I’ve Spent So Much On Certifications… How Do I Actually Get Clients?
Posted on September 01, 2025 by Cathy Smith, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.
Struggling to get clients after certification? Discover how to attract your first coaching clients with clarity, confidence, and focus.
You are not alone if you have invested thousands of dollars in certifications only to find yourself wondering why the clients have not come. Many coaches quietly ask the same question: “I thought once I had the qualifications, the clients would come. Isn’t it meant to be build it and they will come? So, why am I still struggling?”
I recently spoke with a coach who had exactly this concern. She had worked hard to complete multiple certifications, each one with the hope that this would be the turning point. Yet she found herself in the same place, qualified but invisible. Her biggest frustration was that she felt she had done everything right, but without clients she could not see a return on her investment.
What you are not told is that certifications give you skills, but they do not teach you how to connect with clients. They do not teach you the business skills that you need. That requires a different set of tools, visibility, clarity, and the confidence to guide conversations in a way that feels natural instead of salesy.
One Shift You Can Make Today
Instead of asking “What other training do I need?” begin asking “Who do I help and how can I let them know I exist?”
It sounds simple, yet this single shift is powerful:
- Choose one audience
- Choose one problem you solve
- Choose one way to consistently show up for them
A coach I worked with put this into action. Before, she was trying to speak to everyone at once. Her message changed from day to day, and the more she spoke, the less clear she became. Potential clients were confused and tuned out.
When she narrowed her focus to one audience, everything changed. Within weeks she began attracting genuine interest because her message was no longer scattered. People leaned in and said, “That is exactly what I need.” The certifications she had worked so hard to achieve suddenly became valuable because she now had a clear way to connect them to real client results.
The same clarity is available to you too.
Your Next Step
If you are a coach who has invested in training but are still waiting for clients, know this. You do not need another certification. You need a way to bridge the gap between your skills and the people who need them.
I am Cathy Smith and I help new coaches go from invisible to irresistible by attracting clients, growing with confidence, and building a business they love.
Visit my Noomi profile and Cathy Smith Coaching website at cathysmith.com.au to learn how to take the next step toward your first clients and beyond.
