Ever wondered why those killer self-promotion skills that got you promoted in corporate just aren't working for your coaching business? Sarah breaks down the fundamental difference between marketing yourself as an employee versus marketing your coaching services to clients.

Spoiler alert: they're complete opposites!

Key Takeaways

The Visibility Trap

You know those colleagues who effortlessly climb the corporate ladder? They've mastered the art of staying visible and making their contributions known. While this skill is gold in the workplace, it's actually counterproductive when building a coaching practice.

The Weighing Scales Metaphor

Think of your coaching business like old-fashioned weighing scales:

One side: All your delivery skills (coaching qualifications, certifications, NLP training, personality profiling tools, etc.)

Other side: Your client acquisition skills (problem articulation, solution communication, visibility in the right places)

The catch? These two sides are complete opposites and equally important for success.

The Outcome-Focused Shift

Instead of showcasing how qualified you are, successful coach marketing focuses on:

• The specific problems your coaching solves
• The outcomes clients can expect
• How working with you transforms their situation

Ditch the Coach Speak

Terms like "holding space" and "thinking partner" mean nothing to potential clients. Your marketing needs to speak their language, not coach language.

The "Aha!" Moment

Most coaches struggle with marketing because they're trying to use employee mindset skills in an entrepreneurial context. The skills that made you promotable won't make you profitable as a coach.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

• What specific problem do I solve for my clients?
• How can I describe the outcome of working with me without using coaching jargon?
• Where does my ideal client spend their time, and am I visible there?
• Am I talking about my qualifications or my client's transformation?

The Bottom Line

Your coaching qualifications prove you can do the work, but your marketing skills determine whether you'll get the chance to. Master both sides of the scale, and you'll have a thriving coaching business.

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠⁠ Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness⁠

Are you busy with your coaching business but not seeing clients? You're not alone. Most coaches mistake activity for progress, spending time on tasks that feel productive but don't actually generate clients.

The Reality Check: Posting generic content about coaching, endlessly tweaking your website, and networking with other coaches isn't marketing—it's passive activity disguised as strategy.

Why Most Coaches Struggle with Client Acquisition

The biggest barrier isn't tactical—it's psychological. Success in client acquisition starts with accepting two uncomfortable truths:

• What you're currently doing isn't working
• You don't know how to fix it (yet)

This takes courage, especially for successful professionals who assume business development should come naturally.

The Coaching Culture Problem

The coaching industry has created some damaging myths:

• "Good coaching sells itself"
• "Marketing is sleazy"
• "If you were good enough, clients would just come"
• "Focus means missing opportunities"

The Bogeyman Myth: The idea that terrible coaches with great marketing are stealing your clients. Sarah's been looking for these mythical figures for eight years—they don't exist.

What Active Client Acquisition Actually Looks Like

A real client acquisition process is focused, strategic, and repeatable. It includes:

The Marketing Foundation:

• Choosing a viable, credible audience
• Developing a detailed ideal client avatar (ICA)
• Identifying real, urgent problems your audience faces
• Creating messaging that demonstrates both authority and empathy
• Consistently publishing targeted content

The Niche Nightmare (And Why It's Worth It)

Narrowing your focus feels like closing doors, but it's actually opening the right one. More reach doesn't equal more clients—it equals less clarity. When you focus, you give people a door they can recognise and walk through.

The Bottom Line

Client acquisition doesn't just happen—you build it slowly, consistently, and strategically. Without a process to generate clients, you don't have a business. You have a hobby.

Once you accept that client acquisition is a learnable skill, everything changes. You stop guessing, stop chasing, and start attracting the right people with the right message.

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠ Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness

Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start building your coaching business? You're not alone. In this episode, Sarah explores why waiting for the perfect plan keeps coaches paralysed and how small, consistent action creates the momentum and clarity you're seeking.

Key Topics Covered:

Why "perfect planning" is actually holding you back - and what successful coaches do instead.

The truth about getting started - spoiler alert: nobody feels ready at first.

How to figure out what steps to take when everything feels overwhelming.

A simple way to build momentum without having it all figured out.

A Featured Solution from The Coaching Revolution:

£99 Monthly MembershipA nurturing, affordable space designed for coaches taking their first steps, featuring:

• Real client acquisition strategies without gimmicks
• Clear answers to marketing questions
• Confidence-building through small, directionally correct steps
• Community support from fellow coaches
• Structure and encouragement without pressure to have everything figured out

Perfect for working with Sarah's team without committing to a full program yet.

Key Takeaway

You don't need everything perfectly lined up—you just need the right direction and willingness to take the next small step. You're closer than you think.

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: https://thecoachingrevolution.com/

Join the FREE Facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness