When I first began using social media to grow my coaching business, I quickly encountered mixed results. I experimented with posting every day for 30 days.
However, consistently posting didn’t lead to genuine connections or new clients. It often felt like I was simply sending words out into a void, wondering why my efforts weren’t resonating.
That’s when a shift happened—I realised it wasn’t just about showing up regularly but about how I showed up.
The real magic of social media isn’t in the quantity of what you post; it’s in how you invite others into conversation. Over time, I’ve learned that meaningful engagement happens when content feels personal and authentic.
I noticed that sharing a real story or a recent insight creates far more connection than a purely instructional post. I remember sharing a story about a coaching session that really moved me, and the response was overwhelming—people are drawn to stories and to the real moments behind them.
I highly recommend the book Show Your Work by Austin Kleon, which was part of the curriculum at my school a couple of years ago. It’s filled with brilliant advice for coaches to share more of their journey online.
Another valuable lesson for me has been to give before expecting anything in return.
Offering something in each post—whether it’s a resource, a question that sparks thought, or an open invitation to share—encourages people to respond. When I ask for comments or invite thoughts, passive viewers can become active ones, which helped me slowly create a genuine sense of community.
For example, in the past, after sharing insight from a session with Steve Chandler, I’d encourage anyone interested to reach out for an audio clip. This often led to meaningful, one-on-one conversations that naturally deepened our connection.
Social media is a tool, but how we use it counts. When prioritising creating value and real connections, it becomes a powerful tool for building a coaching practice. As Steve Chandler would tell me: “Show up authentically and invite your audience into a dialogue rather than a monologue”.
On the topic of client creation, below is a 6-minute video on how I’ve used books to create my first coaching program.