Coaching Biz Tips

3 Ways to Get Coaching Clients When You Have No Products or Programs

Signature coaching programs and products are terrific revenue generators, but what if you're a new coach just getting started--or an established coach who (for whatever reason) doesn't have any products or programs created? Are there any other ways to get clients?

You bet! Here are three strategies for getting clients aside from coaching products or programs:

• Focus on gaining really high visibility/credibility within a specific target market, perhaps through public speaking or by blogging/publishing content online focused on the issues that the target market most wants to resolve. Build a very targeted mailing list (probably at least a couple thousand people), and be sure to keep in touch with them, consistently delivering helpful, relevant content focused on the solution. As you build trust and credibility with your list, leave a trail of 'breadcrumbs' back to your coaching services.

• Get really, really good at nurturing leads and closing sales. Without products and programs, your prospects are faced with a huge gap between the free stuff (public speaking/publishing/whatever you do to keep in touch) and the high-end premium coaching. You’re going to need to become a master at facilitating the sales process so you can help them over that gap.

• Look for a position as an ‘in-house’ coach (perhaps within a larger organization that offers coaching it it’s employees) or align yourself with a coaching organization (such as Compass Coaching) that in effect does the marketing for you. Another option is to approach a successful competitor (someone working in your niche) and become an associate coach for their business.

Do you have an innovative way to get coaching clients without products or programs? Share in the comment section below!

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Wish you had someone who knows all the tricks and shortcuts to help you with that signature coaching product or program? That would be me!

A new approach to creating a core marketing message

A while back, I mentioned I was experimenting with the story-telling approach in Cliff Atkinson's book, Beyond Bullet Points, to craft a core marketing message. (Read the previous post here.)

What I discovered (much to my delight) is that this approach is not only useful for PowerPoint presentations and marketing purposes; it's also great for outlining ebooks and special reports.

Here's an example of a new outline I'm working on for the free starter kit that I give away to folks who join my mailing list. The new starter kit is called, "The Coaching BizKit: The Smart Cookie's Guide to Getting Started".

1. Setting: Where am I & when is it?
Coaches who are masterful at coaching are often baffled when it comes to marketing.

2. Role: Who am I in this setting?
You want to know how to set up your marketing system so it's manageable.

3. Point A: What challenge do I face?
You're unclear how all the pieces fit together.

4. Point B: Where do I want to be?
You'd like to be clear about how the pieces fit together.

5. Call to Action: How do I get from Point A to Point B?
Build a complete marketing system in three stages:

• Stage 1: Choose a profitable niche-focused business model.
• Stage 2: Design your signature coaching program.
• Stage 3: Set up and activate your sales funnel.

(Each stage is explained in more detail in the starter kit.)

The structure from Atkinson's book was very helpful, although I wouldn't say the process seemed easy – but I think that was more about getting clear about the content rather than anything to do with the template itself. Now that it's out of my head and onto paper (well, onto the screen anyway), I'm feeling much more jazzed about writing the new starter kit. Woo hoo!

Just have to add a note: Doing this exercise made me realize how much better it is when you keep things simple -- and how easy it is to get lost and overly-wordy in the process of trying to "work" on a core marketing message.

When I help clients with sales copy I find myself constantly asking, "What does that really mean? What's the bottom line?" There's a fine line between compelling clarity and "blah blah blah".

Why don't you have more coaching products?

Why don't you have more coaching products?

For some, the question might even be, "Why don't you have *ANY* coaching products?!"

C'mon now, tell the truth. How long have you been thinking about writing that ebook?

How often have you gazed with envy at someone else's long list of audio programs, complete with sparkling little CD jewel cases, and wondered, "How did they DO that?!"

How many times have you drooled over the product page at CoachingToys.com? (Who doesn't? It's like the FAO Schwartz for coaches.)

Well, I've got good news and bad news:

First, the bad news: No, that product isn't going to create itself.

Secondly, the good news: It's not as hard as it looks.

And lastly, a word from your fairy godcoach:

"(Insert your name here), if you really want to be able to enjoy being The Magnificent Coach That You Are (instead of feeling like grimy-faced Cinderella before the ball), then for goodness sakes, dearie, get yourself set up with some passive income!"

Here's the thing: A coaching product is just your signature coaching process, or a part of your process, packaged as a self-help product.

It gives the customer a 'taste' of what to expect when they work with you one-on-one, while giving you a source of passive income.

Create it once and sell it many times.

Coaching products help to bridge the gap between your lead generator (i.e., your freebie) and your premium offer (group or individual coaching). You know, so your customers don't split their britches jumping from one end of your product funnel to the other.

Examples of coaching products:

• A book, ebook or workbook ("How to...")
• An e-course
• An audio or video recording (digital or CD)
• The transcript from your latest seminar or teleclass
• A template, worksheet or checklist
• A collection of articles bundled together as a digest
• A software program (get someone to write it for you!)
• A resource directory
• A facilitation tool, such as a deck of affirmation or inquiry cards
• Membership to an online resource center
• Any combination of the above, perhaps packaged as a "Self-Coaching Kit"

If you're tired of pressing your nose up against the glass at the coaching toy store, be sure to listen to the audio replay from last week's tele-clinic on creating coaching products (it's free until 7/18/07).

(and, er...you have a tiny bit of drool hanging off your...no, the other side...yep, it's gone!)