Kim Avery Coaching

Branding for the Christian Coach

by | 25 comments

Why do ranchers brand cows? Because when their cows are out grazing with other rancher’s cows, they all look alike.

cows

What if to the casual observer all coaches seemed alike? They had the same certifications, used the same techniques and charged about the same price.

Why would a client choose you instead of someone else? (Really. Think about this for a minute.)

Branding yourself and your coaching business involves pointing out how you are different, unique and better than the rest.

The Norm
Unfortunately, when most coaches begin their businesses they search the Internet to see what everyone else is doing and simply imitate them.  The result is that they blend in with the crowd and no one even remembers their name.

The Ideal
You can do better than that.

In fact, you need to do better than that if you hope to succeed.

God knows you and calls you by name, and you want others to do that, too. Branding is the process of letting others know the distinct characteristics God wove into you.

Begin your branding process by answering these three questions.

1.  How are you different?

God designed you to be one-of-a-kind. There is only one you.

What is it about your personality, your experience, your manner, your history that sets you apart from the rest?

If you find these questions hard to answer, you are not alone. We each know ourselves so intimately that it’s easy to take our gifts and strengths for granted. Taking objectives assessments such as the DiSC, Myers-Briggs or StrengthFinder may help.

How I’m Different
When I took the StrengthsFinder 2.0, one of the top strengths that described me was “strategic.” Previously, I had assumed that everyone thought the way that I did, but upon reflection I realized that I do have a rare ability to see a clear direction through a complex situation.

When I paired this God-given ability of strategic thinking with my passion for helping Christian coaches succeed, I realized that part of my brand is helping people get to where they want to go one simple step at a time.

It’s Your Turn
Now it’s your turn. When you put together your puzzle pieces of passion, strengths, experience and spiritual gifts, what one-of-a-kind tool kit did God build into you?

2. Which of your unique characteristics fill a need that your clients have?

For branding to be successful, it’s critical that the distinctives you highlight match your prospect’s genuine need.

This is where many coaches go wrong.

They may have the strength, interest and dexterity to be the world’s first Pogo Stick Jumping Coach but unfortunately all the Pogo Stick talent and passion in the world won’t help them succeed because no one wants what they have. (I hope I’m not bursting any bubbles here ☹.)

While many coaches choose a niche based on their spiritual gifts and passions, fewer take time to check to see if that niche really exists and wants to be coached.

Successful branding must show potential clients how your particular assets will help them meet them the very need that they are eager to satisfy.

The Need I Discovered I Could Meet
For me, one problem I heard mentioned again and again while interviewing Christian coaches was that they want marketing solutions that were broken down into small manageable steps.

I saw that if I combined my gift for strategic thinking with my love of marketing and my passion to see Christian coaches succeed, I could offer step-by-step marketing solutions.

From there I developed this branded tagline, “Bite-Sized Marketing for the Busy Christian Coach,” telling prospects who I work with and how I help them in a way that is memorable and unique.

3. How will you communicate your brand consistently across all channels?

From the copy on your website, to your business card and the very colors you use – you want to send a consistent message that will break through the competing messages in your prospect’s busy lives.

It’s not enough to be different – they have to know that you are.

What I Communicate
My long-term hope is that my bright red website, unique tagline and the picture I use of myself in all my materials will begin to represent Christ-saturated, step-by-step marketing excellence to Christian coaches throughout the world.

It’s Your Turn
How about you?

What are you going to do to further discover, develop and communicate your brand?

25 Comments

  1. Pam Taylor

    Great reminders, here, Kim. Your bright red website has always stuck in my mind and your picture is warm and welcoming. I LOVE reading and re-reading your posts as I put things in motion. I love the stories you tell on yourself, making you more approachable (more “human”). I love your sense of humor and that you truly do give us information in bite size portions. It helps take away the “overwhelm” of marketing. I no longer feel like I have to read everything out there to be sure that I haven’t missed it all. You are standing sentry duty to prevent the overload because you LOVE reading everything out there and then you share it and bless us with the Christian perspective besides! You are helping me to tweak my “one of a kind tool kit that God built into” me. God hardwired for a purpose and I want to be a more useful coach for my Niche.

    • Kim Avery

      Hi Pam,

      Wow – I don’t know what to say except ‘thank you.’ I am humbled and blessed that God has allowed me to be of assistance in your life and business growth.

      Thanks sooooo much for your kind words.

  2. Kim Hawkins

    I did the Strengths Finder assessment last year and it’s been such a blessing. It’s allowed me to really hone in on what I do well. My top strength is POSITIVITY! I too am a STRATEGIC and I love knowing this.

    I’m reading “Platform” and gradually making changes to create a brand recognition for my coaching biz. Great insights Kim.

    • Kim Avery

      Hi Kim,

      It’s great to meet a ‘fellow strategist.’ I’m glad to hear you are busy working on your brand – it’s an ongoing project, isn’t it?

      Keep up the great work.

  3. Scott Couchenour

    This advise is right on, Kim. Know what God has uniquely gifted you to do and become known, over time, for that. I read Platform and must say, I’m renewed in my intensity to keep my brand to my target audience of ministry leaders (“my mission is your mission, less burnout”) pure and consistent.

    Great post!

    • Kim Avery

      LOVE your tagline. I can tell you’ve spent a lot of time and prayer on branding yourself for the audience you serve.

  4. Tanya

    Thanks for the reminder that we all have something to offer, but we also need to make sure there is a need for what we have to offer. I have always wanted to take the strength finders test.

    • Kim Avery

      Hi Tanya –

      The StrengthsFinder is great – and very reasonably priced as well. I hope you get a chance to take it sometime. Thanks for taking time to comment.

      Kim

  5. Matthew Reed

    Great reminders about creating a meaningful niche. You’re work on this area has helped me over and over again! In some review, one of my niche areas is severely under-represented on my website. That’s going to change over the next couple weeks.

  6. DENISE

    Thanks for sharing your insights. I am still in the branding phase of my business and have loved reading the book Platform.

    • Kim Avery

      Thanks, Denise. Michael Hyatt’s Platform is a great place to be as you work on branding your business. Good for you.

  7. Bill Graybill

    I have really enjoyed Platform. It challenges me with each chapter I read. Reading the book The Path: Creating your Mission Statement for Work and for Life really helped me become comfortable with me. Helped me understand that “I encourage others through relationships with integrity.” With that as a foundation I am now working through the branding process. Thanks for great information and material to reflect on.

    • Kim Avery

      Hi Bill,

      Thanks for the book recommendation on “The Path.” I’ll bet that will be helpful to some of our other readers as well.

  8. Cheryl Thomas

    Loved this post. It helps me know how to focus my attention on my distinctiveness and celebrate it so others who need what I offer will be drawn to me.

    • Kim Avery

      Good for you, Cheryl. I’m eager to watch your journey with this unfold.

  9. Patti

    The visual of cattle being branded really works for me. I have done what you say so many of us do at the beginning – blend in. I’m working at standing out and am not quite sure it’s happening. I am however making progress. Thanks for your really practical ideas.

    • Kim Avery

      That’s great, Patti. You have great things to offer and I’m sure there are people out there eager to learn about them.

  10. cindy short

    I am a new business and I feel like I am constantly tweaking my brand. You make an excellent point that we need to not only pinpoint our spiritual gifts and how they make us different but also find out who out there needs what we offer. Very helpful article!

  11. Cheryl Cope

    These are excellent questions! Thanks for sharing! I like the way it is laid out in a step by step manner, too (which is one of your strengths!).

  12. Kiyla Fenell

    Creating a unique positioning in our businesses is essential for success. You must embrace what makes you different and market that like crazy! Good article.

    Kiyla Fenell

  13. Missy

    Very poignant.

  14. Kathryn Bonner

    Great post and info Kim! You are truly a blessing! My Strength Finder Assessment has me pegged! #1 Connectedness
    #2 Learner
    #3 Maximizer
    #4 Arranger
    #5 Positivity
    I use everybit of this in my busniness! Love your post and how we need to Brand Ourselves AS OUR SELF! Not as somebody else! It’s SO much easier when we embrace our giftedness / uniqueness and let our natural way of doing and being flow out of us. When we find ourselves struggling that’s when we need to backup, reassess and reevaluate what doesn’t “feel” right and change it so that we are operating out of our strengths! We we do so, it is fun again, not as hard and stressful!
    Blogging, Branding & Blessings,
    Kathryn

    • Kim Avery

      Hi Kathryn,

      Thanks for sharing your strengths. With just the little bit I know about you, your branding communicates your strengths beautifully. You are always positive, affirming, connecting and helping others learn and grow. Very cool!

  15. Kathryn Bonner

    Great post and info Kim! You are truly a blessing! My Strength Finder Assessment has me pegged! #1 Connectedness
    #2 Learner
    #3 Maximizer
    #4 Arranger
    #5 Positivity
    I use everybit of this in my busniness! Love your post and how we need to Brand Ourselves AS OUR SELF! Not as somebody else! It’s SO much easier when we embrace our giftedness / uniqueness and let our natural way of doing and being flow forth. When we find ourselves struggling that’s when we need to backup, reassess and reevaluate what doesn’t “feel” right and change it so that we are operating out of our strengths! When we do so, it is fun again, not as hard and stressful!
    Blogging, Branding & Blessings,
    Kathryn

  16. @MagneticSilvia

    You touched on my favorite topic over here, Kim. I love branding and benefits it can provide for any type of business. Standing out in marketplace is crucial, especially if your market is too crowded. Great points!