How to Get Coaching Clients When You’re New 7 Gold Standard (but Slightly Messy) Ways That Actually Work
So. You’ve finally got your certificate. Mindset coach, NLP whizz, hypnotherapy wizard. whatever the label is, you’re officially qualified.
Buzzing, right?
You feel a bit electric at first.
Like, this is it.
You’ve got the tools.
The passion.
That burning sense you’re meant to be doing this like some kind of destiny just clicked into place.
But then… nothing.
Well. Not nothing-nothing.
You’re pottering about posting a few inspirational quotes on Instagram, fiddling with your website font for the seventh time, asking your cousin if they know someone who “might be interested in mindset work.”
But the paying clients?
They’re not queuing up outside your inbox.
And it’s maddening, not just because you want it to work, but because deep down, you know it could.
If someone would just give you the damn chance.
Let’s cut through the fog.
These are 7 widely trusted, occasionally uncomfortable (but definitely doable) ways to get coaching clients when you’re new. No ads, no sleazy pitches, and no pretending you’ve got it all figured out.
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Nail Your Niche (Yes, even though it feels like you're cutting people out)
Everyone says it. And it sounds a bit... annoying? Like, "pick a niche!" as if it’s just sitting there on the shelf at Sainsbury’s waiting for you to choose it.
But it’s true.
Trying to help everyone is like shouting into the wind. Nobody hears you, because nobody knows you’re talking to them.
Think of it this way, you’re not choosing who to exclude. You’re deciding who to go deep with. That one person whose pain you really get, because you’ve lived it or walked alongside it.
Example? Not: “I help people feel better.” Try: “I help overthinkers (like I used to be) finally sleep through the bloody night without their brains running a TED Talk at 3am.”
Specifics cut through noise like a well-sharpened knife through a melting block of butter.
Stop Talking About Yourself (Not entirely — just less than you think)
Your bio isn’t about you. I mean, it is, but it’s not.
Nobody cares that you’re certified in this or trained in that (not straight away, at least). What they care about is whether you can help them stop feeling like a human-shaped bundle of tangled fairy lights.
So instead of:
“I’m a mindset coach who uses hypnotherapy and NLP techniques to facilitate inner transformation.”
Say:
“I help people who feel like imposters at work finally switch off that nasty inner critic and start sleeping, smiling, and showing up.”
Write how they speak. (Or how they scream into the pillow.)
Search their Reddit threads. Lurk in Facebook groups. Steal the exact words they use when they’re feeling lost.
That’s your gold dust.
Your Offer Isn’t Clear Enough. Sorry.
You might think you’re being chill. “DM me if you're curious!”, but actually, you’re being vague. And vague doesn’t convert.
People don’t like uncertainty (unless it’s in a thriller series, and even then, they want resolution by Episode 6).
Make your first offer stupidly simple. Something like:
A single clarity session.
A “3 sessions to get unstuck” bundle.
A short programme that solves one juicy problem (not all of them, you're not Gandalf).
Say it. Repeat it. Whisper it to your coffee mug. Then tell the world:
“I’ve got 2 spaces this week for a Confidence Reset. Message me if you’re done with self-doubt running the show.”
It works. Because clarity makes people feel safe enough to say yes.
Your Network Knows More Than You Think
You might roll your eyes at this one. You think: "Ugh, I’ve told everyone what I do, no one’s biting."
You probably haven’t, though. Not clearly enough. Not recently enough.
Here’s the deal: people forget. People are distracted. People are up to their ears in parenting, deadlines, broken boilers, and bin day. You have to remind them — not with desperation, but with honesty.
Say:
“Hey folks, I’m working with 2 women who feel stuck and are ready to shift their mindset around visibility and confidence. Know anyone?”
That WhatsApp group from your old job? Use it. Your yoga class? Mention it. Your aunt's hairdresser? Possibly your next lead.
Most new coaches get their first few clients from someone they already know — or someone that person knows. But only if they remember what the hell it is you do.
Forget Going Viral. Focus on Building Trust.
Look, I love a good quote from Brené Brown as much as anyone. But if all you're posting is pretty graphics with “you are enough” written in pink script… you’re blending in.
Trust isn't built by slogans. It's built by stories.
Talk about how you froze up before your first client session. Share the time you cried in your car after realising you were still scared to raise your prices. Show what it’s really like to grow through what you’re coaching others on.
It’s the messy stuff that earns respect.
Also, share tips. Little ones. The kind that makes people go: “Oof. That was helpful.” Even if no one likes it, they’re watching, always watching.
(Okay, that got a bit creepy. But you get it.)
👉🏿 Related blog: 10 Social Media Content Ideas for Coaches That Build Trust
You Don’t Need to “Close” the Sale. You Just Need to Open the Door.
You’re not a dodgy car salesman in a shiny suit circa 1994.
You’re a helper. An ally. So treat your invitation like that — an invitation, not a pitch.
Try:
“I’ve opened 2 spaces this week — message me if you’re ready to feel more like you again.”
“DM the word PEACE if you want details. No pressure.”
“This helped a client today. Want the same? Let’s chat.”
Keep it warm. Keep it soft. It lands better that way.
Stay in the Room Long Enough to Be Seen
Here’s where most people mess it up.
They post three times. Get two likes (one from their mum). Panic. Disappear.
But visibility, real visibilit, is like planting seeds in a frost. You won’t see results straight away. Hell, it might take weeks. Months.
But every post, every conversation, every nudge builds momentum. It stacks.
Eventually, and it always happens, someone says: “I’ve been watching your stuff for a while. Can we talk?”
That’s the moment it clicks.
Final Thoughts (or possibly ramblings, who knows anymore)
You don’t need a funnel. Or a fancy scheduler. Or 10k followers. You need clarity. Connection. And a touch of audacity.
You’ve already got the tools, now you’ve got the roadmap (albeit with a few dog-eared pages and a coffee ring or two).
If you want help putting it all into motion, minus the jargon, with a few laughs and probably too many metaphors, my Hidden to Hired programme is where that magic happens.
Fancy early access? Contact me or click here to get on the waitlist.
Let’s make “I signed my first client!” the next post you write.