If you’ve been learning about marketing from any of the gurus out there, you’ve probably been told you should be positioning yourself as an expert.
But as a coach, you know that you are supposed to be the OPPOSITE of an expert. It’s the CLIENT who is the expert in their own lives.
What’s more, this talk of expertise can feel a bit uncomfortable.
You might be feeling like a fraud…like you don’t yet have the years of experience to be an expert.
So, what do you do?
How do you position yourself in a crowded market full of experts, in a way that has integrity and credibility?
Actually, the answer is pretty simple.
What is “Expertise” All About?
If you think about it, being seen as an expert is really just about portraying your experience, skill and professionalism – so you can build TRUST.
A client who trusts you is more likely to buy from you.
The problem with positioning yourself an ‘expert’ is that:
- it usually implies years of experience in a specific field…and as a new coach, you may lack this experience, or may not have specific health-related knowledge.
- the word expert diminishes self-responsibility in the client.
Experts vs Specialists
So, you’re not an ‘expert’? Here are some ways to build trust in your audience in an authentic, comfortable way.
1. Be a Specialist
Calling yourself a specialist achieves exactly the same outcome as calling yourself an expert, but without the pressure or expectations.
Specialists are simply people who focus on a particular area.
As a Health and Wellness coach, your core speciality is behaviour change – helping people change habits in a way that fits with their lifestyle, drawing on their strengths, past experience, values and existing commitments.
And in all likelihood, if you have been on a particular journey yourself, then you have hands-on, real-life experience in the area that your client is struggling with.
Using the word “specialist” has some benefits:
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You can let go of needing years of experience
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It helps you to focus on a niche (demographic or problem area)
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It helps you get specific in your marketing language
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Specialists generally attract higher fees
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It removes the pressure of being an ‘expert’
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It creates clearer expectations in your client
Let’s face it, the reason people seek a coach is that for a period in their life, they need help to overcome an obstacle and change their behaviour.
That is what you specialist in – that obstacle.
2. Share Your Journey
This one takes a bit more courage, but it is a very authentic way of building trust and communicating thorough experience.
If you have been on a journey yourself – to lose weight, to overcome a massive obstacle, to thrive after burnout, to bloom with self-confidence, to get organised….then you are automatically talking about the end point that your clients want to achieve.
You’ve been there.
You’ve done it, successfully, with a few trip ups along the way.
That makes you credible, believable and trustworthy.
Sharing your story and your process of getting the outcome is attractive and will attract clients who were once like you.
3. Show, Don’t Tell – Be An Awesome Coach
This sounds left field…but bear with me.
Being an awesome coach means people will share their success with others – particularly, they will tell people how much they enjoyed working with you.
Word of mouth is the most powerful way to build a good reputation.
And when you’re not coaching a client, you are STILL having conversations with people in your daily life and on social media.
If you contribute thought-provoking comments or questions – or if you reach out to help people who are struggling – you are demonstrating your skill and experience, compassion, empathy and ability to listen – without having to use the word expert.
Experts AND Specialists
Some coaches DO have expertise in an area, so it IS possible to be both an expert AND a coach.
For example, you are a personal trainer or nutritionists and you also offer coaching.
You’re someone who helps people ACTUALLY MAKE THE CHANGES they need in their exercise, eating etc. while helping them to build motivation and confidence in the process.
In this situation, there are some challenges and understanding gaps for your clients:
- they might think coaching is something you normally do
- they are confused when they’re used to you telling them what to do
- they may not understand the value of coaching.
And with all that going on, you may be unclear on how to integrate coaching, or how to transition to a coaching-only business.
Clear positioning, education and communication are essential to help you transition seamlessly into a coaching-inclusive or coaching-only business.
How To Introduce Coaching Into Your Existing Business
A lot of new coaches ask how to distinguish coaching from their existing service, or how to make the transition.
So I’ve decided to run a Business Training Intensive on this very topic.
It’s for coaches who have an existing business and want to transition into a coaching-inclusive or coaching-based business, and it’s called:
How to Package and Introduce Coaching Into Your Health Based Business
This training will be delivered via live Webinar on Wednesday 9 August, 2017.
Click here for more information.
In Summary
Ok, let’s wrap this up into a neat package.
Firstly, you can communicate skill, professionalism and value without using the word expert.
You can present yourself as specialist, build a business around people going through your own journey, or build your reputation with ‘demonstration.’
Secondly, you CAN be an expert AND a coach.
To do this effectively, you need to be able to communicate what coaching is, how it differs from your service, and explain the value of coaching as a stand-alone service.
I’d love to know your best strategies for positioning coaching.
What’s worked for you? Post in the comments below and let us know.
