Why Should You Become a Certified Professional Coach? (Part 3: Making a Living While Making a Differ
It’s great to see people succeed right? Very satisfying and rewarding to coaches. At the same time it’s important for YOU as coach to reap financial rewards so you can continue to grow and do your best work.
Most coaches fear and really tend NOT to like the Selling and Marketing aspects of a coaching career. But how can you do your best work, or any work for that matter, if no one is knocking at your door!
One of my goals with this newsletter is to dispel discomforts attached to marketing your practice. Think of it this way. You are sensitive and related to others. You have incredible insights, caring and talent. What happens if those special abilities don’t get to be used? Then many, many people are being deprived of the good work you could and should be offering them.
Isn’t that wrong?
Doesn't our culture of community want us to realize our potential and give back to the world what we’ve learned through our experiences and accumulation of knowledge?
I believe in doing the right thing. If you have these special qualities that can make a huge difference in the world, then in my humble opinion it would be irresponsible to hide your light.
To keep your light under a barrel is actually selfish, withholding and not sharing, by denying your talents to the rest of the world who needs what you have.
The suggestions below are ethical and responsible approaches to inspire clients and help them accomplish their important goals. Goals they’ve identified as meaningful to their lives.
Practice Building Tips – How to get clients without being a used car salesperson
First of all, get clear on your area of specialization so you can talk to your target market addressing their needs and stressors.
Write down everything you know about these people and how you specifically can help them. Think about a step wise program you can offer them to help them achieve their positive outcome.
Then take a look at who else helps these prospective clients. For example, someone dealing with chronic pain also may be suffering emotionally with anxiety or depression, career challenges, relationship challenges. Take a look at how THEY talk to your target group. As you get a deeper understanding of these folks and the others who serve them, you learn how to address your audience in more meaningful ways.
AND, as you see who else serves your clients, you can reach out to them and connect for referrals. You can tell them that since you both work with the same types of people you’d like to be able to refer your clients to them when they encounter the problems the other specialist addresses. It’s natural that they will want to refer back to you. A nice Win Win Win for you, the other specialist AND the clients.
Connect with these referral resources by mail, email. Friend them on Facebook. Share articles with them. That’s how to begin to build a responsive relationship.
By creating these professional relationships, you'll build your practice because the other specialist gets to expand what they offer. When they refer to you and you prove to be helpful to their clients you make them look and feel heroic.
Every time you receive a referral, connect with your referral resource and thank them. Let them know just how much you appreciate it and how you will do your best to help that person. Treat your clients with respect, compassion, and give amazing service and your clients will be grateful and sing your praises to others.
Stay connected with your colleagues who can refer. Let them know what you’re offering that may help their clients. Communicate with them once or twice a month to stay fresh and in their minds.
Often your clients will be working with other specialists. It might be very helpful to your client to have a team approach. Get permission from your client to chat with the others to be sure their needs and goals are being met. We’re all human. Sometimes we tell one Coach one thing and a different type of Coach or professional another, not even realizing that we’ve told the story a little differently. Connecting with adjunct professionals will help you help your clients AND grow your practice too.
Try it and I’d be so grateful to hear how it goes.
Respond to this Blog or better still, Write to me at
DocSharon@DrSharonLivingston.com
To your success!