Research into what makes a successful and sustainable coaching practice reveals one thing consistently: you need to find your coaching niche.

There are many reasons why it’s so important to find your niche, but here are just a few to motivate you:

👉The single most important reason is that a confused mind says NO.  You need to be as clear and concise about what you do so that potential clients can immediately decide whether or not you are the right coach for them.

👉Successful marketing is the result of a clear, focused approach and message, not a “spray and pray” approach.

👉Clarity has impact.  Noise just remains noise that gets no attention.

To help you in your quest to find and define your coaching niche, here are some lovely questions lifted from Marcus Buckingham’s fabulous book, Work + Love (here’s a link to where you can buy your copy on Amazon).

When you go through this exercise, read through all of the questions first so that you get a sense of them in your head.  When you answer them, don’t just answer them from a professional/work perspective.  Sweep wider than just the workplace.

When was the last time…

… you lost track of time?

… you instinctively volunteered for something?

… someone had to tear you away from what you were doing?

… you felt completely in control of what you were doing?

… you surprised yourself with how well you did?

… you were singled out for praise?

… you were the only person to notice something?

… you found yourself actively looking forward to work?

… you came up with a new way of doing things?

… you wanted the activity to never end?

For each of the activities you identified, ask yourself:

Does it matter who you’re doing this with?

Does it matter when you do this?

Does it matter why you’re doing this?

Does it matter what the focus or the subject is?

Does it matter how you’re doing it?

Have fun and drop a comment below this article if greater clarity on your niche emerges for you after doing this exercise.

Finally, remember that your niche will continue to evolve over time.  It is never cast in stone.  

To paraphrase Ralph Waldo Emerson: Niche is a journey, and not a destination.

Here’s a link to an article on the neuroscience behind finding and defining your niche.