How to find your Coaching niche by Bev James

Last week we hosted an accelerator week for international students and I popped along to say hello. It was lovely to meet with coaches from all over the world and when getting into discussions with some of them I noticed that some coaches were clear on their coaching niche and others wanted some guidance.

Many new coaches can initially feel un-clear about what their niche is or worry that by targeting a specific niche that they’ll limit themselves which can cause some to take on a ‘be all things to all people’ mentality.

Choosing to define a coaching niche allows you to laser into the specific needs of your client, to understand their struggles and most importantly to know where and how you can connect with them. If you aren’t clear on your target market, other people won’t be clear either, making it difficult for them to recommend your services.

Most people are looking for an expert and defining your niche puts you in the best position to be seen as one, as the saying goes ‘coaches seek clients, clients seek specialists’. Being seen as an expert in your field allows you to serve more people and gives your coaching business the greatest chance of success.

If you’re feeling confused about your niche, below are some helpful questions that you can use to gain more clarity:

1. What area or subject are you already credible/ experienced in?
2. What do you find yourself reading about, studying and regularly looking at on the internet?
3. If you had the opportunity to be interviewed on the radio or write an article on an area of coaching, which one would you choose?
4. What do friends and family already recommend that people seek your help for?
5. What problem can you help them solve?
6. Do you have access to them?
7. Can they afford your services?
8. Are there books, forums, communities or magazines on your niche?
9. Do you have experience in that area that adds to your credibility?

Noticing common themes allows you to blend your skills together so that you can provide maximum value to potential clients.

Once you have gained some clarity on your niche, research the industry trends by:

• Google or Bing searching how many others are in this space. This will give you a snapshot into how others are marketing themselves and possibly highlight a gap in the market.

• Keeping on top of industry relevant blogs, articles and podcasts.

• Observe social media platforms, with so many platforms now available it can be easy to feel overwhelmed but it’s worth keeping in mind that your audience may not be on every single platform. If you are looking for corporates then Linkedin may be a better option in comparison to Snapchat, if you are looking to connect with other mums maybe Facebook would be a better option than Instagram.  Monitoring where your ideal client is spending most of their time helps you to focus your attention and efforts in the spaces that can bring you the results.

When you get clear on your ideal client take your coaching niche for a test drive and try it on for size. Do you feel confident and enthusiastic about it? Are you starting to notice common themes amongst clients? When you’re able to understand how your services can benefit others you’re able to speak in their language and be seen as the ‘go to’ person so that you can boldly capture their attention.

Don’t expect to nail your niche in minutes it can take months and you may find that you change your mind several times until you finally decide. Just make sure that you take time to fully explore your niche before building your website etc. 


We’d love to know what your niche is, let us know in the comments below!