88: Top 5 Mistakes Sabotaging Your Coaching Business
Apr 26, 2024
I’ve been offering 1:1 coaching since 2017 and I have definitely learned a few things and made a lot of mistakes along the way.
I’ve self-sabotaged.
I’ve been a people pleaser.
I’ve tried to be everything to everyone.
And I’ve done all of the most common mistakes that I see other coaches making too! 👀
The hardest part is that these common mistakes are coming from good intentions…
You want to have happy clients!
You want to grow a business you enjoy!
And a lot of these mistakes happen because you’re seeing other coaches out there doing it - and it’s working for them - so it should work for you too right? 🤔
But if you’re a newer coach who hasn’t hit $50k or $100k from your private coaching yet, modeling the actions of another coach may actually be the *opposite* of what you should be doing 😳 at this stage in business.
There are 5 mistakes in particular that I see happening the most often and they are holding your business back more than you realize.
Which is why I'm (lovingly) sharing the 5 top mistakes I see coaches making and what to do instead!
Mistake 1: Working on the wrong things.
There are so many ways to grow your online coaching business... and everyone is telling you to focus on a different strategy! It's so confusing. 😵💫
Which is exactly why one of the most common mistakes I see happening is that coaches are spending their time working on the *wrong* things for the stage of business they're in.
You don't need a perfect 5 page website.
You don't need a professional photoshoot and logo.
You don't need to have a project management system.
You don't need a course or a membership.
You don't need to do a new masterclass every month.
You don't need to be posting on Pinterest AND on TikTok AND on Instagram AND on YouTube AND a podcast AND whatever other new platform just popped up.
By spending your time on these things that feel like you're moving your business forward, you are actually holding yourself back and sabotaging your growth.
You're trying to establish yourself as a coach and get booked out (without working 24/7) then the only thing you need to focus on right now is creating content on 1-2 platforms to connect with your dream clients, mastering and refining your sales process so you can get booked out, and becoming a kick ass coach who gets your clients results.
Scratch everything else from your to do list.
Focus on MASTERING creating content that resonates with your dream clients.
Focus on MASTERING your sales skills so that you can sell in the DMs with ease.
Focus on MASTERING your coaching so that your clients are getting results, sending you testimonials, and spreading the word about how great you are.
That's all you need to worry about right now.
Mistake 2: Having too many offers.
Let me be blunt: You have too many offers.
I know I know... you see your favorite mentor or another coach out there with a million offers and they're killing it!
But this is one of those examples of a strategy that can really harm your business growth if you're not careful...
Because having too many offers can confuse your community AND take up wayyyy too much of your time.
I've run into this even as someone whose been coaching for 7 years - it's exactly why I closed enrollment to all of my group program at the end of 2023 so I could focus on my 1:1 clients and Rich Coach Club.
And it's why I don't offer multiple 1:1 packages year round and why I don't open up 60-minute intensives unless my high level coaching is booked out or I'm in a specific season of life where I want to work with more clients.
Until you're booked out, I recommend that you only have ONE 1:1 coaching offer: your 12 week private coaching package.
That way when your dream client discovers you and wants your support, they don't have to wonder if they want 20-minutes of your time, 2 weeks, 3 months, etc... because adding on that mental load to your client is going to result in them never even sending you a DM.
That's why in my program Rich Coach Club, I help my clients create a private coaching package that fits their lifestyle AND appeals to their dream clients. No more creating packages from scratch each time someone asks if they can work with you.
Mistake 3: Trying to be everything to everyone.
I get it. You don’t want to pick a niche. 👀
You’re multi-passionate.
You’re worried about turning people away.
You could help people in lots of ways!
But trying to help everyone with everything is holding your business back. And it’s leaving your dream clients *clueless* that you’re the coach for them.
By not having a niche, you’re making everything in business 100x harder:
It’s harder to create offers that people want. It’s harder to create compelling content. It’s harder to keep someone’s attention. It’s harder to sell something vague.
The moment I chose to niche, everything in my business got SO much easier.
The good news is that you don’t have to get as niche as you think you do... you just need a *balanced* niche.
You can choose to get specific in either: WHO you help *or* WHAT result you help people get.
You don’t have to get specific for both!
Here are some examples of a balanced niche statement:
- You help online coaches (broad) grow a 6-figure business while working 15 hours a week (specific).
- You help burned out clergy professionals (specific) launch and grow a side business (broad).
- You help stay at home moms (broad) systemize how they run their home so that it takes less mental load on a daily basis (specific).
When you have a balanced “I help” statement, you’ll see an instant boost in momentum! 🚀
Your dream clients will IMMEDIATELY know you’re the coach they’ve been looking for.
They will feel seen and heard in a way they’ve never experienced.
And they’ll be sliding into your DMs 💬 asking how they can work with you!
Mistake 4: Being too passive in how you sell.
Selling your 1:1 coaching isn't a "build it and they will come" kinda vibe...
Stop being so passive about selling!
You may see a coach out there post one Instagram story and get booked out - so that's all it takes right?
Nope.
That's just the tip of the iceberg... 👀
What you don't see on the surface is how consistently they've been showing up and providing value for their community.
You don't see all of the times they had a sales conversation that *didn't* convert and how they chose to learn from that and improve.
You don't see all of the times they pitched their services, heard crickets, and kept experimenting with their messaging.
You don't see the resilient mindset and the absolute commitment it takes to do this.
So let's be honest:
Are you really putting in the work to improve your sales skills?
Are you creating content consistently just to help your community?
Are you experimenting and testing your messaging and pitching until it finally clicks?
Are you listening to what your community does (and doesn't) resonate with?
Are you actually ASKING for the sale in your sales conversations?
Or are you being half assed about selling? 😳
Are you showing up once and then running away and hiding?
Are you waiting to sell until you have the perfect offer?
Are you waiting to start that Instagram account until you have the perfect mission statement?
If so, let this be your wake up call.
Let me lovingly shove you here to SHOW UP BIGGER for your business - and for yourself. ❤️
You're a business owner which means you're also a sales person.
So let's get really freaking good at selling!
Practice. Observe. Improve. Again and again and again.
Mistake 5: Over delivering and people pleasing.
Are you letting your clients run the show?
Are you having calls with your clients based on their availability - even if means working after you put your kids to bed?
Are you having calls with your clients every single week?
Too often I see my clients taking the backseat in their coaching relationships because they are worried about disappointing someone.
This power dynamic not only harms your business, but it also harms the relationship you have with your clients.
As the coach, you should be the one holding space, establishing boundaries, and grounding the work you do with your clients.
If you're letting your clients walk all over you, you'll end up resenting it and your clients results will suffer too.
Coaching takes personal power and personal responsibility unlike anything else... and that's amazing!
But it means you need to step into your power - today.
So decide the boundaries, communicate them, and HOLD them.
And rework your coaching packages to find that sweet spot where it supports your lifestyle AND your client getting results.
This is some of the most powerful work I do with my clients inside of Rich Coach Club! Because how you design your 1:1 offers, communicate boundaries, and hold the boundaries during your work with clients can be incredibly challenging if you aren't in a supportive environment yourself.
I love modeling this for my clients within our work together and helping them feel more confident in taking on this role with their clients too!
