Hey coaches, I need some advice on my marketing strategy!

hannahlake·Jul 10, 2020

Posted in:Favors

[Ask] To the coaches in this incredible group: I am looking for some advice on marketing. Earlier this year, I left my 15+ year career in tech and urban planning to start my own leadership coaching business. I'm facilitating a group coaching class in August, but I'm a little stuck on marketing. I don't have an extensive email list or social media presence outside of LinkedIn, so I'm not sure how to reach a wider audience. Have you done something like this before? Do you have any suggestions or lessons learned from your experience that you are willing to share? So grateful, thank you!

stephaniecn·Jul 10, 2020

In the super early stages I suggest picking 1-2 platforms/channels (LinkedIn is poppin' right now so that's a great place) and give away free great advice/content on a consistent basis. Engage with your audience and focus on a single topic that you talk about. Your audience will start finding you and the more clear you are on who your ideal customer profile is the faster your ideal audience will grow. Also ask for referrals. :)

hannahlake·Jul 11, 2020

Thank you so much! I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I have some intro content related to the class all ready to go, so it's time to start sharing. It's good to hear from another coach that LinkedIn is good for this. So many of the coaches in my network are focusing on FB & IG and I'm just not there yet for the biz.

stephaniecn·Jul 12, 2020

Yea giving away your content and providing value instead of asking for business is def the secret sauce. :)

Mirella185·Jul 11, 2020

Write an email to a bunch of VC firms offering their portfolio companies a special deal. Demonstrate expertise (and be able to do some marketing campaigns on LinkedIn/email/twitter/etc) by creating some content (maybe some timely content on creating remote cultures during COVID or something).

hannahlake·Jul 11, 2020

I appreciate you taking the time to respond! Great ideas, adding them to my list. I'm working with a few companies on webinars and virtual workshops, but I hadn't thought about offering them a way to connect with this coaching group. Thank you!!

NicAmos·Jul 11, 2020

Definitely use LinkedIn because it helped me with my business.Start creating 30 second videos teaching on a specific topic over a period of time.You seem to have a launch date so think of a 3-5 day challenge to lead people to early enrollment.In early enrollment they can receive ( 1on1 session, bonus material, guest coaching, a book club).. really as people what they value the most

hannahlake·Jul 13, 2020

Thank you @NicAmos! I love all of this, especially your 30 second video suggestion. I just quickly brainstormed a list of topics that I could put together in a short collection. Helpful for my clients and it lets me get creative. I really appreciate you taking the time to share these insights. * high five*

NicAmos·Jul 14, 2020

This is perfect because you can do an IG LIve > Save to Phone the repurpose and IGTV and share on Linkedin. So one piece of content can work double duty for you. Please connect on Linkedin so I can share your content https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-amos/

hannahlake·Jul 14, 2020

This is brilliant. Nicole, you're so savvy. THANK YOU!!!

RandiBraun·Jul 11, 2020

Hannah! Congrats on your program. I’m a coach who started my company after years in business development so I LOVE helping other coaches with this stuff. A few thoughts:1. I recently had success selling out a group program by offering discount when two attendees signed up together 2. Do you have a few “anchor” registrants? A few people you know will sign up early? It really drives momentum once you have a few sign ups...3. With the network you do have, can you hit the phones and personally call/text people who you think would benefit?4. Are you totally set on doing this in “August”? I find it to be one of the toughest times to recruit for programming. Even in COVID people are in the summer mindset vs. September when they’re in back to school mode. For example, I run a quarterly business development course + group coach for other coaches and just set Fall dates to allow for some post-Labor Day marketing but a September start. 5. Would you want to do a free 30-60 min webinar about the program? Sampling/teasing some of the ideas/content + letting people come with Q&A?I have office hours every week and love chatting w/ other coaches. Email me at [email protected] if you want to chat sometime about this or anything else!

hannahlake·Jul 13, 2020

Hi @RandiBraun! Thank you for such a thoughtful response and for connecting with me on LinkedIn. I love meeting Elphas over there, too.Congrats on selling out your group program! That's fantastic. I offered a $50 discount per person if two friends or coworkers sign up together. It's great to hear this helped your program. I'll let you know how it goes for me. One of my anchor clients signed up right away, which was so exciting. I've been texting and emailing my inner network, mostly asking them to help spread the word if they know anyone who might benefit from knowing about my offer.Echoing a few other coaches who responded, it's sounding like a 30-60 minute webinar or 3 day challenge should be on my list. I'm going to start noodling on what this could look like this morning. I've participated in so many of these myself, so I have some idea how to put it together. I want to support and serve as many people as possible and I'm leaning waaaaay into a growth mindset to learn as much as I can through this process. Thank you SO MUCH for your offer to connect during your office hours. So generous.

hannahlake·Jul 13, 2020

[Update] Elphas!!! You are so smart, kind, and generous. I'm grateful all of your feedback here. Starting off my Monday morning with some serious inspiration. <3

allisons·Jul 13, 2020

I'd also encourage you to mine your network on social (LinkedIn as others suggested, Twitter could be worthwhile too) to share your posts about the class. This should be helpful in increasing awareness, by getting others who have more reach than you do to share your offering. Couple this with the content play suggested by others to lend credibility when folks check out your class.