Coach & Grow R.I.C.H.

The Life Coach at Zappos.com

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:40:00 +0000

Are you familiar with Zappos.com?

Zappos.com is the world’s largest online shoe store – I’m a huge fan.

This amazing company has achieved great success (including being bought by Amazon.com for $1.2 billion) by focusing on superior customer service and company culture/core values.

Well, last week I was in Las Vegas attending the awesome JV Networking Summit and as part of the event we took the Zappos Tour at their corporate headquarters.

The tour was fascinating. I highly recommend it the next time you’re in Vegas. It’s super fun, interesting and free.

Anyway, one of the fun facts we learned is that Zappos has a full-time life coach on staff whose purpose is to coach employees to achieve whatever 30-day goal they want.

How cool is that?!

The goal doesn’t have to be related to work. There are no restrictions or a reporting structure. The employee simply signs up to work with the coach and when a slot becomes available they get started.

Want to know the top 3 things the Zappos employees want coaching on?

#1 – Career Development
#2 – Weight Loss
#3 – Management of Personal Finances / Budgeting

I wanted to share this with you because…

A. I think it’s awesome that Zappos.com offers free life coaching as an employee perk and I like to pass along fun coach-related stories.

B. More important, I wanted to plant a seed for life coaches who want to coach within a company or organization.

Why couldn't you go out and find companies in your area who you could partner with to offer life coaching as an employee benefit?

I bet you could do it if you set the intention and then took inspired action.

What do you think?

The Power of Masterminding

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:41:00 +0000

Do you ever wonder if there is a "Secret Sauce" that will catapult your business success?

Well, last weekend was my 11 year anniversary of being a full-time entrepreneur, business owner and coach.

And as I thought about what has helped me most, I realized it was...

Having strong, meaningful business relationships.

Want to know the BEST ways to cultivate powerful business relationships?

Participate in Programs, Go to Live Events and Join Mastermind Groups.

Today's post is all about Mastermind Groups. I think you'll enjoy it!

===

One of the big challenges faced by the solopreneur coach is the isolation that comes from working alone.

An excellent way to mitigate this issue is by participating in a Mastermind Group.

While mastermind groups have existed since the begin of civilization, the concept became much more common after Napolean Hill published "Think and Grow Rich" in 1937 and defined the mastermind as a "coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose."

I like to define a mastermind group as two or more people who come together to support each other in achieving a desired goal or outcome.

BENEFITS of participating in a mastermind include:
- You have a group of people who are committed to helping you succeed.
- You receive support, encouragement and inspiration as you move forward towards your goals.
- You become more focused as your mastermind can help hold you accountable.
- You can test out your ideas and receive valuable feedback and other perspectives.
- You can tap into the resources, knowledge and connections that the other members bring to the group.
- You can develop powerful long-term business relationships and friendships.

2 Main Ways to Mastermind:

1. You can join a paid mastermind group with a dedicated leader/facilitator.

2. You can co-create a mastermind group with your peers as a way to mutually support each other.

There are rewards to both types of masterminds.

When you invest in a paid mastermind, you are more likely to take it seriously and typically, the bigger the financial investment, the more committed the members.

In addition, if you want to offer a higher-end paid mastermind in your business, you'll be more successful if you've experienced a paid mastermind yourself.

In an unpaid mastermind group of peers, you are co-creating it with the other members, which means you have the ability to influence who is in the mastermind, how it is structured, etc.

Keys to Success when forming a mastermind group with peers:

1. Clear Focus - You need to be clear about the purpose of the mastermind and ideally, the members should be focused on similar goals and objectives.

2. Structure - As the mastermind is forming, you need to decide how often you will meet, how long the meetings will be and whether you will meet in person or by phone. After you determine the structure you need to stick with it, which includes starting and ending on time.

3. Time Frame - It's important to set an initial time frame for the mastermind and have all members commit to participating for that period of time. This can be as short as one month or as long as a year. At the end of the initial time frame, evaluate if the mastermind will continue.

4. Meeting Logistics - Typically, each member receives equal "floor time" during every mastermind meeting. The person who has the floor shares what they want feedback on and then asks the other members for input.

5. Leadership - In order for the mastermind to run well, there needs to be some type of leadership. Someone needs to step-up and get things rolling. After the group is formed there can be one leader or rotating leaders.

Leadership responsibilities can include officially starting the meeting, facilitating the meeting, documenting action-items to help keep members accountable, sending a reminder before and a post-meeting summary afterwards.

6. Group Cohesion and Synergy – Your mastermind will be most effective when the members have things in common, such as having a similar target market or niche or length of time in business.

Over the years, I have participated in several different masterminds. One that was particularly successful was co-created by 6 of us after attending a San Francisco Coaches meeting. We met in person once per month for nearly 3 years. We are now in our 9th year and while we meet far less frequently, our bonds and connections are stronger than ever. Here's a picture from our most recent gathering!

Recently, I joined a year-long paid mastermind with one of my mentors, Brendon Burchard and I've already noticed how making a big investment in myself and my business has helped me step up, think bigger and become more focused and productive. This is from the VIP Dinner for Empire Group members. It was fun!

If you're not already, I strongly encourage you to join and participate in a mastermind group. The support, accountability, resources and connections are tremendous and can literally change your business and life!

How to Sign-Up More Clients with the Two-Step Marketing Approach

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Thu, 12 May 2011 12:48:00 +0000

Let's start off with some marketing basics.

As a coach, your marketing will be most effective when you focus on educating and providing value.

This is exactly what the Two-Step Marketing Approach does.

A big mistake coaches make is that they try to sell their services and enroll new clients too soon.

It's like asking someone to marry you after the first date. While there are occasions when this does work, you're much more likely to get a YES after a courtship period when you've really gotten to know each other.

The Two-Step Marketing Approach is how you court potential clients. It's how they become familiar with you and how you build that all-important "know-like-trust factor."

Here's an example of how the Two-Step Marketing Approach works...

Instead of immediately inviting a potential client to learn more about your coaching services and hire you as a their coach, you can instead invite them to your free training.

Your free training could be a teleseminar, webinar, workshop, audio recording or video training.

Then, at the end of your free training you extend an invitation for them to take the next step.

If you are focused on enrolling individual clients, that next step would be to have a complimentary consultation with you.

For example...

1. You host a free teleseminar on a hot topic your ideal clients are really interested in. You deliver an awesome, inspiring, content-rich call. Don't worry about giving away too much information for free. They'll still need you to help them get into action and implement what they've learned.

2. Towards the end of the call you extend an invitation for them to take the next step.

Here's an example of how you can extend the invitation:

"We're almost at the end of today's call and I've done my best to give you as many strategies, tips, tools and resources about how to as I can in the time we have available together today.

As I'm sure you know, it's valuable to receive useful information and resources, but the real secret to success is about implementation. I encourage you to get into action and start putting to use what you've learned right away.

In fact, supporting my clients in taking action and overcoming whatever might be keeping them stuck is a big part of what my coaching is about.

On that note, I have a special opportunity for you. I invite you to have a free strategy session with me so you can take the smart, strategic action necessary to . In the strategy session we'll create your customized action plan, explore how to remove obstacles that might get in your way and I'll answer any questions you have about what we've covered today.

You'll also have the opportunity to learn more about how my coaching helps people move forward as quickly and easily as possible so they can .

I only have a limited number of slots available and you'll need to sign up by to take advantage of this special offer.

If you are serious about and are committed to making it happen, email me at and I'll send you a link to my online calendar so you can schedule your free strategy session."

RESOURCE: A good online scheduling tool that I use is www.TimeTrade.com.

Do you see how inviting a potential client to a free teleseminar with you that provides huge value and then inviting them to take the next step can often be a lot more effective than immediately inviting them to have a consultation with you?

As I mentioned earlier, the Two-Step Marketing Approach works well for enrolling individual clients and for filling your coaching groups. If you're focused on group coaching, you can follow this formula and in the strategy session invite the person to join your coaching group.

Another variation is instead of offering the free strategy session, at the end of your free training you can make a direct offer for people to join your coaching group.

I just created a free video about the Two-Step Marketing Approach. The video focuses on using this approach for filling a coaching group, but you can apply it to your individual coaching as well.

Click here to see the video training about using the Two-Step Marketing Approach.

And then if you have questions or comments about this approach, post them below the video and I'll personally reply.

Your Quarterly Business Check-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:43:00 +0000

Last week we celebrated a number of spring holidays here in the US, including Easter, Passover and Earth Day. I hope you enjoyed whatever you celebrate. My husband Adam and I had fun hosting a Passover Seder on Monday, digging in the dirt for Earth Day and greeting the Easter Bunny on Sunday. I guess we’re pretty all-inclusive and like to celebrate!

On to biz…. once a quarter or with every change of season, it’s important to set aside some time and evaluate how you are progressing with your business objectives.

If you are like most people, you set your intentions and goals in the beginning of the year. That’s great! The next step is to revisit them quarterly to determine if you are on track. This is important so you can course correct if necessary.

Here are the key areas to address in your quarterly business check-up:

1. Reconnect with your intentions, goals and objectives for the year.

Hopefully you wrote down your goals and intentions in the beginning of the year. Take a minute now and reconnect with those. You might need to look in your journal, coaching notes, or business planner as a reminder of what you wanted to achieve this year.

2. Identify your accomplishments.

What have you achieved and accomplished so far this year?

This is so important! Most people don’t do this. Instead we tend to put all of our attention on what isn’t working. (And we’ll get to that in a minute, but for now, let’s focus on what you did right!)

Let’s face it… if you are like 99% of people, you are probably not as far along with your annual intentions and goals as you’d like. That’s okay. It’s very common, especially for coaches, to think and dream big. Which is GREAT. But the downside is if we don’t achieve what we hoped, in the timeframe we expected, it’s easy to get discouraged.

Don’t let this happen to you!

Take the time to list out all of your accomplishments so far this year. No achievement is too small to acknowledge.

3. Now that you’ve acknowledged your achievements, it’s time to identify the areas of your business that don’t look the way you’d like them to.

Are you on track to achieve your annual revenue goal?

Are you moving forward with your important big projects?

Are you coaching your ideal number of clients?

At this stage it’s most important to do a realistic assessment without beating yourself up. There is still plenty of time this year to kick it into high gear.

Be honest with yourself and identify the areas of your business that need more attention. No judgement, just an accurate assessment.

4. Next, ask yourself how committed you are to achieving success in the areas of your business that are not looking the way you want them to.

This is really important. Your commitment and desire are absolutely critical for moving forward.

Review the areas of your business that need attention and on a scale of 1-10, identify how committed you are to achieving success in each area.

10 = You are totally committed.

1 = It is no longer a priority for you.

It’s good to take things off of your list that no longer serve you or aren’t a priority anymore. This allows you to really focus on what is most important.

5. Identify your top 3 areas of focus and determine what type of support, systems or infrastructure you need to put in place to achieve your goals in this area.

This is CRITICAL! Too often we tell ourselves we’ll “try harder.” Trying harder rarely works. Adopting a more effective strategy, creating a more supportive environment, hiring a top-notch coach, getting some external deadlines… those types of things work.

Identify the external structures that will support you in achieving your goals. Don’t rely on willpower. Make it easier on yourself and create an environment supports you.

6. Finally, determine 3 specific actions you will take to move your business forward. Write out your actions and specify when you’ll complete them by. Share your commitment with your coach or accountability partner. If you don’t have a business coach or accountability that should probably be one of your 3 actions J.

Taking the Stress Out of Tax Time

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:37:00 +0000

It's tax season here in the USA.

When I first started my business, I used to be totally stressed out during tax time. Can you relate?

Fortunately, I'm not stressed out this year.

That's because after completely dreading the process for way too long, I finally got smart and put some systems in place.

(Plus I'm still feeling jazzed and energized from my helicopter-skiing trip last week in Telluride to celebrate my brother's 40th birthday. Heli-skiing was an incredible experience and I did not expect to be so fascinated by "assuming the position." If you're curious, you can read about it on my personal blog: www.EpicLifeTour.com.)

Back to dealing with taxes...

Here are some tips to make the process easier:

1. Have a separate business checking account. (You'd be amazed how many coaches have been
in business for years and still haven't done this.)

2. Have a dedicated credit or debit card. Use it for as many of your business expenses as possible. This makes tracking soooo much easier. Plus, most financial institutions will send you a year end summary that categorizes your expenditures.

3. Hire an accountant or tax preparer who specializes in small business owners. Even if you are the "do it yourself" type, utilize the services of a knowledgeable professional at least once who can make sure you're maximizing your deductions and doing things right.

4. Use financial tracking software like Quicken or Quickbooks. Have your financial data entered
monthly, ideally by someone other than you!

5. Set up a separate bank account for tax payments and contribute to it monthly so when it is time to pay your quarterly or end of year taxes, you already have funds set aside.

6. Use your daytimer/online calendar to track business meals and miles. Write down who you met with and how many miles you traveled to get there.

Ultimately, the secret is having a system in place that keeps you on track during the year so you're not frantically pulling together all of your data a week before taxes are due.

If you have any tips you'd like to share, post them here, I'd love to hear them.

P.S.

If you have specific tax questions please contact a qualified tax professional.

I'm sharing these tips because they have been very helpful for me and my clients. However this is not any type of tax or legal advice. I am not an accountant or attorney, nor do I play one on TV :-)

Are You Backing Up Your Computer?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:36:00 +0000

I'm asking about your computer backup
because a lot of coaches put "backing up
their computer" in the same category as
"flossing their teeth."

They understand the importance and
benefits, but the activity doesn't happen
as regularly as it should!

If you can relate, this email is for you...

There are the 2 main ways to backup
your computer:

LOCAL BACKUP - This is when you
use backup software (included in
Windows and the Mac OS) to copy
your files to an external source (such
as a DVD, flash drive or external hard
drive). This is a good approach as long
as you remember to do it regularly.

REMOTE BACKUP - This is when your
files are backed up online and stored
remotely. Once you get your online
backup system in place, it runs
automatically so there is nothing you
have to remember to do.

I recommend - and personally use - a
combination of these strategies.

REMOTE BACKUP SYSTEMS are great
because it happens automatically and if
there is a catastrophe (flood, fire, earthquake,
etc.) all of your documents, pictures, music,
applications and other files will be safe. If
you are only going to implement one
backup strategy, choose the remote backup.

I use CrashPlan.com as my remote backup
system. It's highly recommended, very
affordable and super easy. (Unlike Mozy.com
which was a pain because it requires that you
keep your computer on and connected to the
internet during the set-up, which can take days
if you have a lot of data.)

LOCAL BACKUP SYSTEMS are great because
when you want and need to access your backup files,
they are right there. There is no ongoing fee, so
it's less expensive. Plus, if you use something like
an external hard drive that you keep connected to
your computer, you can schedule automatic backups.

HINT: If you are doing local backups and it's not set-
up to happen automatically, create and follow a backup
schedule or system. For example, pick a specific day
of the week to do your backup or combine it with
another regular activity, such as paying the bills.
I travel a lot, so my system is to do my local backup
before a trip.

So, since you are still reading this I bet that
your current computer backup system could
use an upgrade.

Am I right?

Okay, here's the plan...

1. Decide whether you want to do a local backup,
remote backup or both.

2. Get your computer backup system running
by next Thursday, March 17th.

Are you in?

If so, leave a comment stating your commitment to
get your computer backup system in place by
March 17, 2011.

Then, after your computer backup system is up
and running, come back to the C&GR blog and post
another comment announcing your accomplishment.

To help make this a bit more fun, I'm going
to sweeten the deal...

*** Post a comment here by Thursday 3/17/11
that you have your computer backup system in
place and be entered to win a private, 30 minute,
business strategy session with me! ***

Okay, if you don't currently have an
effective computer backup system in place,
now's the time to make it happen.

Go do it, let me know by leaving a comment
and if you win, it will be great to connect
with you 1-1 during your business strategy
session.

P.S.
If you have a hard time making decisions, start
with online remote backup using CrashPlan.com.

P.P.S.
Last year my husband's computer crashed and
he did NOT have a backup system in place. When
all that was going down, he was NOT fun to be around.
If you are thinking of putting this off, don't. Do it for
yourself, your business AND your loved ones.

P.P.S.S.
Do you want to know why March 17th is a great
deadline for handling your computer backup system?
March 17th is St. Patrick's Day and there is an
expression about the "Luck of the Irish." It's good
to feel lucky... It's even better to create your
own luck. Backing up your computer is an excellent
way to create your own luck.

Is fear of failure holding you back?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:28:00 +0000

I recently had a strategy session with a talented coach who planned on launching a year-long coaching group for executive women. She worked hard on her marketing, offered several free teleclasses and spent a lot of time writing her sales page... but her program didn't fill.

Naturally, she was disappointed.

Fortunately, she also realized that failure is part of success. The key thing is to learn from your failures, fine-tune your strategies and actions and then try again.

Please don't fall into the trap I see so many coaches make: Trying something once and if it doesn't work out the way you hoped you give up and move on to something else. This is a huge mistake!

If the coach had not offered the group program, she never would have received all the knowledge and insight she gained when we analyzed why the group did not fill.

She is now well-prepared to do some market research, make the necessary modifications and offer her group again.

In addition, the coach's efforts were not in vain. One of the attendees on her free teleclasses was so impressed with the coach and her program that she inquired about it being offered as a one day workshop as part of a University's continuing education program. The coach is now excitedly preparing to deliver the workshop and looking forward to a $4,000 payday!

You will fail more times than you'd like and even though it's not fun, it's necessary. As Sochiro Honda, the founder of Honda Motor Company said, "Success is 99% Failure."

Don't be afraid to fail.

Leverage "The New Year Effect"

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:03:00 +0000

By: Michelle Schubnel

In the beginning of a new year people naturally
focus on making a fresh start, setting important
goals and going for the things they most want to
achieve. That's why January is one of the best
months to attract and secure new coaching
clients. I call this "The New Year Effect."

How are you going to leverage The
New Year Effect in your business?

Here are some ideas...

1. Send a Holiday Greeting

Successful business owners are masters
at keeping their name and their business
on people's minds. Send a heartfelt holiday
greeting and be sure to include your
company name, email address and a
sentence or two that describes what you
do. To avoid getting lost in the shuffle,
send a Thanksgiving card in November
or a New Year's card in January.

2. Include a Value-Add

In addition to a holiday card or letter,
include something of value that relates
to your coaching and specialty. For
example, you could include a goal
setting worksheet, a Top Ten List
about keeping New Year's Resolutions,
an invitation to attend a free teleclass
or a gift certificate for a free coaching
session.

3. Acknowledge Current Clients

It is common to thank customers for
their business around the holidays.
This can be a small gift, a nice hand-
written note or a bonus coaching session.
Clients appreciate the acknowledgement
and it's an easy way to add value. Here
are some gift ideas: bubble bath, herbal teas,
an inspirational daily calendar, candles, a
copy of your favorite book or CD. And for
those "hard to buy for" people, you can't
go wrong with a gift card.

4. Reconnect with Past Clients

As I'm sure you know, it is much easier to
sell to a former customer than it is to find
a new one. The holidays and new year
are an excellent time to reconnect with
past clients. Consider giving former
clients a complimentary "New Year
Goal Setting" coaching session. A
percentage of them will likely begin
coaching again. Or give former clients
a gift certificate for 50% off of one month
of coaching that they can use or give
to someone they know.

5. Offer Gift Certificates

Enable people you know to give the
gift of coaching by offering gift certificates,
ie: 1 session, 1 month, 3 months, etc. Get
even better results by picking a specific
focus for the gift certificate. For example,
choose a theme that is applicable to who
you coach and what you coach on, such as:

- A Business Goal Setting Session
- Jump Start Your Career Transition
- 90 Days to Better Health and Fitness

6. Take Advantage of The New Year Effect

Develop and implement a specific marketing
campaign that positions your coaching as
the best way for people to achieve their most
important goals and objectives in the year.
Write an article or special report, offer a
workshop, create an audio recording, deliver
a teleclass, do a radio interview... the possibilities
are endless. Just be sure to do something to
take advantage of the readiness factor so
many people have in the beginning of
a new year.

7. Get Creative with the Complimentary
Consultation

Give your free coaching session an
appealing name, such as "New Year Strategy
Session," and challenge yourself to do a
certain number in the next two months.
Give the person real value and then explain
how your coaching can provide the support
necessary to effectively implement their
strategies and achieve their goals.

8. Launch a Group Coaching Program

If you're not already coaching groups, consider
starting one in the new year. Group coaching
is an excellent way to coach with more people,
including price-sensitive clients, grow your
business and increase your income. It's also
a ton of fun. Plus, people like joining groups,
especially in the beginning of the year.

How are you going to leverage the The New Year Effect?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:37:00 +0000

I have always loved Halloween.

As a kid, it was about scoring as much candy as possible. In my teenage years, it was a night when I could justify getting into trouble. And as an adult, I have totally loved costuming-up for Halloween parties.

Halloween now has a new meaning for me. My mom died on October 28, 2005 and her funeral was on Halloween. A few hours after she died we set October 31 as the date for the funeral. At the time I thought, "Well this really sucks. From now on Halloween won't be fun because the day will always remind me of my mom's funeral."

My mother's funeral was a spectacular East Coast autumn day... clear, crisp and sunny. As I noticed signs of the changing season, I remembered something that I learned from my study of and participation in Native American traditions.

According to Native American philosophy, the time between Halloween (October 31st) and All Souls Day (November 1st) is the time of year when the "veil between the two worlds is the thinnest." It is the time when the spirit world is closest and most connected to our physical world here on earth.

That perspective shifted how I felt about my mom being buried on Halloween. Instead of it being a bummer, it was now a gift. Suddenly it was "pretty cool" that my mom's funeral was on Halloween.

The next Halloween, one year after my mother's funeral, I participated in a sweat lodge ceremony - a native American prayer tradition, conducted inside a sweat lodge, which looks like an igloo but feels like a sauna. During the ceremony we were reminded that the end of October through the beginning of November is a powerful time to connect with the souls and spirits of people who have passed on.

During that sweat lodge ceremony I felt my Mom's presence in a big way, much more so than at any other time since her death. It was incredibly powerful and enabled me to see and experience how I can still have a profound connection with my mom, even though she is no longer here physically on earth.

It's now been 5 years since my mother’s death. With the passing of time I have found that the intense pain and sadness has lessened, and the overall missing of my mom has increased.

If you are experiencing grief from the loss of a loved one, I encourage you to take advantage of this special time of year and connect with the people in your life who have passed on. Allow the feelings of sadness and grief to be fully felt. Take comfort in special memories. Remember and honor all that you loved about the person. Ask for guidance and support. This is a powerful time of year to reconnect.

In memory of:
Barbara Ann Schubnel
1943 – 2005

Barbara Schubnel at the Venetian
Vegas Trip - Summer 2004

I love and miss you Mom. It’s too bad you never got to meet my wonderful husband Adam. I know you would love him as much as I do.

Why Coaching Doesn't Sell... And What To Do About It

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 20:56:00 +0000

By: Michelle Schubnel

There are two big reasons why "coaching doesn't sell."

Reason #1: The majority of people don't really know what coaching is. It's hard to sell something if your prospects don't understand what that thing is.

Reason #2: Even if your prospects do understand what coaching is, if you are focusing on marketing and selling coaching, you're focusing on the wrong thing.

You see, most people don't really want coaching...
But they do want solutions to their problems.

Understanding this distinction and implementing it in your marketing and client enrollment process is critical for the success of your business.

For instance, does your answer to the question "What do you do?" focus on you and coaching (like the Doesn't Sell example below) or do you focus on your ideal client and what is most important to them (like the Hot Replies)?

Doesn't Sell:
"I'm a professional certified co-active coach and I coach my clients so they can take their life or business to the next level."

Hot Replies:
"I help men in their 50's-60's who have been unexpectedly laid off, find new work as quickly as possible."

"I work with home-based business owners who have trouble with time management. I help them become more focused and efficient so they can make more money in less time."

How about when you are looking for speaking engagements or writing articles? Do your topics focus on coaching or do they focus on solutions to big problems?

Doesn't Sell:
"How Coaching Can Help You Achieve Your Goals"
"The Benefits of Working With A Coach "

Hot Topics:
"The 5 Best Ways to Connect With Your Teenager"
"Healthy Eating for Busy Moms: 7 Simple Secrets
for Making Healthy and Tasty Meals Quickly and Easily"

And how about with your client enrollment?
Do you hope that when someone experiences your coaching they will want more? Or do you follow a specific process that focuses on what people really want and enables them to see working with you as a terrific solution?

Doesn't Work:
Offering sample sessions and coaching the person on anything they want, hoping that you do such a good job that they see the value of coaching and will want to hire you.

Proven Process:
Offering a complimentary consultation to potential clients where you focus on a big result or outcome the person most wants
to achieve, the impact achieving that result will have, what is currently standing in the way and how your coaching can help.

Can you start to see how coaching doesn't really sell?

Instead, the secret for filling your practice with ideal, well-paying clients is to stop focusing on coaching and instead focus
on solutions to problems and desired results and outcomes.

How is this playing out in your business?

Does your marketing focus on coaching or on solutions to problems?

Need more information and details this topic?

=====

Go here to download a recording of my recent teleseminar and discussion on this topic:

Why Coaching Doesn't Sell... And What To Do About It.

Get the recording at: www.whycoachingdoesnotsell.com

Who Says Coaching Can't Be Explained?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:31:00 +0000

Has anyone ever told you that coaching can't really be explained, that it can only be experienced?

I say that's a myth! Not only is it possible for you to explain how your coaching works, you MUST be able to do so in order to attract and secure new clients, grow your practice and create a sustainable and thriving business.

Here's Why: People need to believe that your coaching will be effective. They need to understand how you are going to help them achieve the results and changes that they desire in order to feel comfortable and confident about hiring you.

In the Coach & Grow R.I.C.H. system we call this knowing your "How" and the good news is if you've coached clients, you already have your "How" within you.

Here's an exercise that will help you determine your "How."

1. What do you do with a client in the first session?

2. What do you typically do after that?

3. Then what do you do?

4. What typically happens next in the coaching relationship?

5. Then what do you do?

6. Keep answering "What happens next?" and "Then what do you do?" over and over until you can't think of any more situations that come up or things that you typically do with clients.

7. Next make a list of any assessments, tools or exercises that you use with clients.

8. Then make a list of the beliefs, themes or principles that you incorporate into your coaching.

9. Read through what you have written so far. Do you notice any themes or patterns?

10. Finally, organize what you have written into 3 - 7 main steps or areas that you work on with clients.

Here's a Sample "How" for a life coach who helps clients
design and live a more fulfilling, balanced and fun-filled life.

"I use a four step coaching process with my clients. First, we identify what having a fulfilling, balanced and fun-filled life looks like for you. It is much easier to attract something new into your life when you are clear about what you really want. I have some powerful exercises that will help you quickly gain clarity.

Next, we identify at least three ways that you can experience more fulfillment, balance and fun in your life right now. This is often a lot easier than you might think!

Building on that forward momentum, I support you in creating your ideal life plan. The ideal life plan includes specific action steps in two primary areas: eliminating the things that drain your energy and no longer serve you and creating new habits and ways of being that truly enliven you.

Finally, as your coach, I keep you focused, motivated and accountable as you implement your life plan. As you know, change isn't always easy. Setbacks can occur. Limiting beliefs may surface. Through our coaching you will discover how to overcome any challenges that may arise, enabling you to continue steadily forward as you create and live a more fulfilling, balanced and fun-filled life."

Doesn't this sample do a good job of explaining how this coach works with clients? It clearly and concisely describes the coaching process and what a client can expect.

Knowing your "How" and being able to confidently share it is key for attracting and securing new clients. In fact it is one of the 5 critical steps in...

The Coaching Business Blueprint.

If you missed this powerful new resource and would like more training on creating your "How," you can still get the recording and materials for a limited time at no charge.

www.TheCoachingBusinessBlueprint.com

How to Package & Price Your Coaching

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:56:00 +0000

Of all the decisions that coaches need to make, setting fees/pricing is probably one of the hardest… and one of the most important! Pricing not only determines your bottom line, it also impacts whether or not someone becomes a client.

While there are many factors that influence pricing, ultimately you are just picking a number. And the good news is, it’s easy to change that number if you need to.

There are 3 main ways that coaches typically charge for their services:

- By The Session (e.g., $100/session)
- By The Month (e.g., $400/month)
- By The Package (e.g., 6 month package for $2,400)

I recommend the “By The Package” approach. There are a number of reasons why. Here are the two biggies:

#1 - It makes your income more stable and predictable. You can forecast your revenue and not be worried that all of your clients are going to suddenly complete on the same month.

#2 - Clients who sign up for a 3+ month coaching package are willing to make an investment and a commitment. They take coaching more seriously and therefore get better results. These are the kinds of clients you want.

How to Create Your Coaching Package

Step #1: Decide how much individual coaching the client receives (number of months, number of sessions/month and length of sessions). Make your decision based on how much coaching will best support your clients in achieving the results they desire, how much coaching you want to provide and how much coaching will clients sign up for.

Step #2: Determine what additional services, value-adds or perks you want to include in your coaching package. For example: check-in calls, email access, assessments, written coaching session reports, other services such as consulting, healing, intuitive readings, muscle-testing, “done-for-you” services such as a Resume Re-Write, Marketing Plan Creation, Customized Eating and Exercise Plan, etc.

Step #3: Price your coaching package. There are many factors to consider when setting your fees, including your target market and niche, your background and experience, your business objectives and what is included in your coaching package.

If you are a newer coach, I recommend you choose a price that you feel good about and that is in the "more affordable" range.

If you are an experienced coach and have a proven track-record of helping your clients achieve results, your fees will likely be on the higher side.

Sample Coaching Package

"I start new clients off with a 6 month coaching package that includes 3 scheduled coaching sessions per month, email access, quick check-in calls between our scheduled sessions and a copy of my "Boost Your Business" home study course. The investment for the complete program is $3,000."

FAQ's

Question: Should I have a couple of coaching packages available at different price points?

Answer: It's very good to be able to offer a potential client options at different price points. Having "higher-priced, medium-priced and lower-priced" options means you'll be able to serve a much bigger segment of your target market. Do this by having different WAYS that clients can work with you. For example you could:

=> Offer group coaching as your "lower-priced" option. This is perfect for price-sensitive clients, people who prefer a group environment and people who want an entry-level way to experience you and your coaching. (And a bunch of people in that last category will "graduate" and end up coaching with you 1-1!)

=> Offer a full-day Coaching Intensive as your "higher-priced" option. When creating your "higher-priced" option don't focus on giving more coaching. Instead focus on what will enable clients to achieve the desired results quickly. Premium buyers will make a big investment IF you enable them to achieve results quickly.

How are you currently packaging and pricing your coaching?

Post your thoughts, comments and questions below.

Also, be sure to get a copy of The Coaching Business Blueprint. I am so excited to offer this new tool as a free resource to the coaching community. Next week I’ll be hosting a complimentary teleseminar where I’ll walk you step-by-step through The Blueprint. Reserve your spot today at www.TheCoachingBusinessBlueprint.com.

The Top 10 of Things I Wish I Knew When I Started My Coaching Business

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 21:11:00 +0000

#10 - Passion Is Your Trump Card
Your passion, enthusiasm and energy will open doors, deliver opportunities and literally work as a magic wand in your business. Find your true passion and stay connected to it!

#9 - Use Your Head And Check-In With Your Heart
As a business-owner you need to make a lot of decisions. If your brain is telling you one thing and your heart is telling you something else, trust your heart. Follow your intuition.

#8 - Be Who You Are
This is your business. You get to create it however you want. Quirks are good and your best clients will be most attracted to the real, authentic you.

#7 - Have Big Enough "Why's"
What are your reasons for wanting a thriving, rewarding and profitable coaching business? You need strong and powerful reasons so you get and stay committed to do what it takes.

#6 - Things Often Take Longer Than Expected
Whether it's launching a website, achieving a full practice or reaching an income goal, things often take longer than you want or expect. Build in extra time and don't beat yourself up. Late is better than never.

#5 - Playing Big Is Actually Easier Than Playing Small
This may seem counter-intuitive, but it's totally true! When you play big and really go for it you have to take more action, reach out for support, be bold and really put yourself out there. Playing small really doesn't serve you or the world.

#4 - If You Aren't Willing to Invest, Neither Will Your Clients
Building a successful business requires a significant investment of time, energy and money. If you aren't willing to make financial investments in your business, you end up attracting potential clients who aren't willing to make financial investments either.

#3 - It's Okay To Make Mistakes
Making mistakes and experiencing setbacks are inevitable when growing a business. Be okay with it. Besides, nobody pays half as much attention to your mistakes or setbacks as you do.

#2 - Perfection Is Highly Overrated
Done is better than perfect. Keep in mind the 80/20 rule and remember that often "good enough" really is perfect.

#1 - To Grow Your Business, You Must Grow Yourself
The more you grow yourself as person, the faster and easier your business will grow.

Why Clients Love Group Coaching

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:37:00 +0000

When we think about the benefits of group
coaching, it's natural to initially focus on
what's in it for us, as the coach.

Of course there is another side of that coin:
the benefits of group coaching for the client.

I've been doing a lot of research on group
coaching and the fact is, many people are
more interested in and attracted to group
coaching than to individual coaching.

Here's why:

Connection and Community. People want
a sense of belonging and joining a coaching
group addresses that desire.

Greater Accountability = Better Results.
We are much more likely to keep commitments
made publicly to a group than privately to a coach.
We realize that a group provides a much higher
level of accountability, which means better results.

To Feel Better. When we are going through
a challenge on our own, it's easy to start beating
ourselves up. But put us in a group with others
who are in a similar situation and suddenly we
feel a lot better.

Develop and Expand Network. This is a
particularly appealing benefit for groups that
have a business or professional focus.

Deepen Knowledge and Accelerate Growth.
There is huge collective wisdom in a group
and it's one of the best ways to address,
"Not knowing what we don't know." Experiencing
someone else being coached is a powerful way
to uncover those things and gain awareness
and insights we wouldn't have otherwise.

To Share and Contribute. Deep down we all
want to make an impact and contribute to others.
Participating in a coaching group is an excellent
avenue for this.

Less Pressure. This is especially true when
compared to paying big bucks for private
coaching, where the last thing we want to do
is to show up feeling unprepared and therefore
not get the most out of our investment.

Something To Look Forward To. The most
successful coaching groups are enjoyable,
uplifting and inspiring... if not down-right fun.
And who doesn't want more fun,
enjoyment and inspiration?

Great Return on Investment. This is particularly
relevant when the fee for your coaching group
is significantly less than your individual coaching
rates.

As you read through these, did you find yourself
connecting with what you love about groups?
There really are a lot of benefits and reasons why
people are attracted to groups.

Group Coaching Marketing Tip:

If you want to create an irresistible group that
people are excited to join, highlight the client
benefits in your marketing. It's one of the keys
for successfully marketing and filling groups...
and it's something many coaches overlook!

Want more guidance on how to design,
market, fill and deliver successful coaching
groups?

Join me on my special upcoming teleseminar:
5 Quick Steps to Group Coaching Success.

Get all the details and reserve your spot at:
www.GroupCoachingSuccess.com

Free Book: Get Paid For Who You Are

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:17:00 +0000

My friend David Wood is giving away copies of
his new book, "Be Who You Are." This is one of
the most unique and innovative book launches I've seen.
You can check it out and get your free book here:

http://tinyurl.com/yyuzsan

How To Not Dread Tax Day

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:16:00 +0000

Here in the USA April 15th was the deadline
for filing and paying income tax. It got me
thinking back to how I used to dread Tax Day
in my first few years of business.

For starters, I really didn't understand all the
ins-and-outs of small business finance,
deductions and bookkeeping. And since I
didn't have any support or good systems in
place, it was a total headache getting all of
the necessary data together.

Then, when I finally got my taxes done, I
could not believe how small my bottom line
was. It was a good thing I was living in a
rent-controlled apartment back then!

Even though I felt like a pretty successful
coach - I was coaching an average of 10 -15
clients at $350/month - I began to realize that
just coaching individual clients was not going
to give me the income or lifestyle I wanted.

Can you relate?

Here are the two strategies that made all the
difference and why I no longer dread Tax Day:

1. Invest in setting up your financial and
bookkeeping systems and then get outside
support to keep things up-to-date. Unless you
love "doing the books," having a bookkeeper
and account are two of the best services you
can invest in, even if you are just starting out.

2. Grow your business beyond the 1-1 coaching
model. You can run workshops or trainings,
develop information products, coach groups, run
a membership site... there are a lot of options, so
choose the one that feels right, get committed and
start taking action to make it a reality.

Yes, these can be big projects... and I can tell
you they are both totally worth it.

Here's to you not dreading Tax Day in 2011!

One of the most rewarding things about being a coach...

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 03:08:00 +0000

... is getting a "Thanks Coach!" email from a client who quickly gets results by implementing a strategy discussed in a coaching session.

I just got one of those emails from a client who after our session this week shifted his pricing model from a per/session fee to a monthly fee with minimum commitment.

Well, today my client had a complimentary consultation with a hot prospect and the person signed up for his new package: $995/month for six months of coaching! What a difference from the $300 per/session model he used to focus on when enrolling new clients.

I love it when coaching can make such a big difference (and quickly too!)

Have you found your R.I.C.H. Niche?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:29:00 +0000

I'm curious about something...

Do you know the #1 Roadblock that keeps
so many smart and talented people from
building the coaching business they desire?

It's not having a "R.I.C.H. Niche."
Now, I bet you're wondering what a
R.I.C.H. Niche is and if you have one.
Let's start with how you can tell.
Answer these 3 questions.
(And please be really honest with
yourself.)

1. Do you feel uncomfortable or nervous
when people ask, "What do you do?"

2. Do you find that your family and friends
don't really get your coaching?

3. Is it difficult for you to explain how your
coaching works?

If you answered YES to any of these
questions, then you are definitely
missing your R.I.C.H. Niche. Let me
help you find it!

I recently held a information-packed teleseminar
call "Communicate Confidently and Fill Your Practice"
where participants learned...

- What a R.I.C.H. Niche is and how to
quickly narrow-in on yours.

- A proven 3-step process on how to
attract more clients simply by how
you speak about your coaching.

- What you need to say so people really
understand what you do as a coach.

- How to dramatically increase the number
of referrals you receive.

- The BIG mistakes coaches make when
talking about their business and how to
avoid them.

- Exciting details about my upcoming
training program for coaches who are
serious about filling their practice with
awesome clients.

If don't yet have your R.I.C.H. Niche,
and you weren't able to join me live on
this call, don't worry!

You can get the recording of the teleclass,
"Communicate Confidently and Fill
Your Practice" here:
=> www.coachandgrowrich.com/free/teleclasses

How to Better Understand Your Target Market

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:10:00 +0000

Having a defined target market - a specific group
of people that you focus on reaching in order to
sell your services - is critical for effective and
successful marketing. In fact, there's a saying
"If you try to market to everyone you end up
marketing to nobody."

This is especially true when marketing coaching.
Coaches who try to be all things to all people, struggle.
Coaches who define a narrow target market with
specific wants, needs and desires and then focus
their energy on reaching and serving those people
get results.

Because here's the deal: If you don't know who
your best prospects are, and as much as you can
about them, you are going to waste a lot of time,
energy and money trying to market to people who
are not interested in what you have to offer.
Answer the following questions to see how
well you know your target market.

9 Questions To Better Understand Your Target Market

1. How well can you describe your target market?
Write at least one paragraph and be as specific as possible.

2. What are their biggest problems?
What keeps them awake at night?

3. How are they currently addressing these problems?

4. What are their most important goals and desires?

5. What obstacles are keeping them from achieving
these goals and desires?

6. Does this target market use coaching to address
their big problems and achieve their most important goals?

7. How can you find your target market?

8. Where does your target market "hang out,"
both in person and online?

9. How would your target market search for you?

Unless you've been in business for a while,
or you're just a total rockstar, my guess is you
may not immediately know the answers to all
of these questions.

So your next step is to engage in some target
market research. While it might seem like a lot
of work, investing the time and energy to really
understand your market pays huge dividends!

7 Ways To Rearch Your Target Market

1. Conduct an online survey. People love to give
their opinions and if you make it quick and easy for
them, they will tell you exactly what you need to know.
I like Surveymonkey.com.

2. Do personal interviews with current and past clients.
Not only is this approach great for gaining in-depth,
first-hand knowledge, it's also an excellent strategy
for reconnecting with past clients who might now be
ready for additional coaching.

3. Run focus groups. This strategy is great because
you can gain a lot of information at once and the
participants in the group will often feed off of each
other, enabling you to get even deeper information.
In fact, a coach in one of my recent trainings did
several focus groups and in addition to learning
a ton about her target market, she also discovered
that they loved connecting with other women in a
group environment. So the coach altered her
business model and started offering group coaching!

4. Research your competitors. It's a good sign
when other coaches are serving the same target
market as you. It means that that market hires
coaches. You can quickly increase your knowledge
by studying the marketing messages of your
competitors.

5. Reach out to industry experts and people in
your target market. This can also have unexpected
benefits. For example, one of my clients was invited
to speak at an industry event by a big wig he
interviewed as part of his market research.

6. Talk to other professionals who serve your
target market. These people are also your ideal
strategic alliance and joint venture partners.
So in addition to gaining lots of information,
you can also start developing powerful
relationships with people who can help
you more easily reach your ideal clients.

7. Immerse yourself in your target market.
Read magazines, books and articles.
Attend conferences and events. Participate
in online social networks and forums. Join
associations and clubs. You don't necessarily
have to eat, drink and breathe your target market,
but it sure can't hurt!

The Bottom Line: There's an old expression that
says that you need to walk a mile in someone else's
shoes in order to really understand them.

Do this with your target market and you'll find
yourself with a wealth of information that will
enable you to better connect with, market to,
enroll and serve your ideal clients.

As opposed to a mile from where you started
in a pair of stolen shoes! Ha ha ha ha ha.

Who needs a vacation?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:27:00 +0000

Let me guess, you do.

Me too!

Regardless of how much we love our work,
it's so important to take time off, get away,
unplug, unwind, relax, rejuvenate and enjoy
whatever it is that our hearts desire.

Interestingly, I recently read a study about
people who left their job to start their
own business.

When asked why they made the leap, having
more free time and being more in control of
their schedule was one of the top two reasons.
(The other: to make more money.)

Anyway, despite free time being such a priority,
when asked about their actual schedule as a
business owner, the majority stated that they
feel like they have a lot less time off now and that
they took more actual vacations when they had a job.

Sound familiar?

Wanna know how to remedy the situation?

Plan a vacation!

Do this with me right now.

Open up your calendar and then close your eyes,
take a deep breath and think about a vacation
that you'd love to take this year.

(If all you can think about are reasons why
you can't take a vacation this year, stand up,
walk into the bathroom and flush those down
the toilet. Seriously. It works.)

Okay, back to imagining a vacation you'd love
to take this year.

Really visualize it. Where will you go?
What will you do? Who will you be with?
How long will you be away?

Take another deep breath. Imagine you are there
in this very moment. Feel your body start to
relax and a smile come across your face.

Now look at your calendar and pick a time to
block out for your vacation. Don't worry about
how it's going to happen, just look at your
calendar and say, "If things could work out
exactly the way I want them to I would take
my vacation here," and then write it in.

Deep breath.

So, how did that go for you?

If you did this little exercise with me, I'm
guessing you're either feeling kind of excited
or a little depressed. Either way, you've
taken the first step and planted that first seed
towards the vacation you deserve. Here's
to having that blossom.

xo,
Michelle

P.S.

In November, around our 2 year wedding anniversary,
my husband and I realized that while we did a lot
of travel together for business and to visit family,
we hadn't taken a "real" vacation since our honeymoon.

I know 2 years isn't a super long time, but it was
a good awakening for us, so we decided that we would
take some type of big, international trip in 2010.

Well, the other day we emptied out our frequent
flyer accounts and booked 2 round trip business class
tickets from San Francisco to Bangalore, India and
we're going for the entire month of December!!

Although we haven't figured out how all the logistics
will work (i.e.: how my husband will get all that
time off from his job), we took the leap anyway
and are trusting that it's all going to work out
and be totally great.

P.P.S.
I'd love to read your vacation ideas and plans.
Post your comments here on my blog!

Watching Lots of Winter Olympics, Despite Hit to Productivity

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:21:00 +0000

For the past week I've spent a lot more time than I'd like to admit watching the winter Olympics on TV. And while it's definitely hindering my productivity, it's totally stoking my inspiration.

It started with the opening ceremonies and the parade of nations. I love seeing all the athletes from around the world and cheering for all the countries where I have some kind of connection. My poor husband had to endure my never-ending commentary that went something like this, "Yay Denmark! That's where Michala is from, remember she stayed with us.... Yay Finland, that's where Sanna is from and remember when I spoke at the conference there..." You get the picture.

After the opening ceremony I became immersed in the competition. I'm a big fan of the skiing and snowboarding events and am blown away by the dedication, hard work and commitment demonstrated by these amazing athletes.

As someone who thinks a lot about how professional coaches can best market their services, the Olympics are a gold mine. Inspirational, coaching-oriented stories abound. And the Olympics are the one sporting event that just about everyone around the world can relate to.

Use this opportunity to connect with your clients, prospects and subscribers. I guarantee that if you spend just a little time watching the Olympics this weekend you'll find the inspiration about what to write.

Are Tolerations Holding You Back?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:22:00 +0000

I don't know if it's because of the new decade or what, but I am totally focused on handling tolerations these days.

Tolerations are things we put up with that drain our energy, hold us back and cause us frustration, anxiety and stress.

A toleration can be huge... like living in a cramped apartment in an undesirable neighborhood. Or it can be little and seemingly insignificant, like having a burnt out lightbulb in your coat closet.

Some tolerations - like the burnt out lightbulb - can be addressed quickly and easily. Handling others can require a significant investment of time, energy and money - such as finding, and being able to afford, a new and better place to live.

The thing that all tolerations have in common is that when you handle them you feel really good!

I first learned about the concept of identifying and addressing tolerations when I did my initial coach training with Coach U .

Coach U (and Coachville) were founded by the late Thomas Leonard. It's hard to believe that yesterday was the 7 year anniversary of his death.

On a more upbeat note, I think it's awesome that Dave Buck and Andrea Lee are honoring Thomas, his legacy and keeping his work alive. Get dialed in at: www.bestofthomas.com.

As I've been addressing tolerations - big and small - I have found myself remembering some of the key coaching points around handling tolerations:

Make a list of every toleration that you can think of. Don't worry if some of them seem "impossible" to handle. In order to address them, you first need to acknowledge them, and the best way to do that is by writing them down.
Prioritize your list and "Focus on Five" at any one time in order to avoid overwhelm and fast-track your results.
Include big and small tolerations when you "Focus on Five." This is especially important if you are taking on a big toleration (such as leaving an unfulfilling job to coach full time) that might take some time to address. Set yourself up to enjoy feelings of success and accomplishment by including a few tolerations that are relatively quick and easy to handle (ie: scheduling that overdue dental appointment, sewing the button back on your favorite shirt or organizing the pile of papers in the corner of your office).
Address the source. As great as it feels to deal with something we've been putting up with (ie: getting your taxes done right before the deadline). It's ten times better to put systems in place so that when tax time rolls around, all you need to do is run a few reports and pull together some paperwork.
Have patience. This is critical if you are handling big tolerations!

In memory of Thomas Leonard...

Here's to handling tolerations and moving a step closer to living a Toleration Free Life!

The "M Word" Virtual Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:43:00 +0000

Love it, hate it or want it, there is just something about Money that widens our eyes and makes our heart beat a little faster.

That's probably why a recent issue of choice magazine, "The M Word", was so wildly popular. The issue was jam packed with articles on how to make money and why we love, adore, crave and are sometimes afraid of money.

Sound familiar?

Because of the importance of the "Money" topic, choice magazine is hosting "The M Word Virtual Conference" and I have the pleasure of speaking at this event.

This is a 3 day virtual conference that you can attend from the comfort of your own office or home. The conference has a list of amazing speakers that will take you through 3 exciting days of learning and application related to building your business.

Want to improve your relationship with money?

Ready to learn specific strategies on how to market and sell more comfortably and easily?

Join me at choice magazine's Virtual M Word Conference and discover how to get your money flow going!

Get all the details here: http://tiny.cc/Mword

Resource: Time Driver Online Scheduling Tool

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:06:00 +0000

Are you looking for a better way to schedule coaching appointments with clients or complimentary consultations with prospects?

I recently learned about TimeDriver.com - an online scheduling tool that links with Google Calendars or Outlook.

I've found it to be very user-friendly and it's definitely taken the headache out of setting up appointments.

The fee is only $29/year and they have a 90 day free trial.

Are You Focusing on Your Ideal Clients' $10,000 Problems?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Schubnel) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

If you've been studying how to most effectively market your coaching you probably realize that people are more interested in solutions to their problems than in hiring a coach or experiencing coaching.

That's why you want to position your coaching services as the fastest, easiest, most enjoyable and most effective way to address the critical, specific and pressing problems that your target market has. The bigger and more urgent the problem, the more likely the person will hire you.

Think of these important, specific and pressing challenges as "$10,000 Problems."

$10,000 Problems...

are the issues that keep your ideal clients awake a night.
cause your ideal clients a lot of struggle and stress.
are things that your ideal clients realize they cannot effectively address on their own.
are so significant because the person has compelling reasons why addressing the problem now is so important.

Perhaps the best way to describe a $10,000 problem is by comparing it to a generic problem. Here are some examples...

Generic Problem #1: Small business owners who need to attract more clients.

$10,000 Problem #1: Small business owners who realize that in order to achieve their financial objectives they need to create a high-end offering that leverages their unique gifts and skills and then find the A-List clients who will happily pay for the extra value they provide.

Generic Problem #2: People who want to make a career transition.

$10,000 Problem #2: BabyBoomers who have been laid-off and want to use the opportunity to make a complete career shift. They have a limited window of time and resources to explore and pursue new career options. They are concerned that if they don't act quickly they will be sucked back into their former profession.

Generic Problem #3: Executives who want to improve their leadership.

$10,000 Problem #3: Newly hired executives with a directive leadership style who need to balance taking charge effectively while also getting buy-in from the existing team in order to achieve their first quarter milestones and "pass" their 90 day probation period.

What differences do you notice between the generic problems and the $10,000 Problems?

In general, $10,000 Problems...

are specific and when addressed will have a sustainable impact.
are time-sensitive and need to be addressed sooner rather than later.
occur within a subset of a broader target market.

How to take the "$10,000 Problem" concept and utilize it in your business:

1. Develop a list of at least five $10,000 problems that your target market faces. You probably have a sense of what these are. Start off by listing the "generic" problems that your coaching addresses or the results it enables clients to achieve and then go deeper. Identify possible scenarios and situations when these problems commonly occur. Explore why solving these problems are so important.

2. Identify the subset of your target market where the $10,000 problems occur most and focus on reaching out and finding those people. These are the people within your target market who have the highest "Readiness Factor" and therefore most likely to hire you.

3. Develop specific marketing campaigns geared towards the subset of your target market who have $10,000 problems. Whether you are focusing on speaking, networking, internet marketing or another marketing strategy, you will get the best results from your efforts when you create campaigns that address $10,000 problems.

4. Focus on and discuss $10,000 problems in your complimentary consultation with prospects. If you've learned the step-by-step C&GR client enrollment system, you already know that this is a critical part of your sales process. When you enable a prospect to articulate their $10,000 problem and you show how your coaching is the best solution, it then becomes very easy for that person to say "Yes" to your coaching.

5. Really connect with the fact that your coaching "solves" $10,000 problems. Although the $10,000 number is a bit arbitrary, it's important for you to think about your coaching as having that kind of impact. This helps you see the value of what you provide. It also put your coaching fee in perspective. For example, if a client invests a total of $2,000 in your coaching and as a result is able to address their $10,000 problem then they are getting a great return on their investment. (And if you are doing corporate or organizational coaching you might want to bump that number up and focus on identifying the $100,000 problems that the corporations and organizations you most want to work with are facing.)

FACT: People hire coaches to solve their problems. The optimum way to fill your practice with eager, well-paying clients is by positioning your coaching as the best solution to your prospects big problems.

What $10,000 problems do you and can you support people in solving?