How Coaches Grow

Your dilemma: You know you’re good at what you do but you could do so much more, if only you could connect with clients who need you. So there are a lot of coaches out there. There are also masses of training programs, courses and resources. But they don’t offer what you offer. You are the best. If only you could connect with your clients in such a way that they say, ‘Yes, that’s exactly what I need!’ then you would be set. But something is wrong with how you present yourself online so your clients don’t recognise you…

Which brings me to the subject of branding. These days branding goes far beyond corporate logos, mission statements and product identity. Generally speaking, a brand is a collection of experiences and associations connected with a service, a person or a product. Branding is a set of associations in the mind of your clients.

Different Types of Brands

There is so much more to the concept of branding that I could devote an entire blog site to it, so I’ll stick to what applies to you as a personal development professional. To carve out your niche online three types of brands that apply:

1. 1. Online branding is how you support your brand online using channels such as websites and online communities. In essence your ‘brand’ is the sum of the characteristics of your products and services as perceived by your clients.
2. 2. An online identity is a social identity that you use to establish a persona. This can extend to using an avatar, which is an icon-sized graphic image that represents you. Some websites also use the user’s IP address to track their online identities using methods such as tracking cookies.
3. 3. Personal branding is when you market you or your career as a brand. Personal branding can also involve stamping your name on a product you develop or endorse.

Blurring the Lines a Bit

As coaching professionals, you may benefit from combining these three definitions into one, and calling the whole kit and caboodle, ‘Personal Identity Brand’. Your ‘Personal Identity Brand’ conveys your specific values and behaviours to your visitors. Just like brand-name clothing or fast food restaurant chains, your personal identity brand is marketing yourself the same as you would a product.

The symptoms of not having a strong Online Personal Identity Brand

-          Graphics are too flashy

-          Slogans are ambiguous

-          Colours, graphics and images don’t represent you

-          Words and images clash

-          Your page or ad is too minimal or too busy

-          Your page or ad doesn’t reflect what you do and who you are

-          The content is misleading or confusing

-          You don’t speak your client’s language

Make ‘you’ your brand

As a personal development professional your greatest asset is you –your knowledge, your skills and your personality. If you think of yourself as the brand you will attract more clients.

I’m not saying that your strategic vision and your products aren’t important – they are crucial to your business – but as far as your clients are concerned those things are extensions of your coaching skills and experience. Your clients want to know who YOU are and what you can do for THEM.

In Part Two of this post I’ll talk about how to get your clients to recognise you and then I’ll provide some tips on how you can carve your own Personal Identity Brand.

Until then, happy business-building!

FURTHER ASSISTANCE

Are you a Life Coach, Business Consultant or Trainer who needs a website, web content and/or information products? Is your website too hard to update or is it costing you too much? Maybe you need copy and design on your website, blog or social media pages. Or perhaps you need an ebook, audio/video script or coaching tools created from your notes. Whatever your needs, we ensure you (a) connect with prospective clients and (b) provide quality resources for your existing clients.

Contact us for quotes, questions and advice

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