Tag: coach marketing
You are the core of your coaching business so how you present yourself is how others will see your coaching business. Be conscious of how you are perceived by clients and potential clients and how that will reflect on their decisions to use your services. There is no need to be manipulative or calculating in how you present yourself and your business but you should be aware of the image you project and you should make sure you are projecting the image you desire.
Self Confidence
Self confidence can be a difficult area for new coaches. The best way to gain confidence in your coaching is to coach a lot. I suggest that new coaches try to coach 100 sessions in three months even if that means coaching for a super low fee like $10.00. This will build your experience and confidence while getting the 100 coaching hours required by the ICF for certification. "Coaching Business Blast Off" helps new coaches have confidence starting a prosperous coaching business.
Experience
New coaches don't have a ton of coaching experience to talk about but all coaches have life experience. Most coaches have a valuable life experience that often is the thing that brought them to coaching in the first place. Tell people about your experience and how that relates to your coaching business.
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May 11, 2009
Getting new coaching clients is the great challenge for all coaches. It does not matter how long you have been coaching or how good of a coach you are. You have to market your coaching business and attract new clients because you will always have clients who no longer need coaching and those who must stop coaching for a variety of reasons. The challenge is how to attract those new clients in a way that feels comfortable for you and is effective.
Attraction marketing vs. Push Marketing
Most coaches think of push marketing or old school sales when they hear the words coach-marketing plan. You know what I am talking about. The old sales marketing that promotes what you have to sell by focusing on your product, your credentials, and your methods. Using this type of marketing, you tell the clients why they need to change and how you make that change happen. No wonder this type of marketing is difficult for most coaches; it is pushy!
Attraction marketing brings clients to you or pulls them toward you by offering learning opportunities and information that will be attractive to the person who may need or want your services. Attraction marketing is the subject of my home study course "No Sales Required Client Attraction".
Be a Resource before a Vendor
When you employ attraction marketing, you become a resource for potential clients. You provide them with attractive, useful and interesting information that draws their interest and draws them to you and your services. Coaching clients have a need and
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February 8, 2009
There are several stages in any coaching business and there are appropriate marketing steps for each stage. The keys to success are planning and taking action. You cannot stay stuck in the planning phase and have a successful business so do not insist on perfection before you take action. Take each business development phase one at a time, give it your best effort, evaluate and take the next action.
Launching Pad and Blast Off Stage
The first stage is what I call the launching pad and blast off stage. This is the stage where you design your business and get a clear vision of who you are, what you do, who you serve, what makes you different, and how you serve your clients. During this stage, it is appropriate to work on marketing issues like name, location, basic internet presence, business structure and beginning client attraction. It takes time, money, and a ton of work to become an internet empire so remember during the blast off phase your goal is to use the resources of the internet as a small part of your marketing strategy. If you are in this stage you should consider my home study course "Coaching Business Blast Off"
What should my site look like?
Every coach I know thinks his or her business must have a website right away. Many go out and hire a web designer, at great expense, to design an elaborate coaching business website. Internet presence is important to any business today but a website is not always the best place to begin. If you are working mainly in your local market then potential clients will look you up on the web to judge you legitimacy. Now that presents a bit of a problem because what you want them to see is something professional but many times you have no idea how to go about getting a site or what elements to include.
Look at your individual situation
The first step is to look at who your niche market is and where you will find them. Do not feel like you need to go out, hire a fancy web designer, and put up an expensive website. Even some very successful internet marketers do not have fancy website and a website does not have to be flashy or slick to be effective. I use a Typepad blog.
Web design is not what you need to be doing at this point in your coaching business.
The emphasis should be on presentations, workshops, and networking during the launching period of your coaching business. You need to focus on activities that bring in new clients, generate revenue, and give you a successful record of accomplishment and a full bank of testimonials.
Website or Blog, Keep it simple
A simple form of either one will do in the beginning. There is a huge likelihood that you will change your mind and content in a few months so this is not the time to make a large investment in either format.
Websites
Websites are static and the information on them does not change very often. They are great for sharing information about your business and your products. You can set up a simple website with hosting through many vendors.
Blogs
Blogs are more fluid and changing. Many blogging platforms can look very much like a website. The biggest difference between a blog and a website is that the information on a blog is updated regularly, in the form of blog posts. Most people update the blog posts or information on their blog several times a month even daily. The advantage of this method is that it makes your blog up to date like a Newsletter. These updates also bring the search engines around on a regular basis. Blogs are far easier to set up and can be very adaptable.
They key to success is to plan your marketing strategy and use the marketing tools that are appropriate for the stage your coaching business is in.
Be sure to join my FREE teleclass every Wednesday at 9p EST. Go to the top of this page and register so you will get the link and replay link each week.
January 24, 2009
I know you are already having an internal battle about if you should read this post or not. When I mention networking many of my clients get a sour look on their face, pull away from the conversation, and cross their arms and legs. Hmmmm, what does that body language indicate? The word networking brings to mind a room full of fake smiles, lightly veiled sales pitches, and cold food. Not the most inviting thought for a coach who wants to help other people become more and have a full life.
Re-define Your Idea of Networking
OK, take a deep breath, grin, relax and keep reading. Networking does not have to be that way for you. I know because I used to hate it too! Networking is what you make it so make it something that you want to do and you look forward to doing. The first step to changing your attitude is to change your focus from what is in this for me to how can I be of service to others. You are not the only person that feels awkward at a networking even so try starting a conversation with someone who looks uncomfortable; at least you have one thing in common already!
Share Your Coaching Skill by Helping Others
You are a coach and you are trained to listen more effectively than most people so use that skill and listen to another person. Use your coaching skills to recognize the needs, challenges, and desires of another person. Provide value to that person by helping them recognize or uncover a truth that they may not have seen before. Encourage them to overcome their challenges and help them see a path to make changes that will help them.
Success Depends on Whom You Know
Everyone goes to a networking event looking me make contact with someone who will help them succeed. Most people are looking to push their agenda on another person and get them to buy something. Dare to be different by looking for ways that you can help another person. Help someone connect with someone you know in a way that could benefit both parties. If the connection works out well then both parties will be grateful and will desire to help you in the future.
Be Yourself
If you do not like phony people who are trying to sell you something or manipulate you then do not be that way with others at a networking event even if they are. People like people who are sincere and genuine and it is much easier on you to be real. Relax and be the wonderful person you are when you are among friends. People are attracted to people who are relaxed and confident so chill out and be yourself.
Remember, you are there to meet others, make connection, and serve.
You are not selling you are doing what you love connecting with others.
You know that how you experience something has everything to do with your thinking. Now you have a new way to think about networking that will serve you and help you enjoy what you used to dread. Life and business are all about connecting with others in a genuine and loving way. Networking does not have to be different and you can teach others to network like you do by being a shining example.
Be sure to join my FREE teleclass every Wednesday at 9p EST. Go to the top of this page and register so you will get the link and replay link each week.
January 14, 2009
Coaching businesses are personal businesses that are tied to the owner and their personality. Your business has a brand and as a service businessperson, you need to develop your own personal brand. Your personal brand describes who you are, whom you serve and why you serve that group. It tells the public what you are made of and why you do what you do.
Personal Brand
Your personal brand is a way to clearly define your nature as a person, coach and businessperson. Your brand helps you describe who you are in your heart. It is a vehicle to communicate whom you serve so that people can determine if they are a fit for your coaching services. If people are not a fit then it is best that you both become aware before you expend energy and time. A personal brand expresses why you have chosen to dedicate your life to serving your specific niche market. By having a personal brand you are able to attract your perfect coaching client and tell them what make you uniquely you. I am a coach that helps other coaches market and grow their coaching business because I believe that coaches can change the world with their marketing and their coaching.
Dare to Be Different
You are unique and you have your own quirks, experiences, history, sense of humor and personal style. This makes you different then any other person in your field serving your chosen niche coaching market. It is tempting to make sure that you do not water down whom you are and what makes you unique in order to appeal to everyone. Work hard to be who you are and allow your quirks and uniqueness shine. No one appeals to everyone but people are attracted to people who are comfortable with who they are. I am an outspoken, driven, energetic, motivator and I don't hold back on any of those qualities when I am coaching. When I first started coaching I did hold back with my clients but I have had much better results and so have my clients since I began using my more straight forward or in your face appraoch.
What Makes You Uniquely You
There are qualities, that have been unique to you since early in your life. They are the things that other people say you were born to do or you have always done. Many coaches have always been the person that everyone goes to talk to about their challenges or problems. Some people are natural nurturers or information resources. We each have qualities that are ours alone. Make a list of the unique qualities you see in yourself.
What do Others See as Unique to You
We seldom see ourselves as others see us so ask other close to you how they would describe you in five phrases. Talk to your close friends and ask them what you do best, what were the occasions where they have seen you the most joyous, what activities you get completely wrapped up in, and what they cannot see you without. In my course "Coaching Business Blast Off" I include a list of questions to help you to determe what makes you unique in your own definition and in the eyes of others.
Write Your Personal Brand Statement
Your personal brand statement has three parts: whom you help, what you help them do, and why you do what you do. Write one sentence to describe the answer to each of the questions. The who and what questions are easy to answer but they why question will take some time to answer. Think about why you do what you do carefully and search your heart for the answer. Let yourself think big and describe the big, daring, powerful, and inspired you doing what you love.
Be sure to join my FREE teleclass every Wednesday at 9p EST. Go to the top of this page and register so you will get the link and replay link each week.
January 11, 2009
Who does not like to get an invitation? Invitations are great because they are usually an offer to be a part of something; they make you feel welcome, appreciated, and wanted. Most of the time an invitation means you are going to be a part of something that is fun and free. As a coach, you need to have an invitation for people to learn more about you and how they can benefit from your services. I love to get free offers to learn something for free and I usually take the offer.
Date before you make a commitment
Asking someone to have an introductory coaching session when you have just met them is like asking someone to have sex on the first date. It's not appropriate and it will make them very uncomfortable.
You would not walk up to an attractive person at a party and ask them to marry you so why would you begin a conversation with a potential coaching client by
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January 10, 2009
Why do coaches think that the desire to have a thriving coaching business is enough to make it happen? Sure I agree with the law of attraction and I believe that positive mind set and thoughts are integral parts of achievement but many coaches are missing the most important element to successfully achieving their own goals!
Action is Everything!
Absolutely nothing happens in business until someone takes action. All action begins with thought but the thought is only a thought until you do something. If you sense some frustration in my attitude here you are correct. See, want so much for each coach to succeed and to carry the benefits of coaching to the world but I get frustrated when I can't
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January 2, 2009
Many businesses struggle in January but it is boom time for coaching. People are predisposed to making changes in their lives at this time of year. Get out and get some speaking opportunities where you can talk about the process of change. Do a workshop on the topic of change.
Workshop Outline
You can develop a workshop that inspires people to define they changes they would like to make, gives them a plan for making those changes and holds them accountable for the changes. Gear the workshop to the group you are talking to for example
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December 31, 2008
Smart coaches know they need an internet presence so their first action is to hire a web designer to build a beautiful website. Do not do this! It is important for any business to have an internet presence but an expensive website is not necessary or the best option available. I got a website right away and spent hours working on a template that turned out mediocre at best.
What are the benefits of a website?
A website is more like an electronic brochure. The best thing about a custom website is that it is custom and you can have it exactly the way you want it. I have seen some wonderful custom websites but I never wanted to spend the money to have one made. You can also use a template style website and make modifications that you would like. A website will allow you to
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December 27, 2008
Every coach I know thinks his or her business must have a website right away. So did I and boy was I wrong. Many coaches go out and hire a web designer, at great expense, to design an elaborate coaching business website. I didn do that because I am cheap instead I spend hundreds of hour trying to put up a website with a template based hosting site.
You do Need To be on the Internet!
Internet presence is important to any business today but a website is not always the best place to begin. I believe coaches working with clients in their local area need to have information on the web and I believe that coaches who want to attract clients from all over the world absolutely need a presence on the Internet.
Step One
The first step is to look at who your niche market is and where you will find them. Evaluate your own technical abilities and determine how they will affect your decisions about Internet marketing. Your budget will also affect your decision. This key decision and everything else you need to know about how to have your own successful coaching business is included in my home study course "Coaching Business Blast Off".
Website or Blog what is the difference to you as a coach?
Today websites and blogs can look very similar and operate in much in the same way. I tell clients to think of a website as an electronic brochure and a blog as an educational advertising tool.
Websites
Websites are static and the information on them does not change very often. They are great for sharing information about your business and your products.
Blogs
Blogs are more fluid and changing. Many blogs are designed with the ability to create pages and can look very much like a website. The biggest difference between a blog and a website is that the information on a blog can be frequently added to, in the form of blog posts. Most people update the blog posts or information on their blog several times a month even daily. The advantage of this method is that it makes your blog up to date like a Newsletter. These updates also bring the search engines around on a regular basis. Blogs are far easier to set up and can be very adaptable.
I Like Typepad
I suggest that my clients try to set up a blog first and I direct them to Typepad an easy to use and inexpensive blogging platform. They are able to select the design of their blog and get it set up in a little time as a couple of hours.
Some website hosting providers offer website templates that are easy to work with but they tend to be less adaptable and are often more expensive than a blog.
If you liked this post then read "What's in a Domain Name".
December 19, 2008
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