What is Positioning and Messaging for Coaches?

You've probably heard of brand language and positioning for goods, but what about selling your coaching or consulting services? Positioning and message continue to be crucial. How? Let's look at why positioning and messaging are vital for coaches and consultants, as well as how you may construct your own.

First, let's address a critical question...

What is coaches and consultants' positioning and messaging?

Coaches and consultants must use positioning and message as part of their branding.

But, before we get into how to create your own positioning and messaging statements, let's define what these terms represent and how they might benefit your business.

What is the difference between positioning and messaging?
If you're a coach or consultant, you've probably been asked, "What do you do?" You could have felt like a deer in headlights the first few times.

This is when message and positioning come into play. It's simpler to answer such types of inquiries in a meaningful, fulfilling manner when you have them prepared and ready to go. It allows you to express yourself with confidence.

But, what should this statement contain?

• First and foremost, your message should inform individuals that...
• What you do and who you are.
• The kind of individuals you assist with your services.
• Why did you choose to do what you do?
• The outcomes you obtain.
• The distinct benefit that individuals get from working with you.

This may be compared to a more detailed elevator pitch. It has many of the same aspects as the last one, but goes into a little more depth and is targeted primarily at prospective customers. It's even possible to think of it as your value proposition.

Why are positioning and messaging important in coaches and consultants' marketing?

Within your plan, positioning and message play a significant part. Positioning and message that are clear and concise assist you in achieving your goals.

• Describes what you do and who you do it for in a clear and straightforward manner.
• Is unique to you and distinguishes you.
• Connects with your potential customer in a meaningful way.
• Shares his experience working with you.
• Makes folks curious about who you are and what you do.

Now that we know what positioning and messaging are and why they're essential, let's look at how to create your own positioning and messaging statements for your coaching and consulting business.

Coaches and consultants: the secrets to successful positioning and messaging

Decide who you are, what you want to do, and why you want to do it.
These three phrases may help you create a positioning statement, which is how you express your value to your target market and emphasize what sets you apart.

Now consider the following:

• Who do you serve - who do you serve? What would you use to characterize your ideal client?
• What — What issues do your customers have, and what solutions can you provide?
• Why should a potential customer choose you above your competitors? What distinguishes you from the competition?
• Make a list of your responses to these questions. Seeing them in paper might assist you in putting your positioning statement together.

As an example, I'll use myself. The following are my three responses to these questions.

• Who I help — I help coaches, consultants, and small company owners over the age of 50 position, brand, and promote themselves as go-to-experts and grow their businesses.
• What – People over the age of 50 often experience ageism and other difficulties. I work with seasoned coaches, consultants, and other small business owners to build a personal brand and position themselves to grow their businesses and attract the ideal clientele.
• Why? I've spent over 25 years working in personal branding, marketing, and public relations, and I've faced similar challenges in my own career.

From here, I'll be able to create a positioning statement that encapsulates these ideas. For instance, I might say something like...

I use my 25+ years of marketing and public relations expertise to assist coaches and consultants nail their positioning, marketing, and branding so they can become the go-to-expert their customers are looking for.

Make a name for yourself

This was mentioned briefly in the last paragraph, but it is worth reiterating. As you may have observed, there are a plethora of coaches and consultants out there all vying for your business.

As a result, you must determine what distinguishes you and makes you a desirable discover for prospective customers.

This doesn't have to be a large undertaking. Even little variations may have a significant influence on how consumers view your brand.

And finding the correct distinction might mean the world to certain folks. It might be the distinction that sets you apart from other trainers and advisors.

For example, you may target a certain set of individuals with your coaching and consulting services. While some may pass you by and say, "Well, that's not me," it's more than possible that it will strike a chord with others and even lead to their employing you.

Create content that encourages others to talk about it.

It's crucial to generate material that shows your expertise and the advantages you give after you've figured out what sets you apart.

Start sharing stuff on social media, your website, and even your blog that demonstrates your expertise. Discuss what you do, the issues your audience encounters, and the answers you provide, all while highlighting what sets you apart.

It's possible that depending on how you choose to separate yourself, you'll start a dialogue. As a consequence, some communities have greater shares.

Maintain consistency

People may notice your brand the first time they see it, but they will most likely ignore it. It's very usual for customers to take action after many contacts with a brand.

That is why maintaining consistency is crucial.

People will gradually remember you as a genuine competitor for their requirements if they continually seeing your message and consuming your content.

So keep going. It takes effort to build a brand for coaches and consultants, but it is well worth it in the end.

From time to time, reevaluate your messaging.
Your market positioning will shift over time. Your audience may age, and you may need to adapt to a new audience with different wants. Something significant may occur in the world, causing your audience's mentality to shift, even if only temporarily. Take the epidemic, for example, and how it has impacted everyone.

This is why it's critical to review your message and posture on a frequent basis. Consider the following questions:

• Is this feasible in my present market?
• Is my message and positioning still appropriate for my target audience?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, you should reconsider your message and posture. Make adjustments to better suit the needs of your current audience.

Final thoughts on coaches and consultants' branding

Finally, branding and marketing for coaches and consultants does not have to be difficult. However, positioning and messaging may help you develop your brand and connect with your target audience.

So take some time to properly consider the topics we've discussed here. Examine each one to discover how it relates to your own brand.

Also, please leave a comment below to let me know how it went.

Thanks to Wendy Marx at Business 2 Community whose reporting provided the original basis for this story.