It’s never been more important for coaches to build a strong brand identity than it is right now.
Fun facts:
- The coaching industry has been growing steadily over the last 5 years, with specialty coaches earning more than $100K annually.
- It’s a billion-dollar industry, with growth projections estimated at 6.7%.
- 37% of coaches are 46-55 years old, and 92% of coaches remain active in the field – making this industry a great choice if you’re transitioning from another career while suggesting solid opportunities for job creation and growth.
However, this fast-growing industry means you’ll need to do your research and find a way to stand out.
Branding is one very important way to do this.
I’ve talked about branding before (check that out here: https://deniseriches.ca/the-importance-of-branding/) and its importance, regardless of what field you’re in – and it’s just as important for coaches.
Your brand is your calling card – it tells people what you do, who you are and what you stand for. You’re creating a powerful first impression in ways that include how you dress, how you speak, the tone of your voice, your energy, and how you show up and connect with clients. Therefore, your website, videos, social media, blog posts – all of that also reflects your brand.
Here are 4 ways to build your brand identity:
Be authentic
This means speaking from the heart and showing up as yourself. It’s more important than anything else when communicating with your ideal audience. Authenticity should be present in every piece of content you create, in every interaction, and in every conversation… it’s simply THAT important.
It means showing your audience the good, the bad and sometimes, the ugly. Being real with your audience means admitting that sometimes, things go wrong. They want to see what’s going on behind the scenes in your life – this builds trust more effectively than anything else.
Be reliable
In an unstable world, we’re all looking for something that sticks around.
Random and sporadic social media posts, inconsistent emails/newsletters – this isn’t how you want to present yourself or your business.
Being reliable means showing up, consistently. This will build trust and integrity. It’s hard to trust someone who’s here today, gone tomorrow. This is so important for your brand identity!
It doesn’t mean you need to spend ages creating content and putting it out there – it just means you need to stay consistent with it.
Be confident
Being sure of yourself and giving people the sense that you believe in what you teach and share is the key to showing your audience your confidence.
Sharing your personal message or story is a key way to share your ideas and values. It goes a long way to building your brand identity – because the more you share it, the more comfortable you will be in sharing it. This will help build up that confidence!
Be values-driven
Values define your integrity – they are the core principles of your life and work.
Your values show your audience what you believe in and what you stand for as a coach – all of which is shown in your blog articles, your social media, email marketing, offers and how you show up.
Choose 3-5 core values to build into your brand identity – values that feel aligned with who you are and what you’d like to represent.
Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.
Book a free consultation call with me and let’s talk about how I can help your business!