Can you believe it’s February, already? No? We can’t either! We’re 2 months into 2016, and we’ve already made some fascinating discoveries about how we can most effectively help YOU reach your coaching and business goals.

A couple of months ago, we sent out a survey, with the intention of really getting to know you. Like, deeply.

One of the questions we asked was “’What are your biggest challenges?” because you know we’re ALL about providing you with solutions.

 

One topic came up over and over again – how to clarify – and make money in – the niche you feel called to serve.

It seems that many times, when coaches struggle to make money, the first thing they think is that it must be a problem with their chosen niche.

But that’s NOT the problem.

In our experience, and the experience of people we’ve worked with, the biggest factor in your success is clarity.

You need clarity in:

• Understanding the challenges your ideal clients face, and the solutions to those challenges.
• The exact words and phrases your ideal clients use to describe their challenges.
• Communicating clearly how you can help your ideal clients solve their problems!

You see, clarity is key in growing your business, no matter what your niche is.

To prove it, we wanted to share examples of some of our colleagues who are making 6 or 7 figures in really “quirky” niches.

These include one woman who teaches people how to work with their dogs (think agility training, communication, behavioral training).

Another colleague coaches and consults with clients in alternative investing, such as placing ATM machines.

Another is a tennis coach. (That’s right. Tennis. A hobby, for most!)

People are thriving in these specialty niches, which proves that they’ve truly honed in on the pain and pleasure island points of the people they want to serve.

 Bottom line: it’s all about clarity of communication.

“But what if I live in a rural Illinois town with a population of 2000?”

“But what if my niche is really quirky, like mine? (I knit sweaters from cat hair.)”

“But what if my clients don’t earn lots of money to pay me?”

We hear your “buts.”

And we answer them all the same:

If you gain clarity around your prospects’ challenges, the solutions you present, and then communicate clearly, you can make money in any niche, in a town of any size, serving any type of client.

So, the first step is to articulate the challenges your prospects face, and how their lives would be different if they solved those problems.

You see, “niche” is more than a description of a group of people. It’s a set of challenges or needs that group of people experience, and more importantly, that they want resolved. Your products and services help them to overcome those challenges needs.

In order to clarify your niche, you must fully understand the needs.

So let’s revisit one of those quirky niche examples we shared with you. For the tennis coach, the niche isn’t “tennis players.” The niche is tennis players who want to serve better and win games (or, who want to stop losing).

Our niche here at The Coaches Console is not “start up coaches.” Rather, it’s coaches who are struggling to get clients and make money in their business.  We narrow our focus to a select group of people (start-up coaches) experiencing those particular challenges and needs.

To find your niche, you must first define a group of people, and then narrow that group down to a sub-group experiencing a specific challenge or need.

 

Get to know these challenges and their solutions, and get to know them well … in your ideal clients’ words, not your own! This is SO important – don’t guess or “take a stab at it,” which is what we see coaches doing over and over again. The more you can dial in to exactly what is keeping your ideal clients up at night, worrying, the better you can communicate with them, and offer your solution to their current pain.

There are 2 powerful ways to get to know how your prospects or ideal clients describe their challenges and solutions: via phone, or via email.

Call 3-5 people, or send a quick email to your current clients. Ask them the following questions:

1. When you lie awake at night because you’re stressed out and can’t sleep, what words and thoughts run through your head about the biggest challenges you are currently facing in ____ {insert desired area of focus, i.e. business, relationship, health, etc.}?
2. If you could wave a magic wand, and time and money were of no concern, what are the goals and results that you most desire in ___{insert desired area of focus i.e. business, relationship, health, etc}?

Be sure to write down the precise words they use to describe what they’re facing, and how their lives would be different if they solved these challenges.

In our next newsletter, we’re going to share our famous 5-part conversation for clarity of communication – but you’ve got to have clarity on your ideal clients’ biggest challenges before then! So get busy.

Then, stay tuned to Part 2 of this newsletter next month, in March.