7 Strategies to Elevate Your Thought Leadership as a Coach

Andrew Forbes

Andrew Forbes founded Peak Ed Designs with the goal of offering an educational experience that would better equip his clients for success in the online world. He is a front-end WordPress designer/developer, instructional designer, and online course creator that surrounds himself with a team of experts that synergistically work together to deliver high impact results for our clients. Peak Ed Designs enjoys working with small and medium-size coaches, educators, and entrepreneurs to get their business ideas out of their head and out onto the web.

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Are you looking to generate leads and achieve business growth for your executive coaching or business coaching business? If you said yes, well you get to establish yourself as a thought leader! Once you’re recognized as an authority or expert in your field, you’ll gain qualified leads and reach your business goals in no time.

Two-thirds of marketers say that thought leadership is a top priority, yet only 26% say their current efforts are ‘very successful’. You can do better!

Establishing thought leadership is really a two-step process: first, you need to know your stuff inside and out. You may already have that covered! Secondly, you’ll want to share your expertise with the world. Trust us: your competitors are already working overtime to do just that. Follow these seven steps and watch your lead generation process explode!

Remember: Don’t let imposter syndrome get in your way. You only need to know 10% more than your audience to be an expert. And if you’re like many of the coaches I have worked with, you most likely have a lot of knowledge that you take for granted that would be valuable to your audience!

Define Your Coaching Niche

Try as you might, it’s impossible to be all things to all people. It’s essential to establish your area of expertise so that you can define your target audience and develop your unique value proposition.

Firstly, you’ll need some self-awareness. In which areas are you most knowledgeable and qualified to provide guidance? Try this on for size to help you. If your neighbour were to knock on your door, not asking for a cup of sugar, but for some advice, what kind of advice would they be asking for?

Secondly, you’ll need to understand your target audience. As an executive coach it’s important to build relationships and to do this you’ll need to appreciate the pain points of your audience. Do some target market research. Develop buyer personas and archetypes. Understand their needs and gain more leads! Better yet, you can just look in the mirror – 9 times out of 10, your ideal client is standing right there staring back at you. What keeps you up at night? What do you stress about? Dream of? Your current or former struggles offer insight into those of your clientele. 

Be Visible and Create High-Quality Content That Your Ideal Client Will Engage With

Now that you understand the mind frame of your potential customers, it’s time to give them what they need!

You’ve got the knowledge that can solve their problems and ease their pain, so let’s get out there. A killer blog post can get the job done. So too can videos, social media, podcasts, LinkedIn newsletters, and becoming a Top Voice on LinkedIn. These are just a few of the ways that you can grow your reputation with business professionals, entrepreneurs, and other potential clients. 

Sometimes the term “Sales and marketing” can make coaches feel awkward and uncomfortable, but think of it this way: By not putting yourself in front of your ideal client, and offering them your services, how will they know that you are available to help them?? You are doing your future clients a disservice by not being visible and sharing your expertise with them. 

Peak Ed Designs specializes in helping business coaches and executive coaches optimize their online presence, gain access to more leads, and attract their next high-paying client with ease. (That’s both an example of a value proposition and a fact!)

If you’d like to grow your business and supercharge your lead generation process, schedule your free consultation today! (That’s both a call to action and a genuine invitation)

Write a Guest Blog for Another Website

You’ve been pumping out content on your website, but you’re suffering from a lack of awareness. It’s time to go further afield!

Guest blogging is a powerful strategy that not only exposes you to new audiences but also solidifies your thought leadership in the industry. By sharing valuable insights and knowledge on respected websites, you not only reach a broader spectrum of the business world but also establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field.

A man in a suit looks at a phone and appears excited to see how he is being acknowledge for his thought leadership.
An executive just read your latest guest blog post and loved it! You’ve got a new fan.

Start by researching blogs in your niche and identifying potential platforms. Reach out to blog owners or editors with a polite, concise, professional pitch, showcasing your expertise and proposing relevant topics

Renowned life coach and motivational speaker Tony Robbins has collaborated with various influential figures, including Oprah Winfrey and Pitbull, to reach broader audiences and share his personal development insights. Don’t worry! If Oprah doesn’t return your emails, there are many other platforms that will be glad to accept content! If at first you don’t succeed, don’t despair, but try, try again!

Tip: Bloggers can foster emotional engagement by crafting content that resonates with readers’ feelings and experiences. This includes sharing personal anecdotes, addressing relatable challenges, using evocative language, and incorporating storytelling techniques. This will help you build relationships and generate leads!

Engage Your Target Audience on Social Media

Social media is where it’s at! A strong social media presence can be great for lead generation. Executive coaching is inherently personal, and a consistent, strong presence on various social media platforms will allow you to connect with small business owners and other professionals on a regular basis. Don’t give up! Display your knowledge and thought leadership skills over and over again, and eventually, you’ll collect new leads!

LinkedIn is ideal for business and executive coaches due to its professional nature. Twitter is effective for sharing quick tips, and industry news, and engaging in real-time conversations. Facebook can help you build community, YouTube will house your videos, and Instagram can showcase your personal side. Don’t forget your Google Business Profile either! Ultimately, you’ll have to decide which platform is most effective for you and your audience. Where are you spending your time? And where is your ideal client hanging out?

Don’t get discouraged if your follower counts are modest. 77% of survey respondents answered no to the question, “does a thought leader need to have a large social media following?”

Offer a Free Webinar, Workshop, or Coaching Session

Are you ready for prime-time but lacking the audience? Elevate your thought leadership by offering them something valuable and start spreading the word. It’s about getting up close and personal with executives, all while building leads along the way!

Hosting webinars or workshops allows coaches to showcase their expertise, engage with a live audience, and provide valuable insights. It will position you as a knowledgeable authority in your field, foster direct connections with attendees, and offer an interactive platform to share practical knowledge, ultimately solidifying your status as a thought leader.

Bonus: The content created from webinars and workshops can easily be repurposed for blog content, social media content, newsletters and beyond!

Bonus: you’re going to meet some new clients!

Peak Ed Designs is a big proponent of life-long learning and would be happy to help you facilitate these events.

If you’d like to be a mentor or thought leader, connect with Peak Ed Designs to set you up for success today!

Seek Speaking Opportunities and Demonstrate Your Thought Leadership!

Nothing says thought leadership like addressing a group of people with a well-prepared speech or interview. This will help you spread your name, drive traffic to your website, and increase business for your coaching services.

Coaches can establish themselves as thought leaders by seeking speaking opportunities through:

Three women sit before an audience.
Your audience awaits. Elevate your thought leadership and gain new leads by delivering impactful speeches or participating in engaging panel discussions.
  1. Networking with industry peers and event organizers.
  2. Joining professional associations and attending conferences.
  3. Pitching themselves to local organizations, universities, or industry events.
  4. Utilizing online platforms like LinkedIn and speaking directories.
  5. Offering to speak at webinars, podcasts, or virtual summits.
  6. Collaborating with speaker bureaus or agencies for opportunities.
  7. Building a strong online presence and sharing expertise to attract invitations.

Don’t forget, every time you speak, provide a free gift to the audience and start to fill your pipeline with eager and engaged potential clients. 

If you need any assistance, Peak Ed Designs can provide expert guidance to ensure your success in welcoming these new potential clients with a welcome series.

Sell Your Services and Own Your Value Proposition

It’s one thing to impress people with your thought leadership, it’s another to turn those impressions into more business! ABC: Always be converting!

Understand your value proposition. Define who you can help and how. Tie your presentation back to your service offerings. Own your pitch and have it at the ready!

After you’ve dispersed knowledge, guidance, and leadership, never forget to let people know how much more they’d gain by utilizing your services and how they can work with you with a clear CTA – Call To Action! Otherwise, you’ll just be a smart cookie who sits alone in the cookie jar.

Next Steps

Don’t suffer the torturous existence of the unrecognized genius. It’s time to let your light shine!

Peak Ed Designs takes a holistic approach toward website design, web presence, maintenance, and learning facilitation for our clients in the coaching space and other businesses.

Reach out for a free consultation with Peak Ed Designs today and let’s grow your executive coaching business!

Schedule your free consultation today!

7 Strategies to Elevate Your Thought Leadership as a Coach | Peak Ed Designs

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