Cold email
Conversion sits under 1% for consumer coaching. The only version that works is small-volume, heavily personalised outreach to organisations.
Cost to acquire$50–$300
Close rate0–1%
Cheap to send, expensive in reputation and time. Est · Estimate
Where it fails
At consumer volume this is a waste of time with a deliverability penalty attached. LinkedIn outperforms it roughly threefold for the same audience.
Timing and fit
- Time before reliable flowHorizonWeeks, if it works at all
- Best suited toBest forHyper-personalised B2B outreach only
6 channels cost less than this one: Referrals, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google and Microsoft Ads, YouTube, Meta Ads. Cost is not the only axis, but it is the one most easily ignored when a channel feels productive.
Against every other channel
- ReferralsEvery niche, at every stageCost$0–$50Close rate40–70%
- LinkedInBusiness, executive, leadership and career coachingCost$50–$200Close rate—
- InstagramLife, health, relationship and wellness coachingCost$50–$200Close rate—
- Google and Microsoft AdsExecutive and B2B niches with real search intentCost$65–$150Close rate14–18%
- YouTubeThought leadership, executive and high-ticket coachingCost$50–$200Close rate—
- Podcast appearancesCoaches with a specific, articulable point of viewCost$100–$300Close rate30–50%
- Paid directoriesCoaches without an audience who need volume nowCost$200–$600Close rate—
- Meta AdsConsumer niches with a strong lead magnetCost$30–$80Close rate—