Is Choosing a Coaching Niche that Important?

By Kathleen Bren, CLC

As a new coach you may or may not be introduced to the importance of choosing a target market or “niche” while you are going through coach training.

Often the focus is solely on the importance of learning effective coaching skills and tools and not much is talked about in the way of “who” you will actually be coaching once you are certified.

Here’s one thing you might be surprised to know: Picking a viable coaching niche is the most important aspect of any coaching business and may be the sole reason you thrive instead of survive as a life coach.

So what IS a niche market?

A niche market is a group of people with similar interests searching for a solution to their problem.

An example of a niche market is:

      • Stay-at-home mothers returning to the workforce
      • Women leaving corporate careers to start their own businesses
      • Women suffering from body dysmorphic disorder

Why is picking a niche so darned important?

Many new coaches heavily resist the idea of choosing a niche market because they are afraid they will ruin their chances of becoming successful by “leaving” out all of the people who aren’t in their target market.

Actually the opposite is quite true. Until you decide on a specific group of people that you resonate with and enjoy coaching, you will struggle to market your services to “everybody”. No one will know what area of expertise you represent, nor will they be clear on what problem you can help them solve.

Moreover, it is impossible to market your services to everyone. Unless you are Nike or McDonalds and a symbol is all you need to be recognized by thousands, thinking small will actually pay off handsomely in the long run.

Not only is choosing a target market imperative to your overall success as a coach, it is essential in helping you make a name for yourself in the burgeoning career field of life and business coaching.

For more information on the Top 10 Hottest Coaching Niches for 2009, you can obtain a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Coaching for Fun and Money at www.readysetcoach.com.

Kathleen Bren is co-author of The Ultimate Guide to Coaching for Fun and Money. Coach Bren has been running a successful national coaching practice since 2005. She is the author of the popular ezine “The Coaching Zone” and regularly conducts workshops and seminars.