How to Find Your Coaching Niche

“How do I find my coaching niche?”

It is a common question uttered by new coaches.

After all, you know that you need a coaching niche, but you just can’t seem to settle on one. And besides, you want to serve everyone! You don’t want to exclude any potential clients or opportunities.

But the thing is, by serving everyone, you serve no one.

And when you get clear and commit to a niche, the universe responds in kind. You attract your dream clients more easily and naturally, and your business flows more seamlessly.

What happens when you coach without a niche

Trying to be everything to everyone is not a good marketing strategy, nor a good business strategy.

Think about it: wouldn’t you rather work with someone who served people specifically in your shoes versus a generalist who serves everyone? Of course! And so would your clients.

This is what happens when you try to serve everyone:

• You don’t deeply understand your ideal client’s problems and desired solutions in enough detail. (It’s virtually impossible to understand everyone’s problems and desired solutions!)
• You aren’t specific enough in your messaging or your marketing, so clients aren’t signing up for what you have to offer.
• You struggle to create offers. You might spend a lot of time doing custom packages or one-off programs, and you struggle to create a signature offering that you’re known for.
• You have trouble articulating your unique value to your potential clients.
• You burn out, trying to serve all the people, all of the time.

Not niching down is a no-win game. One that can leave you frustrated and exhausted. And who wants that?

Do you really need to choose a coaching niche?

When you choose a niche, you not only narrow in on your ideal client, you narrow your focus — so that you can spend time on the activities that are most profitable for you.

There are many reasons you want to choose a niche, but most importantly, it makes your life and business run so much more smoothly and easily!

8 things that happen when you choose a coaching niche:

1. You attract more of your ideal clients when you are willing to put a stake in the ground and claim that you serve them specifically.

2. Niching allows you to go deep and serve your target market better than you could if you were a generalist or just doing it part-time.

3. Niching gives you a focus. You have a specific person to think about when you write your emails, develop programs, and choose networking events. 

4. It makes it easier to explain what you do and makes marketing easier! You serve a very specific target audience, so you know where they hang out and what they want to hear about.

5. You can easily create and sell offers that make your ideal client say, “I can’t believe she knows exactly what I need. Sign me up!” 

6. You can charge more. You can charge a premium when you know your client, are deeply familiar with their struggles, and your services really fix their specific problems.

7. You can create better content — including blog posts, podcasts, and social media posts — that truly resonate with your ideal clients and attract more just like them. 

8. You build your personal brand, become a known expert in your industry, and clients refer you to other clients just like them who need your services!

 So, you know you why you want to niche. But what’s holding you back?

Why coaches struggle to find their niche

Many coaches and creatives have spent hours thinking about their niche.

You’ve likely brainstormed, asked for advice in Facebook groups, and maybe narrowed it down somewhat.

But after you’ve done a ton of market research and ideal client exercises, if you still struggle to find your niche, it’s likely a mindset issue.

Fear shows up in a lot of ways in our business, especially when it comes to making big decisions.

If you’re wondering if your reluctance to niche is rooted in fear, ask yourself:

What’s preventing you from choosing a niche? What do you assume will happen when you do choose a niche?

Pay attention for any fear-based responses, like…

• I’m afraid I won’t find enough clients.
• I’m worried I won’t be able to do this other cool thing I want to do.
• I’m worried it will limit my opportunities.

When you dig deeper to find the belief underlying your reluctance to niche, you can understand it and reframe it.

 As a coach, you already know this, but you need to change that underlying belief before you can get what you need. The good news is, when you commit to a niche, a niche will commit to you!

The first step to uncovering your coaching niche

Instead of finding your niche, think about this more like uncovering your natural niche.

It’s highly likely that you already know your dream client: the person you love to serve and can serve better than any other client.

It’s just a matter of quelling the limiting beliefs and tapping into your inner guidance in order to unleash your niche… and then claim it!