Crealanta Magazine

What's wrong with the Online Coaching Industry is Broken (And What You Can Do)

Aug 24, 2022

Believe it or not, I never wanted to teach coaches the art of coaching. However, over the past seven years, I've gotten more involved in this business and am fairly proficient with what I do. So naturally, other coaches have also wanted to ask me questions to a certain extent.

It was at this point that I started being more attentive to what was happening in this industry. The more I studied it and observed, the more people doing things that I didn't think they should do because they weren't going to work. In the event that you've been involved in the coaching industry for several years, you've probably figured out that I'm talking aboutThe coaching field is full of poor advice, false promises and outright scams.

And, even more troublingly, there are coaches out there teaching things they have no passion for, or competency in.

In some ways, I'd even go so in saying that the industry of coaching is broken in fundamental ways .

However, there's a positive side. There is an opportunity to become an effective and helpful online coach. Just be aware of the risks involved and ensure that you're doing it with good reasons. Let me explain...

Do not miss this:

We interviewed our coach Sean Smith and he told us the reasons why he doesn't like the coaching business.

Learn from this seasoned expert for tips on how to achieve the success you desire as a coach. If you're a personal coaching, business or life coach, or any other type of coach, you'll learn not just how to earn the money you earn as a coach but also live your purpose and have a huge influence in the world.

Explore this course we made with Coach Sean Smith on how to design transformative online courses.

There's an "pyramid scheme" inside online coaching

The ads are everywhere all the time on places like YouTube as well as Instagram Now. Once you've reached an important milestone in your coaching company or get into difficulties, these ads start to pop up like little pesky insects on your social media feeds. "Are you a coach that's finding it difficult to find clients? Here -- all you have to do is adhere to my guarantee system !"

I used to sit on the sidelines and get frustrated by the aforementioned issues. But now, I'm able to accept these as the price we pay to be part of an unregulated industry. Since the sector isn't regulated and there's no consensus about how to succeed. This is the primary reason for this industry's brokenness as it becomes increasingly challenging for competent, skilled people to succeed.

We don't see this in any other industry. There's no one offering a course on how to become a lawyer within 30 days. And how you can get to medical school without taking any pesky tests. It would be absurd isn't it? There's a way for everyone to be a lawyer, teacher or doctor or a therapist . Or any variety of other professions that are regulated. There are no shortcuts. You won't find advertisements that claim to offer: "Seven Easy Steps to Get Your First Patient on the Operating Table for Brain Surgeons(tm)."

The coaching profession is full of these types of promising promises, based on people's desperate needs. It's all about the best way to train coaches on thisor coach coaches how to teach them that. Since the biggest customer will be... wait for the answer... coaching. Coaches will be the ones purchasing the best ways to succeed, and probably making up a big part of the revenues in the coaching industry.

But don't let me get it incorrect -- it's perfectly okay if you've got an interest in marketing and are good at teaching things that coaches require. If you're enthusiastic about, you're absolutely fine with instructing only those in your field of expertise.

Most people aren't really good or passionate about that. They don't really want to teach people -- but they think that's the only thing that they can succeed with.

Then what happens? Coaches change who they are just to chase success. While we leave aside the debate about morality of whether that's right or wrong, this still creates problems. Because the one thing you need to be concerned about in order to be successful I believe that it is align.

Beware of the trap of giving coaching to coaches who are not yours

When I say alignment, I am referring to the fact that you need to discover what area of coaching aligns with your lessons learnt in your own daily life. Each of us has learned a lot through our experiences in our lives. They are lessons were learned, and then used to overcome the challenges in our lives. It could be financial lesson as well as career or perhaps even lessons in relationships.

Those life lessons are valuable for anyone who is interested, meaning they will literally pay to hear your perspective and the lessons you've discovered. What that means in terms of business is that the lessons you learned from your experiences can be a valuable product.

Now, the question is: how do we build a business that incorporates all of your unique skill sets and weaknesses and strengths, and does not make you do activities you'd rather not to undertake? You don't wish to drift away from the lessons of life and get caught in the trap of just teaching others how to be a successful coach.

Consider it this way: When you teach from your personal experiences, that's the kind of thing that clients value. But if you simply instruct others on the best ways to be a coach, it's your knowledge that people find valuable.

If that's true, then you're "secret ingredient" isn't important. It means your life lessons don't matter. It means your personality doesn't need to be concerned about anything as your value is interchangeable. You've been reduced to a commodity. Since the most important thing is people buying this data. And the reason that's so critical to know is if you succeed with an approach that doesn't really matter, you'll never feel satisfied or happy, and feel any joy doing your work because you're not in it.

You have to start with the knowledge that you are valuable. Your life lessons have value. This isn't something you learned through a different program or coach Your own perspective and knowledge of reality.

What is the reason to coach from a place that is authentic

If it's true that the "guaranteed, one-size-fits-all approach works for you -- it's still not authentic. This is one of the main reasons a lot of people aren't keen to make sales, or are afraid to sell. This is the reason why many of these sales tactics feel icky. (Which is an academic term, by the way.) The reason isn't because of the strategies themselves, but due to the fact that you're disconnected from your true self. Or the core belief that you've earned your worth.

For example, let's say you buy a sales script to pitch prospective clients. If you do not trust what it is that you're offering somebody, then it's irrelevant the person who wrote the script, or whether they earned a million dollars using the script. The truth is what you speak out of your mouth , because your body is telling another story. Your potential customer is aware that you're trying to sell something that you haven't purchased!

It is the reason authenticity is so important in marketing the work you are doing. You can get the same alignment we've discussed, and truly find your voice in the message. If you're using the identical sales pitch, you'll be more successful since you'll come from a place of integrity.

It's not all about the words that come out of our mouths. If I'm certain of my product since I've personally experienced the benefits of the product, therefore you can give me any sales plan. My certainty is going to sell it, and my advocacy for you is going to make you believe.

  People buy energy from the way they usually purchase -- not the merchandise. Your certainty is not the sales techniques or funnels for marketing.

It's the time to be the kind of coach online you'd like to be.

I am sure that for some people this will be an uphill climb. You'll probably bump up against certain fears, doubts and insecurities along the way. But the main question is, do you have the drive to make a difference? Are you determined to be successful in doing something with the lessons you have learned throughout your life? Are you looking to aid others by having the correct mental attitude? If yes, you'll be so much more likely to find success.

Whatever you do, please don't disrespect yourself by removing the primary ingredient in the process. Don't simply try to make an amount, but commit to make an impact.