1. Selling a Fake Luxury Lifestyle

One of the most common marketing tricks in the life coaching industry is the illusion of success. Many life coaches showcase:

• Luxury cars, first-class flights, and high-end vacations. For a deeper understanding of the pitfalls in life coaching, read this article.
• Designer clothes and expensive watches.
• High-rise apartments or exotic homes.

The goal? To convince potential clients that coaching led to this lifestyle—and that they, too, can achieve it by purchasing a coaching package.

The Reality: Many of these coaches rent luxury items for photo shoots, use staged backdrops, or only show a fraction of their real financial situation. Their wealth is often generated by selling high-ticket coaching, not by the strategies they teach.

2. Creating False Urgency and Scarcity

Life coaches frequently pressure clients into quick decisions using tactics like:

• “Only a few spots left!” (even when they can take unlimited clients). To explore the psychological tricks life coaches use, click here.
• “Doors close tonight!” (but they re-open next week).
• “Prices will increase soon!” (with no real intention of raising them).

The Reality: These urgency tactics manipulate people into making impulsive purchases out of fear of missing out, rather than evaluating whether coaching is truly valuable for them.

3. Overhyping Personal Success Stories

Many coaches claim they went from broke to millionaire in just a few months using the very same methods they now sell. Their stories are often vague, unverifiable, and exaggerated.

The Reality: Few coaches disclose the full truth about their journey. Some:

• Had financial backing from family or previous careers.
• Gained their wealth from selling coaching, not from using their strategies.
• Present misleading income claims without showing full financial details.

4. Using Emotion Over Evidence

Instead of providing data, experience, or testimonials from real clients, many coaches rely on emotional manipulation. They make potential clients feel:

• Inadequate without their services.
• Guilty for not investing in themselves.
• Afraid of staying stuck if they don’t act now.

The Reality: A legitimate professional should be able to explain their expertise and provide clear value—without resorting to guilt or fear tactics.

5. Encouraging Debt as an “Investment”

One of the most dangerous marketing tactics used by life coaches is pushing clients to go into debt to afford their services. (Learn more about the ethical concerns in life coaching by reading this article). Coaches often say:

• “If you really believed in yourself, you’d invest.”
• “Money is just energy—don’t let it stop you.”
• “You can’t afford not to do this.”

The Reality: A responsible professional should never encourage someone to take on financial hardship to afford coaching. Ethical services should be accessible and reasonably priced. For a discussion on toxic capitalism and unethical practices in the coaching industry, read this article.