What type of coach should you be? What area should you ideally be working in?
Since coaching requires a lot of leadership, guidance, and coaching expertise, you need to make sure you’re selecting the right field.
But, with all of the coaching opportunities out there, how can you be sure you’re making the right decision?
These 5 questions should help you figure out what type of coach – or what coaching field or niche – will suit you best.
Why do I want to coach?
This is THE most important question you need to ask yourself.
Anyone can say they want to be a coach, but there’s a lot of work that goes into it. Without knowing WHY you want to become a coach, you could find yourself ready to throw in the towel right away.
Having this answer to always come back to as the foundation of your coaching business will be a lifesaver.
Who do I want to help?
This is the second-best question you could ever ask yourself if you want to be a coach.
Instead of focusing on what industry to be in, focus on who (specifically) that you would like to help.
You can get as specific as you want with this–we even encourage it. By having a clear vision of who you want your coaching service to help, you’ll know exactly where you need to be to find those individuals.
How will I help my ideal clients?
After you know WHO to help, consider how you will be helping your ideal client. How will you provide value?
Will you run a course, provide 1-1 coaching, or offer group coaching for a wider setting? Since there’s a lot of opportunity with any of these options, you’ll need to know where you want to start before announcing your coaching offer.
This question should also prompt you to think about the specifics of how you will be coaching, like video calls, phone calls, or messaging support.
Some industries will require a lot more of you than others so you will want to plan accordingly.
What credibility do I have?
You don’t need any specific certifications or degrees (even though we highly recommend this) to become an online coach.
Maybe you have gone through coaching yourself, worked in your industry for years, or even built your own business and want to help others.
There are many ways to find credibility without having a piece of paper–list out every single way you know you’re qualified to coach. Begin by assessing your areas of deep passion, your values and life experience. Add your natural gifts and talents and your learned skills. Interview friends on what they think you’re good at.
Don’t worry, your first list isn’t your final. You will go through iterations and adjust. If you want to use our free worksheet, use it to “Identify Your Coaching Niche In 6 Steps.”
Am I ready to start?
If you aren’t ready to start right away, that’s okay. But, this could impact the industry you want to work in! By slowing down this process, you can research everything you’re interested in and see if it’d be a good fit!
If you are ready to start your coaching business now, we recommend diving an investing yourself in the discovery process. You can hire a coach to help you identify the type of coach you’d like to be.
In Summary: How to Identify Your Field of Coaching
If you are just starting with the idea of becoming a coach, don’t let all of the opportunities overwhelm you.
All you need to do is reflect and answer these questions, and dive in on what you want your business to be. Look for opportunities and pay attention to how the market responds. Then, you’ll find exactly where your coaching services are needed, and where you will be able to be the best coach you could be.
