The Key To Revenue Growth in 2026 (it’s not what you think)
Unpopular opinion. Your biggest revenue opportunity in 2026 isn’t more leads.
We’re all chasing new people. Better funnels. Viral content. More visibility.
I get it. I’ve been there. But after studying companies with 90%+ retention rates and looking at our own 80% renewal rate in the Best Damn Coach, I realized something.
We’re overlooking the revenue goldmine sitting right in front of us: the clients we already have.
And so for my team and me, 2026 is the year we double down on client experience. Not in a fluffy way. In a strategic, revenue-driving, proof-building way.
Because when you nail the client experience, everything else gets easier. Your clients become your sales team. Your renewal rates skyrocket. Your proof multiplies. Your premium pricing feels justified.
This episode breaks down exactly what we’re doing and what you should consider for your business, too.
Why Client Experience Is Your Underrated Revenue Driver
You have three levers to grow revenue in your coaching business.
One, raise your prices.
Two, add more leads.
Three, increase conversions of people already in your world.
Most coaches focus exclusively on adding more leads. I’m telling you to focus on the conversions of people you already have.
Because the industry is saturated. There’s noise everywhere. Coaches are doing what each of us do. And so what we really need to think about is how do we elevate above that? How do we show we are who we say we are?
Exceptional client results plus exceptional client experience. That’s the answer.
A few weeks ago, I sat down with my team for a two-hour brainstorming session. The agenda? Client success.
I studied companies with 90%+ retention rates. What are they doing that we could learn from? And I realized something. The companies that keep clients don’t just deliver results. They push their clients, they celebrate milestones, they make the intangible tangible, and they create community.
I thought, how do we do more of this in our business?
Our current renewal rate is over 80% for first-year students continuing into year two in the Best Damn Coach. That’s solid. But I want 85%. I want 88%.
And so we’re implementing three core elements to get there.
Element 1: Tangible Results
Coaching is intangible. Your clients don’t hold your transformation in their hands. They can’t try it on. They can’t wear it.
So we have to turn it into a tangible thing.
Your clients are looking for evidence that this works. Physical proof of people who’ve gone before them. Hope that transformation is possible for them too. Measurements they can track.
I don’t just want my clients to feel better, have more purpose, and feel confident. I need to know what tangible thing I can give them so that they have those things.
Every lesson I design and teach in the Best Damn Coach, the Framework Builder Lab, or SBO is built on a tangible result. Period.
Element 2: Proof Everywhere
Once you’re getting tangible results, you need to capture and share proof constantly.
I’m talking about testimonials. Client wins. Case studies. Before-and-after transformations. Revenue increases. Client roster growth. Clarity breakthroughs.
We’re building this into our process now. Snag testimonials as part of the client journey, not after. Celebrate student success on social media (I’m working on doing this better). Create unexpected shout-outs and recognition. Highlight students who are excelling in specific areas.
Why? Because robust proof is a long-term strategy that takes time to build. But it will never go wrong.
This is algorithm-proof. This is what withstands the test of time. We’re posting and sharing these things in different ways, but when you build robust proof, the ROI is massive.
Element 3: Onboarding Excellence + Surprise and Delight
I had a professor in college who didn’t know my name. I sat in the second row of her classroom multiple times a week for an entire semester. She never knew my name.
That experience taught me; I will never want to have a client who feels this way.
Your client experience starts the moment someone says yes to working with you. And for many of us, that onboarding process feels like a fire hose.
Do this, do this, do this. Here’s all the stuff. Good luck.
Our Onboarding Overhaul
We noticed our onboarding felt overwhelming. So we’re making changes.
New onboarding call. My client success manager now offers everyone a short call to go over the platform, make sure they’re plugged in, and answer questions. Why? Because we know when people get plugged into calls quickly, their success rate skyrockets. That’s our number one marker of success. Getting plugged into the calls.
Surprise and delight gift. I send something that influences the identity I’m asking them to embody as they grow with me. (No spoilers if you’re coming into the BDC, but it’s good.)
Simplified process. We’re asking questions like, can we pull out a specific call? Can we send a video? Can we break long pieces into shorter pieces?
If someone feels supported from day one, they show up differently. They engage more. They implement faster. They get better results.
Better results for me mean more proof. And we’re back to element one.
Our Reward System (Gamification That Works)
If you’re watching this on YouTube, I’ll show you our reward system. Students achieve different levels by the outcomes they accomplish.
Not by the number of clients or revenue. By taking action.
Level one completion? You get a BDC Stanley. Then they earn other milestones. We gamify the process.
This drives more clients for them, more revenue for them, more engagement in the community, and higher retention for us.
I want to double down on this because now more than ever, people care about being seen and heard. I want them to know this is the most excellent and premium place to get that kind of love and support.
Why This Matters More in 2026
The online coaching industry is saturated. Period.
Your ideal clients are being marketed to by dozens of coaches who do similar work. They’re overwhelmed. They’re skeptical. They’ve maybe been burned before.
What makes someone choose you? And more importantly, what makes them stay?
Results. Experience. Feeling seen and supported. Tangible proof that you are who you say you are.
This isn’t about being the loudest. It’s about being the best. Actually delivering. Actually caring. Actually creating an experience that makes your clients think, I don’t want to leave this.
When you nail this, your business transforms. Your marketing becomes easier (your proof sells for you). Your prices feel justified (because the experience backs it up). Your referrals increase (because people can’t stop talking about you). Your energy improves (because you love what you’re creating).
Connect with Me
Book a call with me here
Email – support@amanda-walker.com
