How to Name Your Coaching Business or Offer

What to consider when naming your coaching business

One of the most common questions coaches and creatives have early in their business is, “What should I name my business?” 

You wonder: Should I name it my own name? Or something else?

It can be an agonizing decision trying to figure out how to name your business. But you don‘t want to spend too much time and energy on this decision because you have clients to serve and work to do!

Two main approaches to naming your coaching business

There is no quick and easy answer to the question of what you should name your business. But there are things to consider.

Here are two main approaches to naming and what you want to think about for each. 

Naming your business your own name:

• You can change the services, structure, and niche of your business at any time.
• You can combine multiple businesses under your name. 
• You already have some search clout under your name. (You can be easily found if people Google you.)
• Your name isn’t super common. (If there are a million Sara Jones in your field, you’re going to need to set yourself apart!)
• You just can’t think of any other name that encompasses what you do or that you feel passionate about.

Naming your business something other than your own name:

• You’ve picked out a name that you feel perfectly describes your business and you feel super excited about it.
• Your actual name is super common and you want to stand out. 
• You don’t anticipate making major changes in your business and/or you know this name would work with any changes you make.
• This business name would resonate with your ideal clients.
• The business name, URL, and Instagram handle are available. (Be sure to check this!)

Basically, there is no silver bullet answer to how you should name your coaching business. You simply want to be sure that whatever you name it, you love it. 

If you can’t come up with a name, you might consider using a combination of your name + your services, i.e., Sara Jones Social Media Strategy, for example.

How do I name my coaching package or program?

So you have a business name. But you’re wondering you go about naming your coaching programs of offerings?

This is where things get more fun! You can take some liberties when naming your programs or offerings and be a bit more creative. 

3 criteria for naming your coaching package:

1. The name actually reflects what you provide in your offering (i.e., you don’t promise something you don’t actually deliver).

2. The name is easily understandable. (Don’t make people guess or waste energy trying to understand the words you use. When you confuse, you lose!)

3. The name resonates with your ideal clients and reflects the outcome they can expect to receive. It’s not just about choosing a cool, trendy name that you love… it’s about deciding on a name that speaks to your ideal clients and what they are seeking.*

 *If you remember one thing from this whole post, remember this! 

Follow these steps to name your coaching program, course, or offering

By now you have some ideas of what needs to be included in a name. You’re ready to get started brainstorming ideas and finding that one name that works perfectly!

Follow these steps to come up with your course or program name.

1. Consider your ideal client.

Again, this is the most important opinion that matters is your ideal clients. So before even brainstorming, make sure you know the answers to these questions:

• Who is my ideal client?
• What do they want?
• Why do they want it? 

The most important thing here is to truly listen to the words your customers say and use those words in your name and in your offer description. 

2. Consider the results you provide in your coaching package or offer.

Don’t just consider the “features” of your offering (i.e., 1:1 zoom calls or free Facebook Group), consider the benefits. Benefits are the intangible results that your feature provides. 

For example:

• 1:1 Zoom calls become personalized laser-focused coaching sessions.
• The free Facebook group becomes a community of other like-minded business owners who are going through the same process and who can provide support.

3. What are your clients able to do after completing your program?

When your clients complete your program, what will they know, be or have?

Will they be able to clean out their closet in a day? Be able to make healthy meals for a week? Know what to post on social media for the next 30 days?

Be very clear on the end results and spell those out for your clients.

4. Appeal to your clients’ aspirations without going overboard.

The best brands are aspirational. They allow a client to see herself as a more self-actualized version of themselves, (i.e., better, faster, stronger, more confident, etc.)

Who do your clients aspire to be? What do they want their life, health, relationship, or business to look like? 

How does your program or offering support them in becoming that new self-actualized version of themselves?

The most important step to naming your coaching package or program

Once you have some potential names down, run them by your ideal clients. 

Choose 3-5 ideal clients to run your program name by and get their feedback. 

• What’s the impression of the name and what they will get from the program?
• What words would they change to make it more appealing? 
• Would this name indicate that this offer is something they could use? Why or why not?

Do not, I repeat, do not make a final decision without getting the feedback of at least one ideal client. You might get some valuable feedback you can incorporate into your name (or your offer!) to make it even more attractive to your target market.