One of the ultimate goals you seek to achieve with any project you undertake is to be successful; it is no different for a life coach who is setting up a coaching practice. Achieving their ultimate goal of success, success and success; this is what a coach is seeking with their practice.

However, they realise that success comes at a price; the price is a great deal of hard work and effort from them and their team, if they have one. As success is a requirement for any project, which does seem an obvious goal, then a clearly defined strategy is required to ensure that outcome is achieved. Attempting to accomplish a successful outcome without a clear focus is setting yourself up to failure and a sure recipe for disaster. So how is success achieve with a coaching practice? An earlier post discusses the concept of coaching development, you might like to read that before continuing, please read here. The following 5 steps are an easy to follow strategy for success:

1. Identify a niche area

Identification of a niche area for your coaching practice is fundamental to your success; a niche area will allow you to focus on a particular group of clients and become a respected coach in your chosen area. A clear focus on your market will permit you to become more knowledgeable about your clients and respond more easily to their needs. Your product will be more easily adapted to suit their needs and provide them with the service they are seeking.

2. Become an expert

By adopting the first principle of “identifying a niche area” you will give yourself the opportunity to focus on becoming an expert in your chosen area and become a respected life coach. Your clients will come turn to you when they are seeking life coaching in your area and they’ll recommend you to their friends and colleagues; your business begin to grow and flourish as your network of clients expands. Also further develop your expertise with continued learning and reading around your subject area. Advertise your expertise with key note speaking and presentations to prospective clients.

3. Be unique

One of the first rules of setting up any business is to have a unique selling point (USP); this sets you above your competitors. The same rule applies to life coaches setting up a coaching practice; be unique. Set yourself apart from other life coaches, their niche areas and expertise. Find out what your competitors are doing and do one of the following:

• Do the same but better
• Offer something extra, over and above what your competitors are offering
• Do something completely different, something they’re not doing. Be careful with this option, if your competitors aren’t doing it, it may be because there isn’t a market for it. Therefore no future in it!

Ask yourself the following question. What are you doing that your competitors aren’t doing? Whatever it is make it good, make it unique and be the best at it.

4. Self belief

Whatever stage you are at with your coaching practice, whether you are just starting off, you are a veteran life coach, you are at a high point or a low point always ensure you retain your self belief. Without that you are on the slippery slope to failure. Learn to ignore negative comments from those around you and more so from yourself. Work on building on your strengths and using your weaknesses to your best advantage. Retain your self belief; make it indestructible.

5. Be persistent

You are sure to have phases where times are hard and the going gets tough; these are opportunities to test your resolve and remain persistent. Couple this with your self belief and retain your focus on your ultimate outcome of a successful life coaching practice.

Follow these 5 great steps to build a successful coaching practice, include it as part of your personal development training and what your personal growth take off. Keep a track of your progress in your journal diary.

Thank you for reading this post, please let me know what you think and share your experiences.  While you’re here please take the time to sign up for the newsletter or alternatively you may prefer to subscribe for regular updates in your favourite reader or by email.

photo credit: Grzegorz Łobiński

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Tags: Coaching, coaching development, coaching practice, expert, Goals, journal diary, Life Coach, niche area, Outcome, persistent, Personal Development, personal development training, Personal Growth, self belief, Technorati, unique, USP

This entry was posted on 11 November 2009 at 2:34 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Coaching by Paul Worswick View Comments