The Benefits Of Building A Coaching Community
Investing time into a coaching community can serve you from day one all the way through the end of your career. It will help you catch more clients, learn and share valuable information about your field, and establish important relationships that can give you a leg up down the road as your business grows.
But what does a coaching community look like in 2021?
That question has challenged gyms, health and wellness businesses, fitness education facilities, and personal trainers alike. While coaching communities have always been a critical piece of successful fitness businesses, they’ve changed a lot over the past few years.
Today, your coaching community is what you make of it. Establishing or joining one will be like finding a watering hole for your business. We’ll help you get there so that you can return to it regularly for the nourishment your business needs to keep moving and growing this year.
The Benefits Of A Collective Coaching Community
Your coaching community can be as open-door or niche-specific as you’d like. But in general, it’s simply a place where people with an interest in coaching can meet up regularly to…
Share Ideas & Inspiration
Having a big brainstorm sesh with other coaches can knock down roadblocks that would have otherwise stumped you and stalled your business. Coaches can find solutions to problems, gain a better understanding of their clients’ needs, come up with new ideas much more quickly and easily, and reduce business blind spots by simply thinking through topics together.
Collaborate With Other Coaches
Coaches don’t have to see each other as only competition. The health and fitness industry is massive, a booming $4.5 trillion business, with space for all kinds of coaches. Coaching communities create space to collaborate rather than compete with each other.
Helping coaches work together has been one of the biggest business boosters we’ve seen at SPRNG. Our Mastermind Program leaves coaches inspired, supported, encouraged, revved up, and ready to push their business forward.
Find Mentors and Mentees
Not all coaches are the same, so having a community can help you find a coaching mentor or take a beginner under your own wing. Of course, gleaning valuable insight from a veteran coach will bring big benefits to your business. But it’s also fulfilling to share your knowledge and resources with others.
At SPRNG, one of our founders, Amanda Nighbert, has been working in the health and fitness industry for decades. She lights up when she helps the SPRNG coaches learn how to turn their passion into a big-bucks career.
Build A Supportive Community
COVID shut down a lot of fitness facilities, and many gyms across the country had to close their doors for good. That said, the market hasn’t really changed. People still want to stay fit, look great, and feel healthy. In fact, if anything, this push towards health and fitness is growing quickly.
The pandemic has emphasized to the masses that taking care and control of your own health is more critical than ever. Health has emerged as a key focus for consumers, and coaches, who have established a digital community to fall back, on are thriving.
Boost Client Crossover
Since health and wellness can cover many topics, coaches can often share clients and promote other programs to help each other out. For example, one coach might run programs that emphasize weight training while another coach might only cover nutrition. Maybe your program can lead someone to another coach’s program, and vice versa.
How To Find Your Own Coaching Community
Now that you’re onboard, you’re probably wondering where you can find the best coaching communities?
Here are three steps that’ll get you connected to the right community for you and your business.
Do The Research
A quick search through social media will link you up with many coaching groups—whether you’re on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Some will be run by coaching schools, some by coaching organizations, or individual trainers. These groups allow you to post questions, start a discussion, or share your business’s successes. They can also help you narrow down your search and connect with smaller circles that might be interested in meeting virtually on a more frequent basis.
Looking for something a little more organized? Check out these six resources that’ll get you plugged in:
- I.N.N.I.N.N. – The Institute for Integrative Nutrition is one of the world’s largest nutrition schools. While on the pricier side, this program includes classes from worldwide experts, provides practical business tips, and sets you up with a supportive community.
- SPRNG Mastermind: When you join SPRNG, you’ll become part of a community of inspired, supportive, and professional coaches through the Mastermind Program. We’ve watched countless coaches come alongside each other and offer the support and solutions their fellow coaches need to keep moving forward in their businesses.
- The Co-Active Network: CTI offers coaches both training and community resources, like their Co-Active Network. Here, members can discuss topics and ask questions with other coaches in the community.
- ReciproCoach: This collaborative community for coaches also helps health professionals receive the support they need throughout their career. The organization allows like-minded coaches to challenge, promote, and encourage each other in their business endeavors.
- ICF Chapter Meetings: You can link up with other coaches and attend programs through the International Coaching Federation. Click the link to see whether there’s a chapter near you.
- Coaching Events: Attend a coaching conference where you can make connections and meet other coaches. Check out the link for a list of online and in-person coaching events happening this year.
Dive In
After picking your community, kick off your shoes and dive in deep. A coaching community will only bring your business value if you are willing to get involved. Share your knowledge, engage with coaches and their content, and snatch up opportunities to improve those professional relationships whenever possible.
Commit to this community for a period of time and sincerely invest there. If you’ve given it your best shot and haven’t found the support you need, then try out another community group.
Find Your Few People
You’re not going to connect with everyone, but find those few who you really like and can connect with on a deeper level. Seek out those people and cultivate a relationship outside the group. You could create this smaller group where you can meet on a more regular basis and have more pointed discussions that address each of your specific business concerns.
Consider Creating Your Own Coaching Community
If the coaching communities you’ve found don’t quite fit your style, or if you’re living in an area where there aren’t many established groups, starting your own coaching community might be the perfect option. Just follow these two simple steps to get your group going.
Invite Intentionally
Helpful coaching communities shouldn’t be a meeting place for sleazy salespeople, but for quality coaches and clients who are looking to spread solid info and positivity. It may be tempting to let everyone and their neighbor join your coaching community when you’re just starting out, but it’s usually better for everyone to find the group that best matches their needs and wants.
For example, if you started a group where coaches could get together on Fridays and crank out their social media content for the next week, you may want to foster a community that puts their heads down and gets their work done and engages with each other’s content. That group would not be ideal for a coach who’s looking to simply network with other coaches, and their attempts to network while the group is trying to complete some deep-focus work wouldn’t be ideal for the group either.
Don’t feel bad about steering people to the right group for them, even if that’s not the one you’re starting.
Pick A Platform
When creating your own coaching community, pick the platform that will serve that community best. Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn host most coaching communities. But if you really want to foster a community of your own with solid fellow professionals, you’ll want to go the custom coaching app route.
With SPRNG, you’ll get the best of both worlds. When you join, you immediately become part of the SPRNG Mastermind Program and you’ll also be able to create a complete community exclusive to your business.
No Coach Is Alone
Joining or starting your own coaching community can ensure your coaching business has the resources it’ll need if you ever hit a dry spell. Jump in our SPRNG community by signing up for our weekly newsletter or join up with other great coaches and set up your own fitness app today.