You’re a talented coach. You’ve got the results. The credentials. The experience.
But growing your business is a constant uphill battle...
Chances are, the problem is not your service.
Or the 'miracle method' some business coach promised would work.
More likely, it's your positioning.
And in the coaching industry, great positioning is the difference between:
being seen as just another service provider…
and
being the go-to (premium) expert in your category.
Here are my top 5 signs that your positioning is sabotaging your success:
1. You’re attracting a wide range of clients… but few are a good fit
When your positioning is unclear, you become a magnet for meh clients.
They don’t respect your boundaries, are not ready to invest, or drain your energy.
The solution is not getting another certification or spending more on ads.
→ Get clear on what type of clients you get the BEST results for, and work that into your positioning.
2. Prospects don't really get what you do
When you sell intangible offers, it's easy to get lost in the weeds. Especially if it's a natural talent that comes through without much step-by-step process behind it. I see many coaches be either too vague or use industry lingo as if it was common knowledge (it's not).
→ Clearly articulate what you actually do, 'empowering people' or 'helping leadership make an impact' is not a deliverable.
You'd be shocked to hear what some of your 'hot leads' think your service is! It's not their fault though...
We're going deep into this in my upcoming workshop (May 27).
3. You’re undercharging, not because of mindset, but because your brand doesn’t justify more
Ouch. This is a tough pill to swallow... but I'd rather be the bad guy and give you the truth.
It’s not that your work isn’t valuable. It’s that your message doesn’t communicate why it is.
Other coaches with half your skill are charging 5-10x your prices because they took the time to get this right.
→ Understand what the competitive options are from your clients' perspective, not yours. Then position yourself against those.
4. Not enough 'just take my money' clients
You're scared to narrow down your targeting because God forbid you don't get to service all 100 Million people in your niche.
When you speak to everyone, you speak to no-one. (I know you know this!)
How are these amazing clients meant to feel like you're speaking to them directly if your message is as bland as a medical ingredient list?
→ Focus on a specific segment of your market, with specific worldviews, problems, and values.
5. Prospects don't buy, even with steep discounts
Saving money is not the reason they don't commit. It's because they don't believe you. They are not convinced that working with you will take them to the 'promise land' you talk about.
There's a severe trust deficit online, across all markets, not just your business.
Those 5 second reels, dancing, and pointing at air do nothing to help build trust (it is weird that this has to be said in a business context!).
→ Make it a priority to show proof of your results. It needs to be a system in your business, not just sharing a DM screenshot once. Also, look into Google's 7-11-4 rule for conversions, this is critical information.
If any of these resonate, it's time to look at your positioning.
Meet David: Your guide to Genius Positioning
I'm David, a seasoned strategist with over a decade in marketing, growing brands like Sephora, Jaguar & Land Rover, as well as hundreds of other businesses across many industries. I have also founded 3 brands myself, and am intimately familiar with the pressure of marketing a service with limited time and resources.
After delivering results for so many businesses, I refined my own framework for differentiating personal brands, which includes using Human Design to laser into identifying people's innate genius.
I specialise in helping coaches like you position your genius to attract premium clients in a sustainable way.
Introducing the Genius Positioning Framework
I take clients though a proven 4-step process over the course of 4 weeks that takes them from talented-but-invisible to becoming the obvious best choice, using Human Design + Genius Positioning:
- Uncover Your Genius: Identify your unique strengths and how they translate into value for your clients.
- Position Your Genius: Strategically position your brand as the obvious best choice for dream clients.
- Build Your Brand World: Develop an irresistible brand world that does the marketing heavy lifting.
- Lean Marketing Engine: Create a sustainable marketing system aligned with your energy and goals.
Why this matters
Proper positioning isn't just about standing out.
It's about attracting the right clients, commanding higher fees, and cutting out unnecessary struggles that come from having your coaching brand misunderstood (or straight-up overlooked).
Looking a few steps down the line, it's clear to see that a big chunk of the coaching services will be replaced by AI. Being a generic coach, for a generic market is THE recipe for being taken out.
Genius Positioning leverages market changes, including AI, and clearly articulates why you're the best choice for the right people - even against AI!
Your lived experience, the trauma you overcame, your inner drive, your unique combination of gifts - cannot be replicated by anyone or anything. But you need to be able to articulate that and use it in your marketing.
Coaches will be needed more than ever in the next decades, as the fundamental worldviews and structures are falling apart and people will need support in processing rapid change and navigating uncharted territory.
I deeply believe that the only 'trading asset' that will survive all global market shifts is our innate genius. Everything else can be automated, copied, delegated, or just burned into obscurity.
I've seen and tried first-hand so many strategies and tactics over the past decade, and learned that if they're not in line with how you naturally operate as a human, they will burn you out, no matter how well they worked for others.
Going all in on your genius, both in your service, as well as how you market your business, is the fastest, most effortless and sustainable way to operate in 2025 and beyond.
Need help?
Download the Genius Positioning Template (Free)
I created this shortcut to help you articulate what makes you different in one simple sentence.
Join the Upcoming Masterclass: Spell It Out (Free)
What Are You Actually Selling? Strip the fluff. Clarify the service. Make it easy to buy.
Live workshop on May 20, 4 PM BST.
Register for the Masterclass →
Join the Waitlist
I occasionally take a small group of coaches through the Genius Positioning Framework.
Get on the waitlist to be the first to hear when spots open.
