Monthly Archives: February 2015

Why do we have to niche our services?

 in Guest Post  tagged clients / coaching / Julie Crowley / marketing / niche

In this weeks guest post Julie Crowley focuses on that subject of your niche.

Why do we have to niche our services?

By Julie Crowley

"Why do we have to niche our services?" by Julie Crowley

I know that the general advice is to niche your business services so that clients can find you (/me) and ‘we’ stand out from ‘the crowd’.   But which crowd?

I am pretty sure that most if not all of us have, at one time or another, questioned this aspect of our ‘business’ (versus service provision).   Do you agree?  Should you and I niche to satisfy the marketing advisors?

But maybe it isn’t about the clients, or the marketers or about our business at all – but about us, ourselves.

I have this internal debate with myself on a regular basis!  Should I? Shouldn’t I?  And why (not)?

I decide – at that point – one way or the other.  I can slip back on what I have decided too at times!  But, like my clients, things change.  I change.  I grow, learn, develop ideas and try new things.  That’s what coaching is about after all!

Question dice

But niching…it’s difficult (at least for me) to decide what you are, or I am, what we want – and can – offer our clientele.

Like many of you, I guess we want to offer whatever we can, to whoever we can and get them where they want to be! Our focus, our aim, our own SMART targets!

But limiting ourselves as it might seem – is that the answer?  We suggest to clients that they explore their own potential, try lots of things or just focus on the one straight (!!!) path to their goals.  To our goals.

So niching is an oft-appearing cliché for me in business. It’s here now again, raising it’s (ugly?) head. But I think this is healthy and useful, it keeps me on the ball, it keeps me focused on my clients and it helps me look at my own journey and development too.  Keeping my eye on where I am going – and checking the direction is right for me, making sure my steps align with my goals too!

So what niches are my options?  What do I want to offer, or show to clientele that I can offer?  Who am I now that I wasn’t last year, or at the start of my business services?   Who do I want and aim to be – and when?

Just like our clients, we are always looking forward, monitoring goals, managing steps, acknowledging achievements and hopefully too, giving ourselves those ever-necessary (and fun!) rewards.

I have niched into careers, and something I am still keen on but no longer my whole focus.   Why I wonder?  Because it did work for clients – it gave them/gives them a clear trigger, a clear focus on the ‘problem’ that’s arisen for them hence they are looking for guidance, motivation, inspiration or/and the rest of what coaching can offer.

I have focused on managing the psychological self – self awareness, personal power, personal development and personal change.  Psychology plays a big part in my practices.

I am unsure if niches are just short phrases or words that clearly spell out what the outcome might be for all to see, or whether it is to help me as a life coach decide what I do best or my current focus.

Question mark

I will think on this one, as my clients do, work through the step by step action plan, monitoring and acknowledgements and ponder the decision of what my next niche might be.   And who it will be for, my clients, my professional self, or society at large to judge me and decide my worth in the coaching forum!  For me my clients needs come first so that is where I will be starting …

About Julie Crowley

Julie Crowley, Personal Counsellor and Life Coach based in Lees, Oldham as Clear Mind Life Coaching & Counselling.   My aim as a coach is to help clients explore their potential and find out their real goals in life – or at least now!  Developing their “personal power” to create the life they want to live by exploring their inner self – practically, emotionally, psychologically and leaving with more awareness than they came with for more effective steps “For a better personal future” and the tools and techniques to use in future …

More information:

My website and blog www.clearmindco.co.uk offers comment and ideas about people, thoughts, feeling and life plans …as well as counselling concepts and focus too.

I am also on Facebook – Twitter – Linked in – CLEAR Connections

Mental Pause can be a Game Changer

 in quote  tagged Diane Dutchin / meditation / mental health / pause / solution focus / thoughts / wellness

In this weeks guest post coach Diane Dutchin shares some of her experience and knowledge:

"Mental Pause can be a Game Changer" by Diane Dutchin

Mental Pause can be a Game Changer

By Diane Dutchin

Regardless of what part of the world you live in, mental health is becoming one of the most important topic of discussion equal to physical health. It has evolved as a growing concern not only in the health industry, but in our homes, schools and work place.

It’s about time, and long overdue! There’s shame in sharing about personal struggles with mental issues – fatigues, lows, struggles, stress or depression. Different types, depth, and occurred from various life experiences. We clam up because we don’t want to be judged, and looked at differently.

Listen, if our mental state is unwell, eventually the impact will be felt and seen in other areas of our lives. No one is immune to the effects of mental illness, no matter how brilliant, popular, loving, or successful you are, it can affect us, and yes, this applies to life coaches and counsellors too.

However, through honest conversation (sometimes hard conversations) exercise, and support, we can increase awareness, and help ourselves and others remove any stigma of shame and judgement associated with mental issues, and improve our mental state.

I consider myself a highly motivated, seeing the glass as half full person, however a year ago when I graduated college as a Life Coach and Counsellor, the transition back to work wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped, money ran out, and rejection from potential employers, found me at my all-time lowest…ever.

My first reaction was self-denial…not me, couldn’t be, I am in control! However, the energy needed to pretend was spent on crying at a drop of a hat, and thoughts going places I feared. I quickly learned that it was OK to express my fears, show my most scared fearful side, to a core group of people I completely trust.

Fortunately, my decline wasn’t as low as those who struggle with mental illness every day. My loving partner was there showing support to listen and ask questions about “how I felt”, why, affirmation and encouragement. A few close friends were there whenever I needed them. Realizing I could STOP pretending and BE honest, was the first step towards the mental nourishing I needed.

We’re masters at being busy doing, telling and pleasing, and fail miserably at mental-care, being present, sensitive, and honest with self. If we continue to expend more take in less, eventually like a car that needs fuel and oil to run effectively, we’ll have mental break-downs instead of break-through, easily agitated and deflated, instead of charged and elevated.

Why mental pause? Simply put, mental pause is meant to do just that – make us pause to give our minds a BREAK! Time to check in, filter and unload and sort through what the mind consumed during the day or week. Time ALONE allows us to stop DOING and practice BEING and make an intimate connect with self by tuning into the messages your body, mind, soul, intuition and senses are sending, and provides release space.

Let’s take a look at three exercises I use to elevate my mental state.

Mental Pause I – Practice meditation:

Connect to your spiritual side, nature, yoga, prayer, formal meditation, chanting, or mindfulness. Before your feet hit the floor express thankfulness or gratitude for at least one thing. Doing this helps sets the stage to centre your mind on starting your day off right.

Mental Pause II – Mind your Thoughts:

When, not if, but when your thoughts rise up to overwhelm and affect moods, pause and count your blessings (people, accomplishments and things you enjoy). The one thing we have control over is our thoughts, so bring awareness to what goes on between your ears, and the next time your mood shifts to anger, agitation, sad or anxious, pin point the thought and work it out, don’t let it sit and fester.

Mental Pause III – Solution focus:

When unexpected things happen in our lives it throws us off guard, and consumes our every thought. Stress, anxiety, anger, and fear interrupts the flow of finding a solution. By practicing meditation and minding our thoughts, we can use that time to figure out an answer. This might be a good time to reach out to another life coach to help you with that process.

Taking time to care for your mental state can be a game changer. It will put you more in control of your mental health, and empower you to be a better coach and person who practices what they preach.

To your health and enjoyment!

About Diane Dutchin

Diane Dutchin is a certified personal and development coach at www.makethemovecoaching.com

Follow Diane on twitter or connect on LinkedIn