There are thousands of life coaches with new ones popping up weekly. It’s a thriving industry. Many go into this field looking to make a career for themselves. After all, helping people overcome their issues is a challenging, exciting and rewarding career. There is never a dull moment.
Unfortunately, it’s extremely difficult to make enough income to support your own lifestyle. A high percentage of individuals seeking a life coach are looking because they’re in dire straits when it comes to their finances. A life coach can provide them with real-world solutions to their problems; hence, why they’re coming to you. Your clients are either unemployed or severely in debt. In other words, you would be working pro bono. Below are my tips on how to start your new career as a life coach but more importantly how you can survive financially:
- Don’t rely on life coaching as your only source of income. Either have plenty of savings or some sort of 2nd source of income. People that are financially strapped and use a life coach always have good intentions of paying. But when it comes to paying the bill, you’re probably last on their list of debtors to pay – especially when you’re competing with their most important daily priorities (i.e., putting food on the table and paying the rent).
- Ask for payment in advance. Don’t be shy. After all, you have bills to pay too.
- Do whatever it takes to hold your clients accountable for their daily obligations. They will listen closely to your advice and they may hold themselves accountable for a few weeks, but there’s no way they can be their own cop for the long haul. Be prepared to hold them accountable 7 days a week if required. Whether it’s via telephone, SKYPE or email – do whatever it takes to ensure success.
- If you’re not really passionate about helping others then don’t get into this business. Don’t do it for the money – you will NOT get rich being a life coach – do this because you love helping others.
- Build an attractive portfolio. The more accomplishments you can showcase the more clientele you will have. You need to have the credibility to set you apart from thousands of other life coaches. The life coaching field is saturated. You need that niche that will set you apart from the rest of the pack.
- Design a website that can be easily optimized. As stated earlier the competition is fierce and most people will search via the Internet for an experienced life coach. Make sure your site is optimized efficiently with the proper keywords.
Life coaching is a rewarding profession but not in a financial way. Helping others succeed feels great. Don’t rely on this business to become financially secure. However, you can probably make enough to pay your bills and live a full life – if you follow the tips above.
