Related Posts
Do you have a marketing plan for your coaching business?
Creating a marketing plan is the best way to attract your ideal clients consistently. In this post, I’ll share why you want a marketing plan, what’s in a marketing plan, and how to create a marketing plan for your coaching business.
Why create a marketing plan for your coaching business
When you start a coaching business, you will need to market your business. Marketing helps you get the word out about your business and connect with your ideal clients.
(Because if they don’t know you exist, they can’t hire you!)
But first, let’s clear up a few misconceptions about marketing:
- Marketing is just social media. (It’s not — social media is a TYPE of marketing.)
- Marketing means going “live” all the time. (There are plenty of marketing channels that don’t require video!)
- Marketing means paying for Facebook and Instagram ads. (Advertising is a form of paid marketing, however, there are many ways to market your business for free.)
So, what exactly IS marketing?
Marketing is any activity you take with the intention of attracting your audience.
That’s a pretty broad definition. And that’s why it’s so important to clarify which activities will work best for you to reach your ideal audience.
What to consider when creating a marketing plan for your coaching business
When you’re marketing a coaching business, your primary objective is often to get known as a coach, to attract and audience, and ultimately to sign new coaching clients.
The good news is — there’s a variety of ways to do that, including, but not limited to:
- Being a guest on a podcast
- Speaking at a summit
- Being an affiliate partner
- Having an email newsletter
- Writing regular blog posts
- Going to in person events
- Building out the SEO on your website
… and the list goes on.
(If you’re curious to learn more ways to market your coaching business, check out my free guide: 21 ways to market your business.)
No matter what kind of marketing you choose to do, you want a MARKETING PLAN for your coaching business that ties it all together.
What is a marketing plan for a coaching business?
An effective marketing plan for coaches defines specific measurable marketing tactics that you will take with the intention of attracting your audience and growing your business.
The best marketing plans have these things in common:
- It’s based on your overall business goals.
- It’s focused on a few, specific marketing channels. (Doing #all the things is not a strategy!)
- It’s actionable and measurable.
- It’s client-focused, meaning it’s based on the niche you want to attract.
- It gives you a plan of action, so you know exactly what to do when.
While a marketing plan will look different for each coaching business (even if they’re in the same niche!), each marketing plan will cover the same components.
How to create a marketing plan for your coaching business
I recommend creating quarterly marketing plans for your coaching business.
Planning 3 months at a time allows you to focus on a specific time frame and get more tactical than you could if you did an annual plan. Plus, business changes so quickly, an annual marketing plan may become stale after a few months.
Your quarterly marketing plan should include:
- Your business goals for the quarter
- Your ideal client (i.e., who you’re marketing to)
- Your offerings and/or launches for that quarter
- Your key messaging
- The exact marketing channels and tactics you’ll use
- Your content plan, including content pillars and key themes
- Key dates and timing
- How you’ll measure and track your results
- What resources you’ll need to carry out the plan
Want help creating a marketing plan for your coaching business?
As a business coach for coaches and healers, I help my clients create a marketing plan that is based on their strengths and attracts their ideal clients.
If you support on creating your own personalized marketing plan, a 90 minute intensive is a great fit for you. Click here to learn more.
