The human voice is one of the most valuable instruments we possess. People have fought wars, built civilizations, learned, and loved, all because of the voice. The voice is our prime communication tool. In the digital world, it is used in the fields of marketing, sales, and entertainment for the creation of ads, movies, musicals, and more. This makes the voice a very important tool that can be refined for optimal performance, and with the guidance of an online vocal coach.

As a creator with great vocal capabilities, you might want to consider becoming an online vocal coach. In this article, we will talk about how to become an online vocal coach, the skills and experiences required to become one, how to build your online vocal coaching business, challenges, benefits and more!

Ready? Let’s dive in! 

Who is an Online Vocal Coach? 

An Online Vocal Coach is a person who trains the voices of their students via the Internet. They may also be a singing instructor. An online vocal coach helps clients improve their voice performance. They teach them how to expand their vocal range, learn to use different singing styles, protect their voice and enhance overall vocal performance. 

Their teaching and guidance can help students do the following:

1. Speak More Confidently

For people who speak in front of audiences from time to time, like public speakers, and celebrities, the work of a vocal coach can be particularly helpful in facing stage fright, and improving the tonality of their voice, which would make them more audible.

2. Communicate Better

An online vocal coach can teach clients how to convey information in ways that would help them connect with listeners. Elements like pacing and vocal technique affect a person’s ability to deliver their message. These can be improved with the help of a coach. 

3. Improve Their Singing

Singing, as with all other skills, can be improved upon with the right training. Vocal coaches help their clients become better singers by teaching them how to sing melodies with emotion and confidence. With training, singers may also learn how to access new ranges of sound in their vocal boxes. 

A good coach would also teach their students how to sing while protecting their voices from strain or rupture. Truly, good vocal coaching can make a Mariah Carey out of an ordinary singer. 

4. Become Better Voice Actors

Voice acting as a skill is implemented in a lot of ways. Businesses use them when creating jingles that are played on TV and radio stations. The film industry uses them when narrating or voicing animated characters. A good online coach can help their clients manipulate their voices and become better voice actors. 

5. Perfect a New Language

Beyond knowing the words of a new language, being able to speak like a local is a skill that adequate vocal coaching can harness.

What Experience and Skills Do You Need? 

As with other teaching roles, one cannot blindly decide to become an online vocal coach without having the necessary experience. Promising vocal coaches should begin teaching only after gaining significant experience in their respective fields, be it public speaking, singing, voice acting, and more. They may also train as teachers or consultants.

If you’re looking at becoming an online vocal coach, building experience is key. Take time to learn vocal techniques, and receive training from more experienced coaches. Read books about the voice, practice and perfect your craft, and maybe volunteer in spaces that need your services. Notwithstanding the experience you need, remember that you can always start with what you know. As long as you have value to offer, others will be able to learn from you. 

Beyond experience, there are also several other skills that you must possess to truly thrive as an online vocal coach:

1.You Should Be Confident

Confidence is crucial for a vocal coach as your confidence or lack thereof would set the tone for the entire coaching session. Building confidence would require you to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses, and improve consistently through practice, knowledge, and experience. You can also ask for client feedback to know how effective your coaching is. A good comment can make a great confidence boost. 

2. You Should Have Great Vocal Technique

You can never stop learning. Study and practice vocal techniques to expand your knowledge and improve your ability to teach effectively. Stay updated with the latest trends and developments in your field, and do not be afraid to experiment with different exercises to see what works best for your students. 

3. You Should Have an Ear for Harmony

This entails helping your students develop a good ear for sound. A good vocal coach understands harmony and also teaches students how to sing in harmony by providing exercises that focus on listening, blending, and maintaining their pitch. 

4. You Should Understand Human Anatomy

The voice comes from the body, so having a knowledge of the anatomy of the mouth and how it functions can help one figure out how best to harness sound. Use visual aids such as diagrams, models, or simulations to help your students visualize and understand their vocal anatomy. 

5. You Should Know How to Perform

Beyond the voice, delivery also matters. A good vocal coach teaches their students the importance of stage presence, confidence, expression, interpretation, and even movement. Share your performance experiences and that of others with students to inspire and guide them on their journeys.

People like Beyonce and Michael Jackson have stood out for having incredible stage presence and can be used as models during lessons. 

6. You Should Have Good Teaching Skills

Being a teacher requires a lot of empathy, patience, and the ability to communicate effectively. While these qualities are innate traits, they can also be developed with training. If you want to improve as a teacher, then study education theory, attend seminars, and learn from more experienced tutors. With time and experience, you will get better.

In addition to the above skills, a vocal coach also helps their students develop their vocal technique, tone, breathing, and range among others. Where necessary, they can choose to act as accountability partners by following up with students who need direction and guidance, or who are training for specific events at regular intervals. They also have to mentor their students and set goals for them to achieve, and can also assist their students in building portfolios that showcase their vocal strengths.

How To Become an Online Vocal Coach

Becoming an Online Vocal coach is not always a straightforward process. The industry is still relatively young, especially in Africa. Compared to fields like copywriting, and social media management, vocal coaching is not very popular. While this might be an obstacle where building your client list is concerned, it can also be a great opportunity for you to establish yourself as the go-to expert in your community. 

Looking to become an online Vocal Coach? Here are a few steps to consider that would help you on this journey: 

1.Create a Social Media Account

Having a social media presence is the first step for anyone seeking to establish a digital business. For an online vocal coach, this is going to be the space where your audience will be able to connect with you, understand what you have to offer, and pay for your services.

Picking the right social media platform depends on several factors. You might want to consider what platforms you are comfortable using, and what platforms are being used by the audience you are trying to reach.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are great for building an online presence because they fully support video content. They also have millions of users. By using these platforms, you will be able to advertise your services seamlessly, through valuable content, SEO, and paid Ads that will bring clients to your doorstep.  

2. Post Great Content

Content is a great way to attract the right customers, establish expertise, and guide users to become your students! Beyond having a social media presence, you need to post valuable content on your social media pages. This will further establish your authority as an online vocal coach.

You can create video or text content sharing tips and techniques on how to improve the voice. You can also share personal anecdotes for improving confidence and getting rid of stage fright. Having a wide range of content will not only address the different needs your audience may have but will also clue them into how your services may be of use to them. Sometimes, people may not know what they need until you show them.

Remember to leave good call-to-action statements at the end of each piece of content. These would direct viewers to do a specific task, like following your page, purchasing your products, or reaching out to you via DM for more information.

3. Create a Digital Product

Selling digital products is the best way to monetize your vocal coaching skills. A digital product shows your knowledge and expertise as a vocal coach and can be purchased and used by your audience. You could sell e-books, video course series, templates, membership subscriptions and so much more!

Here at Selar, we help creators sell a wide range of digital products. You can take advantage of our services as an online vocal coach. With our E-book feature, you can publish an e-book sharing knowledge that would greatly benefit your clients. If you’re looking for a more immersive learning experience, you can upload a video course series using our course feature. 

For students who might want personalized training, one-on-one sessions can be a great way to tailor your expertise to their unique needs and challenges. You can also create a membership support group using our Membership feature that would help your community of students train together and support each other. 

CHECK OUT: How to Easily Create and Sell Digital Products Online

4. Give Freebies

For a field as personal and niche as vocal training, sometimes offering freebies and other incentives can be very helpful. People may be hesitant to fully commit to a training programme until they are convinced that you know what you’re talking about. This is where freebies come in. 

Freebies are a great way to build trust with leads and establish yourself as a helpful and valuable coach. They could be mini e-books or guides, a free session, a free one-month subscription, and so much more. Many businesses and apps offer free 7-day trials to users, and you can adopt this tactic too. 

You can attach your freebies to your newsletter and collect the emails of people who subscribe, using the freebie as an incentive. This way you can add them to your mailing list, while also sharing your value offering with them. At the end of the day, this is a potential win-win situation for all parties involved. 

READ: What is a Lead Magnet? Ultimate Guide to Using Lead Magnets to Grow Your Business

5. Leverage Testimonials 

The journey does not end with just selling digital products. You also have to take time to engage with each lead-turned-customer and nurture the relationship. This will be beneficial when you need feedback. Trust us, you will! Good companies are built on the foundation of goodwill, so never undermine the power of a great testimonial.

After each lesson, send your students a feedback form to share how they found the lesson, what they liked, and what they felt could be improved upon. When you receive feedback, don’t just take the good and ignore the bad. Work on the negative comments as this would help you improve retention. 

6. Run Paid-Ads 

Running paid ads is one of the most effective ways to raise awareness for your online vocal coaching services. You can create ads with content posted on social media, testimonials from past clients and freebies. Remember to have a great call-to-action statement to increase the chances of people trying out your services. 

LEARN: How To Sell Online Courses With Social Media Ads

Challenges You Might Face While Coaching

When building an online vocal coaching business, you might run into the following challenges:

1. Might be Difficult to Find Clients: It might be a little difficult to find the right clients when starting. However, implementing the steps and strategies above would help you navigate these challenges. Leverage personal connections, and build a long and reputable career. At the end of the day, word of mouth is still the most reputable form of advertisement. 
2. Might Encounter Internet Connectivity Issues: Offering an online service might require investing in quality internet service providers to ensure that disruptions are minimal. When there are too many, chances are students will get distracted and bored. If possible, have more than one option for use. 
3. Might Encounter Technical Issues: Issues like bad audio might be prevalent when seeking to connect with students online. Invest in quality audio and video equipment to ensure clear communication. Use good platforms for real-time sessions and encourage students to invest in tools that will help them be more audible.
4. The Lack of Personal Connection: Voice training usually happens in person, as it’s a lot easier to establish communication this way. However, it can also be effective online if coaching is carried out with intention. 

Establish rapport with students through regular check-ins, active listening, and personalized feedback. Incorporate icebreakers and interactive activities into your sessions to build a sense of community. This will encourage openness and feedback from students.

READ: How to Start an Online Coaching Business

Benefits to Becoming an Online Vocal Coach

Being an Online Vocal coach has several benefits. Here are a few: 

1. You Get More Flexibility: Working online gives you the opportunity to decide on your availability. An onsite role would not give you the same flexibility.
2. It’s More Convenient for Students: Online coaching offers convenience for students as well. They don’t have to travel long distances to take lessons. They can learn from the comfort of their own homes, and can also choose the time they would be available.
3. Offers You Different Income Opportunities: As an online vocal coach, you can earn through 1-on-1 classes, courses, e-books, partnerships with businesses, and more. It’s a great way to diversify your income.
4. Gives You Wider Reach and More Access: With online coaching, you can reach students from all over the world. Your potential client base extends beyond your local community, thereby increasing your opportunities for growth and income.
5. Gives You an Opportunity to Grow: You learn so much by teaching others. You develop patience, new strategies to do old work, empathy, new skills and interests, and so much more. By taking time to coach others, your personal growth will be contributed to. 

Finally, an online vocal coach is important for people who want to communicate more effectively. As someone interested in becoming one, knowing how to start will get you ahead of the curve. Invest in your own experience. Build your skills. Then focus on curating a social media presence by sharing valuable and informative content with your audience. Have digital products and services to offer them so that you can effectively monetize your skills. Then remember to guard your reputation by delivering stellar service, and leverage testimonials to attract more clients.

Be sure to try out Selar when you’re ready to start selling your digital products and services. Rooting for you as you begin this journey!