How to Differentiate Yourself In The Coaching World

Every day the coaching world is getting more and more crowded. It is easier than ever now to start your own coaching business, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to stand out and attract attention.

Everywhere you look there are other coaches that are offering the same types of coaching programs, and they may have bigger marketing budgets and more whiz-bang marketing tactics. So how do you compete?

The important thing to remember is that while your specialties are similar, there is always something you can do differently or position in a strategic way that makes you unique. You can build a brand around yourself that will attract the right types of clients that need to work with you specifically.

I'm sure this seems much easier said than done, but if you can build a brand with the three keys that I'm going to share with you, I guarantee you are going to create a coaching brand that stands out, is memorable and will carry you to where you want to go and beyond.

1. Personality

The best way to differentiate yourself in the noisy coaching market is to consider the one thing that is truly unique about you and your business. Your personality is something that no one else has, and it's what is going to appeal most to your target market, if they jive with your personality they are going to want to purchase your products.

Your personality is much more than whether you can be described as "nice", "funny", or "clever", it is how you are perceived by the outside world and how you position yourself against the competition. Are you relevant? Relatable? Likeable? If you look at some of the most successful brands out there you'll see that their expression of personality is what attracts rabid fans.

Let's take Apple as an example, if you remember their "Apple vs. PC" commercials they personified their brand with a young hip man who was instantly relatable to their target audience, and subsequently personified PC as a "outdated" corporate gentleman. Not only were these commercials entertaining to the point where people would talk about them and look forward to the next one coming out, but they positioned Apple in the minds of their audience as having all of the qualities of the young man. Cutting edge, creative and fun to the point where it made you want to be Apple's friend! Having one of their products made you feel like you too were all of those things, and so they were even more desirable.

Consider how you would perceive your brand if it was a person. What kind of personality would it have? By expressing your personality in your brand and marketing you make will make a stronger connection with your target audience and ultimately resonate with those that are going to be your best clients.

2. Quality

Obviously the quality of your coaching program or product is paramount to your success. If you're selling a shoddy product or program you aren't going to last long. On the other hand you could have the best coaching program or course, but if it isn't perceived as quality at first glance no one is going to pay attention. It would be nice if people didn't judge a book by it's cover and instead "gave you a chance" before making their final decision, but that isn't the reality. If your brand doesn't scream quality right off the bat, well you might as well pack up right now.

One of the most important, and easiest ways to jack up your quality perception is through the Standard Credibility Builders that are described in Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port. These are the branding pieces that everyone has, but are easy to brand in a way that makes you stand out. The standard credibility builders are as simple as having a professional headshot, well designed business cards, dressing well when you're promoting your business, and of course your website. Anything that makes a first impression before you even open your mouth is a standard credibility builder.

Of all of these, your website is the most important credibility builder. If someone goes to your website and it isn't up to par, you're going to lose their attention. People make instantaneous decisions about you when they land on your website, and I can guarantee that the majority of your potential clients are checking you out online before they ever even think about hiring you which makes your website infinitely important.

Does your website reflect the level of quality that you provide to your clients? Will a visitor instantly know what results you promise when they see it? And most importantly, does it represent your personality?

These questions are important and if you answer no to any of them you need to consider how you can fix that. Your website is the one place you do not want to skimp when you're creating your online coaching brand.

3. Your Brand Promise

As mentioned before, no matter what kind of coach you are or program that you're certified in there are hundreds if not thousands of other coaches offering the same thing. Your brand promise goes a step further than what you're offering and also incorporates what you stand for. What can your clients expect from you?

This is similar to a mission statement, but it also speaks to what results your clients can expect when they engage with you. It is also how you position yourself in the market and what sets you apart from your competitors.

For example, if you consider car commercials you'll notice that different companies have different brand promises, even though they are all selling cars. Volkswagen is selling safety, Audi is selling luxury, and Subaru is selling dependability. They are promising that their cars will deliver these things above all else, and when a potential client is ready to buy a car they are going to go with the one that promises them the result they are looking for more so than which one is going to get them from point A to point B.

Your brand promise is also what should direct your product line and offerings. Everything you are selling should satisfy your brand promise and what you stand for. Right now many coaches are trying to reach a larger audience by satisfying more needs and end they end up confusing their target audience. By narrowing the focus of your offerings to one overall brand promise you will build a stronger brand and establish yourself as the gold standard in your niche furthering your credibility and ultimately attracting even more attention.

When you build a brand around these three principles you create something that no one else has and elevate your coaching business to the forefront of your niche. You'll not only set yourself apart as truly unique, but you're also going to attract an audience that resonates with you on a deeper level and will keep coming back to you over and over again.