Written by: Stephanie Booth, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I've always been able to spot patterns in human behavior.
I don't know if it's because I'm a human design reflector or it's something unique to me but it's something I've always been able to do. Reflectors are a very uncommon personality, and we're known for our deep wisdom. One of my superpowers is observing trends and patterns most can't see.
And today, I'm sharing my first ever Coaching Industry Trend Report. After a year of global change, we’re bound to see some changes rippling through our industry-and industry I love and care about. The most successful people are the ones who can modify themselves and adapt to change.
I share these trends with you to empower you to trust yourself, innovate, and experience your own vision board life this year. So if you like to be in the know, here’s what I see coming for 2021 and beyond.
TREND 1 | Less Proving Ourselves & More Leading Ourselves
Over the past decade, value-based marketing strategies have dominated the coaching industry. The idea behind this approach has been this idea that if we give someone a taste of our content, they’ll trust and hire us. This led to people feeling that to ask for money, they needed to first prove themselves.
But the reality has always been true that buying decisions aren’t made with logic. They’re made instantaneously and in the intuitive or emotional centers. Buying is emotional, and after a year of raw, untended emotions, I think we’re going to see the value and logic-based approach ("do these 3 things to be successful" “the X strategies to grow your list fast,”) and less convincing replaced by a more honest, intuitive, and story-telling marketing approach.
I foresee that the most successful coaches in the coming years will be the ones who are their own success stories. Look for the coach who leads herself and calibrates all her circumstances back to her instead of letting them tell her who she is. She’s strong and unapologetic in her approach. And she leads the way in marketing trends we’ve never seen before-choosing not to prove herself but rather share herself.
TREND 2 | Less Copy/Paste Business Programs
Teaching a skill will always be needed. We always need to learn new things. However, knowledge is not power, and it’s only potential power.
Let's talk about competence.
Have you ever found a coach who you feel like coaches effortlessly? She’s just masterful at facilitating breakthroughs and makes it all look so easy?
That effortless style of coaching is unconscious competence in action. It’s dedication to a skill for so long that you can perform a skill with complete mastery in an unconscious way. It’s almost more of a reaction than a thoughtful set of actions.
My Trend Prediction
I predict the coaches in the industry who’ve built their business on the foundation of teaching a skill, like list building or lead generation, are going to see a diminishing return over the next year-plus as self-trust and competency takes the industry by storm.
And thank God, honestly. Instead of programs boasting duplicatable marketing that lack genuine soul, the best selling techniques that still feel sleazy, or lead-gen systems that conflict with our values, We'll see a growing trend of coaches showing people how to become an unconscious competent in their skills and learning to trust themselves and their unique perspective.
Coaching people into unconscious competence is masterful work, and you'll only see this from highly skilled coaches. They’re the ones you’ll want to be learning from.
TREND 3 | Coaching Rates Increasing Exponentially
The coaches who can teach people how to become an unconscious competent in their unique skill set are among the world's most sought-after skills by the elite successful people in this world. Why? When you’re an unconscious competent, you’re exhibiting such mastery that you can scale your income without a limit.
These coaches will have the freedom to raise rates in a big way. Their client results speak so loudly that demand will be high for this type of coach, driving rates up exponentially. If you see this kind of coach, act now. Chances are, in a year, their rates will be exponentially higher.
TREND 4 | A Growing Focus On Integrity
Coaching is a famously unregulated field. Anyone can choose to call themselves a coach and charge money to share their wisdom. No matter how qualified they really are. That’s the beauty of this industry, honestly. And it can be one of the biggest pain points of many certified or trained coaches.
We'll see a growing desire for integrity in the coaching industry, which is wonderful. But beware of polarizing or reactionary coaches who like to "rant” about the industry's problems or confuse boundaries with a lack of transparency.
Remember: people who cling to and defend their point of view are likely living in fear. And what they live in is where they lead you.
Instead, look for coaches here who challenge themselves to be their own success story and encourage an atmosphere of personal excellence.
TREND 5 | More Transparency and Connection Based Programs
In the past, I’ve felt deeply unhappy with my mastermind investments because I didn’t know to look for one important thing. I’d sign up with a person who lacked transparency or fully hid how they created the result I desired. I realized I’d signed up to be mentored by a woman who refused to let people in or would project their insecurities onto their clients then gaslight them.
At first, I thought, “if that’s who I have to be to have a million-dollar coaching business, I won’t do it. But I learned instead how important it is to me to be mentored by someone who gets results I want to get the way I want to get them. Since then, I’ve happily invested in working with women who believe that they get to stand in their power, share their honest approach, and have healthy, empowered boundaries. And it’s been life-changing.
While information-focused programs (like the mastermind I joined focused on launching) will still be popular-remember, knowledge is potential power-masterminds are about to explode in a big way as people recognize how much they’ve missed human connection and community.
I believe over the next few years; the highest-priced programs will be about connection and transparency instead of information.
How to Choose A Mastermind:
Masterminds will be a dime a dozen. If you're joining a mastermind, I’d recommend that you find a leader who you resonate with-look for a person who’s getting results you’d like to get in a way you’d like to get them.
Those I recognized a long time ago that I’m looking for a coach who’s making the income I desire to make with a spacious schedule and an intuitive approach, not rigorous discipline and rigid rules. Once I learned this about myself, all my investments have paid off multiple times over.
TREND 6 | Mental Health and Bias Trauma De-Stigmatized
In 2021 and beyond, we're going to see mental health destigmatized in an even bigger way than ever before. We’ll also see ourselves normalize and welcome the BIPOC community sharing their experiences with racial bias and racial trauma.
We’re already seeing this to a certain extent, but don’t be surprised to hear many coaches begin sharing their mental health journey, including their experiences with depression, anxiety, medication, and more.
Remember-not every happy face is happy. As people share their experiences, learn to embrace their honesty and look up to their resilience more so than admiring their happy smile and pretty life. And let this reassure you that you're not alone in your experience. I also predict that we’ll start seeing a growing trend in tv shows with themes around therapy/therapists and mental health.
TREND 7 | Less Burnout and More Self-Trust
Every business goes through seasons-some are busy and full, and others are slower and more introspective. But for over a decade, the industry has been dominated by aggressive white men who preach a gospel of “discipline” to ten ex your results. But what they’re really saying is “masculine energy is the only way to be successful.” and “If you’re tired, push through. your effort will pay off.”
I predict that the day will come when powerful, feminine success stories will dominate the horizon. I see a world where women make loads of money leveraging the magnetism that is feminine energy, where women are considered powerful, not for emulating masculine ways, but instead fully embracing their feminine magic.
And the new gospel will be one of rest. Receiving and reassurance that you can create the life you want the way you want it.
TREND 8 | More Representation
I’ve saved the most important “trend” for last. It’s not really a trend, just a necessity. In the coming years, we’re going to see BIPOC people safely step into their divine purpose. Unlike ever before, we’ll see the rise of the wealthy, powerful, feminine black woman, and it will become standard as it should. Aggressive white men will no longer dominate coaching. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for this. It’s long overdue. And I’m excited to participate in turning the tide toward equity and representation.
Comment and share the trend you see coming to the coaching world over the coming year.
Stephanie Booth, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Stephanie Booth is an NLP practitioner & success coach for online entrepreneurs who is most known for her theories and work around breakthroughs. She has been named a Yahoo Finance top success coach to follow and has had her work featured on top podcasts in the business and coaching spaces. Stephanie believes that breaking through limitations follows a natural pattern and the most important personal growth work we can do is learn to allow a breakthrough, where we would naturally self-sabotage. Stephanie hosts mentorships, masterminds, and signature programs, such as her popular program, Magnetic Minds to help entrepreneurs harness the power of the mind in creating their success.
