How to Get Coaching Clients: 10 Brilliant Tips for an Online Coach

Last updated: January 23, 2024

If you’ve just started your online coaching business and/or are looking to get coaching clients for your existing coaching business, you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’re sharing actionable advice to help you expand your reach, capture quality leads, and convert them into paying clients.

Here are 10 ways to get coaching clients for your online coaching business:

• Create a website to establish your online presence
• Optimize your site to reach potential coaching clients
• Build your brand
• Create attractive coaching packages for clients
• Οffer a lead magnet to attract clients
• Build an email list to nurture prospective coaching clients
• Establish your presence on social media
• Launch an affiliate program and/or a referral system
• Run paid ads to find relevant coaching clients
• Offer free coaching consultations

1. Create a Website to Establish Your Online Presence

Your online website is the virtual storefront of your coaching business. Ensure that it reflects your brand, clearly communicates your services, and provides essential information for your potential coaching clients. Include a compelling bio, details about your coaching programs, testimonials, and a way for visitors to contact you.

👉Payhip makes it dead simple to sell coaching online and establish a strong online presence for your clients! Add Payhip to your existing website or build your own fully customizable website with a simple drag-and-drop builder, no coding skill needed! Payhip also provides native Calendly and Zoom integrations so you can manage all of your coaching clients and coaching sessions effortlessly from a single platform. The best part? Payhip is completely FREE!

2. Optimize Your Site to Reach Potential Coaching Clients

So you’ve invested time and effort into creating an incredible website that is designed to convert your website visitors into coaching clients. However, for this conversion to happen, people need to actually find your coaching services website when they search on engines like Google. This is where strategic content creation comes into play.

Here are a few tips to optimize your site to gain more organic traffic from search engines like Google:

• Start a blog: Create your own blog or write guest posts for other websites where your potential clients will find actionable advice to address their challenges and get inspired for change. You’ll need to post regularly to show Google that your site continuously produces fresh content.
• Distribute your blog: Sharing your blog posts on social media and through email newsletters allows you to drive more traffic to your blog and website, as well as repurpose your content effectively. You can create social media posts that summarize key points from your blog post or provide actionable tips. In newsletters, you can feature snippets or excerpts from your blog and include a call-to-action to read the full post on your website. This way, you maximize the reach and impact of your blog content by reaching different segments of your audience.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO is an important skill to learn if you want to establish a sustainable online presence. Unlike paid advertising that stops generating traffic once the budget is exhausted, SEO can provide long-term results and you can maintain and improve your search rankings over time. This means that your coaching website will continue to attract organic traffic and potential clients, even if you scale back on other marketing efforts.

To optimize your website for SEO, it’s important to perform comprehensive keyword research. This entails identifying the search terms and phrases that prospective clients commonly use when seeking coaching services. You’ll most likely need to leverage powerful keyword research tools such as Ahrefs or SEMRush to uncover relevant keywords that possess moderate search volume and minimal competition. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your website content, from headings, titles, meta descriptions, and blog posts. Don’t know the first thing about SEO? Learn all SEO basics here.

3. Build Your Brand

Want to attract the perfect clients for your coaching business? It’s time to unleash the power of branding! Picture this: your branding is like a magical magnet that pulls in the right clients while gracefully waving away the wrong ones. It’s a dazzling symphony of website design, tone of voice, content strategy, content types, and pricing wizardry that sets you apart from the coaching crowd. Here are some tips to build a strong personal brand for your coaching business:

• Focus on one or two closely related niches and define your unique value proposition. Determine what sets you apart from other coaches and identify your unique selling points. Consider your expertise, coaching style, and the specific results you help clients achieve. Craft a compelling value proposition that clearly communicates the benefits of working with you.
• Get yourself out there. Reach out to relevant podcast shows and blogs and contribute as a guest, participate in industry events as a speaker, and stay active on social media (more on that in a bit!). This can help you establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field and allow potential clients to see your expertise firsthand.
• Attend networking events. Show up at relevant events to network with other coaches and meet potential new clients. Face-to-face conversations provide unparalleled insight into your target audience. Remember, people are more likely to buy from those they know, like, and trust, so seize every chance to expand your network and let your presence be felt.
• Have consistent messaging. Branding is largely about creating a genuine persona with a clear voice, distinctive personality, and mission. Constituency in what you say and do is key.
• Build a blog. If you have the time and writing flair, starting a blog is an excellent opportunity to establish yourself as an expert or even a thought leader. A blog can also help bring traffic to your coaching website and raise awareness for your services through SEO.

4. Create Attractive Coaching Packages for Clients

Make them an offer they can’t refuse! Upgrade your offerings to offer something other coaches don’t and bring more value to your clients. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• Offer various payment options such as one-time fee, payment plans, subscription, and more.
• Consider offering different levels or tiers of coaching packages to cater to a range of client needs and budgets. For example, you can offer a basic package with limited support, a mid-level package with additional resources and sessions, and a premium package with more personalized attention or exclusive bonuses. This gives clients the flexibility to choose the level of support that best suits their needs.
• Enhance the perceived value of your coaching packages by including additional value-additions. These can be resources such as eBooks, worksheets, or templates, access to a membership site or private online community for ongoing support, or even bonuses like discounted sessions. These extras not only make your coaching packages more attractive but also provide additional resources and support for your clients.
• Provide your clients with access to your online course for a more flexible learning experience where they can consume your content on demand. If you’re using Payhip to host your online course, you’ll also be able to automatically reward your clients with certificates of completion as an extra incentive!
• Host webinars and mastermind groups with guest speakers.

5. Οffer a Lead Magnet to Attract Clients

In other words, give something away for free! Lead magnets deserve a mention of their own because they’re like a Swiss army knife: multi-purpose and effective. Make sure they’re relevant to your niche and address a common pain point among your coaching clients. Some ideas for lead magnets:

• eBooks
• Workbooks (to help potential clients start working towards a goal)
• Mini-course
• Discovery/consultation session
• Interviews and podcast episodes
• Quizzes

Lead magnets are a fantastic way to grow your email list and start an email sequence that will convert leads into clients. In fact, they’re very effective in bringing in quality leads and increasing the likelihood of conversions on the spot – provided you have addressed a topic that interests your potential clients. If anything else, they’re a good way to start building trust because they provide instant value.

👉With Payhip, you can easily build an email list while offering various free digital products such as downloadables or an online course to draw people in and show them instantly how they can benefit from your coaching services. You can also schedule free consultation sessions, upload eBooks, videos, and podcasts, and create intriguing quizzes and surveys.

6. Build an Email List to Nurture Prospective Coaching Clients

Email marketing remains an effective tactic to engage prospects, start a communication sequence that provides value, and convert leads into paying customers. Those who have willingly shared their email address and have been following your content are more inclined to make a purchase compared to someone unfamiliar with your services.

To grow your email list, you can start by placing opt-in forms in prominent places on your website or as pop-ups. Create a compelling CTA that will motivate them to subscribe and receive communications from you. Another way is to create a lead magnet (as we mentioned above) and request an email address to send it to. Participating in webinars, guest blogging, and podcasts will also give you a chance to add a prompt for the audience to sign up for your newsletter or a free resource.

And once you’ve got their email addresses:

• Send a welcome email with a brief introduction about yourself, focusing on how you can help your clients. You could even offer an invitation for a free consultation – there’s hardly anything more effective than meeting you and getting a hint of how you work. Don’t forget to add a link to your social media accounts.
• Communicate updates about new coaching products, exclusive discounts, early-bird access, and limited-time offers.
• Send free educational content like eBooks, workbooks, and podcast episodes.
• Send newsletters sharing insights, tips, and resources related to your coaching niche.
• Communicate upcoming events you’ll be hosting or joining.
• Send out surveys to gauge interest in potential upcoming coaching courses and common challenges you could help them overcome through coaching.

Remember to personalize your emails, use engaging subject lines, and provide clear calls to action. It’s also important to maintain a consistent and regular email schedule to stay top of mind.

7. Establish Your Presence on Social Media

Social media usage is over the roof, with 56.8% of the world population (this translates to  4.48 billion people) using social media. So, no matter your coaching niche, creating a strong social media presence is how to get coaching clients the easy way.

By regularly interacting on social media, you can gain exposure and recognition while providing value for free, in a fun way, without coming off as salesy.

• Pick a couple of social media platforms that work best for your niche – for example, LinkedIn for business coaches and Instagram for health & fitness – and share value-packed content on a regular basis. Short-form content works best for social media, so think about images with quick advice and inspirational quotes, reels, and vertical videos.
• Reply to comments as much as you can. Social media is a great place to establish a personal connection with your audience, and what better way is there to do that than engaging in a dialogue?
• Join relevant Quora and Facebook groups, Reddit communities, or hashtags to reply to questions. Users will appreciate an informed answer or guidance from a professional coach, and you can leverage the opportunity to direct them to your website or social media profile.
• Host live streams with Q&As. One of the best ways to get quality leads – provide value, showcase your work, and build a connection at the same time!
• Start a poll or ask a question to increase engagement and learn your audience better.
• Offer lead magnets, communicate limited-time offers, and make special discounts for anyone who refers you to a friend.

8. Launch an Affiliate Program and/or a Referral System

Implementing an affiliate program provides a subtle yet effective approach to paid marketing. Instead of upfront payments, you reward affiliates with commissions for bringing in new coaching clients for you. Some potential affiliate partners that can help promote your coaching services include bloggers, influencers, industry experts, online community leaders, and more.

Don’t forget about your existing and former clients! You can leverage the power of word-of-mouth marketing by turning your satisfied coaching clients into affiliates. Offer them incentives or referral programs that reward them for referring new clients. Happy clients can become enthusiastic advocates who share their positive experiences with their network, expanding your reach organically.

👉With Payhip you can launch your own affiliate program to take some of the marketing workload off your hands. If you prefer to create a “refer a friend to get discounts” approach, then you can also launch a referral system using Payhip’s free marketing tools. Our tip: create limited-time offers to add a sense of urgency and increase conversions!

9. Run Paid Ads to Find Relevant Coaching Clients

If you’re seeking quicker results (though not instant), paid advertising can be a game-changer in finding coaching clients. While SEO requires time to yield outcomes, platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube offer excellent opportunities to put your name in front of the right audience.

With precise targeting options based on location, age, and browsing history, you can effectively reach your desired segments. Plus, you have a range of advertising formats including video, text, and images at your disposal.

If you’re not confident about using paid advertising, it’s best to consult an expert to avoid wasting money. To get paid advertising right, remember that you will need to create a buyer persona first – this is essentially a profile of your ideal client based on their key demographics, desires, and pain points.

10. Offer Free Coaching Consultations

This strategy is especially useful if you’re a new coach trying to land your first client. Offering free coaching consultations allows potential clients to experience your coaching style and approach firsthand, and increase the likelihood of converting them into paying clients. Free consultations also help build trust and rapport with your audience, as they get a chance to connect with you on a personal level and see if there’s a good fit between their needs and your coaching services.

Here are some tips to ensure that your free consultations will result in a paying client:

• Set clear objectives and share them with your prospective clients: Define the purpose of the free consultation. Is it to understand the client’s needs, provide a sample coaching session, or discuss their goals? Having a clear objective helps you structure the consultation effectively.
• Pre-screen potential clients: Gather basic information about the client’s background, goals, and challenges. This allows you to determine if they are a good fit for your coaching services and increases the likelihood of a successful consultation.
• Prepare a focused agenda: This shows that you have a tailored approach to help your potential clients overcome their challenges, and it ensures that you have full control over how the call will go.
• Address objections and concerns: Be prepared to handle any objections or concerns the client may raise during the consultation. Anticipate common questions or hesitations and provide clear and compelling responses that address their specific needs and doubts.
• Propose next steps: At the end of the consultation, outline the next steps and discuss potential coaching packages or options available to the client. Clearly communicate the value they can gain from working with you and guide them towards making a decision that aligns with their goals.
• Follow up promptly: Send a personalized follow-up message promptly after the consultation. Summarize the discussion, reiterate the benefits of working together, and provide any additional information they may need.
• Keep it short. Limit your free sessions to 15-30 minutes. This allows you to manage a higher volume of consultations and increases your chances of closing deals. While not every call will result in a paying client, shorter sessions enable you to play the volume game effectively.

How to Get Coaching Clients as an Online Coach – The Secret’s Out

Growing your client base comes with time and consistent effort. Of course, it’s virtually impossible to have a finger in every pie and serve your clients at the same time. Prioritize the strategies that feel best for you, and be prepared for some trial and error. So, which of the tips we shared today are you more likely to follow? Or you’re already following, perhaps?

Payhip is the best online coaching platform to attract new clients and accommodate your online coaching needs. Build a beautiful website with compelling digital products, launch a successful marketing strategy, and host engaging events and real-time coaching sessions.

And did you know that Payhip has an all-inclusive, forever-free plan? Sign up for your free account now to explore our platform’s capabilities and start selling coaching online in a few minutes!

If you’re thinking of starting your online coaching business for the first time, our detailed guide will tell you everything you need to know about how to start an online coaching business.