Learn how you can highlight your strengths with a unique selling proposition for coaches and become an exclusive coaching services provider.
Why should you, as a coach, care about a unique selling proposition? According to IbisWorld.com, the coaching industry in the U.S. has grown by 2.2% in 2022 compared to 2021.
There are 60,472 registered coaching businesses (and counting). With so many competitors in the market, it becomes challenging to stand out in terms of price or the range of services offered. Even in such a competitive environment, you can still get loyal clients and become one-of-a-kind by empowering your coaching business with unique selling propositions.
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In this article, you’ll learn seven easy-to-follow steps that will help you craft a killer unique selling proposition, or USP, to win over coaching clients in 2022.
Table of Contents
What is a USP and Why You Need One
A unique selling proposition for coaches is usually described as a specific feature highly sought after by clients and directly related to one’s service, distinguishing it from competitors.
Having a well-defined USP reduces your chances of attracting the wrong kind of audience and increases your conversion rate, as the value of your services can clearly be seen.
How to Create a Unique Selling Proposition for Coaches
Explore the approach you can implement to create a unique selling proposition that encompasses your client’s needs and addresses their pain points.
Step 1. Learn from Your Clients
Other people’s perspectives are invaluable when it comes to an understanding what your potential clients are looking for when they decide to use coaching services. Coaches who have been in the market for some time can investigate their current clients as well as those that have drifted away, getting insights about the reasons why they chose their services or didn’t come back.
You can create a short questionnaire if your coaching software allows it to collect information and then analyze reviews left by your clients. Descriptions of your clients’ positive and negative experiences will help you understand what clients are looking for when choosing a coach.
If you are new to the coaching business and don’t have enough clients for a solid selection that would give you clear insights into client experience and issues, you can use industry-specific networks. These can be professional communities on Facebook, LinkedIn groups, or even Quora threads. In any case, to start defining your possible unique selling proposition, you have to understand your client’s pain points and desires.
Step 2. Check What Your Competitors are Doing
There are several reasons to study your competitors before you come up with a unique selling proposition.
The first is that you don’t want to offer the same services in the same way, as this will kill your unique vibe.
The second reason for doing competitor research is that you have to know what competitors are already doing in order to form your own offers and pricing, as there are things your potential clients will expect from you.
While picking competitors to look into, remember that you shouldn’t compare yourself to world-known coaches, as they probably have a large marketing team behind the scenes writing their blog articles, handling their social media posts, and forming pricing. Due to their large number of clients and wide recognition, they will be able to do things you can’t. Instead of renowned coaches, pay attention to relatively popular personalities in your niche that started out recently and are gaining popularity.
When analyzing competitors, ask yourself:
- Which basic services do they provide?
- How are the prices for their services formed?
- What is unique about them, and how does this correspond with their client’s needs?
Your USP shouldn’t be based on the services pricing or something your competitors already offer. You also don’t want to copy your competitors’ unique selling propositions. Their coaching value proposition examples are beneficial only in guiding your thinking while looking for your own USP.
Step 3. Find your Strengths
Now that you’re aware of your client’s needs and the ways your competitors define themselves, it’s time to learn what you can do that other coaches cannot. Additionally, you should define what your potential clients are looking for: namely, the main problems they’re struggling with.
Answer these questions to get a better idea of these issues:
- What can you offer your clients to solve their pain points?
- Are you better than your competitors at solving some problems your clients have?
- What do your competitors not provide that their clients need?
- Why should your client choose you over your competitors?
Use the answers to these questions to find out what’s unique about your business and how it corresponds with your clients’ needs.
Step 4. Explore Your Differences
This step requires you to name three to five benefits your clients will get from working with you. You can identify these benefits by thinking about what clients might need that is not provided in the market. You don’t want to sell average coaching services. You want to be memorable and easily associated with a group of services you specialize in.
Step 5. Form Your Brand’s Promise
Be specific and clear when creating your unique selling proposition. Keep in mind that it has to both be catchy and represent value to your potential clients. Feel free to use the template below to formulate it:
“[Your brand name] provides [your main unique service] for [your ideal client] searching for [their main goal] who are struggling with [their pain point].”
This sentence can be used as an elevator pitch or anywhere throughout your social media or communications when you need to explain what services you offer. It will help you not only differentiate yourself from other coaching businesses but offer something unique.
Step 6. Work on Your USP
Now that you have described what makes you unique, you can use this description as a starting point and work to produce a shorter, more catchy version that is your unique selling proposition for coaches. Create at least five alternative versions. Then pick the one that describes your selling proposition most effectively.
Step 7. Put Your USP to Use
Now that you have finally created your new and shiny USP, it’s time to implement it in your coaching marketing strategy. You can use your USP across social media or when creating paid campaigns. It can even impact your approach to design and be integrated into your marketing copy. Remember that at every touchpoint, you must communicate the unique value you bring to your clients.
Communication channels include:
- landing pages and other website pages
- mobile applications
- social media content
- email signatures
- printed materials, such as leaflets and business cards
- video materials
- advertising campaigns
- marketing kits
Creating a Unique Selling Proposition
Powerful unique selling propositions for coaches work like magnets, connecting businesses to clients who couldn’t find specific services that would effectively solve their issues.
Now that you know how to craft a USP that’s focused on solving real issues of your target audience, your coaching business won’t go unnoticed but will attract those who will most benefit from your services.
