In today’s world, the word “coach” means anything. We have fitness coaches, sports coaches, life coaches and more. The term can be used rather loosely as it doesn’t necessarily convey the level of expertise. Even within sports, there are many types of coaches, i.e., mental coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, etc. Furthermore, each individual sport can be broken down into different levels, styles, features and applicable specialized coaching.
This is exactly why it’s extremely important to identify, create and market your specific coaching niche. If you want to become a better coach for your athletes, then specializing in your sport is the way to go for many reasons. With tens of thousands of coaches using TrainingPeaks, focus on attracting the athletes you coach the best. Here’s why:
Interested athletes easily identify you.
Every athlete needs something different from a coach. Oftentimes, athletes switch coaches frequently because they struggle to find the right coach. Also, athletes get lost in the sea of coaching options available. When looking for a coach, athletes narrow down their selection based on who is going to help them the most. If you clearly market and explain your specialty, athletes looking for your expertise will more easily find you.
You provide even better coaching services.
Think of creating your niche as both a process and an opportunity. When you know what types of athletes you work best with, it enables you to become a better coach and to grow your abilities and education accordingly. You can always learn more about your sport and become even more of a specialist within your coaching niche as new styles, practices and knowledge evolve. You also save time by learning how to address specific needs more efficiently. When you narrow down your practice scope, you create more time for growth and self-education.
Gain a huge marketing advantage.
When you market directly to your preferred athlete type, you eliminate excess time spent responding to all types of athlete inquiries. When you stand out from the other coaches, you become a clear, direct solution for athletes. Also, just because you have a specific coaching niche doesn’t mean you can’t coach other athletes as well. Actually, instead of thinking that you’ll lose audience exposure by becoming more specific, you actually increase your exposure. For example, if you had a specific sports-related injury, would you want to visit a general practitioner or a specialist who knows more about your injury? People want to feel special. They want to feel that their unique needs are being met by the best expert available. By appealing to this feeling, you will gain a substantial leg up on the competition.
Increased athlete success and happiness.
Coaching athletes within your specialty allows you to provide an even better experience. This will lead to high customer satisfaction and recommendations. Additionally, you will experience greater job gratification since you can rest easy knowing that you serve your clients to the very best of your ability. When all parties work at a high level together, everyone wins.
In summary, regardless of the sport, there is truly no “one-size-fits-all-coach.” You have to be okay with turning away specific athletes that don’t match up to your coaching services and, ultimately, their needs. When you coach the athletes that need you the most, your coaching business will profit and maximize growth. Coaching is about offering a service that creates athlete excellence and performance. Standing out from other coaches is the goal—start by dialing in on what makes you unique.
