How To Scale A Coaching Business

You want to scale your coaching business, without overworking. 

That’s the dream. To get your coaching business to a point where you’re not doing it all yourself, and can focus on doing what you do best – serving your clients. 

We’ve seen several coaches do it all alone, eventually feeling burnt out and giving up on the business altogether.

By 2028, the global coaching market is predicted to be worth $4.5 Billion

The opportunities are out there, you just need to know how to start scaling. And the best time to start? NOW.

Whether you’re in the startup phase of your business or have been in the coaching industry for a while, you need a plan for scaling your business.

This guide walks you through proven strategies that’ll help you reach your growth goals.

Why Are Coaching Businesses Difficult To Scale?

For businesses just beginning operations, they’re likely not considering how to scale coaching businesses. They might be focusing only on running their operations and doing the coaching, rather than creatively thinking about how to expand their business and make things run smoother. 

While it’s important to set up the operations of your business, it’s also vital to set yourself up to scale. If you’re creating systems that aren’t scalable, you’ll eventually reach a bottleneck and limit your own growth. You need a business model that allows scalability.

It’s often more about a lack of knowledge, than skill. That’s why this article can be a valuable resource for any coaching business owner to refer to. 

The first point of scaling is to have a clear system of generating leads. This way, you spend more time coaching your clients, solving their problems, and creating a real impact. 

Coaching is an active business, meaning you have limited hours in the day. Maintaining supply and demand in your coaching business becomes super hard.

If you take on too many clients at once, you might not be able to deliver on the promises. This hurts your brand reputation and might result in declining new clients. On the other hand, if there’s not enough demand, you’re losing money every day.

Businesses need to consider their existing lead gen processes. When there are several barriers to entry, it can be challenging to scale coaching businesses. This can be technical limitations such as not having the tech to book calls easily or get in touch with customer support. It could also be not using video conferencing platforms, communication channels, or generally, having a lack of an online presence. 

People need to be able to find you easily and access your services easily – which means in the lead gen process, everything is clear and simple for a prospect to follow.

To scale a coaching business, you must first build systems in place. You need automations, clear processes, and ideally, a team. That’s the only sustainable way to grow, especially when you’re a solopreneur.

Remember, you cannot depend on personal connections forever. At some point, you’ve to go out there and reach out to people. 

It’s super important to turn your offer cold-friendly. This is what we do for our paid clients inside Scaling With Systems. We help turn strangers into raving fans.

3 Primary Approaches to Scaling Your Coaching Business 

If you search the web, you’ll find countless methods to scale coaching businesses, but how do you know the right one for you? 

We’ve worked with thousands of business owners in the B2B space to help you answer how to grow a coaching business.

grow your coaching business

Here are three primary approaches to scaling your online coaching business:

Method #1: The Product Approach 

The plan is to develop new products or services where you can charge more for the same deliverables and work for less time. You can also make tweaks to your current offer. You can also do all the work upfront and charge a one-time service fee. Understand this approach better with the following examples:

  • Write A Book 

Take detailed notes with examples and observations during your coaching calls. It’ll help you create a goldmine of information that comes from personal experiences and teaching. You can use this to create an E-book. 

Yes, writing a book takes time, but you have to write it once, and it’ll reap benefits for years. You can hire a ghostwriter if you feel writing isn’t your ally. Brief them through looms or videos about what you would expect your book to look up like.

Help them identify your tone so they can write it in your voice. This book can be leveraged to get more opportunities, such as podcasts or interviews.

Read Also:

The Top 3 Business Books Every Entrepreneur MUST READ [With Explanations]

  • Speaking Engagements 

You’re putting your brand out there when you go for more speaking gips. If you’re speaking at a conference or a mastermind, keep a balance between talking about the process, transformation, and the results your company gave out.

This way, you’re portraying yourself as someone who knows your niche and who is running a successful business. People will be more likely to reach out and ask you for more information if you’re coming across as a leader in the industry. 

  • Increase Prices When There Is High Demand 

What happens when your calendar is so packed that you cannot take on more clients? You raise your prices to get high-paying clients. The goal is to make more while working less, and this is the best way to do that when there’s high demand.

  • Design & Sell Online Courses 

If you’re an absolute beast at what you do and have proven results to back it up, create an online course. This is what most online coaches have been doing. Once they master something, they share their exact strategies in a recorded course. If you want to take coaching full-time, you can add more services to your offer, including 1:1 mentorship or group coaching, voxer, and slack support.

Method #2: The Delivery Approach 

When you first start coaching, you’re meeting with clients in person and doing all the work. By diversifying your coaching business, you can remain steady and healthy. 

Three operational scales to consider: 

  • Low-Scale: One-To-One

You have to sit down with clients one-on-one when you’re starting. It doesn’t matter how much you charge; once all your slots are booked, you’ll hit the ceiling. Scaling beyond this will be hard. 

  • Mid-Scale: One-To-Many

Hire other coaches to work one-on-one with your clients to fix the low-scale problem. However, it’ll create admin and management work for you. Generally, the mid-scale approach works for businesses where coaching is relatively straightforward and not centered around personas. 

  • High-Scale: One-To-Many Or Many-To-Many

One-to-many coaching is a more scalable offering, so create as many opportunities as possible. You can do group coaching, workshops, special presentations, etc. The idea is to charge per person and multiply that by the number of people. 

Eventually, you can hire other coaches to do the same and make it a full many-to-many business. 

You may have to lower your prices if you introduce other people to your practice (compared to one-on-one), but it could be a good thing. 

You’d naturally increase demand by lowering prices. If you diversify your pricing model, you could charge less for group programs.

Method #3: The Operations Approach  

This approach is for you if you’re wondering how to scale a coaching business without working inside it all the time. If you want to be successful, you should work on your business, not inside your business. 

This is one of the main reasons why we were able to scale our company to eight figures. We’ve got a team for every department that handles everything from internal operations to content creation, marketing, and client fulfillment.

  • Automate Your Operations

Create templates or SOPs to automate operations inside your business. This increases overall efficiency and streamlines processes so that you can focus on other needle-moving activities. Plus, it makes scaling your business easier. You don’t have to spend extra time building new infrastructure as your business grows.

  • Hire Virtual Assistants

If you want to effectively delegate time-consuming or repetitive tasks, hire a virtual assistant. They’re more cost-effective than hiring a full-time employee. Hire them for a specific project, depending on the requirement, and pay them either a one-time fee or on an hourly basis. Plus, VAs often specialize in specific areas, such as marketing or data management, and can bring valuable expertise to your coaching business.

What’s Needed To Scale Coaching Businesses

How to scale a coaching business to set yourself up for future long-term success? You need strategic planning and implementation to grow your coaching business. It will not happen overnight. Most people think just posting on social media will get them clients, but that’s not how it works. 

Posting on social media is just one of the many steps on the ladder. What happens once people know you’re a coach? How are you building their trust? Do you have any case studies to back up your claims?

grow my business

We’ve listed a few things you need to learn how to scale a coaching business:

Great Tools For Coaching Businesses

There are many tools that can help a coaching business improve its operations and reach more clients, some of which include:

  • Customer Relationship Management software: A CRM system is at the forefront of client fulfillment. In a CRM, you’ll be able to manage client information, appointments, and communication with clients. It also helps track sales and other key metrics that will help you refine your processes and even your marketing. 
  • Project Management Software: This makes it easier to manage client projects and tasks, and any collaborative work that’s happening within your team will be more organized. Asana is a good example of a project management system for coaching businesses.
  • Video Conferencing Software: With video conferencing tools like Zoom or Skype, you can connect with your clients for discovery calls and coaching sessions. It’s also helpful for conferencing with internal team members if your business is remote.
  • Marketing Automation Software: Tools like ActiveCampaign are good for automating email marketing, managing lead generation, and handling other marketing tasks. 
  • Online payment processors: You want a secure and quick way to process payments. Online payment processors like PayPal or Stripe are great for this and can be integrated into your CRM or website easily.

Strategies For Marketing Your Coaching Business

With the right marketing strategies in place, you’re building a system that’ll bring you clients, on autopilot. You cannot keep outreaching people forever. You need a system that brings you inbound leads consistently.

coaching business growth
  • Blog & Website 

Write valuable, informative blog posts to establish yourself as an expert in your field and attract potential clients looking for coaching info. Publish blog posts regularly to build your audience and keep them engaged. Promote your coaching services and offer lead magnets, like free E-books and webinars, to attract potential clients.

Optimize your website and blog for search engines to reach more people. Create a user-friendly website to build trust with your audience and make it super easy for them to find and contact you. 

They shouldn’t have to scout your website for 10 mins to find a way to reach you. They’ll leave your website eventually, and you’ll lose a potential lead interested in your product or service. 

  • Social Media Marketing (SMM Is Great For Coaching)

Global social media users are expected to grow to almost six billion by 2027. If you’re confused about how to scale a coaching business with SMM, we’ll break it down step-by-step.

smm for coaching businesses

The key is to know where your audience is. For example, if you’re a mindset coach, your primary platforms should be Instagram and LinkedIn, and ideally, Youtube.

Once you decide on a platform, the next step is whether you’re growing through organic marketing or paid ads. If you’re starting and do not have the ad budget, create content to reach your audience organically. 

On the flip side, if you’ve got an ad budget, you can run ads on multiple platforms to reach your audience faster. Run targeted ads on social media based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.

Your website will get more traffic if you regularly post valuable and informative content. Plus, if you engage with your followers, they’ll share your content and recommend your services to others in their circle. 

Read here to learn more about growing on social media. 

  • Email Marketing

The first step is to collect the email addresses of potential customers. This can be done through lead magnets such as a free training video, E-book, or PDF. Get people to your funnel to access the lead magnet. 

Once they opt in, send the lead magnet to their email address. When collecting email addresses, you can send them regular emails about your results, case studies, discounts, offers, and so much more.

Create an email marketing strategy based on your niche and target audience. Send out newsletters to nurture leads and keep your audience engaged. Track metrics to understand what’s working better and refine your strategy to achieve your business goals.

email marketing for coaching businesses

Let’s assume you’ve got a list of potential customers who’ve opted in through the funnel. What’s next? In the first email, introduce yourself and provide an overview of your services. 

You can send follow-up emails covering leadership, teamwork, or productivity topics. This depends on your expertise.

End every email with a call to action. This can be driving traffic to your website, Facebook group, or funnel. When it’s a personalized email where you’re sharing an incident or lesson, we recommend not adding any CTA. 

Send emails regularly to build a relationship with your audience. Over time, these leads might be converted into high-paying clients. You never know who is watching and reading from afar until they are ready.

  • Standardized Client Onboarding Process

You need a streamlined onboarding process to welcome your clients to the program. This is to make sure they have a smooth experience from start to finish. 

When you have a well-organized onboarding process, you’ll be able to take on new clients without sacrificing the quality of your service. Your clients will feel confident and well-informed from the get-go, setting the stage for a successful coaching relationship.

onboarding process for coaching

So, what exactly should your onboarding system include? Well, here are some key elements that will help you get started:

  • Introduce yourself and your business. Let your clients know who you are and what you do.
  • Explain your coaching philosophy and approach. Your clients want to know what makes you unique and what they can expect from working with you.
  • Offer an overview of your services. Be clear about what you can provide and what your clients can expect.
  • Create a contract that outlines the terms of your agreement. This will make sure everyone is on the same page, and there are no misunderstandings.

When your clients get access to necessary softwares, logins and access to your course, it makes the overall experience so much better.

  • Create An Efficient Team

 As your business grows, you may be stressed out trying to do everything yourself. This is where specialists come in. Hire experts in marketing, sales, and technology so you can focus on what you do best – coaching.

coaching team

With specialists on your side, you can tackle new challenges and opportunities with confidence. Your marketing team can help you generate more sales, streamline operations, and create effective marketing strategies. Also, they’ll help you stay ahead of the curve and improve your business constantly with a fresh perspective.

Plus, specialists can help you scale coaching business better. You’ll reach more potential clients and generate more revenue by leveraging their expertise. It’s important to have the right people on your team to create a supportive and collaborative environment.

Types Of Coaching Offers You Can Scale

When scaling your coaching business, it’s important to focus on one or a few offers instead of constantly creating new products.

This saves you time and energy and allows you to sell and manage your programs effectively. There are several coaching business models that can be scaled. Here are just three examples:

Type of CoachingPrice Point ExamplesDescription
High-End Group Coaching$2,000 to $10,000+Premium experiences for small group mentorships
Two-Step Offers$500 to $5,000+Entry-level course that can funnel into a higher-end program like group coaching
Online Self-Study Courses$500 to $2,000+Online go-at-your-own-page courses are great offers for passive income

Extra Tips On Scaling Your Coaching Business

It can be scary when you’re trying to scale your coaching business without any prior knowledge. But once you build systems and processes, it’ll bring in more profit than you can imagine. 

Whether you’re a life coach, a business coach, or a health and wellness coach, there are several key factors to consider when it comes to scaling your business:

Create Sales Funnels

A sales funnel is a series of steps that guide potential clients through the buying process, from initial awareness of your brand to final conversion. 

Boost your conversion rates, generate more leads, and sell more stuff by designing and implementing a well-crafted sales funnel.

Stages in a typical sales funnel: 

  • Awareness: Grab the attention of potential clients and introduce them to your brand.
  • Interest: Build rapport with your potential clients and educate them about your coaching services. 
  • Consideration: Present your offers and build a relationship of trust with your potential clients. 
  • Conversion: Close the sale and convert your potential clients into paying customers.

The more you focus on each stage of the sales funnel, the more you’ll be able to tailor your marketing to suit their needs. If you do this, you’ll increase your conversion rates, build a loyal following, and scale coaching business.

Develop a Unique Sales Proposition (UPS) 

Your Unique Sales Proposition (UPS) will set you apart from your competitors and stand out in the crowded marketplace. 

It clearly defines what makes your coaching services unique and why potential clients should choose you over others. To develop a UPS for your coaching business, follow these steps:

Identify your target audience to create a UPS that resonates with them. Study your competitors to find out what they’re offering and what’s missing. Find what makes your coaching stand out in terms of experience, expertise, methodology, or results. 

Use social media to communicate your UPS among your target audience. Test and refine your UPS regularly to keep attracting and retaining clients.

Start A Podcast Series

With a podcast, you can connect with your target audience on a deeper level and position yourself as an expert. Establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry by delivering valuable content regularly. 

Plus, you can reach a wider audience with a podcast. Share your insights and expertise to build a loyal following and establish yourself as a go-to resource. You’ll be able to quickly grow your coaching business with podcasts because they’re low-cost marketing tools. 

Let’s assume you’re a business coach. This is how you would start your podcast series from scratch. Choose a specific topic or theme for your podcast that fits with your coaching business and resonates with your target audience. For example, you could focus on topics like entrepreneurship, leadership, or productivity.

Once you have chosen your topic, invest in the necessary equipment and software to record and edit your podcast. Start creating and publishing episodes regularly. Use social media and other digital marketing channels to reach your target audience. 

Reach out to relevant websites, blogs, and other online communities to ask for help in promoting your podcast and attracting new listeners.

How To Scale A Coaching Business: FAQs

Is coaching a profitable business?

Coaching can be a profitable business, but profitability depends on several factors. This includes the coach’s experience and reputation, the demand for coaching services, and marketing and business strategies.

Successful coaches typically have a clear target market, offer a unique and in-demand service, and have a strong reputation and network. They also use various marketing techniques to reach their target audience and grow their client base.

How to scale your coaching business online?

You need to build a robust online presence through a professional website, social media profiles, and a targeted marketing strategy. Use online tools like webinars, online courses, and virtual coaching sessions to reach clients worldwide.

Leverage automation technology to streamline your operations, manage client relationships, and increase efficiency. To continue scaling your business, invest in your personal and professional development.

What is the most profitable coaching niche?

The most profitable coaching niche can vary depending on a variety of factors, including market demand, competition, and the coach’s expertise and target audience. 

However, some of the most in-demand and profitable coaching niches are career coaching, business coaching and executive coaching, life coaching, health and wellness coaching, and relationship coaching. These niches are popular because they address common challenges and goals that many people face and are willing to invest in. 

Conclusion: How To Scale Coaching Businesses

It can be challenging to scale your coaching business, especially when you’re wearing all the hats. But that’s the beauty of starting a business that gives you time and money freedom. We’ve listed some strategies to help you scale your coaching business effectively.

When you build systems and processes in place, it becomes easier. You need to go in, check in with your team and do what you actually signed up for – coach your clients. The only way to scale your coaching business is to remove yourself from the day-to-day operations.

You shouldn’t be focusing on marketing campaigns, data analytics, or finance. You should always be focused on the next big thing to grow your business.

Need more help? At Scaling With Systems, we’ve helped thousands of business owners in the B2B space scale their businesses through profitable client acquisition systems. To learn more, book a free consultation call with our team today.

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