Successful online health and fitness coaching businesses are built on trust, just like any other business. Prospects believe that if they follow a process, do “x” or work with so and so, they’ll feel different, lose “x” amount of body fat, lift “x” amount of weight, change their behaviors. So how do you establish that especially when you lack experience?
Let’s start with what does NOT define your credibility…
Not your cert, not your education, not your appearance, not your number of followers, big or small. I’d argue client results and your ability to communicate your process are most important. But yes a combination of these is best. It’s truly about how you EXPRESS these things. Meaning that you can be highly educated but suck at applying and communicating that education to an audience who could use the information.
And we all know that a certification is just a hoop we all jump through in order to get the right letters behind our names. Again, like education, it comes down to what you do with it. Hopefully that is honorable and progressive work in this field.
A large following can be one of these two things or a combination of:
Trust OR Popularity
That’s it. Those are your options. Oh, or neither, because someone bought them L O L
When an audience on a free platform is built on trust, that’s the tits. I would venture to say that is something we all strive for. But a small, engaged audience is more likely to pay the bills than a large, stagnant one. Never forget.
Fact is, you have MORE to offer than any of these singular measures. Adversity exists and it always will. When you’re starting out, that adversity is the fact that you may lack experience. The solution to that is GETTING EXPERIENCE. You quite literally cannot establish credibility if you’re not practicing your trade. For reference, check my post here on why I left college strength and how long it took me to establish my brand online.
At some point, you decide to show up and show out, over and over and over again until you understand your own approach, and they can no longer ignore you. One day, one post, one client, one rep at a time.
Might not have been the answer you were looking for, but it is the best answer I have to establish credibility – work with clients, find your niche (what really lights you up about working in this field), and refine your messaging forever and ever amen. If you’re counting on “one more thing” to be the thing that makes you credible, you’ll be waiting forever.
- Experience, education and your ability to share how that experience and education benefits your clients is how you establish credibility.
- Networking under and with people who already have credibility is another way. If someone can vouch for you, that you’re the real deal, then others will trust it’s true. Trust begets trust.
Start with those, see where it gets you.
Reflected on a spicy convo with another coach/client from a few months back, and this post was born. Build a business stronger than a number of certifications, a number on the scale, immutable characteristics or outward expectations. YOUR BIZ. YOUR WAY. Because that’s the whole fucking point. Credibility will follow.
Share with someone who needs to hear it.
P.S. 👉If you haven’t taken my free workshop: 3 steps to build a profitable online health and fitness business, get to it. Good day and Godspeed. Or, stick around for more free content.
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