The Double-Edged Sword of Self-Promotion for Coaches
When does self-promotion for coaches go too far? How can you be visible without losing yourself or your clients?
You became a coach to help people, not to become a walking billboard. You wanted to serve, support, and guide (not to constantly post selfies with motivational quotes, dissect your entire life online, or compete with influencers for engagement).
And yet… here you are.
Whether you like it or not, visibility is part of the game. If people don’t know who you are or what you do, they can’t hire you. And if you never talk about your work, values, or offers, someone else will.
The truth? Self-promotion isn’t optional. But it doesn’t have to feel gross.
In this post, we’ll explore why self-promotion feels icky, yet you need to share without oversharing. We need to reframe self-promotion as a service.
Why Coaches Struggle With Self-Promotion
Promoting yourself is hard, especially in a world that often punishes confidence (particularly from women, queer folks, BIPOC, and anyone who doesn’t fit the polished LinkedIn mold).
You might be suffering from one of these mindset blocks when it comes to visibility:
“I don’t want to seem self-absorbed.”
You don’t want your audience to think it’s all about you. You were taught to be humble, serve, listen, and not broadcast.
“Who am I to talk about this?”
The classic impostor syndrome spiral. You question your credibility every time you hit “post.”
“My work should speak for itself.”
You believe in energetics, word of mouth, and alignment. You’d rather do the work than market the work.
“Being visible makes me feel vulnerable.”
You’re afraid of being judged. Trolled. Misunderstood. Or just…ignored.
All of these fears are valid
But here’s what’s also true:
If your dream clients can’t find you, you can’t help them.
If you’re hiding in the name of “humility,” your work stays invisible.
If you don’t tell your story, someone with less integrity, but more confidence, will fill the space.
And that’s not just a business problem—it’s a mission problem.
From Ego to Invitation
Self-promotion isn’t about:
Bragging
Boasting
Proving you’re better than someone else
Self-promotion is about:
Being clear about who you help
Showing up so your clients can find you
Normalizing your values in public spaces
Making it safe for others to raise their hands and say, “I need that.”
When done right, self-promotion becomes an act of leadership and generosity.
What Makes Self-Promotion Actually Land?
Clarity
Know what you offer, who it’s for, and why it matters. Say it simply and repeatedly.
Confidence (without performance)
Don’t fake being “high vibe” if you’re not. Confidence doesn’t mean volume. It means owning your perspective.
Service-First Energy
Lead by explaining why this work matters. Share stories, insights, and moments of transformation. Let people feel the work.
Boundaries Around Vulnerability
Vulnerability is powerful, but it’s not currency. You don’t owe anyone your trauma to be relatable. Share from the scar, not the wound.
Consistency Over Virality
You don’t need one viral post. You must show up consistently, so your people know you’re here for the long haul.
Personal Branding Can Be a Trap
The pressure to “be the brand” can fuel burnout and imposter syndrome.
When everything you do becomes content, every post is optimized for engagement, and your face becomes your brand, it’s easy to lose yourself.
You start performing instead of connecting, curating instead of expressing, and measuring your worth in likes instead of lives impacted. And that’s when visibility turns toxic.
Protecting Your Energy While Building Your Brand
So, how do you stay visible without losing your soul?
Define Your Boundaries Early
- What topics are off-limits for you online? What’s sacred?
- What kind of feedback drains you? What kind do you welcome?
Separate Your Identity From Your Metrics
You are not your engagement, your follower count, or the algorithm. You are a human doing sacred work.
Prioritize Depth Over Breadth
Would you rather 50 aligned followers or 5,000 people who’ll never hire you? Build intimacy, not just reach.
Batch When You Can
You don’t need to live online to be visible. Write your content in waves. Rest in between.
Let Community Hold You
Talk to other coaches. Hire a brand strategist who gets nuance. Join communities that get the emotional weight of visibility. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
What If I Still Feel Like a Show-Off?
Feeling cringey when you start promoting yourself is normal. You’re rewiring years of social conditioning that says:
“Don’t take up space.”
“Don’t brag.”
“Who do you think you are?”
But here’s the reframe:
Self-promotion is simply storytelling with intention.
If you can accommodate a client’s transformation, you can accommodate your own visibility.
Want Help With Showing Up Confidently?
Inside my course, Branding and Marketing for Coaches, we cover:
Personal branding for a service-based business
Storytelling that builds trust (not fatigue)
Email, Instagram, and LinkedIn strategy for real humans, not robots
Use the coupon d0bb4481e2bbCOACH until June 26 @10:00 (UK time)
Branding and Marketing for Coaches (Life, Health, Wellness)
Show Up for Them, Not for the Algorithm
You don’t need to prove yourself, play pretend, or be perfect. You just need to show up with honesty, care, and willingness to be seen, not to impress but to invite.
The right clients don’t want a show-off. They want someone who sees them.
