Imagine you’re floating in a crystal-clear blue ocean. This ocean represents a space where your business thrives with little or no competition. Now picture a murky red ocean, crowded with competition, where businesses fight over the same limited resources. That’s the difference between a red ocean and a blue ocean strategy for coaches.
Most businesses compete in red oceans—overcrowded markets with similar offerings. But blue ocean thinkers create new markets by serving underrepresented groups or offering something entirely different.
What Is Blue Ocean Strategy for Coaches?
A blue ocean strategy for coaches means identifying new ways to offer value—by tapping into unmet needs or creating new coaching categories. You’re not trying to outperform others. You’re creating your own lane.
Instead of mimicking competitors, blue ocean thinkers look outside their industry for ideas. They focus on innovation, not imitation. The goal is to offer something your competitors aren’t even thinking about yet.
Examples of Blue Ocean Strategy in Action
Tesla Motors is a classic blue ocean example. In 2003, while major car manufacturers produced hybrid cars to meet regulatory requirements, Tesla launched fully electric sports cars that were fast, sleek, and had impressive range. They didn’t just improve upon the status quo—they redefined what electric vehicles could be.
Tesla’s competitors were held back by:
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Fear of cannibalizing gas-powered car sales
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Belief that customers wouldn’t want electric vehicles
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Pressure from the oil industry
Tesla disrupted all of that. Similarly, you can challenge assumptions in your field and create your own blue ocean as a coach.
Blue Ocean Thinking in Everyday Business
You don’t have to be Elon Musk to apply a blue ocean mindset. Let’s look at ZocDoc, a simple yet powerful example. Instead of selling scheduling software to doctors (like everyone else), they created an app for patients to book appointments directly. That move created a new market and customer base.
They succeeded by:
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Solving pain points (expensive and complex office software)
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Flipping the customer (patients instead of clinics)
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Delivering a simpler, cloud-based, user-friendly solution
How to Apply Blue Ocean Strategy for Coaches
Whether you’re a life coach, career coach, or wellness coach, here’s how to apply a blue ocean strategy for coaches:
1. Identify Pain Points in the Industry
What frustrates clients? What’s missing from traditional coaching experiences?
For example, consider this blog post:
How to Become a Successful Life Coach ← Add this next to “clients”
2. Focus on Non-Customers
Who isn’t being served by traditional coaching? Maybe it’s creatives, introverts, or people transitioning careers.
Example internal link:
What Is a Mindset Coach and How to Become One ← Add this near “coaching categories”
3. Rethink Standards
What could you raise, lower, eliminate, or create?
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Raise: Offer hybrid coaching with personalized digital resources
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Lower: Simplify sessions or pricing to increase access
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Eliminate: Outdated formats (e.g., only 1:1)
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Create: Niche-specific programs or group coaching experiences
(Consider linking to: How to Create an Online Course)
4. Test Your Ideas
Ask:
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Is this useful to potential clients?
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Can I explain it clearly and simply?
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Can I price it competitively and profitably?
If the answer is yes, you’re likely onto a blue ocean idea.
Creating Your Coaching Niche: A Personal Example
We created our own blue ocean strategy for coaches by developing courses tailored to coaches who want to teach what they’ve overcome. Instead of generic life coaching, we focused on niche solutions—like helping people overcome anxiety, navigate transitions, or tap into their creativity.
This strategy made our offerings unique and scalable.
Some examples of past blue oceans in coaching:
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Virtual coaching before it was common
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Group coaching via teleseminars and webinars
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Blending coaching and teaching through online courses
Today, there are still countless ways to innovate. What can you do that no one else is doing yet?
Questions to Spark Blue Ocean Thinking
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What do your clients complain about?
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What alternatives are non-clients choosing instead of coaching?
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What industry standards can you raise or lower?
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What can you eliminate or create that would shift the game?
Ready to Dive Into the Blue Ocean?
You don’t need a massive budget or a global platform. You just need a fresh perspective. Think differently. Challenge assumptions. Innovate instead of imitate.
Be bold. Be you. Be BLUE.
Of course, there is a lot more to successfully creating a blue ocean company than I’ve covered in this article. If you are interested in finding out more about how to implement blue ocean strategy, visit blueoceanstrategy.com and read the books on the topic written by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, professors of strategy at INSEAD, one of the world’s top business schools.
