Prosperous Coach Blog - Rhonda Hess

How to Enroll Coaching Clients in Any Situation

May 4, 2010 | Read 15 comments and join the discussion

Dr. Reba J. Hoffman, a former member of Prosperous Coach, has had a lot of wins in her coaching business. Recently she shared a client enrollment story that tickled me so much I had to pass it on.

Everyone who goes through the process of building a coaching business will encounter skeptics who just don’t “get” how valuable coaching can be. If any part of you feels inadequate or unsure of your value, it’s easy for prospects to find that button and push it.

But if you believe solidly enough in yourself and in the power of coaching, you won’t be put off by off-putting opinions about coaching.

When Reba ran into someone with a negative attitude toward coaching, she met it head on, with a very edgy, coach-like response that shifted the experience for both of them. Here is Reba’s story:

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Topic: Abundance Tools for Coaches

Read More About: Abundance, Client Attraction

Free or Barter Coaching – Should You Do It?

April 27, 2010 | Read 8 comments and join the discussion

For any coach at any time, but particularly when you’re just starting your business, you might be tempted to get a client by offering free or barter coaching. Should you? There are more reasons not to than you might think.

No fee coaching does have its place (see the last paragraph). But if your goal is to earn a successful living by offering soul-satisfying coaching, it’s usually counter-productive to give it away, except in a sample session. Here is why:

#1 Damaging the co-creative relationship

Coaches often have the heart of altruistic caregivers. If you love to help others and are generous to a fault, being a coach will give you many opportunities to learn balance around giving. This strength, when overused, comes with a high price to your integrity and to your clients.

I’ve been there. I understand that heart-tugging reaction to come to their rescue, when a prospect says they can’t afford your services but they so clearly need help. It’s a RED FLAG.

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Topic: Charge What You're Worth

How to Fill Your Coaching Workshops Without Hype

April 19, 2010 | Read 5 comments and join the discussion

It’s a blast when your coaching workshops fill and your ebook sells hundreds of copies! Using language that strikes a chord with your coaching market is a highly creative and satisfying process. Learning how to write compelling copy is essential to your success. This guest post by my friend and well-known copywriter, Michele PW, will open your mind to the art and power of sales letters.

Do those long-copy sales letters actually work?

This is one of those questions I get ALL the time.

“I never read those long-copy sales letters. They can’t possibly work, can they?”

“MY target market doesn’t read those long-copy sales letters, they want shorter letters.”

“I can’t imagine anyone reading that much.”

And so on.

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Topic: Client Attraction for Coaches

Read More About: Online Marketing, Revenue Streams, Writing

Topic: Client Attraction for Coaches

Read More About: Client Attraction, List Building

7 Steps to Get Back On Track when Life Derails Your Coaching Business

April 6, 2010 | Read 12 comments and join the discussion

Ever feel derailed from your best laid coaching business plans? Sometimes holidays, illness, family crisis — things that require your immediate attention — can stop your momentum cold.

Every business owner gets derailed by life sometimes. The key, of course, is how you respond. Feeling guilty about what’s not getting done and disappointed that you haven’t “made it” yet will only prolong the stall. Be compassionate with yourself, and use these seven steps to get back on track quickly.

1. Align your expectations with your commitment

Human beings run into all sorts of trouble when our expectations exceed our commitment to success. We’ve put too much stock on the desired outcome and not enough on the experience of getting there.

Think of your coaching business as a journey, not a destination. Then, any unexpected delay or side-trip is simply part of the adventure. Present results don’t define you or your future. Your identity is measured from within, not by what you’ve accomplished.

Think about it… If you’re wholly committed to your own success, then:

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Topic: Abundance Tools for Coaches

Read More About: Abundance, Business Skills, Practice Management

Write Your Way to Coaching Business Success

March 30, 2010 | Read 3 comments and join the discussion

I interviewed Carol Hess (no relation to me) about writing, the best gateway skill for marketing your coaching business and boosting your income.

Carol is owner of Tame the Writing Monster where she helps coaches become persuasive and powerful writers on behalf of their businesses.

Listen to this interview and read the highlights below.

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Topic: Coaching Business Tips

Read More About: Business Tips, Client Attraction, Revenue Streams

5 Core Skill Sets for Coaching Business Success

March 23, 2010 | Read 3 comments and join the discussion

Have you ever felt that you need more knowledge, training or credentials to be highly valuable to your coaching clients? While every coach has some areas to develop, don’t make the mistake of discounting the many skills you already bring to the table. That goes for business skills as well. No matter how new you are to coaching, you’re no novice in life, work and communication skills.

It’s time to recognize and leverage your strengths, and consciously build a few core skills to help you thrive in your coaching business.

Below is a (non-exhaustive) list of core business skills. Take a few minutes to rank your current level of skill for each one. Be generous! And prepare to be surprised. Rank your skills on this scale (or come up with your own):

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Topic: Coaching Business Tips

Read More About: Business Skills, Business Tips, Practice Management