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Archive for 'Business Tips'

How to Connect With Your Tribe

April 14, 2011 | Read 12 comments and join the discussion

When I announced last week that I was going to stop publishing an ezine, the response was strong, and mixed. It led to some juicy conversation in the comments on that post, and a lot of personal emails that really touched me.

I know many of you will miss getting the ezine or the full blog post with your email. I feel badly about that. And I know that if you read your email on a mobile device, that makes clicking through and reading the blog online more of a hassle.

But here’s the thing. I want more from you. You all are my tribe. I want to do what I can to encourage you to join the conversation on this blog, because that will make the blog a richer resource for everyone.

I’m also hoping that for most of you, the new way will be more respectful of your time, because there is less coming into your inbox.
How coaches can connect with their tribes

Tribes Need Connection

All this has got me thinking about how coaches connect with their markets. What kind of relationship do coaches want with the people we serve?

It’s become fashionable to talk about business in terms of tribes, but if you haven’t checked out the source of that trend – Seth Godin’s brilliant book Tribes – I recommend it. The message is: business leadership is not about building factories anymore, and it’s not about using advertising to push an idea on people. It’s about connecting like-minded people and leading them to a place they want to go.

By Godin’s definition, a group of people needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate. So the lesson is, if you want to strengthen your tribe, help them communicate.

Continue reading How to Connect With Your Tribe

Topics: Coaching Business Tips

Read More About Blogging, Business Tips, Online Marketing

Why I’m Going to Stop Putting Out an Ezine

April 6, 2011 | Read 13 comments and join the discussion

I have published an ezine almost since I began as a coach 13 years ago, but I’m finally letting go of it. (If you’ve been getting my ezine, don’t worry. You’ll still get the same weekly content, just in a different format.)

Like other changes I’ve made in my business, this one comes down to a case of taking my own advice. I’ve been telling coaches that a blog is the best web platform for a coaching business. And it is. Right now I’m getting ready to launch Client Winning Websites & Blogs, an online system that teaches how to launch a powerful business blog. So I’ve been thinking about it.

Blogs Invite Interaction

Both blogs and ezines are great ways to connect with your market on a regular basis. But what blogs do better than any publishing medium that came before is to engage readers in the conversation. And that adds HUGE value.

Continue reading Why I’m Going to Stop Putting Out an Ezine

Topics: Online Marketing for Coaches

Read More About Business Tips, Online Marketing

How One Email Can Make a Big Impact for Your Coaching Business

March 22, 2011 | Read 1 comment and join the discussion

When was the last time you invited the wonderful people on your list to take a bold step with you? If it was more than a few weeks ago, it’s high time to offer them a way to go deeper than just reading your ezine or commenting on your blog.

Putting lots of free valuable stuff out there is an act of good will and a great way to make the first connection or two with your prospects. But remember to also show them the way to your most valuable services. one email can have a huge impact for your coaching business

Think of it this way: if you just wave at your friends now and then, but never invite them to dinner, you’ll never have the pleasure of their company. That’s the way it is with your coaching business too. To serve more people, regularly invite them into the inside of your business – where the in-depth support and most transformational experiences are waiting for them. Your “tribe” will be delighted to accept your invitation!

Believe in What You Do

You didn’t become a coach to sit by yourself and wait for the phone to ring. You have a profound desire to make a difference in the world. You want to make the lives of your clients easier, more delightful, more prosperous! Show that you believe in what you do by making your services known. Sound a call to action!

Continue reading How One Email Can Make a Big Impact for Your Coaching Business

Topics: Online Marketing for Coaches

Read More About Business Tips, Client Attraction, Online Marketing

Sky-Rocket Your Client Load – by Christian Mickelson

March 15, 2011 | Share your comment

This is a guest post by my friend and colleague, Christian Mickelson, CEO of the Coaching Business Rocket Launcher…

Of course you want to feel that rush of exhilaration that comes from making a difference in the lives of your clients. You know what I mean, right? You have a session with a client and they see solutions where before they only saw problems. And now they are so happy! It’s a rush!

But… if you’re not getting enough clients to work with, there may be one BIG reason for it. Let ME coach YOU on that right now…

You see, most coaches want to help people so much that they don’t even care about the money part. Can you relate? Of course, as coaches we put helping people over making money. But I realized something BIG about this. Before I share it with you, let me ask you:

Do you like sales & marketing?

Continue reading Sky-Rocket Your Client Load – by Christian Mickelson

Topics: Client Attraction for Coaches

Read More About Business Tips, Client Attraction, Coaching Skills

5 Tips to Get Your Business OUT of the Shadows and INTO the Spotlight – by Nancy Marmolejo

February 16, 2011 | Read 4 comments and join the discussion

This is a guest post by my friend and colleague, Nancy Marmolejo, the Online Visibility Expert for Heart Based Entrepreneurs…

Click the play button to listen to the audio of this article directly from Nancy!

If you’re a coach, consultant, speaker, author, trainer, or other service professional, then you have a powerful message to share with the world and your business is how you get it out there.

What good is that message is it’s hidden in the shadows and no one can find you?
It’s time to get your business out of the shadows and into the spotlight so more people can know about your message, your business, and your expertise.

These 5 tips will get you started so more people know about you, connect with your offers, and buy from you!

Claim Your Expertise, Claim Your Medicine

Your expertise is more than what you know; it’s medicine for the world. Don’t be reluctant to claim your expertise. In fact, it’s really not about you; it’s about the transformation your work activates. Let your message and your “medicine” lead you to step up into a bigger arena and get your name out to the people who want and need what you have.

Use Your “Spotlight Style” for Maximum Marketing Impact

There are 3 distinct “Spotlight Styles”, which is how we’re wired for marketing success. They’re based on personality traits and comfort level with certain actions. Knowing your Spotlight Style keeps you from making the marketing mistakes that trap your business in the shadows.

Continue reading 5 Tips to Get Your Business OUT of the Shadows and INTO the Spotlight – by Nancy Marmolejo

Topics: Coaching Business Tips

Where to Start with Your Coaching Business Makeover

January 4, 2011 | Share your comment

Here in Colorado the new year came in on a snow-scented breeze, with an air of purpose. It feels like 2011 is off to a running start.

Is your business feeling the new winds blowing? Mine sure is. I‘ve upgraded my Ideal Coaching Market workshop and moved my membership site over to a WordPress platform. I’m about to launch a couple of new marketing approaches, and some new programs are also in the works.

Where to start your coaching business makeover

All this inspired me last time to write about reasons to make over your coaching business, and that post brought some pithy comments. One coach asked – now that I know a business makeover is necessary, where do I start?

A great question that deserves an in-depth answer, so I thought I’d address it here.

The essence of the business makeover is to systematically go through everything in your business to uncover what’s working and what’s not working, and then replace what’s not working with something better. To make the process manageable, keep your focus on four fundamentals: market, message, offers and conversion process.

Start With Your Niche

Start by looking at your coaching niche. Is it viable? That means, have you targeted a narrow niche market that is accessible to you and ready to invest in their own personal and professional development?

Continue reading Where to Start with Your Coaching Business Makeover

Topics: Coaching Business Tips

A New Year Means a New Coaching Business

December 22, 2010 | Read 7 comments and join the discussion

It seems like every year I do a business makeover. Somewhere around September or October I go into innovation warp drive, and by January of the next year I have a completely refreshed business.

Right now, everything I offer coaches is getting reworked and upgraded. (Watch for specials coming soon!)

I like it. It keeps me on my toes and rings in the new year in another delightful way.

But why do I do it? And is it really such a good idea to keep changing up what I’m doing? I think so. It’s about staying aligned with what is most alive in my business. And there are more concrete reasons too.

8 Compelling Reasons to Make Over Your Coaching Business

These eight factors have spurred me and my clients to close up a program, start new ones, upgrade, and update to a new business model. Are any of these at work for you right now?

You’ve realized what you love to do more than what you were doing.
You’ve grown new skills and deeper knowledge.
You’ve learned more from the folks you serve about what they really want.
You want to scale up to serve more people, so you can leverage your time.
You’re utilizing new technologies and systems.
You want to model the best practices of your mentors.
You’re amping up your income and profits.
You’ve refined to a more profitable niche.

The most important thing is to let your business grow and evolve as you do. If you’re like me, you sometimes make changes of a lifetime in mere months. No moss gathers on you, because you’re always seeking ways to better yourself, better your life and help others do the same. That should be reflected in your business, because your business is a reflection of you.

Continue reading A New Year Means a New Coaching Business

Topics: Coaching Business Tips

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