As coaches, we often find ourselves in a balancing act between authenticity and professionalism. There's this unspoken pressure to appear photo-ready, with perfect lives and flawless expertise. But let's be real – clients don't want perfection; they want realness, readiness, and honesty.

It's important to note the fine line between genuine vulnerability and what some call "vulnerability porn." We've all seen those well-crafted social media posts that dive deep into personal struggles, aiming to sound authentic and relatable.

However, when these posts are followed by a slick offer or a sales pitch, it can come across as disingenuous. Clients are savvy enough to recognize when vulnerability is being used as a marketing tactic rather than a genuine expression. It's essential to be mindful of how we share our vulnerabilities and ensure that it's done with sincerity and integrity.

On the flip side, there's the temptation to market the perfect life – the polished images, the curated content, the narrative of having it all together. This "be like me" marketing approach can feel inauthentic and disconnected from reality. People are desperately seeking realness, and realness is really easy to spot. Authenticity shines through when we embrace our imperfections, acknowledge our challenges, and show up as genuine human beings. It's about being relatable, not aspirational, and creating meaningful connections based on honesty and authenticity.

Example:  I have openly talked about my struggles with seasonal-affected disorder. Unless you've experienced the crushing weight of winter depression AND how it up-ends the way you see yourself and your life like clockwork for months every year, it's hard to understand what it's like. Seasonal Affective Disorder is way more than just winter blues. I have tried everything, including meds, to manage it. Moving to Mexico did not fix it for me, even though I prayed it would, because winter days are just too short.

Last week, I got a client who hired me specifically because she was struggling to break out of her seasonal depressive patterns, even during spring. She knew she could talk to me about it because I wouldn't try to minimize her experience like most people do. Today, I had another client session where that beautiful human said, "I struggled so much with depression in the winter, but I know you do too, so you understand that."

I have never once bared my soul about my very real struggles with mental health four or five months of the year as a disguise to pimp my latest shiny coaching offer. I share because I know other people struggle also and many of us struggle silently with a lot of shame about why we can't just pull our shit together in February.

You cannot be visible to your people and potential clients by trying to blend in with the pack or sell something that isn't real.

Here are some tips on how to strike that balance and be real and relatable without sacrificing professionalism:

Embrace Your Humanity: Clients are drawn to coaches who are relatable and human. Share snippets of your life – not just the highlight reel, but the real moments that showcase your authenticity. It could be a funny anecdote, a lesson learned from a mistake, or a personal challenge you've overcome. Being vulnerable and authentic builds trust and connection.

Set Boundaries: While it's important to be open, set boundaries around what you share. You don't have to spill every detail of your personal life. In fact, you shouldn't. Choose what feels comfortable and relevant to share, keeping the focus on how your experiences can benefit your clients. Skip the attention-grabbing vulnerability porn posts.

Showcase Growth: Share stories of your growth journey. Clients want to see that you're continuously learning and evolving. Highlight how challenges have shaped you and how you've used those experiences to become a better coach. It's not about showcasing perfection but demonstrating resilience and growth. Walking your talk is a reliable marketing strategy.

Be Transparent: Transparency is crucial to building trust. Be honest about your expertise, experience, and areas where you're still learning. Clients appreciate coaches who are transparent about their strengths and limitations. It shows humility and authenticity.

Practice Self-Care: Taking care of yourself is not just for your well-being; it's also a way to role model healthy behavior for your clients. Share your self-care practices and encourage clients to prioritize their own well-being. It's a powerful way to connect on a human level.

Celebrate Imperfection: Perfection is overrated. Embrace imperfections and celebrate authenticity. Clients are more likely to resonate with someone who acknowledges their humanity rather than someone who projects a flawless facade. No one really believes flawless. Celebrating your imperfections creates space for others to do the same.



By being relatable without pretending to have a perfect life, you create a space where clients feel understood, supported, and motivated to make positive changes. It's about being genuine, empathetic, and focused on making a meaningful difference.

We talk about this stuff at The Coaching Guild. It's one of the ways we work to avoid cookie-cutter coaches who look and smell like all the other cookie-cutter coaches. Embracing realness is embracing uniqueness. 

The Coaching Guild is a coach training program specifically designed to nurture dreamers, artists, creatives, outsiders, rebels, and good troublemakers. It is a multi-instructor, multi-disciplinary approach to training that prioritizes learning innovative foundational coaching skills and marketing training.

If you are interested in coach training done very differently, hit me up for a no-pressure, no BS, no trip, and fall into a sales funnel conversation. Let's talk about what's possible for you as a coach.