The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
a) Challenge to expand the thinking process and make bold new decisions.
Someone daring you to go further than you ever have before is also an extremely powerful way to break old habits and forge new boundaries.
b) Direction in times of confusion, opinion and if necessary, advice.
Once again, the power of a fresh set of eyes to interpret a new perspective on a situation is often invaluable during the coaching process.
c) Brainstorming to flesh out new ideas.
d) Acknowledgement and validation
This cannot be stressed enough. The coach who only focuses with the client on what is missing and what needs to be done, deserves to lose the client.
Here are some interesting statistics from a past ICF client survey:
* Role of the Coach: 84% believed that the major role of the coach was as a sounding board, whilst 78% focused on motivational aspects. 56% viewed their coach as a friend, 50% as a mentor. 46% viewed their coach as a business consultant, with 41% as a teacher.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
A coach will provide many things during this process, such as:
a) Access to ideas the client may already hold, but is not yet aware of.
By viewing the situation from a different perspective, the coach is able to lead the client in an exploration of ideas that he/she may not have previously considered.
b) Clarity around what the client actually wants.
What does it look like? In which country? How many? How often? How would you feel?
c) A sounding board for new ideas.
Providing a safe place to suggest new ideas is an essential aspect of the coach’s role, in that this encourages the client to step beyond their current situation, unlocking a world of new, unexplored potential.
d) Support in big decision making.
Encouragement in walking new paths is essential to build the courage to continue beyond the safety of what is known. The coach can help the client grow and develop their own individual strategies and solutions.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
How many times are you at a party, meeting, in an elevator, etc., and someone asks you what you do? This is an excellent opportunity to invite someone to experience coaching with you. However, firstly you must give them a REASON or INCENTIVE to do so. Secondly, you must extend an INVITATION!
A HOT INVITATION is one extended when you are already talking to someone, and coaching comes up (as opposed to a warm invite where you call someone you know to discuss coaching). You’re on the spot — here’s an opportunity to turn a conversation into a trial coaching session.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
Exercise
- List the Top Ten Reasons someone should hire you. What are your strengths?
- List everything you can think of that you have done in your life – including training, experiences, insights, etc. Cross out anything that doesn’t add to your credibility or express who you are. (Suggestion: check with a fellow coach on this to make sure you are not throwing out valuable information that you are blind to.)
- Write a half page Bio. Then go through and cut it down to two to three paragraphs that really describe you well.
- Search the internet and print off three bios that sound attractive to you (yet don’t rely on hard facts you cannot replicate; e.g., a Doctorate in Psychology). Use these to inspire ideas and rework your bio.
- Have a friend who is good with words or marketing, edit it to give you a Bio that sounds great! A great sounding Bio can make an amazing difference to your confidence.
- Run your Bio past three friends or colleagues who you would like to coach and that represent your target market. Use their feedback and suggestions to further improve it.
- Put your Bio on your web site, and in a handy electronic file where you can easily find it (to insert in an e-mail, or to forward to a prospective client or audience).
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
I believe it makes sense for your client-gathering strategies to depend on how far you are along the coaching ‘curve’. If you have at least a year’s experience in coaching, and an existing client base, then I suggest you jump ahead to Advanced Marketing Strategies.
However, if you’re still building up your confidence, then I’m going to outline here a strategy, which I have found to be the fastest for building confidence, and getting your initial clients. (Once you are confident and have a full practice, revenue increases, your attraction increases, and you’ll know more about who you want to coach.)
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
Coaching is still relatively new, so if this were a baseball game your ‘First Base’ to get to would be getting three solid testimonials. Do whatever it takes to get three managers or executives to work with you for three months each. Take a pay cut if necessary, coach in exchange for a donation to charity, or even better — charge what you like and offer a 100% money back guarantee. Let them know up front that you’ll ask for a testimonial backed by their name and company at the end, which you will only expect if you’ve done a great job.
