Growing a business takes diligent and persistent effort. And although many professional coaches struggle with how to effectively market their business, there is a simple strategy that once grasped and adopted can actually make growing your business a lot easier and a lot more fun.
Many coaches shutter at the idea of having to constantly be putting themselves out there to get clients. You love serving people – lots of people – and you would like to be able to afford yourself a nice income doing it. But the idea of effectively marketing and growing your business leaves many coaches asking, “How? Where? When? Who? What do I say? And how long do I have to do this?”
Well, what if it could be a lot easier? TRULY. How would it feel if you didn’t have to promote yourself to “sell” your coaching services, but instead if your goal was just to “start a relationship”?
Instead of going out into the world saying “I’m a coach, hire me”, what if you went out into the world and said “I’m a coach, allow me to give you value added products and services as my gift to you, and then over time, when you’ve gotten to know and like and trust me well enough, then you can hire me?” (You don’t literally say this, but you have this attitude as you are out and about growing your business).
Wouldn’t it feel like a lot less pressure if you could just say, “I loved talking with you, I have a report that I wrote that I think you would enjoy on Taking Communication With Your Spouse To a Whole New Level”? Would you like me to send it to you?” They say “yes”, you get their contact information, you send the report, and then you start nurturing a relationship.”
Or you post an ad on a web site where your market frequents not offering to sell anything or even offering a consultation, but instead offering a tangible gift like a special report, ebook or audio. They sign up, you have their name, and then you begin to nurture a relationship.
This approach is used by the most successful companies because typically when you encounter a new prospect who is just getting to know you, they are not willing to invest an extensive amount of time or money with you, much less hire you to be their coach. It takes time for your prospect to first develop familiarity, trust and credibility, especially in the coaching business. Our industry is based highly on “relationship”, so instead of selling right away, make your goal to first develop a relationship with them. And do that with a plan, purpose and intention.
Think about how this new perspective would feel for you as a coach. Would you rather ask a new prospect to buy something from you, or would you rather ask them if you could send them a gift that speaks to a special need that they have?
Studies show that it takes 7-12 contacts (or touches) for a qualified prospect to do business with you. So give your prospects time to get to know you, and give them ways to engage with you through a “multi touch communication strategy” where you are regularly offering value added products for free and low fee. And one day they will hire you.
So instead of networking and marketing to get clients, how about networking and marketing to find prospects to first develop a relationship? The relationship comes first and then the client. And by having a plan to start and nurture that relationship, and implementing your plan consistently, your business will not only be a lot more fun, but it will grow too!
Kim Clausen is the President of Ready2Go Marketing Solutions, Inc., a company that creates ready made workshops, teleseminars, speeches and more to help coaches grow their business. We are a team of experienced training developers, speech writers, copy writers and business development experts whose mission it is to make growing your business much easier, so you can do more of what you love and less of the rest! http://www.Ready2GoMarketingSolutions.com
