What exactly makes you credible to prospective coaching clients?
You might be surprised.
I used to think certifications and years of experience were the most critical factors.
While those things can impress some, they aren’t even in the top 5 things that inspire a confident ‘YES!’.
Instead, it’s small things, which stacked together over a short time, build a clear picture of:
- Who you are
- What you stand for
- And, whether you are trust worthy
Because your goal isn’t to attract and be hired by just anyone but rather clients that are a good fit for you and your program…
It starts with knowing yourself and continues with understanding your audience.
I’m about to uncover 8 specific, doable things to raise credibility with your audience.
Listen in and share with me, which of these motivates YOU to makes changes for your credibility.
And, what’s the tipping point that’s inspired your best clients to hire you?
Does Your Coaching Audience Perceive You as Credible?
Perceive is the keyword here. That’s why more certifications, training and experience aren’t the most meaningful things to potential coaching clients.
Let’s explore these 8 specific things every coach can put in place now to quickly increase credibility in the eyes of your ideal prospective clients.
Some of these might surprise you!
1. Be Known for Something Specific
Yes, your niche is the lynchpin to your success and the centerpiece of any smart business.
It’s not just your coaching track—relationship coaching, wellness coaching, executive coaching or another fill-in-the-blank type of coaching. That’s a general direction.
Your niche begins with your narrow, viable audience. The group of people you serve best that you have an affinity with so they will have affinity with you.
2. Show That You Deeply Understand Your Audience
This is a critical part of your niche. The goal of all your messaging— your web copy, social posts, weekly content and everything—is to help them feel seen, heard and understood by you.
You know exactly:
- What drives them
- The BIG PROBLEMS they most want to solve that feel in the way of
- Their MOST URGENT GOALS
3. Price Like a Professional
Every day in my 2-decade old business shows me conclusively that low pricing actually reduces credibility and makes it more difficult to enroll ideal clients.
Low pricing comes across as insecure, timid, fearful, small.
That’s NOT who you are!
No one is clamoring to hire the DISCOUNT COACH. People want to hire someone who knows their value and that is what higher pricing conveys.
It’s the easiest change you can make for the greatest impact.
And, this models for your prospective coaching clients something they want for themselves—to see themselves as worthy and confident.
4. Maintain High Integrity
Integrity is really about setting and maintain good boundaries and doing what’s right for you.
I think many coaches think that doing what’s right for the clients is always the best policy.
But people truly appreciate boundaries. They feel safer with them than they do without them.
And, everything you do to sustain your business, conveys confidence, which is highly attractive.
5. Act As If You Are Booked Solid
This fits in with integrity. Even if you’ve just graduated from coach training and have a fledgling coaching business, operate now the way you will when you’re in high demand.
That behavior and approach will grow the business you want much more quickly.
So, if you’re questioning something in your business, ask yourself
“What will help me ACT AS IF I’m already successful in every way that I want to be.”
That will lead you to the best approach.
6. Be Decisive
When you make a decision from your intuition or gut that feels right in the moment and risk being wrong, it comes across more positively than if you stay indecisive and uncertain.
How you make decisions is perceived by your prospective clients. It’s almost like they send out energy that gets scooped up by the senses of people you hope will be inspired to hire you.
7. Get Organized
Create smart systems for everything in your business. Develop processes, templates, all the things that will come across to your prospects as positive structure.
People love structure especially when they are feeling stuck or uncertain themselves.
This is one reason why I suggest you NOT sell coaching session packages and instead offer a Signature Program that has some structure so people can lean into it.
8. Ask For and Post Smart Testimonials
If you don’t have good testimonials, it’s likely because you’re not actively asking for them.
Do things to make it easy for your audience to give reviews and your clients to make recommendations and write testimonials.
The type of testimonial that gushes about your soft skills isn’t the type of testimonial that will be a tipping point from ‘maybe’ to ‘yes’. It’s the testimonials that show transformation that truly mean something to prospects.
“I was in this place (naming specific details) and now, because of our work I’m here” (naming specific details).
Episode 271 called Inspire Your Coaching Clients to Give You Dynamic Testimonials goes into more detail about how to ASK and make it easy for your clients to do that for you.
Now, what will you change or improve from the list of 8 ways to raise your credibility? When will you make that happen?