After doing lead generation for coaches for over a decade, I’ve learned that, at the end of the day, like it or not, you are selling your genius.
That means (and every coach knows this to be true; I include myself in this coaching bracket), you’re not making a sale before your buyer decides two things:
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They have a problem that needs solving
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They believe that you are uniquely qualified to help them solve their problem.
No coach has ever sold a service unless those 2 things have occurred.
And while on the surface this is very obvious, and your life hasn’t improved from this article, yet, it means that when you are doing lead generation for coaching, your primary goal becomes:
“What’s the shortest path for your buyers to realize that when it comes to solving their problems, you’re the best coach for helping them?”
There are a few ways you can earn this position in your prospect’s mind, which we will discuss in this article.
(If you would like a more tailored lead generation strategy for your coaching business, why not hop on a free 15-minute strategy session with the founder of SalesBread, Jack Reamer? Our clients know that they can expect 1 lead per day with our ultra-personalized LinkedIn outreach. Read some of our client testimonials here.)
Understand your prospects’ problems more than they do
If you do this, your coaching leads will naturally assume that you have the answers. So, having a “problem-focused” mindset for your lead generation strategy is a good idea, because it does work.
The catch is you have to read their thoughts, speak their lingo, in order to get them to see that you have nailed their pain point.
Ask a question that exposes a knowledge gap
An example would be you reaching out to a prospect on LinkedIn in the form of a question. We will explain why now…
Quick story from Josh Braun:
If you’ve ever walked through a mall and a kiosk salesperson locks eyes with you: “You have beautiful brown eyes, can I ask you a question?”, you probably feel your guard go up.
You know what’s coming: the sales pitch.
The same thing happens when you pitch your services directly. People slip into what I call the zone of resistance, a natural reaction to feeling like they’re losing autonomy.
As a sales coach, your job isn’t to “sell” your products.
If you lead with an elevator pitch or value proposition, you might get shut down before you’ve even started.
That’s why asking questions works better than a direct pitch.
For example:
You walk into a running shoe store, not planning to buy anything. Instead of launching into “We’ve got the latest model in stock!”, the sales assistant asks:
“Are you a runner?”
It’s hard to object to that question — especially if you are one.
Then comes the follow-up:
“Are you training for any races?”
If you say yes, the assistant might ask:
“Have you ever had a runner’s gait test?”
If you say no, you’ll likely be invited to try one for free. No pressure. No hard sell. Just curiosity and value, and now you’re engaged.
Next, they zoom in on your test, videoing you as they show how your ankles are struggling with the trainers you’re wearing.
They explain how this could lead to injury, especially at certain speeds, and offer to check your current shoes to see if they’re suitable for pronated feet.
Before you know it, you’re walking out with $180 shoes.
Why did this work? Josh Braun calls it “poking the bear.”
The sales assistant asks neutral questions that expose a potential problem with your current approach, and suddenly, you’re ready to take action.
Ask a question that exposes a knowledge gap.
Just like the running store assistant, your goal on LinkedIn isn’t to pitch right away.
Instead, you want to poke the bear. Ask questions that reveal a challenge or gap your prospect may not even realize they have.
For example, let’s say you’re a career coach:
Instead of sending:
“Hi, I help professionals level up their careers. Want to book a session?”
You could ask:
“Hey [Name], I’m curious, have you noticed that even though your team is performing well, promotions still seem to go to the same few people?”
Or if you’re a health coach:
“Hi [Name], do you ever feel like your energy drops mid-afternoon, no matter what you eat?”
These questions:
1. Speak your prospect’s language.
2. Expose a problem they care about.
3. Lower their defenses, because you’re not selling, you’re just asking a question.
Once they respond, you can follow up with another question that dives a bit deeper, just like the running store assistant did:
“Have you tried [common solution they may be using]? How’s that working for you?”
By the time you suggest a session or program, they’re already engaged, aware of the gap, and curious about a solution, which makes them much more likely to book with you.
Think about who your ideal coaching clients are
Before you get started on your list, take a look at who your ideal clients are. WHO has purchased your services within the last 6 months?
Do you notice any patterns between your current buyers?
For example: (This is an example for health coaching, but feel free to feel inspired to use this for your own coaching business.)
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Do these companies already invest in wellness programs?
(E.g. do they post about fitness challenges, mental health days, or healthy workplace initiatives?) -
What’s the size of these companies?
(Mid-sized, 200–1,000 employees) -
Which industries show more burnout/absenteeism?
(Tech, healthcare, consulting industries perhaps? Jobs with long hours and high stress often prioritize wellness.) -
Does the company have remote or hybrid teams?
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Are they actively hiring?
(Growing companies worry about retention and productivity, so wellness coaching ties in nicely.) -
What job titles show up most often?
(e.g. Head of People & Culture, HR Director, Employee Experience Manager, L&D Lead) -
Do they talk about employee engagement or burnout in their posts in their social media posts?
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Have they partnered with external providers before?
(Clues: LinkedIn posts tagging guest speakers, wellness coaches, nutritionists, fitness challenges.) -
Are employees posting about stress, long hours, or team activities?
(Shows culture + openness to wellness initiatives.) -
Do leaders share thought leadership on health/work balance?
(Signals openness to outside expertise.)
Once you find patterns between your current buyers, it’s easier to build a list of look-alike prospects to go after.
The video below explains how we do this:
(Note, this video isn’t for coaching clients, but the same principles apply)
Use different tools to help you build a list of leads for your coaching business
Once you see patterns, you can start building a look-alike list of prospects (People or companies that share the same traits as your ideal buyers). The good news is that some tools make this a lot easier:
LinkedIn Sales Navigator
LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help you find the right people to reach out to at the companies you’re going after.
It also has various advanced search filters you can use to build a list, too.
For example, you can find HR Directors at mid-sized companies, Learning & Development Managers in specific industries, or even decision-makers who recently changed jobs.
It lets you build a highly targeted list instead of wasting time on people who’ll never buy.
But in order to do this, you need to know how to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator the right way.
Please read this article: Best LinkedIn Advanced Search Guide (+ Video Tutorial 2025), to see how to do this.
This video tutorial will also help you get started:
Crunchbase
Crunchbase tracks company funding, growth, and financial signals. Why does this matter for coaches?
If a company just raised funding or is scaling quickly, they’re more likely to invest in employee wellness or leadership development.
For a health or business coach, that means a ripe opportunity to pitch coaching as a way to protect their people during growth.
Clutch
Clutch is a directory of service providers, but it’s also a great tool for list building. Many companies list their size, industry, and reviews, making it easy to spot businesses that already value external partners.
Coaches can use Clutch to find companies open to outsourcing support (like coaching), rather than those trying to handle everything in-house.
Bombora
Bombora uses intent data. Basically, it shows you which companies are researching topics online.
For a coach, that means you can see which companies are actively looking up terms like “employee wellness program,” “stress management,” or “team communication training.”
Try using LinkedIn outreach for more leads
Once your list is refined, you can then plug it into LinkedIn Sales Nav, and find the right people to reach out to at these companies.
So, for example, if you notice that most of your decision makers are CEOs or HR managers, you can reach out to these roles at your target accounts.
Remember to filter your list by your second-degree network and by recently posted.
This will help you reach out to prospects who are active on LinkedIn, and when you reach out to prospects in your second-degree network, the chances of them accepting your request will be higher because they have already accepted someone like you in the past.
Write personalized outreach messages
Remember how we mentioned that you need to know your prospect’s pain points better than they know them themselves?
Part of that is asking questions that expose knowledge gaps.
But before you do any of that, research the prospects on your list.
Look for something specific you can reference in your connection request; whether it’s a recent post they wrote, company news, or even a shared interest.
That small detail makes your outreach feel personal instead of copy-pasted.
Here are some examples:
“Hi [Name], I saw [Company] share something on workplace wellness recently, loved that. Always curious to connect with people who care about employee wellbeing.”
“Hi [Name], I’ve been hearing from a lot of HR leaders that stress levels are playing a big role in retention right now. Curious if that’s something you’re seeing at [Company] too? Happy to connect.”
Follow up consistently and ask for a booked call
After your connection is accepted, don’t disappear. Most coaches make this mistake; they connect and then… nothing.
Instead, follow up consistently.
Share a quick insight, an interesting article, or a story about how other HR teams are tackling stress, burnout, or retention.
Keep it curiosity-driven, not pitchy.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask for a call, but frame it as learning, not selling:
“I’d love to hear how your team is handling [pain point] and share a couple of approaches that have worked for other HR leaders. Would you be open to a quick 15-minute chat?”
It’s low-pressure, it’s personal, and it gets results. People are much more likely to say yes when it feels like a conversation instead of a sales pitch.
Use these lead magnet ideas in your strategy
Lead magnets work because they give prospects something valuable upfront while showcasing your expertise.
You’re letting them experience your coaching in a low-risk, high-value way.
Some high-converting ideas for coaches include interactive quizzes like: What’s Your Leadership Style?”,
Here are some other ideas:
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Or a mini-course
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Perhaps a 5-day challenge
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Or practical worksheets or templates like “Goal Setting Template for CEOs with ADHD”,
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You could even do live or recorded workshops
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Cheat sheets
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An email series with daily tips
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Resource guides
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And even short self-assessment tools.
Naming your lead magnet matters just as much as the content.
Use a formula that includes the benefit PLUS a time frame AND the audience, for example, “Double Your Confidence in 7 Days – For Female Entrepreneurs”.
Test two versions to see which converts better, and don’t forget to include “coaching lead magnets” for SEO to attract the right audience.
Use Social Media Marketing
If you’re a relationship coach, wellness coach, career or business coach, social media is where your ideal clients hang out, but don’t try to be everywhere.
Pick one or two platforms where your audience is most active, and focus there. Spreading yourself too thin only dilutes your impact.
For example, if you know your ideal clients are mainly on LinkedIn, use LinkedIn to share your insights.
Many relationship and wellness coaches use Instagram, for example, because most of their ideal prospects spend their time there.
Content that works for coaches is all about showing value and building trust.
Share client success stories, give a peek behind the scenes of your process, post short actionable tips, or host live Q&A sessions.
These formats let people see your expertise in action without feeling like you’re selling to them. The more prospects see you as an expert, the more likely they will be to reach out to you.
Engagement is just as important as posting. Reply to comments and DM connections personally.
These small actions build relationships and keep you top of mind when someone is ready for coaching.
Dan Martel uses Instagram well to generate leads:
And guess what?
He crushes it on Instagram for one reason: He makes lead generation feel effortless.
He posts short, actionable tips that hit exactly where his audience struggles.
No fluff, no “just follow me” posts, just real, digestible advice that people can use immediately. That alone builds authority fast.
He also encourages followers to DM him directly with simple prompts like “Coach.” That’s how he starts real conversations without ever forcing a sale.
Combine all this with client success stories, and you’ve got social proof working 24/7.
Finally, he cross-promotes across platforms like Instagram, podcasts, and YouTube. Every piece of content drives people back into his ecosystem.
The result? A consistent stream of qualified leads without a single pushy sales pitch.
Use Content Marketing to Build Trust
Content is one of the most powerful tools a coach has for building authority and trust.
The goal isn’t just visibility; it’s about positioning yourself as the expert who solves real problems.
Use different types of content to do this:
Long-form content:
Blog posts, podcasts, YouTube videos, or guest articles give you space to dive deep into your expertise.
They let prospects see your knowledge and personality before spending a dime.
How-to articles targeting client challenges:
Solve a specific problem your clients face.
Example: A career coach could write: “5 Signs It’s Time to Leave Your Job” and link to a free “Career Change Roadmap.”
This shows you understand their pain points and gives them something actionable.
Always link to your lead magnet:
Every piece of content should be a soft entry point into your funnel, a way for prospects to exchange their email for your value.
Partner with Other Experts
When you team up with other experts, you get two massive advantages:
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Credibility by association
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And instant access to a new, highly relevant audience. Basically, you’re putting yourself in front of people who already trust your partner, and that trust spills over to you. It’s one of the fastest ways to get in front of ideal clients without paying for ads.
Co-host webinars and workshops:
This is one of the easiest ways to collaborate. Pick a complementary coach or consultant whose audience overlaps with yours but isn’t in direct competition.
Together, you create a live session that offers real value to both audiences.
For example, if you are a health coach, you can team up with a nutritionist and create a webinar called “Boosting Energy Naturally.”
You each bring your expertise, answer questions live, and get prospects engaged and curious about your programs.
Guest appearances on podcasts:
Podcasts are super helpful too, and build credibility really quickly.
Appearing on someone else’s show lets you share insights and stories with an audience that is already tuned in for advice.
You don’t have to build the audience from scratch; You borrow authority and attention from the host, and people start associating you with expertise in your niche.
You could even reach out to podcasters and ask them what it takes to appear as a guest.
Bundle offers with non-competing businesses:
Another idea is to create packages that combine your coaching with another service.
For example, a relationship coach could partner with a communication skills trainer for a 6-week joint program.
Bundles make your offer unique, more appealing, and introduce you to clients who may not have discovered you otherwise.
Optimize Your Website for Conversions
Let’s face it..
Many people still use Google.
Yes, AI is gaining traction, but if they want to dive deeper into your services, you need to have a website that’s built for conversions.
If your site is overly complicated, and prospects don’t understand your offer, then you’re going to lose customers.
If you want a website for your business that not only brings in leads but converts, you need the following must-have elements:
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Clear headline stating who you help and how
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Prominent lead magnet opt-in form
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Testimonials and success stories
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Easy navigation
I’m using Dan Martel as an example again. If you Google his name, his site’s tag line is: #1 coach for CEO & founders.
The site is easy to navigate, with quick links to get in touch with him or sign up for free webinars.
After a few seconds, an email opt-in pops up asking if you need help scaling your business:
Nurture Leads Until They’re Ready to Buy
Here’s the reality: most clients won’t sign up after a single interaction with you.
People need multiple touchpoints before they feel safe investing in coaching. That’s where nurturing comes in, and it’s often the step coaches skip.
Many coaches use email sequences to ensure that they stay at the top of the minds of their prospects. Another idea is to send a personalized Loom video to prospects that are nearly ready to commit to your services.
Publish a book
A book is more than just pages of content; it’s proof that you are credible.
When someone sees you as “the coach who literally wrote the book on [topic],” they instantly view you as an expert.
It sets you apart from the endless stream of coaches online who only post quotes and reels. A book is tangible proof of your expertise.
Think of it like this: Your book is a business card on steroids.
Except instead of being tossed in a drawer, it gets read, shared, and displayed. It works as both a lead magnet and a long-term credibility piece.
Offer coaching leads free 15-minute sessions
A quick, no-strings-attached coaching session will give leads insight into how you operate.
Prospects may follow your content, read your posts, or even download your lead magnets, but they don’t really know what coaching with you feels like.
A free 15–30 minute session gives them a taste of transformation. If they walk away with even one breakthrough, their trust in you skyrockets.
We actually use this for our prospects, too. It allows them to see what we can do for them to generate leads and what it would be like to work with us.
Hire lead generation services
Another option is to hire a lead generation agency like SalesBread. Our agency will build ultra-refined lists for you, using all the specialized tools mentioned in this article, as well as reach out to prospects with personalized messaging on LinkedIn.
Our clients know that they can expect 1 lead per day.
Reach out to us for a free 15-minute strategy session to learn more.
FAQs: Lead Generation for Coaches
How can life coaches attract quality leads without spending too much on ads?
Ads aren’t magic.
They can work, but if you’re a life coach just starting out, throwing money at ads without a plan is the fastest way to burn cash.
Instead, focus on low-cost lead generation strategies that bring in quality leads, not just clicks. Like LinkedIn outreach.
Create the right lead magnet (a checklist, a short guide, or even a free session), and keep nurturing those potential clients over time.
What’s the best lead generation process for relationship coaches?
For relationship coaches, timing is everything. People usually look for support when they’re in the middle of a challenge, so your marketing strategy needs to meet them there.
That could be a blog post that speaks directly to what they’re struggling with, a short video series, or a free consultation that helps them take the first step. Think of it as a journey; you’re guiding them toward working with you, not forcing it.
Do free sessions actually work for lead generation?
Yes, if you position them right. A quick 15–30-minute session lets potential clients experience your coaching style without risk. The cost to you is a bit of time, but the payoff is that these conversations often turn into long-term coaching clients.
Think of it as the fastest way to turn strangers into paying customers—because they’ve already felt the value you bring.
How do other coaches stand out when everyone’s using similar strategies?
Good question, because the truth is, lots of coaches are trying the same lead generation ideas.
The difference between average coaches and successful coaches usually comes down to how well you personalize your approach.
If you’re just copying what everyone else is doing, you’ll blend in.
But if you lean into your unique coaching style and speak directly to your target audience’s challenges, you’ll stand out. In other words, don’t market to “everyone.”
Market to the people you can actually help.
Final thoughts
Lead generation for coaches doesn’t have to be complicated. The key is finding the right strategies that connect you with quality leads and fit your coaching style.
Focus on consistency, not chasing every new tactic. Think about how you can solve your ideal prospects’ pain points and ask questions that expose knowledge gaps.
And if all this feels overwhelming…
You don’t have to do it alone.
At SalesBread, we help coaches skip the guesswork with targeted lead lists and outreach that gets replies, so you can spend more time coaching, not hunting for clients.
