6 mistakes new coaches make (including me!)

It's been over 6 years since I started my coaching business. Looking back at those early days, I can't help but cringe a little! Oh, how na?ve I was!

I did all the things I thought I needed to do.

• I completed my Coach training.
• I offered free and low-cost sessions to get my practice hours in.
• I sorted out my business name and logo.
• I built myself a website.
• I updated my LinkedIn profile.

Surely it was only a matter of time before potential clients found me and came knocking at my door?

How wrong was I!

Just because you've got the qualifications and accreditations, a catchy name and logo and a brand-new website, it doesn't mean clients will start flooding in.

Why?

Because there’s a LOT more to it than that.

If you're in the first year of your coaching or consulting business or getting ready to go all in, here are some of my reflections and lessons learned to help you avoid making the same mistakes I did.

Mistake number 1: Not knowing who you’re talking to

You may think you know WHAT your niche is, but do you really know who you are talking to? I got clear early on who my niche was, but it took me a while to grasp what I needed to be talking about in my content to connect with them. I thought I just needed to tell everyone how great coaching is! Unsurprisingly this type of content didn’t land.

The truth is, nobody cares about how great coaching is or what 5 step process you take.

What they care about is how YOU can help THEM.

• What solutions can you bring to help them get unstuck?
• What are they struggling with right now?
• Why are you the person that can help them?

People won’t connect with your message if they don’t feel like it’s talking to them. Think about this: If you were a mum feeling unhappy in her 9-5 job and looking to find a career with more purpose, would you be more drawn to a coach who talked about helping people “become aligned and find their purpose in a safe space” or the coach who used to be that unhappy mum and shared how she “gets it and can help find a career you can be happy in that works around your family”... I know who I’d pick (it’s the latter btw!) Without knowing who your ideal client is, it’s going to be pretty hard to attract them and you could end up wasting a lot of time and effort marketing to, well, no one.

I didn’t spend enough time really understanding the language that would resonate with my audience, so I had no idea what messaging would land and essentially lead them to book calls with me.

Spend time getting your foundations right. Get clear on WHO you want to work with, the challenge you help them with and the outcomes you can help them reach. And if you’re not sure what your ideal clients are struggling with, I highly recommend doing some market research and finding out!

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Mistake number 2: Not having a story to tell

Once you know WHO you are talking to, you then need to be able to craft a compelling narrative that resonates with them. You know the ones where you read something and think ‘It’s like you’ve read my mind!’

Everyone loves a good story and storytelling is key when it comes to marketing your new coaching business.

This is where I didn’t quite get it right at the start.

So, what’s your story?

• Why should they choose you?
• What makes you stand out?
• Maybe you have been on a similar path?
• Perhaps you can relate to how they are feeling now?

We are bombarded with so much content so you need to make sure your messaging will connect with your ideal client. Share your personal journey and experiences – good and bad – but focus on the ones that your ideal clients will relate to. Make sure you don’t focus on the process and 'coach speak' as I did. This will make your message more relatable and memorable, helping you connect with potential clients on a deeper level – and they will feel like you get it like you not only have the understanding of where they are now but also the ability to help them reach the outcome they want.

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Mistake number 3: Spending too much time faffing (and less time doing)

And I mean that in the nicest possible way!

Spending ages getting the perfect logo designed and website built is not going to bring the clients flooding in (even if your web designer says otherwise). You just need to start.

I spent a lot of time faffing in the early days and procrastinating over what my logo should be, what I should call my packages, and what colours to go on my website but here’s the thing – my business has grown and evolved anyway (including my website and branding) so all that time spent getting it just ‘right’ before I launched wasn’t the best use of my time (and actually, in hindsight it was pretty cr@p anyway!!). What I needed was to just get started. As with most clients I work with, these things will evolve with you and you’ll want to refresh things as your business grows. You are what is going to get the clients in, not your logo.

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Mistake number 4: Expecting clients to come straight away

If only it were that simple! But sadly, getting your website sorted, updating your LinkedIn profile, and getting a few social media posts out there doesn’t magically attract clients.

Whilst I knew this deep down, I secretly hoped it would be easier!

Building a relevant audience takes time and effort. You’re not going to see results straight away. People often need to see a message multiple times before they take any action.

If it all feels overwhelming or icky putting yourself out there online, just focus on starting conversations and building relationships rather than making sales. Remember it’s about increasing visibility, building awareness, and establishing your credibility first. If you are patchy with this action, nobody will see you, which means nobody will engage and definitely won’t buy from you.

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Mistake number 5: Trying to do it all yourself

Yep, there are no prizes for doing EVERYTHING yourself. In fact, you will most likely be less successful.

You may be an excellent coach but running a business involves more than doing the day job. You need to be the admin, the IT department, the accountant, the marketer, and the designer (and more!). No one is good at everything and even if you don’t mind doing certain things, you must consider whether it’s the best use of your time. The saying ‘Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should’ springs to mind!

When you’re just starting out, I know it’s not always financially viable to outsource everything you don’t know how to do (or don’t want to!), so prioritise and look at where your investments will have the most impact.

Whether it's investing in systems and tech, outsourcing your marketing or working with a coach for additional support, running a business isn't meant to be done alone. One option is to list out everywhere you could seek support and prioritise. Maybe even identify who you would work with – and push the button when the time is right. (Top tip, if your biggest goal is to get paying clients and you need help with that, get support there first as this is the key to having the income for everything else).

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Mistake number 6:? Afraid of sales

It sounds silly really as I knew I had to make sales running a business but like many people, I found conversations about pricing uncomfortable!

When I did occasionally speak to prospects, converting them to actual paying clients was highly unlikely as there was no structure to my conversations. I lacked confidence, my pricing was low, and focused too much on the process not the outcomes of the coaching programmes.

As I said in point number 1, prospects don’t care about the intricacies of your packages and the ins and outs of your qualifications. They just want to know what transformation they will get by working with you and why you are the person to help them. Focus on this when you’re having a discovery call rather than worrying about making a sale – it takes the pressure off and feels far less icky! Get them talking first – it takes the pressure off you and allows you to focus your part of the conversation on what they need.

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I could go on, but I won’t! If you're a new coach or considering a career in coaching, I hope these reflections help you avoid some of the mistakes I made. Building a successful coaching business takes time, effort, and a willingness to learn and adapt. Don't be afraid to seek support, invest in yourself, and most importantly, believe in yourself and the value you bring to your clients.

And if you want to chat so you can make sure you get your foundations right, you can book a free consultation call here.