You’ve just finished an incredible coaching session. Your client had a breakthrough, tears were shed, and transformation happened. You’re on a high—until you check your calendar for next week.
Three empty slots stare back at you.
The pit in your stomach grows as you realize you need to “do marketing” again. But between client sessions, program development, and actually having a life, when exactly are you supposed to craft the perfect email sequence that magically fills your calendar?
Here’s the thing: Email marketing for coaches doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth. In fact, when done right, it becomes an extension of the transformative work you already do—just in written form. The coaches we work with at ElevateYourBrand consistently book 70% of their available sessions through strategic email marketing, and they do it without sounding salesy or spending hours at their keyboard.
The Real Problem: Why Email Marketing Feels So Hard for Coaches
Let’s address the elephant in the room. You became a coach to change lives, not to become a marketer. Yet here you are, staring at a blank screen, wondering if “Hey there!” is too casual or if three exclamation points make you look desperate.
The struggle is real, and it’s costing you more than just clients. According to the Content Marketing Institute, businesses that use email marketing see an average ROI of $42 for every $1 spent. But most coaches aren’t seeing anywhere near those returns. Why? Because they’re treating email like a necessary evil instead of a powerful coaching tool.
We’ve seen coaches write brilliant, transformative content for their programs, then freeze when it comes to emails. They worry about being “too much” in someone’s inbox. They second-guess every word. They write, delete, rewrite, and eventually send something generic that gets ignored.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. In our experience working with over 200 coaches, the ones who struggle most with email marketing are often the most talented at their craft. They care too much to send mediocre content, but they don’t have time to craft masterpieces.
Build Trust Before You Ask for Time
Here’s what most email marketing advice gets wrong: it tells you to sell before you’ve earned the right to ask. Coaches know better. You wouldn’t ask a client to dive into their deepest trauma five minutes into your first conversation. So why would you ask someone to book a session before they trust you?
The most successful coaches we work with follow a simple framework: Give first, ask second. Every email should leave your reader slightly better off than they were before opening it. Think of your emails as mini coaching sessions. Share a quick win, a perspective shift, or a tool they can use immediately.
For example, one life coach we worked with struggled to book discovery calls despite having 500 subscribers. We helped her shift from “Book a call to transform your life!” emails to sharing her “Monday Mindset Reset”—a 2-minute exercise readers could do with their morning coffee. Result? Her booking rate increased by 400% in six weeks. Why? Because she proved her value before asking for anything.
Implementation step: Choose one simple tool or exercise from your coaching practice. Write an email teaching it in under 300 words. Send it this week with zero sales pitch—just pure value.
Write Like You Talk (Not Like You Think You Should)
You know that moment when you’re in flow with a client? When the perfect question or insight just appears? That’s the voice your emails need. Not the stiff, formal tone you think sounds “professional.” Not the hyped-up guru speak you see everywhere. Your authentic coaching voice.
Most coaches write emails like they’re submitting a dissertation. They use words they’d never say out loud. They create distance when they should be building connection. We analyzed emails from 50 successful coaches and found something striking: the ones with the highest open rates (65%+) wrote at a 6th-grade reading level. Not because their readers aren’t smart, but because simple, clear communication builds trust.
Here’s a real before-and-after from a career coach we worked with:
Before: “Leveraging strategic networking opportunities can exponentially increase your professional visibility.”
After: “Last week, I helped a client land her dream job through one LinkedIn message. Here’s exactly what she said…”
Which would you rather read?
Implementation step: Record yourself explaining your next email topic to a friend. Transcribe it. That’s your first draft. Edit for clarity, not to sound “professional.”
The “One Thing” Email Strategy
Coaches often try to pack entire workshops into single emails. We get it—you have so much wisdom to share. But here’s what HubSpot’s research shows: emails with one clear call-to-action increase clicks by 371%.
The coaches who book the most sessions from email follow what we call the “One Thing” strategy:
- One problem addressed
- One insight shared
- One action suggested
That’s it. No life-changing 10-step processes. No overwhelming lists of resources. Just one valuable thing your reader can understand and use immediately.
A health coach we work with used to send weekly emails with 5-7 tips each. Open rates? 22%. Click-throughs? Almost zero. We helped her switch to the “One Thing” strategy. Now she sends emails like: “The 2-minute morning habit that eliminated my 3pm energy crash.” Open rates jumped to 58%, and she books 3-4 new clients monthly from her list of 300.
Implementation step: Look at your last email. Count how many different ideas you tried to convey. For your next email, pick just one. Go deep instead of wide.
From Readers to Clients: The Trust Timeline
Here’s something most marketing gurus won’t tell you: the average person needs 8-12 touchpoints before booking a coaching session. That’s not 8-12 sales pitches. That’s 8-12 opportunities to demonstrate your expertise, empathy, and approach.
Think of your email list like a coaching group where some people are ready to go deeper and others are still observing. Your job isn’t to rush anyone. It’s to consistently show up with value, so when they’re ready, you’re the obvious choice.
We’ve found the most effective email sequence for coaches follows this pattern:
- Weeks 1-2: Pure value, no asks
- Week 3: Soft introduction to how you help (“I worked with a client who…”)
- Week 4: Share a transformation story
- Week 5: Open invitation to connect (not sell)
- Week 6+: Mix of value, stories, and gentle invitations
The coaches who follow this timeline report feeling less “salesy” and more aligned with their values. Better yet? Their conversion rates triple compared to those who pitch in every email.
Your Next Step Forward
Email marketing doesn’t have to be the thing you dread each week. When you approach it as an extension of your coaching—a way to serve before you sell—it becomes something entirely different. It becomes a tool for transformation.
The coaches who succeed with email aren’t necessarily better writers. They’re not marketing geniuses. They simply understand that every email is a chance to do what they do best: help people see new possibilities.
Start small. Send one email this week that helps your readers solve one tiny problem. No pitch. No agenda. Just help. Watch what happens when you lead with service. Your readers will notice. Your calendar will too.
Remember: You already have everything you need to write emails that convert. You have expertise, empathy, and a genuine desire to help. The only thing standing between you and a full coaching calendar might just be giving yourself permission to share your gifts more freely.
Ready to stop DIYing your marketing? That’s exactly why ElevateYourBrand exists—to build your brand through words that work so you can serve more clients without the content stress. Book a quick discovery call to learn how. Your time is too valuable to waste on marketing struggles.
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