If you’re looking for a lucrative niche, consider these three hot coaching markets:
1. Baby boomers
Who they are: Baby boomers are people born between the mid-1940′s and the mid-1960′s; the first wave is just now coming up on retirement age. There are 76 million baby boomers in America; in the UK, baby boomers hold approximately 80% of the wealth.
What they’re interested in: Health and fitness; simplifying their lifestyle; elder-care issues; social and environmental issues; managing time and money; traveling; working from home; starting a second career; volunteering.
Example of a coach working in this niche:
Coach Gesine Schaffer
More links:
http://boomertowne.com/
http://www.boomernet.com/pn/index.php
http://www.boomerwomenspeak.com/index.php
2. Private practice professionals
Who they are: Doctors, dentists, chiropractors, therapists, financial planners, massage therapists, holistic healers, Real Estate agents, lawyers, nutritionists.
What they’re interested in: Growing a successful practice; managing & leading people; improving customer service; time management; getting organized; marketing; getting referrals; selling their practice; quality of life/life balance; communication/interpersonal skills; business systems; team-building.
Example:
Coach Lucy MacDonald
More links:
http://www.ppamember.com/index.asp
http://www.privatepracticesuccess.com/thenewpp.html
http://ahha.org/
3. Parents
Who they are: Mothers; fathers; single parents; divorced parents; step parents; foster parents; expectant parents; first-time parents; teen-aged parents; parents of teens; parents of gifted children; parents of children with special needs; custodial grandparents; parents of blended families; parents with an empty nest; working parents; stay-at-home parents.
What they’re interested in: Healthy, happy families; parenting skills; time/money management; child behavior issues; communication/interpersonal skills; ADD/ADHD; quality of life/life balance; co-parenting; parenting when you’re divorced; parenting styles; family values.
Example:
Coach Terry Levine
More links:
http://www.parentcoachplan.com/index.php
http://www.familycoachtraining.com/
http://parenthood.com/
As I was putting this article together, it suddenly occurred to me that it might be interesting to combine some of these groups — for example, you could target baby boomers who waited until they were in their 40′s to start a family.
©2008 by Kathleen L. Mallary. All Rights Reserved.
About the Author:
Kathy Mallary (aka, The Inspired Market-her) is a marketing strategist and business development coach who specializes in helping self-employed coaches find a lucrative niche and create signature coaching products and programs. Get fresh, simple strategies for building a one-of-a-kind, sustainable coaching business at www.coachingbiztips.com.

