Afraid to “Put Yourself Out There” as a Coach?

If you’re an early-stage coach (or aspiring coach) who is wanting to put yourself out there, there’s a good chance you’ve felt it: That knot of fear around being visible in your not-yet-fully-stable identity as a coach, and risking judgment by posting publicly.

Maybe you’ve thought about posting invitations to work with you, or requests for feedback in social media groups. Maybe you’ve imagined posting about your services on your social media. Maybe you’ve even created a survey or a resource to share… and then froze.

You’re not alone. This is a normal part of starting a coaching business. And there’s a smart way to move through it without the risk of publicly embarrassing yourself, burning relationships, and without blasting your whole network before you’re ready.

Would you like to know how?

One of the most common mistakes is thinking, “I’ll just post it everywhere and see who bites”, but here’s the thing…  You can only “ask” for something in a “one-to-many” format (like posting in Facebook/Linkedin groups, your kids’ school network, etc.) about once or twice before people start tuning you out.

If you do that before you’ve solidified your messaging you’re spending your most precious asset too early: your goodwill.

An early-stage coaching business is fueled by trust and rapport, not by mass posts, email blasts, and definitely not by automation.  Protect that trust like gold.

Instead of “blasting” your network, start with 1-on-1 outreach.

Individual conversations give you more room to learn, adjust, and grow without burning out your network.

Would you like a simple plan you can follow?

1. Make a List.
   Write down people you already have goodwill with.  People who know you, who like you, and might be aligned with the audience you want to serve.  A great way to do this is by going through your “sent” email folder and recent messages in your messaging apps.
   
2. Use the Intuition Test.
   Now that you have a list, read through it and look at each name. If reaching out to them for any particular “ask” feels clean, aligned, and comfortable in your body, they pass the test. Send away!.   If it feels off, heavy, or sticky skip them for now.
   
3. Reach Out Gently.
   Craft a personal, thoughtful request. You’re not selling, you’re connecting, exploring, learning, and looking for potential win-win arrangements.
   
4. Iterate as You Go.
   Each conversation gives you valuable feedback. Use it to deepen your understanding, empathy, confidence and messaging before moving to the next few people.
   
5. Expand Later.
   Once your offer and messaging are tested and working, now you can graduate to “one-to-many outreach” without as much risk to your goodwill or confidence.
   

Simply put, start by talking to people you already feel comfortable with. You’ll build “experience points”,confidence, and empathy with each interaction. And as your experience grows, your fear shrinks naturally and sustainably.

Instead of forcing yourself to “get over” your fear, you can build through it, one aligned conversation at a time.

The bottom line is, the foundation of your coaching business isn’t built in blasts. It’s built in real relationships, one authentic connection at a time.

You’ve got this. 👊