Content Ideas for Coaches & Facilitators

Coaches often tell me: “Because I’m not a consultant or teacher, I can't create content.”

This is certainly an example of a limiting belief ;-) and it prevents many coaches from experiencing a greater potential that they could have as coaches and facilitators. If you had a larger audience (created via content sharing), you have more choice – among your fans – of which clients you’d like to take on. You could raise your rates if you wished. You could also more easily create a group coaching program if you wanted to.

Yet, content is not just for growing a business. 

Content is an important exercise of personal creativity and authentic expression. Nothing else has helped me find my authentic power more than my practice of creating consistently.

Content is also a service to humanity – your content will benefit many more people compared to those who are able to give anything back to you.

“But I don’t teach…”

In your very next client session (or group experience that you facilitate), start noticing the words that come out of your mouth. 

Really – you may want to record yourself.

Anything you say to your clients/participants can actually be turned into content. Surprising, right?

For example, you ask powerful questions.

Each question you ask your clients can be turned into a piece of content, whether it’s a short video or a longer blog post, depending on how much you want to explore about that question. (In your content, you would of course do your best to keep the client’s identity private.)

• In what situations is that question a powerful one?
• If the client is stuck, what further question would you ask to help them?
• What kind of answers might come out of the client?
• What do you think about some of those answers?
• In what ways might asking the question help your client live a better life?

All of that is content. It could even be expanded into multiple pieces of content.

Or you facilitate an experience, by guiding your participants with certain words, phrases, exercises. All of that can be turned into content, if you explore the context of your facilitation/exercises, the philosophy underlying why it’s effective, the common myths about it, the common pitfalls, the types of people it helps the most, etc.

Let’s be honest, you give advice sometimes…

I know. You’re not supposed to. 

But honestly, sometimes the client is so stuck, or you see their potential much more than they can see, that what comes out of your mouth can sound a bit like advice, right? 

Or sometimes your gut is telling you to offer some ideas for your clients to consider, even though you’re not trying to give them the answers.

Because of your life experience, and having seen the choices and consequences from many clients’ experiences, the reality is that there are certain pathways you believe are “better” (or more effective) for clients to proceed on. 

You truly have lots of things to say to your clients, even though as a coach, you try to hold back those answers.

Well, content creation is where you can let those answers come out. Pathways, ideas, frameworks, philosophies, examples that you really believe are good for people to know. That’s all content!

Sample Sessions as Content

Here’s another powerful way to create content:

Invite your ideal client (or a friend) to get a coaching session from you for free… in exchange for you recording it. 

If it goes really well, ask if you can share it… or at least part of it. 

Doing so will give your audience a great example of how you provide your service. It might inspire some people to finally give coaching a try!

If the client is willing to help, but shy about being on camera, you can record just your part of the session. For example in Zoom, click "speaker view" and "pin" yourself, before you start recording.

If they're not shy, you could even interview them about what it's like to work with you, and how they grew from it, and any actionable insights for the viewer.

Share your examples

If you are a coach or otherwise facilitate some experience – and previously didn’t think of yourself as a teacher, writer, or podcaster – and you have been able to create content, I welcome you to comment below this FB video with a link to one of your best pieces of content.  

Give other readers of this post an example or two of how coaches / facilitators can create content.

Coaches: Go and create lots of content!

You are an inspiration. I hope you won’t lock that inspiration away only for your clients. Share your authentic caring and ideas as broadly as possible. You don’t realize the positive ripple effects you can have… how many lives you can help to uplift, and perhaps even, to save.

Always remember that content creation is not just to build your audience and business. It’s a precious opportunity you have every day (or every week) to practice your authentic and service-based expression. Don’t waste that opportunity. 

The time will pass anyway. Practice creating content consistently.