it’s that time of year again! What 2022 marketing trends do I think will be popping for coaches and OSPs?
It’s simple really, and I say it all the time. Digital marketing for coaches in 2022 is going to be all about omnipresence and having a diverse marketing strategy.
So, in a bid to support you with your digital marketing strategy in 2022, here are my top 5 marketing trends right now for coaches and service providers who are ready to elevate their brand and business to all new heights.
2022 Marketing Trend #1: Podcast Marketing
Online marketing for coaches is not just about blogs, and social media, we need to cater to all learner types so that means reaching people through podcasts, too.
I hear you, podcasts are not that new.
And, while some of you are probably not eager to pop off-piste for podcasts just yet, hear me out.
When you compare podcasts to other marketing outlets, they’re not as saturated as you might think. People are still successful at starting YouTube channels and YouTube has been around for years.
Yes, there are hundreds of thousands of content creators out there, but new accounts can see success with the perfect combination of strategy, positioning and authenticity.
So podcast marketing is still a very lucrative marketing outlet for all you coaches and service providers out there AND you don’t even have to start your own to harness the power of podcasting.
So how can you get started with a podcast marketing strategy?
There are a couple of routes you can take:
If you’re just dipping your toes in, I’d recommend heading over to Facebook. There are a bunch of Facebook groups dedicated to podcast collaborations where you can either #findaguest or #beaguest on other people’s shows. This is a literal GOLD MINE for all you coaches out there, collaboration marketing like this is the perfect opportunity to share some knowledge and build upon that know, like, trust factor.
If you’re not ready to be a guest on a podcast but still want to tap into other podcaster’s audiences you can also look at podcast sponsorships, which is fairly cheap as far as paid advertising goes.
The CPM or Cost per Mille, which is the cost of advertising per 1000 views, for podcast marketing is around the $18-$25. If you target podcasts with a smaller, engaged listenership you can tap into a lot of leads.
Note: if you have your own podcast that’s getting several thousand views each week, capitalise on the above and start to diversify your revenue streams by offering podcast advertising on your show.
Before investing either your time, or your money on podcast marketing, be sure to do your due diligence. At the very least, shoot the host a request for a media kit and ask them to share a little bit more about their audience demographics and niche to see if it will be a good fit for you and your business.
Marketing Trend #2: Exclusive Communities
Exclusive communities are already a thing and frankly, they’re going to be huge for 2022. It’s where all these coaches who talk about “waitlist launching” are getting their spicy AF leads from.
There are two easy ways to capitalise on the communities trend:
Paid Memberships
You can host your memberships through platforms like Podia or Kajabi or, if you’re looking for something free to get started with, through social media in private Facebook groups or Instagram Close Friends.
UPDATE: Now that Instagram is set to launch Subscriptions for Creators, we could see this community trend become a great income stream for coaches, especially if you choose to create exclusive live trainings or story trainings for subscribers – very Patreon-esque.
Free Communities
Facebook communities are incredibly powerful and is a great place for you to keep your fiery hot leads.
Keep the engagement high and limit the amount of people you let in there, make it a collaborative place where you prioritise quality engagement over quantity. Of course, you can use these groups to funnel people to sales, but don’t go overboard.
You can also give these communities pre-sale access to your offers.
Marketing Trend #3: Social Proof…2.0
The coaching space is HEAVILY unregulated, but some coaches or contrapreneurs as it was succinctly put in this article are starting to get called out on their BS and lack of transparency when it comes to their outrageous success claims.
We want to know more.
There’s a big difference between someone coming to you at £15k months and then hitting £20k months than there is if someone comes to you at £0k months and hits the £20k mark.
So how can you be more transparent?
Talking about what you made this month or quarter. Be sure to quote sales, cash, expenses and actual profit.
Of course, you don’t need to share your balance sheets with the whole world – talking about your income is something that seems to have become a trend in the online space…likely as a social proof method. But social proof 2.0 will have nothing to do with meaningless figures.
Social proof is far from dead but your clients and future clients need more. They want the fully story behind the figures because they’re not stupid and they know what they want as we go into the new year.
Plus, if you’re the kind of person who likes to shout out about high cash and sales months (go you BTW I’m all for that) the least you can do is show some context.
Marketing Trend #4: Low Ticket Lead Magnets
In 2022, we’re actually trying to consume less, which means that your traditional freebies could get lost in the sea of the same.
Another issue with freebies is that there’s no skin in the game for your attendees. You could literally give them the step by step formula for closing 5-figure clients that people normally pay for, but 90% of attendees won’t take action because they don’t need to…because they have nothing to lose.
Be honest, how many times have you watched a masterclass only to implement NOTHING.
Additionally, freebies can sometimes attract the wrong crowd – i.e. not ideal clients.
Don’t get me wrong, I love freebies and I have them myself. I’m even hosting a Free SEO Challenge in February, but low ticket lead magnets could be the way forward for 2022. Plus, I’ve seen how much effort you guys put into your freebies. You DESERVE to get paid for it.
Low ticket lead magnets are the perfect micro investment that attract people who aren’t afraid to spend their hard earned cash on VALUE. Plus, if they’ve paid for the masterclass, they’ll probably show up live ;).
How much should you charge for a low ticket lead magnet?
Charge what feels good for YOU…not what I tell you.
Low ticket means something different to everyone so I’m not going to tell you what to charge here.
I’ve seen everything from £4 up to £144 for something like this.
The trick is knowing your audience and how they’ll respond.
And knowing how many signups you want.
If you’re offering something at a micro investment and want to market it on autopilot on platforms like Pinterest or sell it via Instagram (great if you’ve got a large audience) you can get away with charging less.
Marketing Trend #5: Marketing Automation & Passive Product Suites
As a coach or service provider, the more you scale, the more impact you create and the more people you end up serving. Which is why utilizing automation software & creating passive offers should be an integral part of your marketing strategy in 2022.
Not only is it a way for you to impact more people in less time, but you can also utilize it to crete freedom in your life and build a passive/semi passive revenue stream. I’m all about creating more freedom and flexibility in biz so this is a no brainer.
CRMs like Dubsado (use affiliate code 49northdigital for 20% off) and Kartra are a great way to get your system and automations set up.
Online marketing for coaches and service providers is about to get an extreme level up in 2022, especially if you’re a 6-figure or multi six figure coach. Systems and automations are doing the leg work for us so that we can focus on what really matters; our core zone of genius and serving our clients.
For Pinterest I love Tailwind. It allows you to schedule similar pins to multiple boards in advance so you can truly set it and forget it. You can also put things on a loop if you want – just be careful not to overdo it.
Passive offers are also perfect if you’re ready to scale and stop trading your time for money. One of the easiest ways you can do this is by taking one of your signature live programs, i.e. an 8 or 12 week group coaching program and turning it into a self paced course. You already have the content. It doesn’t take much to convert it.
You can then promote through Pinterest if you want to market on autopilot or use it as part of your launch strategy as a bonus for higher ticket 1:1 offers or a downsell.
There are a million ways to market this. If you want to go truly passive, then Pinterest and email funnels are the way forward. Throw in a few ads once you’ve mastered the art of organic marketing and you’ll be on to a winner.
Have an amazing week, friends
Sally x
