Comments on: What a Target Market Can Do for You That a Coaching Niche Can’t

By: Merri

Merri — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:51:39 +0000

I get it, Rhonda, the niche is about you/your services, the target market is about them. Staying focused on THEM helps us gain value in their eyes.
Great blog! Thanks for sharing and for contributing to the Coaches' Blog group.

By: Beth Buelow, ACC

Beth Buelow, ACC — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:02:54 +0000

I have literally just clarified this market within the past week… it chose me, in that I looked at my current client profiles and realized with one exception, they were all introverts (and shared many other traits of my ideal clients). I've spent the past 18 months looking for that clarity, and it was right in front of me! Therefore, I'm at the beginning stages of discerning what are going to be the most effective ways of reaching them. My instinct tells me there is probably traction in certain professions, and I want to research that before making any assumptions!

I do feel encouraged, because I've already gotten an opportunity to speak from my expertise in an article posted yesterday on The Coaching Commons (about Gordon Brown, the introvert!). My focus is not limited to one-to-one coaching; I'm more interested in building my one-to-many offerings and letting that feed one-to-one. So much to do and say, I'm really excited!

By: Rhonda Hess

Rhonda Hess — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:26:17 +0000

I know what you mean about the freedom, Beth. My clients are always so amazed how targeting gives them focus and helps them deliver what people will buy.

Have you found it really easy to find Introverts and are they hiring you for life and leadership coaching at the rate you'd like? I've noticed that markets that are really easy to access — meaning large numbers of the market gather together — have associations, conferences, read the same journals– are the most viable markets, which of course means more clients that stay longer, less marketing that's more impactful. Even MORE freedom!

By: Beth Buelow, ACC

Beth Buelow, ACC — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:40:41 +0000

Rhonda, your post may be dated August 09, but it's timeless! I went through the typical “niche du jour” process, along with many of my new coach colleagues. Because almost all of the info I've seen focused on “niche,” I appreciate this clarification of “target.” I think we use those two terms interchangeably. I recently identified my niche, and now reading your post, I am relieved to know it's actually a target! My decision to focus on Life & Leadership Coaching for Introverts feels GOOD. It feels solid, like there's going to be the ease and flow I've been desiring. It's so much easier to talk about *who* I serve, and why! Talk about freedom!!

By: Rhonda Hess

Rhonda Hess — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:37:36 +0000

Hi Don, Have you considered taking my Ideal Coaching Market workshop? (It starts 10/6) http://idealcoachingmarket.com The viability of a market for you depends on whether you know how to find and access the folks in that market. If that’s not clear then you may not yet have found a market that’s viable for you. Once you choose a viable market, you research about them, both through informational interviews and Internet searches. And then you create some compelling marketing language and offers that are relevant to that market. With these foundational pieces at the ready, it’s much easier to find, engage, listen to and then present your value proposition to the folks in that market. These are things I cover and help you create in the Ideal Coaching Market workshop.

You definitely don’t want to walk up to anyone, a CEO or other people, and directly offer them a sample coaching session. Engaging at that level with you requires trust and a sense that you really understand their top challenges. It’s easier to offer a consult after you understand something about the market you’re targeting. And we do that by building the know-like-trust relationship first. Sometimes that can happen in a 1:1 conversation when you’re connecting primarily by asking questions and show interest. The right moment comes to invite the consult. On an ongoing basis you’ll want to build your business by building credibility and visibilty with your market at large so that they see your services as essential.

By: Don Wood

Don Wood — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:28:58 +0000

Hi Ronda-
Great article. How do I approach the target market? What would be the introductory remarks/propositions? I understand that a sample session is a way to gain trust, but what would I say to the C-Level person to initiate a conversation? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Thank you,
Don

By: Rhonda Hess

Rhonda Hess — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:05:05 +0000

Hey Maria — a coaching niche is a WHAT, it’s a topic that you want to coach around — like career, life, relationship, transition, balance, wellness. A target market is a WHO, it’s a unique group of people gathered into one narrow accessible market — like hair salon owners or college professors or nurses or massage therapists or coaches. See, if you make it about the WHO rather than the WHAT you’ll easily find more clients and understand what makes them tick. Champion that group of people rather than a topic and then your coaching will be seen as essential by that market rather than a luxury by everyone. See the related posts which are mentioned below the article. It will come more clear.