How a Life Coach Association Can Overcome the 3 Critical Challenges Life Coaches Face

If you are a life coach, but not a member of a life coach association, then this article is for you.

As you may have noticed, there’s more to a life coaching business than just coaching and you may have some of these concerns:

• Getting enough clients for a profitable business
• Not having enough business skills to run a business
• Your business support isn’t coming from someone who’s also an experienced life coach

In this article, we’ll go over 3 main challenges coaches face and how you can overcome them and attract more clients. Plus you’ll find out…

• How you can get in front of more potential clients
• How to show your credibility to those potential clients, and
• How to get the business skills you need to run your business more profitable

Challenges Life Coaches Face: #1 Visibility

Online VISIBILITY is the first big challenge for coaches. In order for buyers to find your services, you need to be seen. You can have a beautiful website with compelling copy, but if not enough people see it, it can’t help you.

Article writing, blogging, guest blogging, podcasting, webinars, and paid ads are all tried and true strategies you can use to get more visibility. You can also get offline visibility by going to live networking meetings, attending live events, and doing speaking engagements. Those are all good, but they may not be enough.

There are two more important ways life coaches increase their visibility:

1-Online Directory

An effective option for extending your visibility is to be listed in an online life coach directory. Being in an online directory exposes you to audiences you may not normally reach.

When I started my coaching business, I wanted to find an online life coach directory to be listed in, so I could get more exposure. But, I have to say, what I found was disappointing. 

The first directory site was way too complicated. The coaches had to purchase “credits” in order for their listing to be shown to clients, and the clients had to leave all their information before any coach could contact them. Buying the directory’s “credits” turned out to be confusing, and I ended up not using that site..

On another directory site, you could only find a coach if you already knew their name. But, since most people are looking for a specific type of coaching, and not for a  particular person, that wasn’t very helpful, A third directory was only for graduates of the website’s own coaching program. 

I even surveyed the members of my life coach LinkedIn group and asked them what directories they were listed in. But they really didn’t have any new suggestions and weren’t very happy with results they were getting from directories they were in.

So, being the action-taking organizer that I am, I decided to create my own professional life coach association (the IAPLC) with an online life coach directory that lists coaches in over 15 different coaching categories.

Now, someone coming to our site looking for help with, say, a relationship, could look under “Relationship Coaches,” or a health issue, under “Health & Wellness Coaches.” Listing by category made it  more user-friendly.

Being in the right kind of directory is an effective way to get more website traffic and thus more clients.

Here’s what one member said…

“My google analytics show people coming to my website from my page in the association. Being a member of this group of fine professional coaches and participating in the projects Jeannette offers adds credibility to positioning myself as an expert in my niche.” ~ Estra Roell

2-Advertising

Another way to get more visibility is, of course, advertising. But even though it’s the most popular way to get initial business, coaches just starting out may not have the budget for advertising. So I began doing Facebook ads for life coach association members. And just that one thing gave them more visibility on a platform that probably has most of the clients they’ll ever need. I don’t know of any other organization that places individual FB ads for their members! We do everything we can to make you more visible. 

Having a personal ad extends your reach and gets your message out to more people than you could on your own. 

“I am loving the membership. The tools and resources available are just so simple but thorough and easily accessible…The AD on Facebook is everything! I hadn’t even realized it until I got a LEAD….YES! Your platform is pretty amazing – Much appreciation from the Coach who is starting out and wanting to stay realistic with the coaching world and work and achieve accordingly.” ~ Kisha Woods

Challenge Life Coaches Face #2: Credibility

Another challenge that coaches often need help with is how to get CREDIBILITY. Many coaches who are just starting out feel that, because they lack experience, they lack credibility in the eyes of potential clients. (Something that can take a toll on a new coach’s confidence.) But even seasoned coaches may have to deal with lack of credibility if they aren’t well-known in their niche. 

Life Coaching is a fairly new industry, but it’s also one of the fastest growing. With so many coaches out there, the inevitable occurs: There are people who claim to be life coaches but don’t necessarily have training, or, at worst, may even be frauds. So, folks looking for coaches want reassurance that the coach they hire is legitimate, experienced, …AND, of course, is going to be able to solve their problem.

Here are 3 ways life coaches increase their credibility:

1-Professional Membership

A good way to establish CREDIBILITY is to show that you belong to a professional organization. Most professions have support organizations you can join that show clients that you’re a serious practitioner. Doctors have the American Medical Association. Architects have the American Institute of Architects, and Arborists have the International Society of Arboriculture. Being a member of a professional organization increases credibility.

On becoming a certified coach, I looked into joining the International Coaches Federation (ICF). But soon discovered that I couldn’t join, because ICF had not endorsed the particular certification program I had taken. Then it occurred to me that there were probably other good certification programs that the ICF hadn’t endorsed as well. And I thought of the many experienced and successful coaches just using their God-given talents without going through any certification program. They also were banned from joining the ICF.

So, this was another reason I decided to create a new life coach association, one that included all those highly experienced coaches who deserved more credibility, but may not have gotten certified, or got certified through a program not endorsed by the ICF. 

All IAPLC members are interviewed, and must meet certain standards to be listed in our directory.  They can display the IAPLC badge on their website to show that they belong to a professional organization, a powerful way to show credibility.

Just having the badge on your site can make the difference for a client to choose you over a coach who doesn’t have one. The badge assures clients that you are verified and recommended by a professional organization. And the more credibility you have, the more clients will be likely to want to hire you.

Here’s what members said…

“I used the Badge Code in my website. I think it helped to give me credibility because I was recently nominated for The Rule Breaker Awards. It felt so good to be nominated for something after living in obscurity for so long. Your website is a gift from Heaven and I plan on learning a lot from it and from you. Thank you for all of your help so far. I know coaches will benefit from the tools you sent me, and I will send the coaches on to you for membership.” ~ Frances Delehanty

“All of tools you’ve provided are tremendously useful. Having the badge on my website has added value and credibility that my clients are able to see right away!” ~ Kimberley McGowen

2-Get Certified

Another way you can gain credibility is to take a life coach certification course.

There are currently no governmental regulations requiring certification to practice life coaching (at least in the U.S.). Each coach is recommended to seek education and training to the degree he or she feels necessary. 

But most coaches feel more confident in charging for their services if they have gone through some kind of training, and can show credentials for it. There are certification courses available in many different fields within the life coaching industry. I’ve compiled a list of some of them recommended by colleagues and other coaches, which you can download HERE.

Since there are many different coach trainings, all offering something different in terms of content, delivery and style, it’s important to find the course which both matches your personal learning style and one that will best equip you for the market you want to work in. 

After being asked many times by new coaches if our life coach association had a certification course, I decided to create the IAPLC International Life Coach Certification program. It covers over 30 life-coaching techniques, coaching models for working effectively with clients, and brandable tools and exercises for use in helping clients make progress toward their goals. 

Graduates also get an official, International Professional Life Coach (CLC) certificate to hang on their wall, along with a badge to post on their website.

3-Become A Published Author

Another way to establish more credibility is to become a published author. Statistically, published authors get more business than non-published authors, because there’s a certain prestige that goes with writing a book. And even if you are a co-author in a group book, you will gain respect within the coaching and business community simply for having a book available in the marketplace. This respect leads to new social media followers, email subscribers, and paying clients who need the valuable service you provide.

Becoming a co-author of a compilation or group book is the next best thing to authoring your own book. Plus, it can be a lot cheaper and less time-consuming. You may not have time to write a book, but anyone can make time to write a chapter in a compilation book. 

When I started getting solicitations for being in a compilation book, most of the venues wanted between $500 and $3,000 to be in their book. That’s a little expensive for someone just starting out in business. After self-publishing my first book, I realized that I could make it not only very easy, but also extremely affordable for IAPLC members to become published in a compilation book. So, now we offer this for Gold members, as another way to establish your credibility and expertise. This has become an annual publication, six books so far.

Participating in a group book can further expand your reach, because all the co-authors are promoting it to their own lists. And, if you participate in a group book sponsored by a life coach association like the IAPLC, you have a brand name backing you, and that can help to establish more credibility for you. 

If you’re already a published author, you will still receive all the above benefits. The more books you have written, or have written for, only adds to your credibility and perceived value as an expert. 

And, by the way, becoming a published author and participating in a compilation book launch also gives you more visibility! So you’re “killing two birds with one stone,” and gaining more clients as a result.

Here’s what one member said…

"I have been so impressed with many aspects of IAPLC since I joined! First, the organization founder, Jeannette, has made being a member of this organization a pleasure. But beyond that, the IAPLC offers so many opportunities to its members to grow and expand, including a compilation book, active and helpful forums, masterminds and trainings (plus much more!) I recommend the IAPLC to coaches who want to belong to an organization that really focuses on meeting its members needs and helping members grow their businesses. Thank you Jeannette and colleagues!" ~ Deb Gilroy, Retired Writing Coach

Challenge Life Coaches Face #3: Business Training 

One of the biggest challenges that life coaches can face is lack of business skills. Does the following sound familiar? You decide to embark on a career in coaching. You get training. You’re so excited to have credentials, and now you can go out and help all those people who can benefit from your services. You open your doors for business and…. nothing happens.

You realize you don’t know how to effectively market for clients.

This is a dilemma many new coaches face, but even those who have been in business for a while can still have the same problem. And it’s because most coach training programs do not include enough (if any) training in marketing or other skills necessary to run a business. You may be a great coach, but feel overwhelmed by all the things you need to know about running a business.

The truth is that all coaches need business skills, skills such as goal-setting, content creation, program creation, client onboarding, using technology, copywriting, and branding,  to name a few. 

Life coaches also need marketing skills such as list building, lead generation, blogging, email marketing, content marketing, and referral marketing. Plus there are all the social media platforms to interact with and advertise with. A coach also needs to learn sales skills for enrollment conversations.

Here are 3 ways life coaches overcome this business challenge: 

1-Masterclasses

After I put into place all the ideas I had for getting the IAPLC members more visibility, more credibility, and more traffic, I thought, “What else can I do to help them learn how to run their life coaching businesses more smoothly?” 

My idea was to have a Masterclass series on different aspects of business that would help the members run their operations more smoothly. Members gave suggestions as to what topics they needed help with, and we launched the series. All the classes were recorded and archived, so members can listen to them at their convenience.

2-Monthly Training Packages

Since I saw that more business skills were needed by the coaches, I started offering monthly training packages which are like mini workshops. They zero in on one business skill or strategy. Some of the topics covered are:

• Fixing business money leaks
• Podcasting
• Facebook ads
• Social media networking
• Marketing strategies
• Mindset issues
• and Business systems. 

Plus the trainings include professionally designed materials to make it easier to implement what’s been learned. 

Here’s what one member said…

“IAPLC is a wonderful resource for coaches. The site is full of informative and useful information – I look forward to Jeanette’s regular trainings as they are always packed with information that is both timely and helpful.” ~ Veronica Hislop

3-Monthly Live Calls

We also started holding live monthly group coaching calls, where coaches can get business and marketing questions answered. This is also where coaches can interact with each other and feel like they are part of a community of like-minded entrepreneurs. We always have a lot of fun on the calls.

The more business skills you develop and the more you know about online marketing, the easier it will be for you to attract as many clients as you want. 

Monthly training packages and live coaching calls are an important part of what a life coach association can offer. 

Here’s what members said…

“Every time I attend one of your sessions, I always come away with a head full of amazement of you and your talents, and your ability to put all of this together authentically.  You make it sound so simple and yet I know it’s not—just awesome, awesome, awesome talent! The tools you provide are truly so helpful.” – Diane Schaffer

“The coaching calls encourage me to keep trying and it gives me some hope. I feel better when I get through the program. There’s just so much I don’t know and I’m encouraged when I come to these sessions.” – Leonard Campbell 

In Conclusion & Next Step

The 3 critical challenges that most coaches face are lack of: visibility, credibility and business training. When coaches overcome these challenges, they are able to attract clients, have a profitable business, and have an enjoyable lifestyle.

Gold Membership

What if there were a place you could go to get help overcoming these challenges, all 3 at the same time? Well, there is – the International Association of Professional Life Coaches® (IAPLC). And here’s how joining this life coaches association can help you do that:

• IAPLC official badge for your website
• Listing in our online directory of over 15 categories
• Facebook advertising for member coaches
• Featured Coach of the Week on our home page
• Opportunities to participate in published group books
• Access to masterclass recording archives
• Monthly marketing and business training packages
• Monthly live Coaching Calls
• Private Forum 

Here’s what one member said…

“The International Association of Professional Life Coaches is a wonderful, supportive group. Not only do you get visibility that you wouldn't get otherwise, you get training, support, and brainstorming with your peers. The directory is a great way to let clients find you, get referrals from fellow members, and take your business to the next level. The membership value far exceeds the investment.” ~ Lynn Jordan 

So if you’re a life coach who is looking for a place to gain more business skills to run your business and establish your credibility, while gaining more visibility online, join the IAPLC as a Gold Member and enjoy all the benefits of a professional organization. Go to:  https://iaplifecoaches.org/membership

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeannette Koczela, a certified Entrepreneur and Business Coach, is the Founder/ President of the International Association of Professional Life Coaches®, an online life coach directory and professional organization supporting life coaches with monthly marketing training and online promotion. She helps new life coaches save hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars, by providing curated business training for starting and running a profitable coaching business, for just $47 a month. Find out more at: https://iaplifecoaches.org/membership

Download the free "Coaching Business Blueprint: The 7 Essential Components To Create a Profitable Coaching Business", and get weekly tips, strategies, and guidance on how to create a thriving coaching business, at https://iaplifecoaches.org/blueprint

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