a colleague better.

Interview Yourself

There’s a strong possibility your ideal client is a previous version of you.. If your niche is focused on helping others with something you grappled with before, then interview yourself.  Drop in and take yourself back to the time when you were in the thick of your struggles. Ask yourself what it was that you really wanted, what would have helped you then.

Like everything else in your business, you’ll continue to refine your programs. The more you find out about your ideal clients, the better attuned your offers and coaching programs are going to be.

If your coaching program isn’t designed to give your clients something they want right now, then you’re going to have difficulty getting them to buy.

Luckily, with a little extra research, you can gain valuable insight.

And with that, you’ll be able to design a new offer and give them something they’re really hungry for.

If you’re a life coach or healer struggling to get clients who wants to create unique programs and offers and get clients that align with your soul, please send me an email and let me know a little bit about you and your business. You can also sign up for a free, no obligation consultation call.

 

Photo by Angel Sinigersky on Unsplash