Coaching Podcast: People Don’t Want A Life Coach

The Catalyst Life Coaching Podcast, featuring JRNI Coaching founders John Kim and Noelle Cordeaux is a deep dive into the experience and business of being a life coach. In this episode of the Catalyst Life Coaching Podcast, we discuss burnout and stress. Subscribe to get all our episodes!

Despite being a legitimate career with many different possibilities and pathways, many people still see life coaching as a scam of some sort. Many still believe they don’t need a life coach or that it’s basically having a friend who listens to you and gives you advice. Only, you’re paying them. So why pay someone when you have a bunch of gal pals willing to listen and discuss and dissect your life with you?

Giving advice - this is probably one of the biggest misconceptions about life coaching. See, coaches do not give advice. A session is not 30 minutes listening to you and another 30 minutes telling you exactly what to do to make your life better. Just like any human, coaches don’t have it all figured out. But they have special skill sets that help folks move forward and get past life’s roadblocks.

So how do you build a coaching business when people often get the feeling like they don’t want or need a life coach? You examine what they really want.

People Want Results

Yes, this is exactly what folks want. If one needs advice, one can simply talk to friends, Google things, read books, ask Facebook groups. This list could go on and on. So if you’re building a coaching business and you’re unsure how to showcase it, remember this statement: “People want results.”

So whenever you showcase your business to people, you know better to not just say “I’m a life coach.” Talk more and share how you can deliver results. Share experiences and client successes. Share how you approach certain things that actually give results. Success in the coaching business starts with how we show up in the world. And if we show up by letting people know we value results and we have the skill set to deliver them rather than keep them bogged down in the process, that will help build a successful business.

Remind People of What Usually Gets in the Way

Okay, you cannot just deliver results by knowing what your client is dealing with. You need to genuinely listen for them and most importantly, remind them that what’s usually getting in their way are the should’s and the overthinking. And as a coach, be honest that this happens to you too. Because being blocked by should’s set by the society and the terrible habit of overthinking is something we all share - coach or not coach.

How to Put Your Work Out There and Help People Understand What You REALLY Do

Letting people understand what life coaching is isn’t easy. You can’t just lead them to your website and expect them to know exactly what you do. And hire you. A true life coach knows how to make people understand. Keep putting out good work to showcase to your audience and potential clients. We have two effective ways for this:

Your content is indirect coaching

Every single type of content you put out there is gold. Or, that is, if you value your own content. Which you should. As a life coach, content plays a vital role in your business. From social media content to blog content to newsletters and freebies, all these need to show WHAT you are as a coach. How you do things. How you help others. How you see things. That said, one of the best ways to put your work out there and help folks understand your way of life coaching is by utilizing your content and knowing that your content is a form of indirect coaching. You are coaching your audience in one way or another by providing valuable and actionable content.

Model how you live your life

Another way is to model how you live your life. You’re a coach, not some divine entity. You are not perfect. You don’t have it all figured out. No one has. So stop showing up like you know all the answers to all of life’s complicated questions. Instead, model your life exactly how you live your life. Show your people that you don’t know certain things because you don’t. If you’re struggling with something, don’t be embarrassed about it. By being honest and vulnerable when appropriate, you’re building trust.

Keys To Making Sure You’re Giving People the Results They Want

Be consistent

Consistency is not as easy as what most people think. But once you master it, you will soon realize that it’s super helpful in making sure your audience sees you - your work, your skills, YOU. That said, by practicing and maintaining consistency in your business, you’re making it easier for people to see the results they want because the content you share evolves around your way of life coaching and how you’re going to help folks achieve results.

Be helpful

Still about content, people will know if you actually want to help or you’re being BS and just want to put content out there for the sake of it. That said, always be helpful. Keep in mind that your goal with creating and sharing content is to help your audience achieve results in their life. Hiring you as a coach means you will be more hands-on in helping them. But running your coaching business means you indirectly coaching them and shedding light on the Results Lane through your content. Don’t underestimate the magic of helpful Instagram captions.

Be honest

Wrapping up, last item is about honesty. You cannot give people results if you’re being dishonest. If you’re unsure about something, if you’re still figuring something out, be honest about that. Show them the truth. Don’t hide behind quotable quotes and smart words. Results look pretty. But before you get to the pretty, you should first go through the grooming, and that has its own looks. Show them the journey and they will know you can get them results.

Ready to know how to deliver results?

If you're ready to learn more about how to become a life coach, take a look at The Catalyst Life Coaching Intensive. Become a force for good, and make a bigger impact where you are.