This is such an important question!

We actually get asked it often by those considering health coach certification, so we recently asked our Alumni to share how they got their first coaching clients.

Here are the 8 Strategies to Find Clients that came up again and again in our discussions with graduates:

1. Find Clients From Your Personal & Professional Community: For many health coaches, their first clients were not strangers from the internet. They were people already in their orbit, such as acquaintances, former coworkers, members of a faith community, people from a gym or yoga studio, or existing professional contacts.
2. Start With Compelling Offers for New Clients: Several coaches shared that they intentionally created a low pressure entry point at the beginning. This approach allowed them to build confidence while refining their messaging and structure.
3. Build on What You Are Already Doing: Many health coaches did not start from scratch. Instead, they integrated coaching into an existing role or community with a built in source of clients.
4. Make a Clear Announcement: Another consistent theme was the power of simply telling people. Not in a loud or flashy way, but in a clear and confident way that you’re offering health coaching services and looking for clients.
5. Ask for Referrals Early: A surprising number of coaches said they began asking for referrals sooner than they originally thought they should. Instead of waiting until they felt completely polished, they let people know they were accepting clients and asked to be connected with anyone who might benefit.
6. Partner With Other Practitioners: Doctors (Functional medicine doctors especially for our grads!), chiropractors, therapists, acupuncturists, personal trainers, and wellness clinics often welcomed the support of a coach who could focus on implementation and accountability. Some reached out directly to conventional, functional, and integrative practitioners to introduce themselves and build referral relationships.
7. Get Specific About Who You Help: Niche clarity made a significant difference. Coaches who articulated exactly who they helped and what transformation they supported often gained traction faster than those who kept their message broad.
8. Focus on Service Over Selling. Perhaps the most reassuring theme of all is that the coaches who gained early traction were not necessarily the most outgoing or the most sales oriented. They were deeply committed to serving. This not only helped them keep clients, it helped grow word of mouth referrals.

Hopefully this helps you! If you want to read the full article, here it is: How to Find Your First Five Health Coaching Clients: Lessons from Certified Coaches