By: Travis Hutton

One of the effective ways to grow a coaching or consulting business in 2025 isn’t ads or cold outreach. Many find that thought leadership can be a powerful alternative. When clients trust your voice, they may be more likely to trust your offer. That’s why forward-thinking coaches and consultants are publishing, speaking, and sharing insights that position them as a trusted expert, not just another option.

Authority Can Serve as Your Marketing Funnel

People don’t buy coaching or consulting services the same way they buy products. They don’t just scroll, click, and checkout. They often look for signs of credibility. They check your content. They may see if others trust you.

A 2024 LinkedIn study found that a notable portion of service buyers are more likely to hire someone who has been featured in the media or shared original thought leadership. This implies that even a single article, podcast, or whitepaper can build more trust than extended social media efforts.

Thought leadership can help build authority, and authority often drives growth.

Teach, Rather Than Pitch

Successful coaches and consultants aren’t just promoting services. They’re teaching something useful. They’re writing about problems their audience commonly faces and showing how to think about them differently.

For example, a leadership coach in Brisbane wrote a short article explaining why most performance reviews fail. The focus wasn’t on selling coaching, but on offering valuable insight. Over time, the post generated six new consultation calls and eventually led to her first corporate retainer.

Thought leadership tends to work when it helps first and sells second.

Consistency Can Lead to Growth

One article likely won’t change your business overnight. But a steady stream of content can build momentum. It may improve your Google search results, boost SEO, and give future clients something to engage with before they ever book a call.

For example, a fractional CFO publishes one article a month addressing the finance questions he hears most often. After twelve months, his name started appearing frequently on the first page of search results for several key topics. He didn’t rely on ads—just clarity and consistency paid off.

Many coaches and consultants are turning to Hermes Wire to publish their insights at scale. Launched in 2023, Hermes Wire helps professionals share thought leadership, company updates, and client wins across trusted outlets. It’s designed to be simple, fast, and built for people who want to grow their brand without hiring a full-time PR team.

Whether you’re launching a new service, sharing a client result, or explaining your method, Hermes Wire can help give your voice more reach.

Thought Leadership Can Help Accelerate Growth

Unlike word of mouth, which often takes time to build, thought leadership has the potential to travel fast. A well-placed article might get shared in a Slack group, quoted in a proposal, or forwarded by a client to someone who needs what you offer.

It can also help raise your rates. When clients see you as an expert, they’re often less likely to negotiate. They don’t just want the service. They want the person behind it. Thought leadership shifts the focus from what you do to how you think—and that’s where trust often forms.

Coaches and consultants who invest in thought leadership aren’t just building visibility. They’re potentially building a business that scales with their voice, their expertise, and their ideas. If you’re ready to grow, consider starting by sharing what you know. The right people could already be looking for it.

Published by Jeremy S.