June 08, 2021

The Difference Between Building An In-Person and Online Coaching Business #108

43 minutes

Today we get into the differences of an online coaching business, compared with the in-person model.

The Episode: The Difference Between Building An In-Person and Online Coaching Business

As more trainers catch onto the benefits of working online, marketing and business strategies need to reflect these trends. One of the main arguments we make here on the OTA show is that online coaching is not the same as an in-person service, and so there are clear ways in which your methods need to evolve if you are wanting to make this switch. In this episode, we focus on a few elements that are vital to a successfully run online training business and dispel some myths and misconceptions around niching down and your actual selling points.

In This Episode

What most people sell when doing in-person training [0:15:29]
The challenges of switching from in-person to online [0:20:10]
Why narrowing down your target market is not so dangerous [0:25:01]
Location bias when working as an in-person trainer [0:28:32]
How marketing changes when you move online [0:32:51]
Taking your business cues from your own life [0:36:10]

“What you can do for somebody in person is much harder to do for them online, it's harder to replicate.” — Jonathan Goodman

What In-Person Coaches Offer

In-person training is predominantly about making someone feel good while they are working out with you. However, whether in-person or online, you should always be selling the transformation that is possible through your program. The problem is that a lot of people do not do this! Although different customers might look for different things, you need to promote the real value that you offer and double down on that. Online training allows us to focus more on those results as there is less focus on the actual sessions.

Switching to an Online Model

There are a number of challenges that coaches can encounter when making the switch to an online business. Pricing is a big part of making the change, and your mentality towards your prices and value will determine how things work out for you. We urge you to be very conscious of your mindset around this time and try to see if you can catch and curb any limiting thoughts that might be present. Until you do this you will be stuck within those limitations.

Narrowing Down Your Market is a Positive Step

Trying to serve and help everyone is a fallacy, and will not actually enable greater impact or reach. When you narrow down your lane to something more defined, you usually make it possible to connect with more people, rather than exclude possible clients. Your whole business will evolve over time, so there is no need to overcomplicate things, especially in the beginning. The beauty of online training is that it allows you to drill down on what you really offer, and remove noise and hype from what attracts clients to your business.

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