As a life coach, you help people reach their potential. Often someone with leadership qualities needs some guidance about turn their frustrated life into a fulfilling one. You work in partnership with your clients, helping them identify what's meaningful in their lives and what isn't. It's a lucrative business if you know build your practice.
Instructions
1. Make a business plan. Decide whether you want your life coaching practice to concentrate on a certain aspect of a person's life, like business or spirituality, or address multiple issues. Identify what you have to offer, such as past experience in running a business or a degree in a related field like psychology.
2. Get some coaching training. Your education and experience aren't enough to make you an excellent life coach. The International Coach Federation (ICF) offers the Accredited Coach Training Program that includes 125 hours of education and at least six supervised coaching sessions (see Resources below).
3. Find a mentor who'll let you observe her at her work. Knowledge by itself isn't enough. When you're doing life coaching, you must be able to bring it together. It's difficult to give your client the advice he needs while still being a good listener.
4. Come up with a marketing plan that allows you to introduce what you do. Running an advertisement in the paper, for example, will rarely give you clients. This is because people aren't familiar with what life coaches do. You'll have to be more creative in getting the word out about your services.
5. Create a website with plenty of information that's of interest to your potential clients. This is essential in introducing people to what you have to offer. Partner with other businesses that can enhance the information you offer on your website and link to each other.
6. Give lectures on topics of interest at universities, colleges and community centers. Go where your potential clients may be. For example, offer seminars to Chamber of Commerce members if you're targeting business clients.
7. Network with other life coaches by joining the International Coach Federation (ICF). Attend their conference and give out plenty of your business cards. Ask if they have a specialty and build both of your practices by referring work to each other.
