Social Media and Coaching: Why the Two Go Hand in Hand?

Social media, two words used incessantly nowadays with no real definition to them. Two words flung around as though they are the only way of communicating or advertising in our ever-changing world.

But what is social media? Does social media have any link to coaching whatsoever?

Social media can be considered any tool used to communicate with two or more people via the Internet. Thus, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and even emails are social media outlets. Coaches have started using these means of communication to get more clients, but also have created new coaching programs to teach coaches how to market themselves better.

‘Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.’ Seth Godin

‘Why use Social Media and Coaching?

People feel lonely. They want to connect with others. Dialogues through the Internet are like any positive communication. It can provide you with a boost of energy or lift your mood. Social media can stimulate positive feelings by simply reading motivational quotes. We often connect with people we have never met. This can be scary or give you other contacts that deter you from feeling lonesome or help you learn in an autodidactic way. This is an opportunity to address this need.

Why be active on the Social Media?

Like with ‘wifi’ waves, coaches can sow positive, energizing messages or valuable personal development messages within their network’s reach. Like sowed grain may grow in a fertile ground, value-added messages through the Internet may attract leads to your website and offerings. Instead of pushing an advertisement message intrusively, you can be more visible and provide a glimpse of who you are and what you can offer. This naturally attracts people to you and your message. On lookers can also identify more rapidly if there is a chemistry fit or the coach has the approach that can get them from where they are to where they want to be. Here are some tips to communicate and gain social media exposure.

Communicating through the social media also promotes your brand or helps you promote career coaching?

Besides feeling better after connecting with someone virtually, if you have the right approach it can help you find a job. It promotes your brand, drawing more coaching clients to you by demonstrating your expertise in career coaching or by reminding your friends and families what you are up to.

Here are a few tips to enhance your social media exposure:

#1. Create Venues:

A Facebook page, a LinkedIn account or a Twitter account for yourself or your company

#2. Talk and animate these accounts daily:

Keep clients or friends updated on the latest happenings. Show your expertise and teach clients about the latest trends in a respective industry or facilitate a client’s desired outcome. Be personable, make sure the clients know who you are by being transparent with them so they feel reassured and know there is a real person behind the social media venue.

#3. Be knowledgeable about the latest social media trends:

Attend conferences on the subject, learn how to use each tool optimally, learn about these venues.

#4. Follow up and see what works:

Every week make sure you accept the various friend requests. Answer the emails that were sent to you via these networks. Follow what posts were most liked. See what your clients are interested in knowing.

#5. Create and nurture a relationship as you would a friend and a coaching client

‘We don’t have a choice whether we DO social media, the question is how well we DO it.’ Erik Qualman

#6. Write value added information for your coaching client

It is almost impossible to move forward without using social media, but not all social media information is inspiring enough to be shared. There is a fine line between too much information and not enough. As information ‘distributors’ it is important to know what is useful and valuable to your readers. There is no need to tell our entire life over the Internet. Not everyone cares to know what we had for lunch or dinner.

However, pertinent information about your areas of interest will surely attract attention. For example, if you are a potential corporate client, you might be attracted to information on how coaching can help you improve your life and succeed in the job you always wanted or how to get off the treadmill and find more meaning in what you do.
Write Blogs as a means to promote your brand and share your expertise
Blogs are very good to reach a vast amount of people while costing little time and money. Moreover, what you write in a blog is yours. What you post on Facebook, you do not own any longer.

#7. The golden rule

Remember to collect emails, as that is a way to connect with your clients and friends directly and those emails can remain yours for life.

Find attractive subjects that your coaching clients find valuable and like.

Try doing a survey to find subjects that interest your target audience. Then write a blog and market it to your community.

For inspiration on how to write a blog, check out our blogs, you’ll find information on anything from how to decode body language, to mindfulness, to how chairmen choose their CEO’s. Give us your opinion in the commentary or subscribe to our newsletter at www.mkbconseil.ch to get interesting information for leaders, Managers, HR and Coaches.

With social media, you can develop personal and professional client connections and inform clients what new resources and value-added products are available. As coaches, we find meaning in what we do by helping others. Social media provides the venue to be useful.

Nevertheless, it is essential not to forget that in order to be on top of your game, you need to be alert of the latest trends in the social media realm by attending key conferences or workshops and keeping connected to all the social media gurus around or in Switzerland.

If you need any help with developing all of this further, we at MKB Excellent Executive Coaching are here to assist you, and take you from where you are, to where you want to be!

For more information, you can check out our leadership coaching programs or talent development programs and access our free podcast on Excellent Executive Coaching and subscribe on iTunes.

Written by Celine and Katrina