In today’s show, we are answering a question that comes to me often: What do I need to start my coaching business? Just getting started can be overwhelming, but there are a few simple steps to take to get your business up and running. Join me!

As much as you want to use your coaching skills to make a difference with your potential clients, there is also a business aspect to coaching. Let’s talk about the systems you need to have in place to help you be the best coach you can be, but remember that it’s OK to start with the bare minimum and build from there. Think of this episode as a beginner’s guide to get you started.

Show Highlights:

●     The necessities to have in place when starting your coaching business:

○     A system to send digital forms and templates for your coaching agreement, intro questions, intake information, follow-up forms, and assessments.

○     Scheduling tools, like Calendly, Acuity, and Book Like a Boss

○     Email for your business account (or gmail is an option)

○     Ways to take payments, like Stripe, PayPal, Square, etc.

○     **Ideally, you want to move toward the automation of as many of the items listed above, so you can spend more time on the activities that are income producing.

○     Choose a platform for seeing clients, like video conferences, phone, in-person, or a combination of the three.

○     Four important aspects of your business: business name, website (even a one-page website, See Ep. 115), LinkedIn profile (See Ep. 97, 137, and 234), and how you show up on social media.

●     To attract clients and be seen, focus on building relationships and credibility, knowing your audience, and creating solutions.

●     Use social media to share your message, build a following, and create a buzz, but also think about the following:

○     Moving names from social media platforms to your email list

○     Providing ongoing value

○     Communicating regularly

○     Sharing more about what you do

○     Making offers

●     My biggest regrets when I started out----not capturing email addresses soon enough and not sending regular communication to my community

●     Create a giveaway that speaks to your audience, like a PDF, video, checklist, infographic, or chapter of your book.

●     Use an email builder or provider like MailChimp, MailerLite, or ActiveCampaign.

●     Final pieces of advice:

○     Pace yourself and choose the tools that are right for you right now.

○     Take advantage of free or low-cost services for small businesses.

○     Consider all-in-one services that are priced according to the size of your business, but choose wisely.

○     Remember that changing to other systems as you grow is perfectly acceptable; you are not glued to any one service or system for the next 20 years.

○     Take the time to build the foundational pieces that will create a good flow for later--when your calendar is full of clients.

Resources:

LinkedIn