Are you really good at giving advice, steering friends and family through crises, or even helping others make it through your day-to-day tasks with ease and confidence? If so, you’d probably be a fantastic personal coach.

You may think of sports when you hear “coaching,” but personal coaching is a game of its own. 

Personal coaching has steadily become one of the most top-grossing jobs. It makes sense — most people would love to have someone to help them grow, achieve their dreams, and develop into stronger decision makers. Many people find themselves needing assistance regarding business, health, life, career, and more. And it’s a job that can easily be conducted online, a bonus in today’s market. 

If you want to pursue starting a coaching business, there’s a few tips and tricks you’ll need to know. 

Here are a few tips on how to start a coaching business online:

• Greatest Investment is Self-Investment

First and foremost, invest in yourself. When you’re a personal coach, you are your entire business, so it pays to spend the time and energy making sure you’re up to snuff. 

Don’t be afraid to invest in more time consuming endeavors, such as training courses or education, to make sure you know exactly what you’re doing and so you can be the top coach in your field. Take the time (and yes, the money) to get some books, attend seminars, take classes, whatever you can get your hands on. Take any and all opportunities that may come your way, but also be proactive and create your own opportunities. 

Remember, clients are paying you to offer them guidance on their lives; it’s key you can manage your own as well. 

• Networking is Key

Networking is important for running any business, but especially for personal coaching. This is all about building relationships and creating trust, so it follows that having those connections established will help you immensely. 

In this day and age, you can’t underestimate the role social media plays in starting your own business, especially one that relies on personal connections and relationships. Having a strong social media presence will definitely help you connect with those potential clients you already know, as well as those you may have never encountered otherwise. And when you’re trying to start  a coaching business online, it’s truly your bread and butter. Engaging with clients online will be so much easier with the help of social media. 

• Don’t be afraid to say no

If you’re building a new business, you might feel that it’s necessary to take on every client possible. Especially when you’re creating a business that operates completely online, you may think it behooves you to have as many irons in the fire to show that you’re available, receptive, and sought after. However, declining clients that are unhealthy for your business isn’t a wasted opportunity, it’s taking a step toward ensuring that your business can run smoothly and to your standards. You can’t help your other five clients if your one is draining all your energy, time, and resources. 

Investing in finding the right clients for your business will help mitigate the risk of bringing on a toxic client, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.  

At the end of the day, if you believe in your business, people will believe in you as well. Be confident, and have the courage to put yourself out there and trust the process. As long as you’re putting in the work, you will reap the benefits.