I was chatting, recently, in a patch of sunshine, with one of my brothers about how some hard things from our past have made us who we are today. We connected the dots about what drives us and how that repeatedly influences our behaviors, choices, failures and successes.
We admitted to strengths overused and triggers that still need to be dissolved through mindfulness. It was a tender conversation with so much hope and mutual compassion. Thanks brother if you’re listening!
That conversation brought home again something I’ve acknowledged before but sometimes forget … my wounds can help me transform in a way that most of my successes cannot.
Know what I mean?
And surprisingly, as a coach, something challenging in your past could be a powerful clue to a smart and meaningful coaching niche.
I’ll explain how and all the benefits to this approach in this short episode.
The Terrible Trouble with Coaching Niches
It’s so painful not knowing your coaching niche. It feels like a high-stakes decision. In a way, it is but desperation can paralyze you.
Relax. Think differently and listen closely to the quiet voices inside.
So often in my Nail Your Niche strategy sessions with coaches they begin by telling me they feel clueless about their niche. But with a few powerful questions we uncover lots of clues.
Sometimes it’s a strong inkling — an idea they have repeatedly shot down in their mind. If you’ve ever quickly shot down an idea for your niche it’s worth another look. That could be exactly where the juice is for you.
Instant Credibility for Coaches
I get a thrill when something in a coach’s personal story becomes the clue to their viable audience and niche. A niche based on your background can be the absolute best for you.
Sure, leveraging your expertise is often a good direction to go. But leveraging your experience may be even better.
There are 3 reasons why choosing someone like you as your audience who is going through something difficult that you went through can be a powerful niche:
- Instant credibility – People trust someone who understands them and what they are going through. And if you take the time to study your own experience and build a program around it with some structure, that’s comforting to your audience.
- Grow while you coach – Coaching others around something you have or are facing helps you lift out of the feelings and see it from a different perspective. You’ll take leaps and be a bit ahead of your client so you can light the path.
- Inside understanding – Because you can feel into your own experience, what you wanted and the problems in the way, you can fully develop your niche, messaging and offers in a compelling way to your audience.
A word of warning. It is critical that you don’t project your experience onto your clients in session. The idea isn’t to steal airtime and make it about you. When you coach, you are 100% present, listening and responding in the moment with your clients.
If you are inclined, you can create training, guides, podcasts, videos and other materials that are part of your marketing and/or part of your Signature Program for your clients. Those materials provide insights. In any case, when you coach, you allow each client their own experiences and be with the client fully in that.
Examples of Coaching Niches Based on the Coach’s Experience
- A coach struggled for decades to find the love of her life, felt lonely and hopeless, but then learned to love herself and found her partner. People in that situation could become that coach’s target audience and that breakthrough becomes their niche.
- A coach who was bullied and marginalized at work then found ways to navigate and rise above could target people in a similar situation and help them find a new approach and mindset, or a more inclusive work environment.
- A coach with chronic illness goes through a self-healing journey to reduce pain and create a healthy routine then takes specialized training to help others with chronic illness to do the same.
- A coach who lost a child and went on a journey to rebuild their life could help other parents who lost children to do the same.
- A coach who struggled to find her niche, build her business and earn well then found a way that works could become a mentor coach for coaches to help them choose a smart niche and launch with confidence. Wait! That’s me!
I’m so honored to help coaches nail their niche. Before, the coach was swirling around unable to move forward with messaging, marketing and offers.
When they finally click on the certainty button for a viable target audience and niche that resonates — one they’ll love that will love them back — they can move forward confidently.
It’s like they’ve been barely breathing and suddenly all the doors and windows open up and fresh air rushes in.
Have you had that feeling yet? If not, don’t worry you are almost there. I’d love to help. Grab a Nail Your Niche session with me and let’s get this done so you can have clarity, direction and purpose.
With your decision, and a few helpful mindset shifts, you will understand how to articulate what you do in a way that captures attention, strikes a resonant chord and attracts paying clients.