…BECAUSE THIS IS HOW YOU REALLY BUILD A COACHING BUSINESS!

There’s no such thing as 5, 7, or even 10 “Simple Steps” to building a successful life coaching business. And beware of anyone who tells you otherwise.

That’s a lesson I learned (the hard way) when I first started my online business.

But messages to the contrary are everywhere, still…

“Become A Coach and Make 100k In Your First Year.” 

“The Top 3 Strategies For Online Success As A Coach.”

“Make 60k Using These 7 Simple Strategies”

“Attract Coaching Clients By Following These 10 Simple Steps.”

The hyperbole never ends.

And I understand why… we’re programmed to take the fastest route to wherever we’re going and marketers know that.

But here’s what I tell every life coach I know who is starting an online business:

THERE ARE AT LEAST 46 STEPS WHEN IT COMES TO STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS ONLINE.

Yep. 46. As in… forty-six.

At least.

I include all 46 Steps in my book, Gutsy Glorious Life Coach: How To Turn Your Life Coaching Practice Into A Soulful Money Making Business. But you can get a free (and printer-friendly) copy of the entire list right HERE.

As a “Coaches’ Coach” I insist on not downplaying what’s involved in starting your own coaching business online. Just because someone tells you it’s “easy” doesn’t mean it’s actually easy.

Some people will tell you anything you want to hear.

I want to tell you what you don’t want to hear.

It’s not that I want to talk you out of becoming a life coach… I just want you to go into the life coaching business with your eyes wide open.

And believe me when I say this: There’s nothing you can’t handle when it comes to building an online coaching business. You don’t have to be a special kind of “smart.” You just have to be able (and willing) to figure things out. Take all the steps. Do whatever it takes to make it work.

And if you can’t figure something out, find someone who can and either get them to teach you or pay them to do it for you.

So, here are some of the initial steps… you can find all 46 of them right here.

STEP 1: Estimate Your Costs

Know your numbers. Create a budget that includes the following basic start up costs, some of which are one-time investments, others will be ongoing operational expenses.

• Computer or Laptop + Monthly Internet Service 
• Cell Phone + Monthly Cell Phone Service
• Business Registration/Filing Fees 
• Domain Name Registration (Yearly)
• Web Hosting Fees, i.e., where your website will live (as low as $3.95 a month)
• Website Theme (although WordPress does offer some free themes)
• Website Design (you can spend a few hundred dollars or thousands)
• Email List Management Service/Autoresponder software (Monthly)
• Shopping Cart/Payment System (monthly + percentage)

STEP 2: Know The Law

I know it’s not the sexiest part of having your own business but you must put certain procedures in place in order to “cover your assets online.”  These are some of the laws that will directly impact your business. Don’t put your head in the sand… this is muy importante! 

• FTC: Federal Trade Commission (Protecting consumer privacy.)
• COPPA: Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act 
• USPTO: United States Patent and Trademark Office
• The United States Copyright Act
• The Digital Millennium Copyright Act
• CAN-SPAM: Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act
• Intellectual Property Law
• ICANN: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
• Your state’s business office, usually the Secretary of State
• Local government regulations, bylaws, ordinances, that affect your particular business.

Everything you need to know about covering your assets online (protecting your home, your investments, not to mention your “Intellectual Property,” i.e., your business name, tag line, logo, products and services) can be found in my DIY Legal Toolkit. It costs less than it would cost you to consult with a lawyer for one hour.

STEP 3: Who’s Your Mama, I mean Avatar?

• Identify 3 or 4 people you like to hang out with.
• Describe, in detail, what they’re like. (a.k.a. “psychographics.”)
• Flip through a magazine until you find a picture of someone whom you imagine looks just like the person you want to work with.
• Give her a name.
• Stick the picture up on your bathroom mirror.
• Say “hello” to her every morning. Strike up conversations!

STEP 4: Niche It Down

• Make a list of things your Avatar actually says to describe her problem and then incorporate that into your niche description.
• Know who you WANT to work with.
• Understand his or her problem better than they do.
• Provide a solution they cannot turn down. I go into more detail in my book, Gutsy Glorious Life Coach.

STEP 5: Give Your Business A (Blog) Vitamin

• Open a new file folder and name it “Future Blog Posts.”
• Make a list of 12 blog post titles that tackle the particular aspects of “The Problem” your ideal client is facing.
• Each day for the next two weeks, write a “letter” to your Future Client in the “language” that s/he understands. 

STEP 6: Name Your Business

• Choose a name that is easy to spell (keep it simple) and is available as a domain name.
• Make sure it’s not already taken, i.e., registered in your state.
• Make sure it’s not federally trademarked.

Ok, those are only the first 6 STEPS… there are 40 more where those came from and you need to know what they are if you’re serious about building a “real” business.

Click that lemon-drop button below and get all 46 Steps in a printer-friendly checklist…