PR Tips for Business Coaches
As a business coach you help build successful enterprises. You are the unsung hero behind the scenes who is building the strategy and equipping your clients with the tools to execute it. It’s a career path that focuses a lot of time and energy on guiding others towards attaining their goals. It’s no surprise that when your focus is on helping other people, it can be way too easy to put off promoting your own business.
But EVERY business needs a little self-promotion, including yours. So, this is your reminder that your own PR strategy is a critical tool to help you stand out from your competitors. PR can help demonstrate your credibility, position you as a leading expert in your industry, and drive awareness among potential new clients.
We know you’re busy helping others succeed, so we’ve pulled together a few tips to help you get noticed:
Carve out your niche. The first step in any effective PR strategy is to identify your niche. This is what will help you get noticed and set you apart from the other business coaches in the market. Do you offer something no one else does? Do you have a high success rate among your clients and what data can you offer to support your claims? Be sure you know what sets you apart before you start pitching.
Submit an op-ed. A well-crafted op-ed written about a timely and relevant topic is a great way to share your expertise and get noticed. These columns are very time sensitive, so keep your eye on relevant breaking news where you’re able to contribute to the conversation. Check out our PR Tips for Writing an Op-Ed to learn more.
Write an expert column. It’s no secret that these days’ media outlets are short staffed and stretched thin. Contributing an op-ed or two is a great way to lay the foundation to pitch yourself as a regular columnist for a local newspaper or business publication. Having published articles in respected publications adds to your credibility. Plus, a recurring column is a great way to keep your name on the radar of businesses big and small.
Book a guest spot on a podcast. There are so many great podcasts in the business space and beyond. Many attract a large audience. Tune in to a few to see what the hosts are talking about and then identify how your expertise can fill a gap in the conversation. Before you pitch, do your research. Be sure to scroll back through past episodes to make sure they haven’t already discussed the topic you’re pitching. Knowing that they’ve discussed not only shows that you’re paying attention, but also ensures you’re not missing an opportunity to be featured by pitching an irrelevant angle. They aren’t likely to discuss the same topic twice in a short period of time.
Start a podcast. In the same vein, starting your own podcast is a great tool to drive awareness of your coaching. The most successful podcasts are equal parts entertaining and informative to keep people coming back for more. It's a great way to offer proof of your expertise to draw in new clients.