If you love helping others, you may have considered a career change.
Becoming a life coach can be an extremely rewarding profession that allows you to work for yourself and create your own business, using your previous business skills and compassion for others.
This article explores how you can get started when creating a life coaching business.
Get Certified
A professional life coach needs the proper certification to be able to do their job well.
Your life skills and experiences are not enough to get by, and you will not get many clients without the right certification.
The easiest way to get certified while juggling work and home life is through an online life coach certification course.
The iNLP Center has everything you need to get started, with the option to learn at your own pace.
Their training is 100% online, with the added choice of attending live sessions around your busy schedule.
This should put you in good stead going forward in your new career.
Certification won’t only help ensure you are as qualified as you should be, it will help reassure your new clients that you can be trusted.
Take a look at other life coaches to find out what certificates they have, to help give you an idea.
Do Your Research
Self-improvement as an industry has grown massively over the last few years, meaning there is more competition than ever before.
Do not let this put you off though, as there is also less stigma around mental health and more people seeking support to improve their lives.
Start by researching the life coaches who already reside within your local area.
Is there a great need for anymore and are they targeting a certain age range or market?
If the life coaches in your area seem to be targeting professionals, why not go for the older generation or target those looking to quit smoking or lose weight?
Creating an online life coaching program will also give you a lot more options and spread your client base far and wide.
Next, study the prices and services of other life coaches to see what you could offer to stay ahead of the competition.
If you know more than one language, this could get you ahead, as you can offer your services in different languages.
The Skills Required For Life Coaching
There is more to life coaching than being compassionate: you must be able to create a professional and caring experience for your clients.
As a life coach, flexibility is key to meeting your clients’ needs.
A life coach that can be available within a few minutes for a chat is more likely to receive good feedback than one who takes 48 hours to answer a client message.
Although you need to find a way to maintain a work-life balance, it is also good to make time for your clients when you can, as this shows you take the job seriously.
Listening and observation skills are also highly recommended for a life coach, as you will need to retain information, as well as notice client tones.
This can help you to provide the best advice on their current situation.
Other skills that are essential for life coaching include integrity, communication, and decision-making.
Marketing
When creating a business, promotion is one of the biggest tools at your disposal to find clients and improve brand recognition.
Whether you are offering services online or in-person, you should be creating social media accounts for your life coaching business.
As it is a tough market to crack, marketing and networking are a pretty big deal.
You should also create a website, as clients are more likely to take you seriously and be interested in your services when you have a professional-looking website.
Remember, clients are entrusting you to guide them through difficult situations in life, so your marketing needs to create feelings of trustworthiness.
Create a LinkedIn profile, add your interests and promote your services in a professional setting. This is also ideal if your target market is professionals looking to improve their job prosperity.
Your website should include pictures of yourself, your areas of expertise, what services you offer, the qualifications you hold, and any testimonials.
A potential client is more likely to take things further if they can read a review or testimonial.
You should also consider joining an organization that can improve your stance in the life coaching community, such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Networking
A good network is a vital part of a life coaching business and the easiest way to get your first clients.
Building a strong network of industry contacts and professional coaches can assist you in finding work through recommendations, shared projects, and referrals.
Networking can also establish your life coaching business, making it more well-known and trustworthy.
This is also why joining a professional body can help.
Attend local and international events surrounding life coaching and the health and wellness industry.
You never know where you might meet a potential business partner or a new friend that can share their knowledge and expertise.
Why Life Coaching Is An Amazing Career
If you were not already sold on the idea, life coaching can be an amazing career move for those who are business savvy and compassionate.
It allows you to use your skills for the good of others, and what could be more rewarding than that?
You also get to be your own boss, work within the time frames you want, and choose between working with clients in-person or online.
Life coaching can also further develop your skills and compassion, which will change the way you think about business and life forever.
Life coaching is a career path that works well for those who are compassionate and eager to help others. Use your business skills to research, network, and market your business.
Get an online certification, and you are ready to start your new career and create your life coaching business.