Getting coaching clients can happen much faster than you think — often within weeks, even if you’re brand new. But not in the way most people assume.
The coaches who figure out how to get coaching clients fastest aren’t posting endlessly on Instagram, dancing on TikTok, or burning money on ads. They’ve tapped into something completely different (and I’ll show you how).
I know, because I built my first six-figure coaching business with just a few hundred email subscribers and no social following. And over the past 10 years, I’ve helped more than 4,000 coaches — from life and career to business and health — sign clients and create consistent income.
In this guide, I’ll share the 18 proven strategies I’ve personally used and tested. Whether you want your very first coaching client or to fill your calendar with high-paying clients in 2025, these methods work.
👋 Who am I? I’m Luisa Zhou, a business coach who’s helped 4,000+ coaches start and grow profitable businesses. My work has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, and more. With 10+ years of hands-on experience (and mistakes you don’t have to make), I created this guide to help you start smarter. Learn more!
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TL;DR – My top strategies for getting coaching clients
These are the exact strategies that helped me grow my coaching business to six figures in four months, and that have helped countless clients land their first high-paying coaching clients:
- Tapping into your network: Your first client is most likely in your network, whether a friend, coworker, or acquaintance.
- Social media: By reaching your audience on a platform, you can quickly offer value and build connections (yes, without being salesy).
- Podcasts/talks: Speaking builds instant authority. Even small audiences can lead to multiple clients when you share real value.
- Referrals: Deliver results and ask happy clients for introductions.
- SEO: This is a long-term strategy, but it’s powerful. Get clients on your website from search engines and AI answer engines without being visible on social media.
Now, let’s jump into each strategy…
How to get coaching clients in 18 different ways
Every strategy can work, but not every strategy works for every person. The key is to pick the right one for your stage of business. Below, I’ve organized the best client-getting strategies by how fast they tend to work and explain who they work for and why.
And if you prefer to watch instead of read, I also recorded a YouTube video that walks you through these strategies with extra context and real examples from my own business:
Let’s dive in!
2–4 weeks (beginner: best for new coaches)
1. Your network
The fastest way to land your first coaching clients is to tap into your network of people who already know, like, and trust you. A simple message to colleagues, friends, or LinkedIn connections can lead to paying clients within days.
This is the strategy I, and many of my clients, have used to get our first clients.
When I first started coaching, I sold career coaching. At the time, I had already helped a few coworkers by giving them free career advice.
So when I started my business, I reached out to them and let them know about my new services.
A few of them signed up – and I had a business.
Tip: Don’t pressure friends to buy. Instead, let them know you’re starting a coaching business and offer a free call to help anyone they refer.
2. Podcast interviews
Podcasts let you borrow credibility from established hosts while getting in front of an engaged audience. But contrary to what many believe, you don’t need “big name” shows — smaller podcasts often convert better because their listeners are highly loyal.
I’ve been interviewed on massive podcasts like “So Money” by Farnoosh Thorabi. And that podcast had a big impact on my business!
But I’ve also gotten steady streams of clients from far smaller, but highly engaged podcasts.
Similarly, my client Ryan, a real estate coach, taps into podcasts to get consistent financial coaching clients.
Action step: Find niche podcasts using search queries like “podcast + [your topic]” or asking ChatGPT for a list of relevant shows.
3. Social media
There are plenty of social media platforms you can use to get clients, including…
The secret? Choosing one platform where your ideal clients already spend time. Then, show up consistently to build relationships — not just promote your services.
That’s how I landed my first high-paying coaching client. At the time, I was building a digital advertising coaching business, my first six-figure coaching business.
And I knew a lot of small business owners (my audience) were hanging out in Facebook groups. I didn’t really know anything about selling, but I wanted to understand my audience better. That’s why I went into these groups every day to share advice and help people.
I ended up helping one woman for free, for two weeks.
One day, she said, “You’ve helped me so much and I can see how much value I would get from working with you. I’d like to hire you.”
And I had my first sale – a $5,000 coaching package.
After that, I continued using social media to get consistent clients and quickly grew my business to six figures in four months.
Another example? Emily, a career coach, announced her new business on LinkedIn and landed clients within a few weeks.
On the other hand, Instagram, a more visual platform, works great for health coaches. Take Cristina, a holistic health coach, who found her first coaching client on Instagram.
But platforms like Instagram work well for other niches too. I’ve personally used it to sell courses worth a few hundred to a few thousand dollars and my $18,000+ mastermind coaching package.
Want to get started? Get clients on social media by using my guide to creating the best content.
4. Referrals
Even with just a few clients, you can ask for referrals. They’re highly effective because people trust personal recommendations more than any ad.
But you need to be proactive about asking for them. People are busy and don’t always think about making those connections.
And to sweeten the deal by offering a small commission (10% is standard).
You can send your clients a script like this one:
Hi [Name],
I hope you’re doing well!
I’m reaching out because I know you appreciate the quality of my work, and I’m currently bringing on more customers. If you know someone who needs [coaching], I would be happy to help. I’m offering a 10% commission for every successful referral.
Please feel free to pass on my contact info. They can reach me at [contact info].
Thank you!
Best,
[Your name]
5. Reddit
Subreddits are niche communities where you can find people highly interested in your coaching.
Just like with social media, you’re building relationships by sharing your expertise and helping others.
For example, my former client Ruby got her first relationship coaching client by asking people in a Subreddit to hop on a market research call in exchange for a short, free coaching session.
6. Cold outreach
Cold outreach can be a fast way to attract coaching clients. For example, if you help startups with leadership coaching, send personalized messages to founders on LinkedIn.
Keep your pitch tailored and value-driven. In other words, make it about the person you’re pitching instead of yourself.
7. The “Taster Technique”
Offer free, short (20-30-minute) coaching calls to people. You’ll first need to get them on a Zoom call – and social media is an excellent platform for that. But once you do, you’ll build trust much faster than you ever could with most other strategies.
The same applies to livestreams. I successfully used both of these strategies to quickly grow my first coaching business to six figures. When my audience realized how much they got out of just a livestream or one session, they wanted to learn more.
4-12 weeks (intermediate: if you already have a few clients)
8. Guest posts
Most people think guest posting is “dead” – but that’s far from true. If you land a guest post in a relevant, high-quality publication, you’ll reach your audience and build instant credibility in your space.
Take one of my guest posts on Business Insider. It got a lot of traction – and a five-figure sales week.
To find your opportunities, google phrases like “Contribute” + “your coaching niche” or ask ChatGPT for potential guest posting sites.
9. Webinars
Are you at the stage where you’ve already built a sales funnel?
In that case, a webinar can help you increase your sales.
You see, webinars are a fast way to build trust with people without jumping on sales calls with them. That said, your webinar needs to be structured and delivered in the right way.
So, how do you create a converting webinar?
Here’s what I’ve learned after having sold millions through my own webinars:
10. Speaking engagements
Both online and offline events work. Speak at industry conferences close to where you live by contacting the organizer, run a local meetup, or co-host a workshop.
For instance, if you offer health coaching services, you could organize a workout group.
Ryan, the real estate coach I mentioned earlier, has successfully used this strategy to sell his real estate coaching services.
While I don’t do it actively, I’ve spoken at events like Gary V Live:
11. Joint ventures
Partner with someone who shares your audience but isn’t a direct competitor. Example: A fitness coach partnering with a nutritionist for a joint workshop.
You both should have equally big audiences unless there is a different value exchange (one partner offering a commission to get access to a bigger audience).
The best ways to find partners is to build relationships in online communities or ask for referrals.
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12. Affiliates
Affiliate marketing means that someone promotes your coaching program and gets a commission for every sale.
Typically, a commission for services is 10% – but it depends on the affiliate and your program.
I work with select affiliates who promote my programs. I’ll also occasionally do an affiliate promo if I love the program I’m promoting.
For example, I’m a proud affiliate of Lifehack Method (a productivity training business) and I regularly promote their offer. Like I do in this email:
You need to find the right affiliates, though.
Look at other coaches or creators who you trust and who have the right type of audience.
You can do a simple Google search, comb through LinkedIn, or other social media groups.
Pro tip: People with huge audiences will probably not be a good fit – look for people with engaged audiences, even if they’re on the smaller side.
13. Case studies & testimonials
As you work with more clients, document their transformations. Use these stories on your website, social media, and in discovery calls to build trust and close more sales.
Testimonials were a big reason for why I was able to increase my rates and sign on more clients early on – growing my business from zero to six figures and resigning from my full-time job.
12 weeks+ (advanced: if you already have plenty of clients)
14. Email marketing
Early on, you’ll get clients by building direct relationships.
But as you grow your business, it becomes harder to spend time building those one-on-one relationships. And that’s where email marketing comes in.
You see, if you only rely on building a following on social media, you end up building an audience you don’t really own.
But your email list is yours.
And it helps you scale relationships so that every time you write an email, you send it to all your subscribers. Way faster than individually DM:ing your followers.
However, while you don’t need a big email list to get clients, it does take time to build one, whether you drive traffic to it from social media, paid ads, or SEO.
I talk more about email marketing here:
And for more resources on building your newsletter:
15. Paid ads
I personally used paid advertising to grow my business to seven figures in my first year. Meta, Google, or YouTube ads can scale your business fast.
That said, paid advertising is much more sophisticated today than it was a few years ago. Which means that you need to know your way around using ads before pouring money into them.
16. PR
Getting media mentions can help you become the go-to in your niche… fast. Thanks to being mentioned across publications like Forbes and Bloomberg, I built my brand in a highly competitive space.
And the best part? You don’t need to pitch for hours.
Instead, use PR platforms like Featured or HARO to pitch journalists in under 20 minutes a day.
On the platform, you’ll get access to tons of media requests.
Those opportunities are posted by journalists and bloggers who are looking for article sources.
If your pitch gets selected, you get featured in their publication.
17. SEO & blogging
SEO and blogging are some of the best and most profitable channels for getting coaching clients.
You see, a few years ago, I noticed something interesting. I had started getting far higher quality leads than before. And when I looked into where they were all coming from, I realized they all came from search traffic.
Fast forward to today and my traffic – and rankings – are one of the biggest revenue drivers in my business.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how SEO works:
With SEO, you optimize your coaching website so that it appears in search engines like Google and AI answer engines like ChatGPT.
When people find your website, they click through, and some of them buy from you.
Contrary to ads, you don’t pay for your traffic. At the same time, 53% of all trackable website traffic comes from search engines.
But to grow your SEO, you need to blog consistently.
With your blogs, you target keywords…And if your blog ranks for its target keywords, people find them when they search for things on search engines.
That’s how you get traffic.
For example:
If you have a service page where you sell health coaching, you’d optimize that page for a keyword like “health coaching services.”
But…
You also need to build website authority by building backlinks, links from external websites. They help Google trust your website and rank it.
Want the full strategy to scale your coaching business with SEO?
Watch my tutorial or read my guide on SEO for coaches.
18. YouTube
Another channel I love? YouTube – because it’s an interactive search engine that can help you engage with your audience and help them find you.
Video content typically builds trust faster than text. That’s why even a small YouTube channel can drive consistent discovery call bookings because people feel like they know you.
My own YouTube channel generates six figures:
And that’s it – now we’ve looked at 18 ways to get coaching clients.
But if you’ve already tried some of these strategies and are wondering why they haven’t worked – you’re likely making one of these mistakes.
The biggest mistakes that keep coaches from getting clients
If you’ve been working hard but still aren’t getting the clients you want, it’s usually not because you’re “bad at coaching.” It’s because of a few very common mistakes I see new coaches make over and over again.
The good news? Once you recognize them, you can fix them quickly.
1. Waiting for clients to come to you
I can’t tell you how many smart coaches set up a website, post a few times on Instagram, and then sit back waiting for inquiries to roll in.
But that’s not how client acquisition works. Getting clients is an active process. You need to put yourself out there — whether that means reaching out to your network, pitching podcasts, or consistently posting content.
2. Undervaluing and underpricing your services
Many coaches think, “If I just charge less, more people will sign up.” But underpricing doesn’t make clients value your coaching… it makes them doubt it. The right clients aren’t looking for the cheapest option. They’re looking for the coach who can get them results.
3. Spreading your efforts too thin across platforms
Another trap I see is trying to be everywhere at once — Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, all while blogging. But that only leads to burnout and minimal traction.
Instead, focus on ONE main platform where your ideal clients actually hang out. Go deep, master it, and you’ll see results much faster than trying to do everything.
4. Relying on coaching platforms
Directories like Noomii or Coaching.com can bring in the occasional lead. But if that’s your main strategy, you’re building someone else’s business, not yours.
These platforms treat coaches like commodities. To build a profitable, sustainable business, you need your own marketing system — one where people are excited to work with you, not just shopping around for the lowest price.
🚀 Think you need to market your business 24/7 to get your first coaching clients? You don’t! Learn how to spend just 45 minutes every day to get your first high paying client in the matter of weeks.
FAQs: Get coaching clients
How long does it take to get coaching clients?
It depends on your strategy and how consistent you are. Some coaches land their first client within 2–4 weeks by tapping into their network or using social media. More long-term strategies like SEO or blogging can take 3–6 months but bring in higher-quality leads on autopilot.
What’s the fastest way to get my first coaching client?
The fastest way is to start with people who already know and trust you. Reach out to your network, post about your new coaching offer on LinkedIn or Instagram, or get interviewed on a small podcast in your niche. These strategies can lead to paying clients within weeks.
Do I need certification before I can get clients?
No, you don’t need a certification to start coaching clients in most niches. What matters most is that you can help people get results. Clients ultimately care about transformation, not a degree.
What type of coaching is most in demand?
There are plenty of niches with high demand, including niches like career coaching, health and wellness coaching, executive coaching, and mindset coaching are in high demand. But demand shifts. The most important thing is choosing a niche where you can solve a specific problem your audience is actively looking to fix.
Can you get clients without social media?
If you want to get clients without social media, choose other online strategies. If you want to land your first coaching clients, you might ask your network for help or do podcasting. But if you’re looking for more coaching clients, then SEO or paid ads can be helpful.
How do you sell yourself as a coach?
You sell by showing the value of your coaching. Share content that helps your audience, build trust through stories and case studies, and invite people into conversations (like discovery calls or webinars). When people see you can solve their problems, selling becomes natural.
How to go from zero clients to six figure sales
And that’s how to get coaching clients fast, even if you’re not a born entrepreneur.
But here’s the truth: landing those first clients is just the beginning. If you want a business that brings in clients consistently — and grows to six figures and beyond — you need more than a few marketing tactics. You need a system.
I know, because I’ve been where you are. Back when I was stuck in my 9–5, I dreamed about quitting and building a business that gave me freedom, flexibility, and impact.
But every program I found seemed to skip over the part I actually needed: how to get consistent clients when you’re starting from scratch and don’t want to risk it all.
Get the Ultimate Guide
for building a
6-Figure Coaching Business so you can attract clients fast!
So I spent years experimenting, trying different strategies, and honestly, wasting a lot of time. Until I finally cracked the code.
And once I did? Within 4 months, I went from zero clients to building a six-figure coaching business… and leaving my job for good.
That experience is what inspired me to create the exact roadmap I wish I’d had when I was starting out, so you don’t have to waste months (or years) figuring it out the hard way.
If you want to shortcut the trial and error and build a coaching business that actually pays you what you’re worth, get my FREE blueprint to growing a successful coaching business. You’ll also learn about my program, Employee to Entrepreneur (ETE), the step-by-step guide that’s helped thousands of new coaches go from no clients to fully booked.
Warmly,
Luisa Zhou
