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5 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Out As A Coach

 in Guest Post  tagged business / clients / coaching experience / growth / marketing / niche / niching / Ruby McGuire

In today’s guest post Ruby McGuire uses her experiences and knowledge to share:

5 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Out As A Coach

by Ruby McGuire

"5 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Out As A Coach" by Ruby McGuire

I had a discovery call the other day with a client and she asked me what 5 things I wish I’d known when I started out. It got me thinking of the great things that I’d learned as a coach and then of the mistakes I’d made too!

It’s always good to reflect on your progress when you run your own coaching business, well any type of business. In everything we do we hope that we’re doing the right things. What we often don’t realise, until much further down the line, is that it could have been easier.

So here’s what I wish I’d known;

  1. Niching

How difficult it would be to niche. I knew niching was the right thing to do, I knew the reasons I should do it and I fought it tooth and nail. When people asked who I coached I might as well have answered, ‘anyone with a pulse’.

That’s OK for a while.  You find your feet, you get to know who you do and don’t like working with and what you do/don’t enjoy but over time it doesn’t pay the bills.

It’s SO much easier when you niche down. You become better known for what you do. Everything you do in your business is just so much easier. You have clarity, focus, direction, content and most importantly clients! You know what to write and to who. You understand your clients and know the pain and frustrations they have and how you can best help them.

It took me over a year to figure it out; I spent hundreds of hours, money, time and energy on it. You can read more about niching here (and when you shouldn’t niche here). I’m considering niching even tighter again in my own business, as I know how important it is.

  1. Building a business takes time and hard work

I had no idea how hard it would be to build a business. I was quite business savvy.  I’ve worked as Head of HR for a jewellery company, I ran my own HR consultancy for a while, but in doing my ‘grown up’ business it was way harder to get going.

You hear that business takes time and it absolutely does! In the early days I swopped my job for even longer hours on my business. I’ve worked incredibly hard because I knew that over time that effort would yield the results I’d been looking for.

I didn’t invest an enormous amount of money in the early days.  I did the odd coaching programme here and there, but what I’ve noticed is that when I work with other coaches and mentors my business (and confidence) grows.

Get help if you need it. Just because you’re a coach you don’t have to have all the answers. Work with someone that can coach and/or mentor you to get the results that you want quicker.

  1. You’re a trained coach, now you need to learn how to do business!

I knew I needed to build my business knowledge but I had no knowledge of social media. I knew about Facebook, which I’d avoided at all costs (it turns out that’s now my main source of business).

I had no idea about websites; I’d just had a static site when I was running my consultancy. Fast forward (let’s not say how many) years and there were different ways that you shared your expertise with potential clients, like eBooks and newsletters, blogging and YouTube videos.

Marketing now included ‘digital marketing’, ‘educational marketing’, and ‘content marketing’. My marketing strategy back then was contacting business owners, HR professionals and handing out business cards at networking meetings. There were loads of new things to consider now.

Over 6 months I had the steepest learning curve. Aside from learning all about marketing I set up an online membership club which meant figuring out my html code from my widgets, sidebars and plug ins. I was proud of myself.

I learnt how to do group coaching online, not just offline. I learnt how to record training content so had to learn how to do mp3’s and file compression, what to use to record and so much more.

I then spent a lot of time working out how to ‘sell’, how to talk to people, to build relationships. You need to learn how to run a business that includes all aspects of business. Without those skills you will not have a business.

  1. ‘Marketing’ can take up to 50% or more of your time

Ok, did you ever think to yourself, I could be different to other coaches? I have good business skills and a lot to offer. I will hit publish on my website and clients will come running? Ummm, well actually they don’t! I liken it to having a shop in the middle of the countryside. If you don’t tell people it’s there then how will you get any customers?

When I use the term ‘marketing’ here I’m using it in the loose sense of the word to include the vast number of activities that you do to bring in new clients into your business; social media posts, blogging, newsletters, article writing, networking – both on and offline, guest interviews, follow up with clients etc.

I can hear you shouting – ‘Give me the clients people – I just want to coach!’

Don’t we all, but first marketing! You have to get people to know, like and trust you.

When do you invest in a product without giving it some thought? Yes, you might have a few impulse buys but with coaching you need to like your coach and know that they can help you get the results you need.

You’ve got to get out there and be visible, that’s what brings the clients (that plus lots of other things!)

  1. Outsourcing / Investing

I spent TWO days trying to figure out something on my membership site when I was setting it up. TWO days! Do you know how long it took my techie VA to fix it?  ONE hour! £25!

So, when I was spending all that time in a stubborn state of ‘I’m not stupid, I WILL figure this out’, I could have been earning some money, or at least taking action that would have produced money longer term. It’s crazy. We think that just because something takes us days on end it will take someone else the same time. It’s not true. Outsource even just a tiny amount so that you can start noticing what you could be doing when you’re not sweating the small stuff.

Ps. There’s probably an app for that! Not ready to outsource? Then find out if there’s an app that can save you loads of time. I invested £50 on a file compressing app for my videos – I spent FIVE days trying to do it on my own, asking around in groups. Invest!

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning some of the things I wish I’d known when I started out. It can be an overwhelming time with so much information out there.

If you enjoyed these tips then you will like my 7 Things They Didn’t Tell You At Coaching School mini eBook, where I share a few more things around this area.

Ruby Mcguire Be the coach you dream to be

About Ruby McGuire

Ruby McGuireRuby McGuire, a Clarity & Focus Diva is a mum, wife and cappuccino lover. She helps Coaches to take the ‘next step’ – whether that’s getting their first client through the door or taking their coaching business up a notch; She works with them to boost their confidence, coaching skills and business so that they can move forward.

Extra info…

Her big mission is to rid the world of grumpy people, and the more coaches that stay coaching the more people get coached = happy people with happy lives. Ta-da, mission accomplished! If you liked this article then watch out for her co-authored book as part of the Dial-A-Guru series coming out next month. You can find Ruby at her pretty online home, www.rubymcguire.com or Facebook at Be The Coach You Dream To Be. Failing that she may be satisfying her obsession of pinning on Pinterest!

 

 

 

 

Does This Fear Inhibit Your Business?

 in Guest Post  tagged Adele Michal / business growth / clients / confidence / fear / fulfillment / good enough / letting go / mindset / money

In this weeks guest post Adele Michal shares some of her experience and knowledge gained from working with women entrepreneurs.

Does This Fear Inhibit Your Business?

By Adele Michal

"Does This Fear Inhibit Your Business?" by Adele Michal

Do you ever wonder why so many mission-driven entrepreneurs find getting really clear on what they offer and how to talk about it to prospective clients so difficult?

FEAR plagues many women entrepreneurs who want to make a difference. Fear has many faces. I’ll talk about several of them here in the next few weeks.

Naming fears and clearing them out of your system is the BEST WAY for you to get clear on what services you offer in your business so that you develop ease enrolling your ideal clients.

Let’s talk about one fear that may be affecting you and your business without your knowing it so that you can address and change it.

The FEAR of doing it WRONG!

If you are like most women in business, you fear:

  • messing up,
  • not being perfect, and
  • not knowing how to respond to a new situation or challenge.

Many men do not have this fear and in fact, are quite confident that they can do things they’ve never done before or been trained to do.

In contrast, many very capable women resist trying something new and instead seek another certification or more training so they are sure to be able to handle what might come up.

As you can imagine, fear of doing “it” wrong keeps many service-based entrepreneurs from getting clear on exactly what they offer, how it benefits their clients, and how valuable it is.

Many of us were raised to be “good girls” and want to please the people who are important to us. Caring about others is what we do as women, but in business we can carry it too far.

Let’s look at a way to address the Fear of Doing It Wrong:

Ask yourself where in your business and offerings you are trying to please someone besides yourself.

  • Do you discount your prices?
  • Do you stay unclear about your services and offers so that no one knows exactly what you do?
  • Do you do too many trades or complimentary sessions?

(** See my note below)

Behind all of these actions is a fear of not pleasing someone who matters to you. Ask yourself:

question mark smallWho is that person?

question mark smallWhat would s/he say if you tried something new or bold?

question mark smallHow would s/he respond if you did something wrong?

As you come up with your answers to these questions, imagine a different response than fear.

question mark smallCould you laugh at yourself for thinking that anyone would really want less than the best for you?

question mark smallCan you release some of the fear by breathing it out and give yourself some freedom to move forward another step?

question mark smallHow about giving yourself a Free Pass from Perfection for the next 30 days? Intend to do it wrong. Let yourself learn. You can perfect it later and the world will not fall apart.

It is critical to you and your business that you name, face, and disable your fear of Doing It Wrong. If you’re not clearly sharing your work and gifts with the people you are meant to help, they cannot get the benefit of working with you. And that is a shame.

Life and business are messy. There’s no such thing as perfection. Doing is better than perfect. We’ll all survive if you don’t get it right this time. Next time you’ll know how to make it better.

I invite you to disengage from your Fear of Doing It Wrong this month. Please let me know how it goes for you. You may be surprised at how much you like the freedom to learn by doing.

** When you’re first starting your practice or service business, it’s good to do a few no cost or low-cost sessions to get experience and clarity about who you like to work with. It’s also sometimes appropriate to do a trade with someone whose work you really value and want. And it’s surely good to give pro-bono work to someone who can’t afford your fees at this time.

But if you are not charging, not charging enough, or doing a lot of trades, you are sabotaging your business, not giving your clients an opportunity to invest in themselves, and telling yourself subconsciously that what you do is not valuable.

This is a dangerous trend and does not serve you or your clients. Look at what you are afraid of and summon up the courage to face it. I promise it will be rewarding.

About Adele Michal

Adele MichalAdele Michal helps entrepreneurs and small business owners help more people and make more money by teaching them how to sell authentically instead fearing sales.

Adele is the creator of Peak State Selling™ Process. She works with individual clients and leads training courses on Selling Without Fear™. She focuses her work on helping her clients enhance their performance in authentic selling by using simple mind/body practices that create confidence, certainty, and charisma in every situation.

To receive Adele’s Free Gift, End Your Money Worries: 3 Simple Steps to Stop Squashing Your Income & Start Making More Money! go to www.womenmakemoremoney.com/gift

 

Article Source:Does This Fear Inhibit Your Business?

Article expert page: Adele Michal

Close More Sales With Killer Testimonials

 in Guest Post  tagged clients / marketing / Mikhail Yourtaev / sales / sales process / satisfied customers / testimonials / video testimonials

In today’s guest post Mikhail Yourtaev shares some of his sales expertise and knowledge in:

Close More Sales With Killer Testimonials

by Mikhail Yourtaev

"Close More Sales With Killer Testimonials" by Mikhail Yourtaev

Every sales process should have testimonials to build trust with a prospect.There is no doubt that powerful testimonials from previous or existing customers will boost your chances of converting new sales because testimonials connect with the natural human desire to find consensus before making a purchase. Most people are followers and before deciding to make a purchase, people love to comfort themselves that they are making the correct decision by researching what others are saying about the product or service that you are offering.

3 Types of Testimonials

  • Written testimonials
  • Audio testimonials
  • Video testimonials.

Nail these 3 types of testimonials and you will increase your sales. Prepare to delve deeper into each of these testimonials.

Written Testimonials

Written testimonials are the least effective of the three types. This is because there is not a lot of trust that can be built as new age consumers are more savvy than they were previously and realize that written testimonials can be fake. Therefore because scammers use fake written testimonials as a sales conversion technique to profiteer from selling bad products or services to customers, genuine ethical marketers suffer as well. Thus the need arises for a different type of testimonial.

Audio Testimonials

Audio testimonials are better than written as there is a genuine human voice that can be heard. Your prospect can also hear the emotions in your satisfied customers voice. If those emotions are positive, which they should be than your prospect attributes these positive emotions to your service or product. Your prospect can imagine themselves being in the same position as your satisfied customer for whom you have solved a problem.

Video Testimonials

Video testimonials are the best type of testimonial that you can acquire from a satisfied customer. This is because your prospect can now not only hear but also see your customers. Your prospect can also see and hear the emotions that your satisfied customers are experiencing when they are talking about your service or product. This builds trust between you and your prospect. Therefore bringing them closer in buying your service or product.

Bonus Super Tactic

Get awesome results by using this simple template when acquiring testimonials to use in your sales process. Ask your customers the following 3 questions to get killer results.

What was life, like before using your service or product?

What is life, like now using your product or service?

What will life, be like in 12 months and beyond using your product or service?

These 3 questions create a big brighter future for your prospects. Your prospects can see and hear how your product or service has added value to the life of your satisfied customers and your prospects will imagine the same transformation in their lives. Thus building trust and bringing them a step closer in buying from you.

What if the prospect does not buy?

Well you have built trust and can now enjoy building a relationship with your new prospect and you never know this prospect can turn into a life-long customer.

Conclusion

Do what ever it takes to acquire killer testimonials from satisfied customers, especially video testimonials. Try to gather these testimonials when your customers emotions are highest, which is when they are using your service and product and it is adding value to their lives. Happy testimonial hunting.

About Mikhail Yourtaev

Do you want to learn more timeless sales strategies? Grab your FREE training HERE: http://www.easysalestraining.com

 

Article Source: Close More Sales With Killer Testimonials

Article expert: Mikhail Yourtaev

Why every coach needs to write a book 1

 in Guest Post  tagged book / clients / coaching / expert / Karen Williams / marketing / service / tools / writing

In this week’s guest post business coach and book mentor Karen Williams focuses upon:

Why every coach needs to write a book

By Karen Williams

"Why every coach needs to write a book" by Karen Williams

When I qualified as a coach in 2006, I got caught up with the hype of the industry. I was hooked with how I could create a decent living, make a bigger difference in the world, and that this would be easy to run a successful business. But it never happened that way in the early days.

Although I was told about niching, and I knew it was important, it wasn’t drummed into me that I had to be an expert.

Even though as a coach you don’t need experience of a topic to do an effective job, many clients will be seeking someone with expertise in the area where they need support. It’s not enough to ask a few good questions as people don’t buy coaching, they buy the result and outcome that they are looking for.

Plus if you think about your niche – if you have one – there are plenty of people doing something similar to you, so you need to know what makes you stand out.

When I did research for my first book in 2009, I was horrified by the statistics that indicated how few coaches are successful.  So what is the difference that makes the difference?

Did you know that most successful coaches have written a book?

That’s why you need to do the same!

Of course if every coach wrote a book, then the market would be saturated with knowledge (and books!). Also it’s not just about writing any old book, it’s about writing the one that supports your business and showcases your expertise.

Many of my clients are writing their books, and I’ve had three published myself, so this is why you need to write and publish your book.

  1. It helps you to get clear on where you are an expert and what it is that you actually do.

Finding the thing that you do well is notoriously difficult as it’s hard to see what others can see. The stuff that you find easy and what you are good at is often where you need to specialise.  And working on this stuff – like doing the passions and talents exercise that you can find in my third book – will help you to discover where you shine.

  1. It enables you to put your mark on the world, and reach more people who need your help.

When you write a book you lift your head above the parapet. Although scary, it makes it easier for others to find out what you stand for and reach the people who need you.  There’s only so much networking, social media and speaking that you can do, so it allows you to maximise your time too.

  1. By aligning your book with your business you can use it to leverage your expertise – it is a marketing tool that can get you more clients.

A great book is a better marketing strategy than an email, business card or a tweet. When you have the systems in place to take people to the next steps in your product funnel, you can grow your business, have multiple streams of income, and get noticed by the people who need your help.

  1. It is cathartic to get your thoughts and ideas on paper, and it helps you to develop tools to assist your clients.

Many of my clients find that writing a book is incredibly empowering, as it allows them to get their stuff out of their head. They get clear on what they know that helps their clients and also do research if there are gaps in their knowledge.  It can help you to develop your personal signature system, the thing you want to get known for, and also enhance the toolkit that you regularly use.

  1. When you write your best book, you will get noticed by the right people.

Writing a book will help you to demonstrate your credibility. It shows where you’re an expert, and allows you to display your wisdom. Not only will it increase your reach, you’ll be able to attract bigger players in your industry who are potential joint venture partners, affiliates, and willing to support you to create the change you wanted when you started.

Are you ready to write your book?

I’d love your comments on this post as I know that writing my three books (with two more on the way) has certainly grown my business, and my clients are sought after speakers, are getting great PR, and are known for what they do.

To find out more about why your business needs a book, you can download your free eBook at www.yourbookisthehook.com/ebook.

About Karen Williams

Karen WilliamsIf you’re ready to write your book, stand out and become more visible, contact Karen Williams for a free business strategy session.

You can also sign up for her next event Your Book is the Hook Live on Saturday 25 April where she’ll be showing you how to write the book that will get you more confidence, credibility and clients.  She also runs an annual writing retreat in Spain and you can join her this year from 24-29 September 2015.

Karen is a Business Coach and Book Mentor and has been running Self Discovery Coaching since 2006. She predominantly works with coaches, consultants and therapists who want to write a book that is the hook to grow their business. She helps them to plan, write, publish and promote their book and use it as a strategic marketing tool to get more clients, make more money and do what they love.

She is known for helping her clients to succeed by standing out from the crowd, getting noticed and being an expert in their business. She is the author of Your Book is the Hook, How to Stand Out in your Business, and the Amazon no. 1 bestseller The Secrets of Successful Coaches.

 

Want more (and more) clients? 5 essential lessons for successful coaches

 in Guest Post  tagged business / client attraction / clients / coaching / coaching practice / serve / success / Susan Tomlinson

In this weeks guest post Susan Tomlinson shares some of her knowledge and experience.

Want more (and more) clients?

5 essential lessons for successful coaches

By Susan Tomlinson

"Want more (and more) clients? 5 essential lessons (or secrets) for successful coaches" by Susan Tomlinson

Twelve years’ ago when I escaped corporate life, and started my journey as a solo entrepreneur, coaching was a relatively new profession.  At that stage I didn’t even know whether anyone would hire me!

Fortunately individuals and organisations quickly embraced the value of coaching and readily signed up coaches, who could provide skilful challenge and support, to help them make changes in their work and life.

Today the coaching profession has exploded with many more people eager to embrace a career and lifestyle which offers not only an escape from the normal office routine but also a way to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

And for many of us it’s been an exciting and life changing opportunity.

However, with growth comes greater competition!

From what I’ve learned along the way to truly succeed as a coach today you must…

Be true to you.  We are naturally drawn to people who are genuine and authentic.   Living and sharing your own experiences, interests and values will build trust and attract more ideal clients

Be clear, confident and consistent.  You will be more memorable when you share a simple message about what you do, who you help and what outcomes your clients can expect.  As people have many more options to choose from they tend to act on the specific rather than the general.

Reach a wider audience and serve more clients.  Technology has enabled us to go global in our coaching practices and has opened up many more opportunities to work internationally. Experiment with different ways you can increase your visibility and engage people throughout the world, with creative, innovative and stylish marketing campaigns.

Be special.  How is your service different or unique compared with other coaching businesses? Perhaps for example you have developed your own system through your own hard won experience or you show others how to access their inner wisdom to build 6 figure businesses.

Capture attention.  The attention span of our audiences is getting ever shorter!  With dozens of things distracting us throughout the day the challenge for all of us is to grab and sustain attention.  Some of the ways you can achieve this is through the use of visual imagery, engaging emotions and establishing credibility

Ultimately, as a service based profession coaching is all about creating connections and developing relationships.  When you are in alignment with who you are, what you do and how you communicate with your audience then you’ll naturally attract more and more clients.

If you would like to learn more about being a Client Attractive Business Owner then click here (www.clientattractivebusiness.eventbrite.com ) for details of a new programme which starts on 12 March 2015.

About Susan Tomlinson

Susan Tomlinson, Business Coach and Mentor, is founder of Real Coaching Solutions a company dedicated to helping coaches, consultants and solo entrepreneurs attract more clients, make more money and build a business they love. To get your free ‘Boost Your Business Success’ report and to receive her ‘Highlights on Business Success’ newsletter visit www.realcoachingsolutions.co.uk

For many years Susan held senior roles in well known international businesses and industry sectors. It gave her a fascinating insight into how businesses work, as she was often involved in start up ventures.

Eventually, always being an entrepreneur at heart and feeling restless, she took the leap and set up her own coaching and consulting business winning large contracts and working with top names.

Even with all her previous experience Susan soon realised the challenges of being a solo entrepreneur, so early on she made the decision to make a significant investment of her time and money in hiring her own mentors and learning everything she could about marketing, sales and mindset to consistently grow her own business and continue to create the lifestyle of her choice.

Having coached and taught hundreds of people in business Susan now shares her hands on, real life experience and knowledge with other coaches, consultants and solo entrepreneurs, who know that the quickest route to success is working with a trusted business coach and mentor.

Connect with Susan via:

Her website: www.realcoachingsolutions.co.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SusanRTomlinson
Google+: https://plus.google.com/103685189595897269188
LinkedIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/realcoachingsolutions
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/susantomlinson/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/susantomlinson

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

Mindset Secrets to Successfully Selling Premium Coaching Packages

 in Guest Post  tagged boundary / client attraction / clients / coaching / codependency / fear / high end / Ling Wong / marketing / mindset / package / preconception / program / self-worth / selling / value

In this week’s guest post Ling Wong uses her expertise and knowledge as she shares:

Mindset Secrets to Successfully Selling Premium Coaching Packages

By ling wong

"Mindset Secrets to Successfully Selling Premium Coaching Packages" by Ling Wong

A lot of business trainings tell us to sell coaching packages instead of single sessions, and raise our fees while we are at it so we can earn more, work less and have more energy to deliver our best services to our clients. Some of these trainings probably showed you how to design a program and price it.

Sounds good in theory, but… let me ask you – how much are your clients actually paying you? Do you consider the amount you are paid “premium”? (hmm, can you take just one or two new clients a month to pay the bills and more?)

Maybe you have a premium package sitting somewhere on your website, but you somehow have never been paid a “premium” fee; or you revert back to selling the “old” lower-cost packages when the rubber meets the road, i.e. during your sales conversation, because fears and doubts creep in and you chicken out.

If you (intellectually) know offering a premium package is better for your business, and you also have the knowledge to create the package – why aren’t you selling it? Where is the disconnect?

YOU, hold the answer. It’s all in your head.

Everything can sound good on paper, until it comes time to ask for the money.

There are a lot of fears, pre/misconceptions and judgments around “selling”, self-worth and value. Until you bust through these mindset hurdles, you will never feel completely comfortable during a sales conversation.

Your comfort level in asking to get paid is proportional to how much you ultimately get paid.

Preconception

Nobody likes being pushed into buying, and we may perceive people selling to be “bad” because some salesperson gave us bad experience. If you had bad experience with sales people, it is easy to equate selling as “dishonest,” and who wants to be perceived as such? Of course you don’t want to, so you hold back from selling.

Plus, there are many unfavorable images we associate with people doing selling – e.g. the used car salesman, the late-night infomercial dude, even that pushy MLM friend who won’t let you off the hook until you reluctantly sign up for stuff that you don’t want.

What if I tell you, selling = serving? What if you can serve your potential clients while you sell them your services? Educational marketing is a great example. You give people information and provide value to raise awareness about a problem. When they understand the problem they have actually has a solution and you, standing right there, provides that service – they will want to seek you out without you pushing your wares.

I sign a lot more clients after I changed my approach in my discovery sessions from constantly worrying about “what can I say or ask to get them to buy my stuff?” to “what questions can I ask to help this person see a solution to her challenges?” This change in attitude can give the energy behind sales conversations a major overhaul.

QuestionHow can you lead your potential clients into exploring working with you by serving them?

Fears

What kind of selling works? Genuine selling. The kind that you don’t hide behind scripts and templates. The kind that you put yourself forward and connect with your potential clients. But our fears are making us hide… instead of making the connection so critical to getting “yes” from potential clients.

The Fear of Not Being Good Enough can make you feel that you, being yourself, are not enough. It makes you feel there gotta be a script that holds the key to the perfect sales conversation. Maybe you fear that you don’t know enough so you keep babbling on about what you know and where you were trained… completely negating the potential client (who just wants to be heard and be given a damn solution!)

Don’t forget that little voice in your head that keeps saying “who are you to ask for that much money?”

The Fear of Not Being Worthy can cause you to confuse “self-worth” to what people are paying you for – i.e. our services that will give them results. When you don’t feel worthy of being paid, guess what… you don’t get paid!

The Fear of Lack can make you discount or settle for the client purchasing a smaller package even though you know she needs something more extensive because you don’t want to end up with nothing! By settling for less, at least you get the client to pay you something… (note how this makes you come from a place of lack, and not one of service)

The Fear of Being Vulnerable can get you to puff up as a protective mechanism, setting up a wall that prevents you from deeply connecting with your potential clients (people buy high-ticket items with emotions, you need to make that connection). Or, maybe you are afraid of being criticized so you hide from having conversations with potential clients or JV partners. If you hide, they can’t find you!

The Fear of Rejection can make you not ask for more money under the misconception that you will get more “no’s” if your price is higher. If you have this fear, the problem is not the price, the problem is you not having figured out how to communicate the value you deliver.

Question

Can you recognize when you fears kick in during your sales conversations?

Boundary and Codependency

In this article, I explored money boundary and codependency extensively. Here is the highlight:

  • If you are undercharging and not asking for a “premium price,” you may feel that you need to give everyone access to your service and you have the limiting belief or misconception that you can “help more people” by charging less. (You are trying to give everyone your stuff whether they want it or not – and this, is a violation of the other person’s boundary.)
  • If you are over-delivering (e.g. going overtime during your sessions, writing pages after pages of support emails, “throwing in” extras), essentially giving “premium” services without being compensated for it, you may be feeling responsible for your clients’ results even though they need to do the work to succeed. Because you feel responsible, you would bend over backwards – compromising your own boundaries in order to “help” that person with the misconception that somehow, you can do the work for your client (By the way, the client may or may not want to be helped, so in a way, you are violating that her personal choice.)
  • If you have been constantly discounting, you may be buying into the client’s money stories and somehow made felt responsible that your fee will turn into the cause of her distress so you discount to make yourself feel better. (By the way, you have no rights to decided for the other person what she can or cannot afford… it’s her priority and her decisions to make.)
  • If you have been giving away services for free – STOP! This is martyr mentality stemming from a fear of not being worthy (you are trying to prove to yourself that you are) and can turn into victimhood that kicks you off the driver’s seat altogether.

When your boundary is overstepped, it is you who allows that to happen.

QuestionIf it’s your boundary crime to commit, can you recognize your triggers and “rehearse” what you can do or say in those situations?

Self-Worth vs the Value of Your Program

I have a bone with the phrase “charge what you are worth” – I explained it in this post.

If you can separate your self-worth from the value you deliver through your program, then the question “how can my time be worth that much” will not even enter the equation.

Focus on the value your clients get out of your program or service package, not how much time you spend on the phone with them.

If they get a more out of your service than what they pay you, then offering them your package is doing them a service. The key, again, is to communicate effectively so they understand the value of your program, and the impact it has on their lives.

ExerciseWrite down how your work impacts your clients in the areas of health, career, finance, relationship and personal growth. Then put a monetary value (wherever possible) against each item. Now, add it all up and see for yourself how much value you deliver. Can you charge more?

***

Selling, and selling high-ticket items, is not scary. You can sell more with integrity by having the right mindset and perspective, overcoming your fears, strengthening your boundaries, and properly communicating the value of your offer.

About Ling Wong

Ling offers “Business Soulwork + Marketing Activation” to help coaches nail their Messages, claim their Superpowers and muster up the Guts to monetize their Truth so they can build a purposeful and profitable Personality-Driven business that is a full expression of their individuality and creativity.

Through her “left brain meets right brain” approach, Ling helps her clients tap into their intuition and ground those light bulb moments with practical strategies and marketing tactics to build a profitable and sustainable business.

Ready to Nail Your Message, Claim Your Superpowers and Monetize Your Truth for a Personality-Driven business? Get your FREE “Monetize Your Truth Mindset + Marketing Training” here.