You may have heard of brand messaging and positioning for products — but what do you do when you’re trying to sell your services as a coach or consultant? Positioning and messaging still play an important role. How? Let’s look at why positioning and messaging for coaches and consultants is important and how you can create your positioning and messaging.
First, let’s answer an important question…
What is Positioning and Messaging for Coaches and Consultants
Positioning and messaging are an essential part of branding for coaches and consultants.
But before we get into how to develop your own positioning and messaging statements, let’s first explain what these mean and how they help your brand.
What are Positioning and Messaging?
As a coach or consultant, you no doubt have run into the question, “What do you do?” The first few times you may have felt like a deer in the headlights.
That’s where positioning and messaging come into play. When these are prepared and ready to go, it’s easier for you to answer those kinds of questions in a meaningful, satisfying way. It puts you in a position to confidently express yourself.
But what should you include in this statement?
First of all, your statement should tell people…
- Who you are and what you do.
- The specific kinds of people you help with your services.
- Why you’ve chosen what you do.
- The results you achieve.
- The unique value people get from working with you.
You might think of this as a more in-depth elevator pitch. It has many of the same elements, but goes into slightly more detail and is directed specifically toward potential clients. You might even think of it as your value proposition.
Why Positioning and Messaging Are Important Parts of Marketing for Coaches and Consultants
Your positioning and messaging play several important roles within your strategy. Solid positioning and messaging help you to
- Clearly and concisely describes what you do and for whom.
- Is unique to you and sets you apart.
- Connects meaningfully with your ideal client.
- Shares what it’s like to work with you.
- Makes people want to learn more about you and what you do.
So now that we understand what positioning and messaging do and why they’re important, let’s dive into how you can craft your own positioning and messaging statements for your coaching and consulting brand.
The Secrets to Successful Positioning and Messaging for Coaches and Consultants
Determine Your Who, What, and Why
These three words help you to develop your positioning statement, which is how you communicate your value to your market and highlight what distinguishes you.
Now, ask yourself…
- Who – Who do you serve? How would you describe your target client?
- What – What problems do your clients face and what specific solutions can you offer?
- Why – Why should prospective clients hire you vs. your competitors? What sets you apart?
Write down your answers to these questions. Seeing them in print can help you to assemble the pieces of your positioning statement.
I’ll use myself as an example. Here are my three answers to these questions..
- Who – I serve coaches, consultants and over small business owners over 50 to position, brand and market themselves to become go-to-experts and grow their business.
- What – People over 50 often face ageism and other challenges. I help experienced coaches, consultants and other small business owners develop a personal brand and position themselves to expand their business and attract the right clients.
- Why – I have worked in personal branding, marketing and PR for over 25 years and have overcome similar situations in my own career.
From here, I can craft a positioning statement that embodies these points. For example, I might say something like…
I use my 25+ years of experience in marketing and PR to help coaches and consultants nail their positioning, marketing and branding to become the go-to-expert clients seek.
Differentiate Yourself
While we touched on this in our last point, it bears repeating. As you’ve probably already noticed, there are countless coaches and consultants out there, all trying to sell their services.
So you need to find what sets you apart and makes you a valuable find for your potential clients.
This doesn’t have to be huge. Even small differences can have a large impact on how people perceive your brand.
And when you hit on the right difference, it might mean the world to some people. It might be the difference that makes you stand out so over other coaches and consultants.
For example, you might specifically market your coaching and consulting services to a niche group of people. While some might pass you by and think “well, that’s not me,” it’s likely that it will strongly resonate with others and even be the catalyst to their hiring you.
Create Content That Sparks Conversation
Once you land on what makes you different, it’s time to create content that highlights your expertise and the benefits you provide.
Start creating content that showcases your knowledge on social media, your website, and even your blog. Talk about what you do, the problems your audience faces and the solutions you offer, while subtly highlighting what makes you different.
Depending on how you choose to differentiate yourself, it could very well spark conversations. And results in more shares among certain communities.
Be Consistent
The first time people come across your brand, they may notice you but will likely keep going with their day. It might take several brand interactions before people take action — and that’s completely normal.
That’s why consistency is so important.
As people keep seeing your messaging and consuming your content, you will eventually float to the top of their mind as a serious contender for their needs.
So stay with it. Branding for coaches and consultants takes time, but it is well worth it in the end.
Reassess Your Messaging from Time to Time
With time, your market positioning will change. Your audience might grow older and you might cater to a new audience with other needs. Something big might happen in the world to change the mindset of your audience, even briefly. Consider, for example, the pandemic and how it has affected everyone.
This is why it’s important to regularly reassess your messaging and positioning. Ask yourself:
- Does this make sense for my current market?
- Does my messaging and positioning still fit my audience?
If your answer to either of these questions is “no” then take a fresh look at your messaging and positioning. Make changes to best fit the circumstances of your current audience.
Concluding Thoughts on Branding for Coaches and Consultants
In conclusion, branding and marketing for coaches and consultants don’t have to be complicated. But positioning and messaging can go a long way in establishing your brand and connecting with your audience.
So take the time to seriously think about the points that we’ve talked about here. Go through each one and see how it fits into your own brand.
And be sure to comment below and let me know how it goes.
Photo by Green Chameleon on UnsplashPositioincraft
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