The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
The simplest thing you can start with is a ‘bio’ or Biography. A simple Word or PDF document that you can hand, fax, mail, or e-mail to a speaker-seeker. Work out what will give you credibility when creating your bio. Include the topic of your talk and the key benefits to your audience — and a good headshot. If you have done other talks, list the groups and the topics.
You can start to expand this until you have quite a comprehensive promotional package. You may include articles that have been written by the speaker or about the speaker (i.e., media mentions), a couple of testimonial letters, and ultimately a short video. Many groups will request testimonials, even the ones that are not paying.
And of course — list your web site, which may eventually include several dynamic pics of you speaking, audio clips, and ultimately streaming video.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
One approach is to choose a domain which describes WHO you work with; e.g., www.babyboomers.com or www.highenergywomen.com.
Another is to choose a domain which describes WHAT problem you solve for them; e.g., www.careerdirection.com, or www.relationshipbliss.com.
You may even be able to fit in both; e.g., www.happymarriage4women.com.
It’s also important to have a name which is ‘search engine friendly’. For example, I chose www.life-coaching-resource.com and www.lifecoaching.com.au. Why? Because when people search for ‘life coaching’ in the search engines, the search engines see that I have ‘life coaching’ in the domain name, and decide my site should come up pretty high in the list. So work out your ‘target key words’ — the words people will use to search for you, and get a domain that contains those words.
But clearly you can’t always do all of the above in one domain name. Don’t let search engine traffic run you. A name you like, which is memorable, is key. And — it’s OK to have two domain names — one which will be attractive to the search engines and one which you really love to tell people.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
If you are not going for ICF accreditation, then any school/course which provides effective training may suit you.
However, if accreditation is or will be important to you, you are looking for one of two types of schools:
- A school, which the ICF calls an ACTP, which means it has the ICF official “stamp”, or
- A school whose training is “aligned with the ICF requirements” – also known as the “Portfolio Track” to accreditation. (To be “aligned” the training must be coaching specific, be aligned with the eight training competencies specified by the ICF, and provide at least 125 training hours, of which at least 100 are face-to-face or teleclass training.)
What is the difference? The ICF has made it clear that neither path is easier – you jump through the same amount of hoops, regardless of which path you choose. Choosing an ACTP means you have most of the hoops in the same place, although understandably it comes with a higher price tag.
A word of caution: if your school does not mention the ICF, or specifically that it either has an ACTP or that it meets the requirements of the Portfolio Track to ICF accreditation, there’s a 99% chance it doesn’t.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
Public speaking is a great way to get clients. You speak to local clubs or organisations (usually for free, or you get a nice pen) and give their members a 30-minute talk at their regular meeting. You help them with a particular issue they might be facing, you’re positioned as an expert, and they get a strong sense of who you are.
If you make it easy for them to give you their information, you can follow up and build a relationship; e.g., through your ezine.
Some in the audience will want to have you speak at their club or company, and it may not be long before you’re starting to charge a fee.
And, when you have a great talk, you can record it and sell it on CD!
I gained several long-term clients, and my first paid corporate speeches, out of free speaking on the local club circuit.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
Many new coaches I work with make a very simple mistake in their early sessions. “How did your Exploratory Session go last week?” I ask. “Great!” they say. “I’m going to call her next week to set up a time for another session.”
Can you see what’s missing here? They are still not this client’s coach. They are just someone to talk to if the client has time next week and still feels interested in coaching next week. You know how you can pick up a self-help book whenever you feel like it and put it down when you feel like it? In the above example the coach is playing the role of the book! That’s not coaching. Or more precisely, it’s not a Coaching Structure.
One thing that separates coaching from many other professions is the client’s commitment to his/her coaching goals and to a particular time frame working with the coach. This way, it doesn’t matter if the client gets busy next week. Their session is scheduled for 3pm Thursday, and that’s that.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
1) Their challenges get more uniform as you go narrower. Therefore, you can become an expert in their specific issues, instead of a generalist in everything.
2) You can research this particular group to learn more about what they need. And, you can test-market your wares to see what they are buying.
3) In your literature, you can appeal specifically to this group instead of to everyone. So your target market will be attracted to you instead of passing you by.
4) Your material (e.g. newsletter), can be targeted and of value to your target market, instead of a little bit useful to everyone (e.g. newsletter articles).
5) You can work out where they ‘hang out’, (e.g. health magazines), and focus your marketing campaigns.
6) When you want to get paid advertising in YOUR newsletter and on your web site, advertisers will actually be interested because you have a targeted, qualified audience for their product.
7) You achieve more credibility than someone who appears to handle everything.
You can create specific products and services that appeal to this group; e.g., Find your Career Direction form.
