The following is taken from David’s interview with Leza Danly in 10 Super Coaches.
What top three methods, in order, did you use to get your clients in the first 2 years?
My top three methods were:
- Magic
- Referrals
- Public Speaking
I am not joking when I saw magic was my primary enrollment method. In fact, it was really important to me that I create my practice magically, meaning that I visualized it, I programmed for it, I spent time regularly in meditation imagining my full practice and seeing myself happily coaching a full practice. I made a schedule of where my client appointments were going to be and I absolutely allowed myself to desire it, imagine and expect it to happen.
Then I would delight as the phone rang and people called and I would set up sample sessions. I got so excited about the opportunities for growth for the people who called. I think I held an authentic space of possibility in such a way that they could more clearly see who they were becoming. Then I imagined people saying yes to coaching, and they did.
Again, I want to be clear I am not talking about a child’s magic that is about wishful thinking and looking the other way. I’m talking about the true, adult magic of consciously creating reality.
Once I started getting clients, then they referred other people. Also, even though I don’t recommend coaching friends and family, I did give them sample sessions so they would know more first-hand what I was doing and they were more likely to refer people.
Later, I began training coaches and speaking at conferences, which is another way for people to see you and get the power of your presence. But I didn’t do any public speaking in the first wave of practice-building.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Ginger Cockerham in 10 Super Coaches.
What words of advice would you give to a coach starting out?
Coach as soon as possible so that you experience the coaching process really works for others. The shift that comes from hearing someone introduce you with “This is my coach” changes everything. Knowing that by showing up and being a partner with your clients and personally staying out of the way so they can fly is wonderful.
Invest in the best training for you. Investigate and trust that you will find the right training. Learn to be a business person as well as a coach. Develop a network of advocates so that you don’t have to create your business alone.
For me the key has been the expanding and deepening of my relationships with clients and colleagues that have become any advocates in my networking circles. They refer me, support and inspire me. My connections with other people have resulted in meaningful relationships and an abundance of opportunities in my business. It is so much fun to create business within a vibrant network of terrific people.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Ernest F. Oriente in 10 Super Coaches.
What was perhaps the biggest mistake you made in practice building?
The greatest mistake was I thought about subscribers one at a time, I set a daily goal of twenty and I only worked four days a week, so it’s twenty times four which was eighty or three hundred and twenty a month. That was very, very slow, so the greatest mistake we made was building our subscribers very slowly.
Looking back I would have done it with writing articles in trade publications, I would have built alliances, I would have done some of the things that we know today accelerate our velocity and the exposure almost immediately.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Jim Earley in 10 Super Coaches.
What advice would you give coaches about charging clients?
Even though it is a competitive market place, even though people are paying for stuff all the time, most people expect you to set your own rate and won’t argue it. Decide on your rate and go for it. If you’re uncomfortable with it, people will pick up on that and question you. If you’re not uncomfortable, they won’t question it.
Don’t ever expect to raise your rate to an existing client over any short period of time. By definition, they ARE getting less value. Maybe after years and years, you can raise it, but not over a couple. I charge corporations more than small businesses and I charge small businesses more than I charge individuals.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Bobette Reeder in 10 Super Coaches.
What top methods, in order, did you use to get your clients in the first 2 years?
I was totally involved in my community… did a lot of leadership activities and social activities and visible activities.. this led to lots of credibility with a large number of people. I also was heavily involved in the coaching community (my training school and IFC).
What method did you find most effective in getting your initial clients?
I talked about coaching whenever the opening presented itself… and then I dropped the subject unless I was pressed to discuss it. I made it seem almost mysterious… and people wanted to know more. And my life was visibly changing too… always attractive. And I was VERY excited about it… very enthusiastic… people wanted some of that!
The following is taken from David’s interview with Rachel Pryor in 10 Super Coaches.
What was most disheartening for you while building your practice?
When I first realized that I was going to be a coach, I was afraid that my friends would tease me, so I assumed a pen name (I knew I would be quite public). For 3 years I worked as a corporate training, counselor and healer, all the time coaching, though calling it something else. Though I contacted many media outlets, none of them were interested in my business.
Then I decided to use my real name – and gained instant success. But boy, those first 3 years were dreadful – I was unable to be my best, and was uncomfortable with many of the ways that I was forced to train my clients.
