So why are coaches working so hard to convince people to buy their coaching?

I floundered around with this fruitless approach myself in my first three years of my business. Then I realized, that selling coaching is a very sales-like approach and I didn’t want to do it anymore. It takes a lot of energy for little return and doesn’t build much momentum or ease over time.

Each new prospect has to be convinced. It’s like starting over with every sample session. And too many say they can’t afford it because they perceive coaching as a luxury.

It’s not very coach-like is it?

Think about it. We’re taught to work with clients holistically, focusing in on their agenda  — what is it that they want today. And then we use our skills, listening and asking powerful questions, to draw out their wisdom, help get perspective and work through obstacles so they walk away with the outcome they came for.

Coaching is client-centric. But selling coaching is not.

So, what would be a more client-centric approach to attracting clients? There’s a tried and true way. Every successful change agent, entrepreneur and professional has done this. They target a specific group of people, find out exactly what they want — that tangible outcome they woke up wanting this morning — and show how they can help them get there.

Here’s how it works:

Focus Smartly

Focus your time and energy on a group of people — one viable niche market — that is:

• easy to find
• full of people who actively seek support to get where they want to go
• narrow enough that you’ll stand out in the crowd of service providers

Listen and Learn

Conduct a little casual market research to discover exactly what would motivate them to seek out professional services by asking:

• What outcome are you hungry to achieve right now?
• What would it do for you if you could make that happen?
• What’s in your way?
• What is it costing you to be where you are now?

Speak to their Heart

Make sure all your blogs, ezines and all of your messages speak to those people “where they live” about the specific challenges and outcomes they care most about (instead of about coaching). That’s how you’ll attract their attention and gain their trust.

Close the Gap

Offer well titled coaching programs, products and events that are clearly designed to help them achieve those specific desired outcomes. When you show them how you can help them close the gap between where they are now and where they want to be, they are naturally motivated to invest in their future with your professional support.

And don’t worry… you have all the skills you need already to help a targeted niche market reach those tangible outcomes and their full potential. You don’t need any expertise. Trust me, there are plenty of people out there who are eager to invest in professional services to achieve a specific purpose.

What about you? Have you ever come across a workshop or event that seems like it’s been designed for where you are right now? At those times, investing in your future is a no brainer. And you’ll tell others who are in the same place you are about it too.

That’s how you’ll attract clients in a client-centric way. It’s easier, more fun, less salesy and you’ll market much less.

There’s a new wave of coaches who have shifted their approach this way and are thriving.

It’s a mindset shift way. I want to invite you to my free webinar about this coming up next Tuesday called: 5 Secrets to a Highly Profitable Niche You’ll Love

Get your seat in my webinar now.  There’s only room for 100.

You’re not a salesperson. You’re a coach. So it’s time to start attracting clients who want your support without having to convince them to buy your coaching.

What do you think about this? I’d love to hear your comments so drop them in below. And I will respond to you.

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT: How to Attract Clients in a More Coach-Like Way

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• Who’s Buying Coaching These Days?
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• How to Own Your Coaching Market

I looked into this recently because there was an important project I put off all week and then guilty thoughts about the thing occupied my entire weekend. No good!

Have you ever done this?

Here’s the scenario… you wake up and think about that thing you’re putting off, your mind wanders to it through exercise and breakfast. By the end of the day, you feel like you’ve been royally nagged. It’s almost as if some part of you really wanted to get going on that thing while the rest of you resisted. Big energy drain!

So I created these questions to manage my states and stop wasting energy and it’s working!

3 Powerful Questions to Spur You to Action

1. What exactly am I putting off?
It may only be one part of something that’s holding you back. If you can uncover what that is, you can focus in on the solution or reach out for help to move past the block. For example, you might not be making those calls to enroll new clients because you don’t know what to say. Okay so write a working script, practice it and be willing to flub up for a while.

2. What are all the possible reasons I’m putting this off?

I’m afraid (Summon courage and trust you are in the right place and time.)
This is it 90% of the time, right? I call it garden variety fear because everyone has it and it’s a part of life. The thing is, you’ll likely always have fears come up when you’re doing something important, so it’s best to treat fear as a friend. Be present to it, understand it without judgment and watch it melt away.

I need inspiration (Brainstorm to ignite a spark of generative energy.)
I’m lucky that my husband, Seth, is willing to be a sounding board for most anything I want to process. I’ll pour out my thoughts and he jots notes, while throwing in a comment or question to draw me out and reflect my wisdom back to me. Who could help you brainstorm right now?

I need to boost my brain power (Exercise, eat good fuel, deep breathe fresh air.)
I need to play (Go outside, draw, paint, laugh, play with someone.)
I need to rest (Sleep, do nothing, meditate.)
These are all about self care. No one can endlessly generate without the stuff that fuels creation. Even God rested, right? So we need to GET AWAY from work frequently. If you can’t get away and be present, then take just one little step toward your project, then take a break. Build momentum as you refuel.

I need accountability (Set intention, make it public, then celebrate what’s done.)
Having an accountability partner is the most powerful tool for big endeavors. Nothing spurs you on like declaring your intentions every week to your coach or a colleague. Learn how to hold yourself accountable for completing lots of little things that lead you to finishing that one big thing.

I’m not in touch with my Big Why (Reconnect with your ultimate outcome.)
What is the ultimate outcome you’re going for? It’s the reason why you need to do these things you’re putting off in the first place. For example, you’re getting your website launched because you want to be a coach in high demand and build a list of future ideal clients. Staying in touch with your big why gives you courage and tenacity to see it through.

I need true commitment (Put your resources 100% behind it or let it go.)
If you’re putting things off chronically, it may be that you lack true commitment for your big why. Or your big why doesn’t really hit the sweet spot for you. With true commitment you’re motivated to dedicate enough time, energy and money, while temporarily sacrificing something else, to prioritize your big goal. Either it’s time to fortify your commitment, sacrifice distractions, or let this goal go and move on. You know best.

3. What little step am I willing to take right now?
The key to continuously moving forward is to break big tasks or projects into doable bite sized high payoff actions. HPA’s are actions that count the most. They feel a bit squirmy because they take you out of your comfort zone. Set a goal every day to do 3 high payoff actions first, before you move on to the more mundane or easier to do’s. If you do it the other way around, you may put off what will get you what you really want the fastest.

Okay, try this out and let me know how it works for you. And share in the comments below your story or anything you’d add.

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT: What Are You Putting Off Now?

But I know that writing a weekly article (or posting a video) can start to drag. And if you keep procrastinating, you’ll eventually lose the benefit of publishing a regular article out to your list – continuous presence and building trust. And it adds stress!

So how can you keep fresh ideas flowing to your blog or ezine? Shake it up! And, if you want to really de-stess, plan most of  your posts!

Both you and your readers will enjoy your articles or videos more if you vary the TYPE of post you publish. Here are 12 types posts that won’t fail to entertain and inform your readers:

1. How To /Educational
If you’re good at simplifying complex concepts and processes, this may be your ACE in the hole. And it’s easy to re-purpose these types of posts into freebies, bonuses or entire products.

2. Series
If the topic you’re simplifying has several steps, you can make it into a series.
Here’s an example of a series I did:
Seven Steps to Your Own Coaching Products, Part 1
Seven Steps to Your Own Coaching Products, Part 2
Seven Steps to Your Own Coaching Products, Part 3

3. Stories & Interviews
Stories always entertain. Share your own failure-to-success story,  interview a client for their success story or an expert your target market will enjoy.

And you can create a whole interview series as well. Here’s an example of an interview I did with one of my clients.
Real Coaches, Real Results – Kristin’s Success Story

4. Opinion piece
If there are fresh concepts, important issues, big changes, or current events being discussed in your industry or for your target market, then this post type is perfect, but they can’t be created very far ahead.

Be sure you thoroughly research an issue or event before you put your opinion out there. Consider getting quotes from various other thought leaders on the subject. Of course, invite readers to join the discussion.

5. Predictions & Trends
This is a great thing to do close or begin a new year. Make it fun but also get your message out to your audience about what you think is important for them. Here’s one I did recently:
What’s Hot and What’s Not for Coaching Businesses in 2012

6. What/Who Influences You
This is a really fun type of personal post. Be sure to only include things that will resonate with your target audience.

7. Things You’ve Learned
I find that my readers really appreciate hearing about how my mindset or systems are evolving. The aim is to inspire them to share their lessons learned, as well as allowing them to understand how you relate to them.
What’s Learning You? Lessons from Your Coaching Biz

8. Reviews
I don’t know about you, but I love it when someone will tell me WHY they recommend a book, movie, product, program, expert or online tool. If you really got value from something and you think your tribe would value it too, bottom line it for them.

9. Guest Blogs
This is something I’ve resolved to do more often in the coming year. Employ this type of post when you’re promoting someone else’s event or program. Ask them to write a guest post on the topic of their preview call/webinar and invite your readers to the event.

Or pick people for guest posts who have knowledge on topics that would engage your tribe.

10. Reflect on Something
Dig into a pithy topic, such an obstacle that you or your audience has faced.
Are You Afraid to Promote Your Offers in a Big Way?

It could also be a gratitude post, about a recent travel or retreat experience, or the passing of someone you admire.

11. Lists
This could be a “top ten” style list, based on your opinion or results of a contest or survey. Or it could be a list of resources, tips, or just fun diversions.

12. What People Are Talking About
Find a quality post on another blog that your market will be interested in, and link to it with a short quote or summary. Add your take on the topic, and invite your readers to comment. Or, research something of interest to your market and provide a collation of links to the best ones you find (with a short quote or summary of each).

Want help planning your articles for a whole year? I’ve created a really simple free guide for you called 52 Weeks of Blogging Ideas to Boost Your Traffic and List. Grab it and other valuable gifts for coaches by signing up for Barb Wade’s upcoming mastery course called The Get to Yes Formula, which is 100% free for you.

It’s all about client attraction strategies. I’ll be speaking (on Thursday, January 19 about client winning websites), along with 20 other savvy client attraction experts. Grab your FREE ticket for this Mastery Course here: http://prosperouscoach.com/get2yes

And please share any ideas for articles in the comments below, along with any questions.

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT: 12 Types of Blog Posts or Ezine Articles that Entertain

As most coaches know, the bridge between a potential new client’s interest and their actually signing on to coach with you is always some kind of a powerful exploratory conversation. There’s nothing that comes close to the intimacy that is created when you speak voice-to-voice with a potential client, exploring the tremendous cost of the problems they’re facing, and demonstrating that your guidance and expertise will solve their challenges and help them truly create the life or career that they dream of.

I call these sessions “Strategy Sessions” or “Discovery Sessions,” and again, they’re a first hand opportunity for your potential client to feel heard and understood, and to begin to have some hope that you can truly guide them to change their situation. This is why, after such an empowering conversation, coaches are often successful at enrolling their potential client into one of their paid coaching programs.

So naturally, generating these initial, exploratory conversations is crucial. Here are 5 ways to easily and naturally invite potential clients from your ideal target market into such a conversation.

1. Personal Invitation – It’s likely that you know people personally within your community or circle of social relationships whom you know are suffering and whom you could help. There’s nothing wrong with reaching out and making a personal offer of a strategy session to such a contact, especially if it is heartfelt.

2. Networking – Too often coaches attend networking events and simply exchange cards with people. If there is someone you meet whom you know needs what you offer, there’s no reason not to offer that person a strategy session on the spot, or at least to follow up with such an offer later that day.

3. Public Speaking – It’s ideal to look for public speaking opportunities, as they get you in front of multiple potential prospects at once. When you’ve got such an opportunity, it’s wise to offer a limited number of one-on-one strategy sessions from the front of the room as a “follow up,” and again, explain to the audience how they might apply.

4. Tele-seminar – This is where you design and promote a free tele-seminar on a topic of genuine interest to your target market. Then, during the call you offer a limited number of one-on-one strategy sessions and explain how your listeners can apply. Assuming that they’re impressed with the content of your free call, you should see a good percentage requesting private time with you.

5. Email – If you have been amassing a mailing list of supporters and prospects from your ideal target market, you can do a targeted “email campaign” and offer a limited number of one-on-one strategy sessions to this list. Assuming that most of these people have been following you for a while, those who like most what you have offered thus far will jump at the chance for private time with you.

The bottom line is that conversations turn into clients. Don’t be afraid to use your imagination to come up with intriguing and even unexpected ways to invite potential clients to talk with you further. They can’t say “yes” if you don’t offer!

Want to learn more about how to GET TO YES? Join Rhonda, me and 19 other business experts for coaches at “The Get-to-Yes Formula” 2 week 100% FREE Virtual Mastery Course. It starts January 18.

Register Here: http://prosperouscoach.com/get2yes

Barb Wade, M.A. specializes in teaching Coaches to create thriving, 6-figure practices in under 20 hours a week! For a FREE “How To Get Clients” BUSINESS BREAKTHROUGH KIT just for Coaches, visit http://www.BarbWade.com
 
 
 
 

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT: 5 Easy Ways To Start Enrolling New Clients NOW – by Barb Wade

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• Consults: The #1 Easiest Way to Enroll Coaching Clients

Webinars Overtake Teleseminars

I’m not saying that teleseminars are out, but webinars are certainly IN! Have you noticed there’s more webinars being offered than ever before? One reason is that social media has raised the desire for visual cues. When I browse through my Facebook news feed, I tend to focus faster on posts with photos, graphics and videos. What about you?

Another reason webinars are gaining popularity is that attendance rates are higher and people enjoy the chat function. When there’s something to follow along and a way to connect, attendees stay longer on calls and multi-task less. And if you’re promoting through webinars, that means more clients and higher income.

A well-done set of power point slides delivered as a pdf handout may accomplish the same thing for a teleseminar. In either case, the quality of the visuals and timing will affect results.

Also, there are new systems for webinars, such as Evergreen Business Systems, which makes distributing webinars so much easier. The replays are more interesting that audio alone.

Of course, the big downside to webinars is the cost of the webinar recording systems like GotoWebinar and the potential for technical difficulties. But, like any 3rd party system, invest in it with intention to use it frequently, which justifies the cost while you get more technically savvy.

More Web Pages Get Mobile Friendly

Mobile ready web pages are hot, hot, hot!

According to Nielsen forecasts, half of Americans will own a smart phone by the end of 2011. More internet searches are being conducted from smart phones and more people are accessing their email from mobile devices.

If your home page or blog isn’t mobile ready, your visitors may be bouncing from your site in frustration.

Have you ever searched for a site on your smart phone and groaned because it’s so hard to read and navigate? Most web pages look like hell on a mobile browser unless they’ve been designed for it.

If your site is on WordPress, install the WP touch PRO plugin and test it on various mobile devices. Otherwise, have your web designer create a separate mobile friendly template that opens when your site is accessed through a mobile device. My blog is now mobile friendly!

You could even be really cutting edge and put a QR code on your business card that can be scanned by a smart phone and immediately open your mobile friendly website. (You might have used a QR code for your boarding pass on a recent flight.) It’s a clever way to build your list if you’re handing out a lot of cards.

A New Business Savvy Breed of Coach Emerges

Entrepreneurs are experiencing one of the few bright spots in this economy. Find your own staying power by listening closely to the people you serve, innovating for the times and clever positioning.

More than ever it’s critical that coaches stand out in the crowd and position their services as essential. Coaches will become more business savvy and determined to ride the wave to the top. Their moxie, can-do mindset, consistent high touch connection and good old fashion closing skills will win clients over.

No one wakes up saying “I need a coach”. So selling coaching is out!

Smartly targeting a unique audience and client centric marketing is in. By focusing on a viable market and offering them exactly what they’re ready to invest in right now, coaches will easily beat the odds and boost profits, even in a downturn.

What are your predictions for coaches in 2012? Share them in the comments section below.

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT: What’s Hot and What’s Not for Coaching Businesses in 2012

RELATED ARTICLES:

• My Favorite Things for My Coaching Biz
• 5 Tips to Get Your Business OUT of the Shadows and INTO the Spotlight – by Nancy Marmolejo
• Ten Handy No-Cost Online Tools for Your Coaching Business

#1 My Fabulous Online Business Manager

An online business manager is much, much more than a Virtual Assistant. She keeps me on task, on track and manages all my promotions and projects. She’s always hip to what’s hot and new in marketing, online tools and trends. She streamlines my email, takes care of customer service and keeps all Prosperous Coach web pages, documents and processes up to date. Sorry to say my OBM is booked but you can find a good one too at the link above.

#2 My Ace Webmaster – Nichole Betterley

There are web designers and then the more rare, web MASTER. Nichole is bar none the finest designer/coder. Not only did Nichole make my website beautiful, clean and easy to navigate, she keeps it that way. And when I want to add some new fangled system like Digital Access Pass for my membership programs, or Evergreen Business Systems so I can get webinars out there big time to my market, she digs in and finds the most elegant way to code it so it works like a charm.

#3 Erika Ruggiero Graphic Designer Extraordinaire

It used to take so long and cost so much to get a little thumbnail graphic done for a new product, program or bonus, but Erika is lightening fast, has great sense of style and keeps her prices so affordable. Yay Erika!

#4 WordPress

I’ve had three previous websites and now all my web pages reside on WordPress. Ahhh! What a relief. I can get into every page on my site to tweak it by myself. Putting out my blog is a breeze. And, WordPress just keeps pumping out snazzy plugins that save time and spread the good word of my blog to a bigger group of my tribe. Never build a website on anything else!

#5 OptimizePress

Here’s a new one for me… this little inexpensive tool makes squeeze pages and sales pages perfectly. The designers researched the best fonts, colors and layouts. All you have to do is plug in the copy and then play around with the look and feel of the page. You can create a sales page in ½ the time and never wonder if it will convert!

#6 Dropbox

Every important document or file in my business is on dropbox so my team can get at it. It uploads or downloads docs in seconds. It’s easy to update a doc and then pop it back up there. Nothing works as well for sharing files and it’s free!

#7 Hootsuite

This tool streamlines social networking like nothing else. Instead of hours, it makes it easy to spend minutes connecting and sharing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. And yes, it’s free!

#8 FreeConferencing

Need a bridgeline? This is another free service that’s as good as any paid conference line. It records, has a great dashboard to control your calls and sends you a concise report after each call showing who dialed in and how long they stayed!

#9 Google Calendar & Time Driver 

These two free systems work so beautifully in concert. I schedule my time on Google Calendar and let clients schedule time with me on Time Driver. Time Driver marks anything I post into Google Calendar as busy so I never double book!

#10 Aweber 

No list of ace entrepreneurial tools would be complete without Aweber. I’ve used this list management/ email campaign company for ten years and so have most of the top bloggers and Internet marketers. Aweber is a professional service with 24/7 customer service, continual upgrades and lots of groovy tools, including the most friendly and effective pop up.

Share your favorite tools and services in the comments below. And I hope you get into the ones I’ve listed above.

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT: My Favorite Things for My Coaching Biz

RELATED ARTICLES:

• 5 Tips to Get Your Business OUT of the Shadows and INTO the Spotlight – by Nancy Marmolejo
• Ten Handy No-Cost Online Tools for Your Coaching Business

If you step through the threshold despite your fear, you’re likely to never look back because action replaces fear with inspiration. Your creativity and motivation take over and propel you forward.

But you do have to decide… to risk transforming yourself. Without decision, commitment and action it’s not possible to get any closer to what you want. And, indecision out of fear is a joy and creativity killer.

“It’s fear of outcome, not the outcome itself that causes pain.
– Larry Crane, The Release Technique

So here you are… wanting with all your heart to have a financially successful coaching business helping others make decisions and take powerful actions to get what they want. You have important decisions before you. Who is your niche market? What is your message? What offer will be irresistible to them? And, what can you do today to attract more clients and income?

But if you’re paralyzed with fear and need to make a decision now, what do you do?

Five Steps to Move Through Fear and Decide

1. Greet Fear as An Ally.

Everyone feels fear, no matter how confident or capable they are. Fear is inevitable.

So your goal isn’t to stop feeling fear forever, but rather shift to seeing fear as an ally and harbinger of opportunity. Make it a friend, and then the pain of it is fleeting. (And by the way, it will visit you less often too.)

2. Set Aside 5 Minutes to Visit with Fear

Write down the “tapes” that are playing in your head. You might discover a set of assumptions you’re holding that are biased from a past experience. You are not your past.

What is this wise part of you saying to you? What part of your body constricts or tenses up when you feel fear? Ask that part:

What do you need from me right now?

Often, this part just needs reassurance, such as “I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to.” Then your body relaxes and creativity ignites.

Every time I’ve used this coaching technique with a client it’s astounding how quickly their wisdom opens and fear dissolves. Why? Time. You see we rarely take the time to listen to fear as an ally.

3. Let Go of How

When the dreaded hows start flooding your mind, fear amplifies. As Mike Dooley says: “Do all you can, with what you’ve got, from where you are” and the Universe will do its part.

The path to success will always be outside your comfort zone. It’s okay. You know how to grow. You’ve been doing it quite well for a long time.

Let go of the desire to know it all and have it altogether. Lighten up and access your creativity.

Your goal is to make a decision, commit to that decision and take small incremental actions over time. If you require yourself to know how to do everything now, you’ll go numb and get stuck again.

4. Trust that There Are No Wrong Choices

The only poor decision is one made out of fear. If you cannot make the decision now, ask yourself what you need to decide.

- Information?
- Support?
- Rest?

Go get it.

5. Set a Date When You’ll Decide No Matter What

On that day if you haven’t made your decision yet, do this guided imagery exercise:

Close your eyes and see yourself filled with light. Then imagine opening your eyes to see a bridge over a beautiful stream. Beyond that bridge is a lovely winding path to your ultimate destination – what you really want.

You can’t see the whole path but it’s calling you on a meaningful journey.

Then you see a basket by the side of the bridge and instantly, you know what to do. One by one you leave your past regrets, your worries, bad habits and limiting beliefs in the basket. With each one you feel lighter and happier.

When you’ve filled the basket, walk halfway across the bridge, let your indecision fall off the side and watch it float away on the stream.

Then decide.

So… let’s hear your tribulations and tips about fear and making decisions. Please post them in the comments below.

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT: Stop Letting Fear Keep You From Playing Big