Standing Out As An Online Coach
Make no mistake if you have any kind of expertise or a specialized area of knowledge, you can coach people online. We live in a modern world where specialization is extremely important and a valuable asset for any individual looking to test the entrepreneurial waters. People are becoming “one-dimensional” as far as their personal expertise and knowledge are concerned. We tend to develop tunnel vision. Maybe we’ve been working at the same place for years doing the same things for an extended period. We start to get locked into a way of thinking and end up restricting our knowledge to a narrow band of information. This happens across the board.
Surprisingly enough, the more information we come across on the Internet, the more uncertain we become. We trust that most of this information is correct. We know that a lot of the data we can pick up online is spot on. The problem is we do not have the time to actually become experts in all these fields because we’re too focused on becoming experts in our “chosen” subject or in other areas of our life. This is why there’s a big demand for online coaches. You only need to be an expert in one particular subject or at helping one particular group and people will pay you to coach them.
Of course, this depends on the niche. Some niches don’t really need much to get started. You really don’t always need to show up on a webcam to coach people on a one-to-one basis. In many cases, people interested in certain types of information only need to go to blogs that specialize in that topic. Or they want to be able to download a program, videos or audios to set them on their way. Many people want to control how and when they get the information. Most of us have a busy life and may not have time to sit with a coach weekly, so being able to watch something or listen to audio in their own time, works just as well.
In certain types of niches like affiliate marketing, setting up a successful business online, learning how to flip businesses, or learning how to master Photoshop or other specialized pieces of software, there is a higher demand for online coaches. It’s very easy for people to get excited about becoming an online coach especially with the low overhead and the fact that coaching is better understood today, so less explaining required. Believe me there is a tremendous amount of opportunity.
Unfortunately, if you go about trying to set up your own online coaching business the same way as everybody else, chances are you will probably fail. I know that sounds harsh and may not be the kind of thing you want to hear. That is as mildly and as gently as I can say this. Let’s get real here… here is the wake-up call. If you set up your business the same way as most online coaches, chances are very high that you’re not going to get the results that you’re looking for, actually I would wager that you won’t get have much success at all.
If you want to truly succeed as an online coach, you need to build a solid brand. By Brand I do not mean your company colors, font or even your logo. You need to know what distinguishes you from other coaches. What about the way you plan to coach, deal with your clients, speak to your clients’ needs will make you the one to go to? You have to give people a reason to seek YOU out. You could have the exact same program, price, colors etc. as another coach but the way you deliver your message is what your potential clients will resonate with.
You have to establish a really powerful reason why people should listen to you instead of the other self-proclaimed gurus and experts in your field. Why should they beat a path to your door when it seems that there are so many other experts talking about the same thing? The most important way to distinguish yourself, of course, is to develop a unique brand. This is how you will stand out as an online coach. If you can’t figure out what makes you unique, your potential client’s wont either. Your dreams of building a successful online coaching business will be pretty much dead in the water. You can pretty much kiss those plans goodbye.
Wrap your mind around these tips so you can increase your chances of success as an online coach. Believe me there’s a tremendous amount of demand out there. People are clamoring for online coaches. However, let me tell you, people are not going to put dollars in your hands unless you can convince them that you are the right coach for them and worth every dime whether it is $50/hour or $5,000.