Ep 89 How to Explain What a Coach Does (So People Actually Understand)

If you've ever stumbled through an explanation of what you do at a dinner party, a networking event, or even on a discovery call — this episode is for you. The truth is, most coach training teaches you how to coach, but not how to talk about coaching in a way that actually lands with people who've never experienced it.

And here's why this matters more than you might think: your ability to clearly articulate what you do directly impacts your marketing, your discovery calls, and your revenue. If your language is vague, full of jargon, or confusing — what I call "coachspeak" — potential clients move on. They can't refer you if they don't understand what you do. They can't say yes if they're not sure what they're saying yes to.

In this episode, I'm breaking down how to ditch coachspeak, explain coaching in plain language, and talk about your work in a way that builds trust and makes it easy for people to become clients.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why being able to explain coaching clearly isn't just a social skill — it's a revenue skill
• The "coachspeak" problem and why phrases like "reconnect with your inner mentor" are costing you clients
• What coaching actually is (and isn't) — and why those distinctions matter
• How to translate abstract coaching language into plain, specific, outcome-focused words
• Tailoring your explanation to different contexts: dinner parties, networking events, discovery calls, and your marketing
• The elevator pitch formula that actually works
• How to handle common follow-up questions like "So what do you actually do?" and "How is that different from therapy?"
• Why your confidence in explaining coaching affects how others perceive it

Resources & Links:

• The Confident Coaching Skills Intensive — now available self-guided
• Get It Done: Private Business Coaching with Wendy