The following is taken from David’s Independent Report on Coaching Training and Certification.
While certification is not necessary for a full practice, we do believe it is important for the development of your skill and for the development of the coaching profession. The more certified coaches the stronger the profession, and the better for all of us. If every coach decided to skip certification, we would have lower standards, which might invite public mistrust, and eventually tight Government regulation.
You could have some fun with people, just maybe five minutes, just getting really clear about the benefits of why we really want to do it then you could look at what gets in the way. What are the challenges you guys are facing? You could say, “I’ve already gotten your questions and I’ve already checked with you guys and here’s what I’ve got. One, two, three, four, five, you can’t get fit with kids around. You can’t stay motivated. You’re not seeing results quickly enough.” You tell them the issues. Really getting into their world and then you could talk about solutions, “Here are five easy steps that I’ve created.” and what I like to do is I like to always end the teleclass with action.
Like for me, it’s just entertainment if we just sit around and talk about some ideas. It’s like, “How are you going to go out and get on the court and apply what you just learned?” so there you guys go and listen to the recording if you didn’t get all that down because you can use that process that I just went through for any teleclass.
What’s the answer? Simple…
You have to build a relationship with your web visitor.
And how do you do that? While there are many ways, the simplest and most effective is to email them somewhere BETWEEN FIVE AND ONE HUNDRED TIMES!
Offer valuable monthly tips. Or a daily quote. Or a couple of free cyber consultations. Send a number of useful articles or links to web sites. It doesn’t matter what – just make sure it’s of value, and get creative!
This puts you in front of your target market on a consistent basis. After they’ve received and read say, ten emails from you, you have some semblance of a relationship, and perhaps enough to warrant a purchase.
EXERCISE:
Start jotting down nuggets of information that would be useful to your target market. Things that could add up to a series of emails, even e-courses.
This is what you will send them to build a relationship with them. Along the way they may hire you as a client!
So, when I talked before about 50 trial sessions in 50 days, I saw some strange looks – it was really funny. Right, but can you now get to see that when we reframe it so that it’s an exploration instead of an “I have to have you as a client”, you can get your one-liner, so you get connected again to really why you want to coach. It’s not all about you. And when you start finding a reason, for the people in your life, to call them and actually say “Let’s do a session” then this starts to look a lot easier. And for you it might be a hundred days instead of fifty, or you might say “I’m going to do twenty-five sessions”.
There’s something else I wanted to say – you don’t have to call your friends and coach them. And you don’t have to call your colleagues and coach them. You can set up web sites. You can go and do public speaking. You can try advertising. There’s a number of things you can do. But I have found time and time again the quickest way to get your confidence is to use your network and coach them. I’m not even talking about referrals yet. Just talking about getting your confidence in your practice. That’s why we’re talking so much about this approach.
HOW TO CAPTURE EMAIL ADDRESSES
Well consider…how did I get yours?
Really – what did I do? Did I come to your house and ask for it?
Did I sit back and hope you would click on the contact page?
Did I offer a link that says ‘Free Newsletter’? (We’re getting warmer….)
You want to offer your visitors something of COMPELLING VALUE. Something exciting, something hot.
These days, if all you have is a ‘Free Newsletter’ link, then quite frankly you don’t deserve online customers. That’s now ~ancient~. People are overloaded with email, and there are hundreds if not thousands of ezine offers all over the web.
Here’s what is hot now.
FIVE HOT THINGS TO PROVIDE
1) Free report
2) Top Ten List
3) Mini e-Course (like the one you’re reading!)
4) Free audio seminar
5) Free CD (Hint: have them pay for postage, so you know they are serious)
Just make sure the freebie solves a problem they have. Let me repeat that. Your information must solve a problem.
Will you save them time?
Save them money?
Give them peace of mind?
Have you noticed that internet marketing really is a set of strategies that can be learned? Anyone can do this!
