As with any puzzle, if one of the pieces is missing, you will not be able to produce the results your clients are looking for, nor will you be able to justify the high-end fees you’re entitled to! I refer to these strategies as the “7 R’s of Results Coaching”.
They are:
- Reason
- Relationship
- Representation
- Recognition
- Regard
- Responsibility
- Result
Let’s begin
Strategy #1 – Know Your Objective!
The first “R” stands for REASON.
There are two essentials for entering into a coaching relationship with a client:
- You must have a compelling reason for wanting to work with the client.
- The client must have a compelling reason for wanting to work with you!
As a Results Coach you share a clear objective with your client. And that objective is to achieve a result (or Desired Outcome). What is often less clear, is your shared understanding of the Desired Outcome. Many coaches will enter into a coaching program that has no specific objective in mind! They’re just happy to be coaching someone!
Anyone!
If you’re not perfectly clear on the objective of your coaching program, you don’t have a compelling reason to coach your client. If you don’t understand the result your client wants to achieve, or if the Desired Outcome is not an absolute MUST for your client, you will not be able to target your coaching program on the objective! If a coaching program cannot be focused on a very specific outcome for the client, you will not be able to achieve the results for which your client will pay you high-end coaching fees!
It is equally important for your client to ascertain that you are the coach who can ultimately deliver the results the client is looking for. If you’re client is not certain about your ability to facilitate a Desired Outcome, your coaching program will be sabotaged from the start! A lack of certainty leads to a lack of commitment on the part of the client! This will ultimately diminish the value of your coaching program and undermine the effectiveness of your coaching relationship.
So before you and your client commit to a coaching program, make sure that both you and the client have a clear understanding of the overall objective and a mutual determination to achieve a desired result!
Here are two critical components of this mutual evaluation process:
- Introductory Coaching Session (ICS)
- ICS Prep Sheet
- It prepares the coach for the upcoming call by providing details about:
- The client’s issue(s), challenge(s), goal(s) and objective(s)
- The emotional and financial cost to the client for not achieving a Desired Outcome - (Cost Assessment)
- The emotional and financial value to the client for achieving a Desired Outcome – (Value Statement)
- It show the client that the coach is investing time and effort into creating value for the client during the ICS.
Your 30 minute ICS is structured in such a way that it validates you as the Results Coach the client needs in order to achieve their Desired Outcome. There are 4 components to the ICS call that will accomplish this objective:
1 - Issue (5 minutes)
Have the client communicate in their own words how they would describe the issue or challenge they’re dealing with. This could be a personal issue, such as a relationship or a weight loss problem, or a professional issue dealing with a career or business. Since your client already summarized this issue in the ICS Prep Sheet, you should be able to condense the description to a maximum of five minutes!
2 - Impact (5 minutes)
Have the client communicate in their own words how this issue is impacting their personal and/or professional life. Key elements of this component will be the emotional impact on their daily routine or their quality of life. It is crucial to the outcome of the ICS that you engage your client at a highly emotional level to describe the pain and despair this issue is causing and the situation that they find themselves in. Review and confirm the “Cost Assessment” on the ICS Prep Sheet of not achieving their Desired Outcome. Please allow 5 minutes max and make sure you take copious notes before you move on to the next component.
3 - Resolve (5 minutes)
Ask your client a direct question at this point! “Is your Desired Outcome an absolute MUST to achieve, or is it just a wish or desire?” In order for you to work with a client and achieve a Desired Result, the resolve needs to be an absolute MUST. You are a Results Coach and not a “dream weaver”! You are 100% dedicated to help your client achieve their Desired Outcome, but your client needs to be equally committed to the goal! Again, allow 5 minutes max and make sure you take detailed notes before you move on to the next component.
4 - Solution (15 minutes)
Up to this point, the client has done most of the talking. Now it’s time for you to take the helm! This is your moment to deliver!- You fully understand the objective for which your client seeks your help.
- You fully appreciate the impact this has on your client’s personal and/or professional life!
- You feel inspired and motivated by your client’s determination to achieve their Desired Outcome.
- You have decided that you want to work with this client and you are going to spend the next 15 minutes explaining how your unique and proprietary coaching program is going to deliver the desired results!
The second “R” stands for RELATIONSHIP.
One of the major challenges many coaches face is finding a proper balance between delivering results in the short-term and maintaining a coach-client relationship over the long-run.
But here’s the good news!
A
long-term relationship with a client does not compromise your ability to deliver desired results. In fact, as your client’s goals and objectives change over time, the desire for a life-long coaching relationship will grow ever stronger!
We all know that the only constant in life is change, and your ultimate role as a coach is to facilitate change for your clients! You don’t want to enter into a single issue coaching “affair” with a client! You want to enter into a long-term “coaching marriage” that is based on trust and respect!
As your relationship with a client “matures” over time, you will be able to delve deeper into your client’s true motivation for working with you as a coach. You develop a level of trust and respect that fosters a life-long relationship and produces the transformational results that will continue to generate high-end coaching fees!
But transformational results are never arbitrary! The very nature of a transformation is that it takes place incrementally and over an extended period of time. A transformation occurs when a dream becomes a vision.
When a Mission Statement becomes a Vision Statement!
Unfortunately, many coaches are so anxious to meet their clients’ demands that they focus on a long-term vision rather than a short-term result!
THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE!
You cannot coach a dream, nor can you coach a vision! You can support it, but you cannot coach it! But you can coach the incremental steps that become the building blocks for the transformation. You can coach the “milestones” that your clients must achieve in order to complete the transformation over time. These are the “Milestones” that will be perceived as the results your clients will pay you high-end coaching fees for!
But before you can take your clients on this transformational journey, you must have a systematized approach to Results Coaching! You need to have a coaching system that is flexible, adaptable and client specific!
You must create a coaching system that is results-driven and goal-oriented! A coaching system that is uniquely yours and defines you as a Results Coach!
Which brings us to . . . . .
Strategy #3 - Design your Signature Program
The third “R” stands for REPRESENTATION.
As a Results Coach, you must design a Signature Program and use it as the template for your Coaching Program. But here’s an important distinction! While your Coaching Program is based on your Signature Program . . . THEY ARE NOT THE SAME!
The best way to describe a Signature Program is to compare it to a self-help book. This self-help book has unique and valuable content that the reader can use to arrive at a Desired Outcome. The “modules” of a Signature Program are like the “chapters” of this book. And because you created and designed the program, it bears your signature!
Hence the name Signature Program!
Your Signature Program represents your uniqueness as a Results Coach. It defines you as a Results Coach! It is your proprietary method to creating the changes that will lead up to the achievement of a Desired Outcome. It is specifically designed and created for those who are in your coaching niche.
The format of the Signature Program that I will describe for you is meant to be a guide to get you started. Once you’ve created your outline, defined your message and stated the objective(s) of your program, it is simply a matter of “filling in the blanks” with your content!
The Signature Program you need to create will be a 12 week program. Of course you can design your Signature Program to be as long as you like, but I recommend that you create your initial program around a 12 week framework and only expand on it once you’ve had a chance to work with it for a while.
As I stated earlier, the Signature Program you’re going to develop will have a total of 12 Modules. One module for each week of the program. First you’ll create the ‘framework’ for the modules. Once you’ve created the ‘framework’, you can populate each module with an outline and structure for the content.
The content of your Signature Program must be applicable to anyone in your coaching niche. It is “niche specific”. When you incorporate your Signature Program into your Coaching Program, you can make your content “client specific”.
There are 4 criteria that need to be met to make your Signature Program “niche specific”!
- Identify the biggest challenges of your coaching niche.
- Identify the common goals of your coaching niche.
- Describe your unique attributes or qualifications when it comes to working with your coaching niche.
- Explain how your approach to coaching is different from other coaches in your coaching niche.
Strategy #4 - Develop a Unique Coaching Proposition
The fourth “R” stands for RECOGNITION.
You need to be recognized as a Results Coach in order to attract high paying clients and charge high-end coaching fees! You must have a “Unique Coaching Proposition” (UCP).
A “Unique Coaching Proposition” is the perception a Results Coach must create to convince the client that his or her coaching program is different from and better than that of the competition. Unless you can convey to your clients what makes your coaching proposition unique in a world of homogeneous and traditional coaches, you cannot target your niche market successfully.
Deciding on a UCP is possibly the most important decision you can make about your coaching practice. If you make your coaching practice stand apart from the crowd, everything you do will be easier. Clients will be easier to come by and will gladly spread the word about the results you achieved for them.
On the other hand, if you don’t develop an effective UCP, getting any potential clients to pay attention to you will be a constant struggle. Your UCP can mean the difference between success and failure.
Your Unique Coaching Proposition is what makes you stand out as a coach. It’s what makes you different from other coaches and earns you a special place in the minds of your potential clients. Differentiating your business is a good thing, whether you’re talking about your coaching itself, your products or your marketing. I like to think of your overall UCP as your reason for coaching. Think about it from your client’s point of view. With hundreds of potential coaches out there, you have to answer the question, “why should I work with you?” If you don’t answer that question quickly, your potential coaching clients will move on. It’s really pretty simple.
It’s not about being the best coach. It’s about delivering the best RESULTS!
When you’re just starting out or if your coaching practice is struggling, it’s often hard to compete on coaching quality alone. You need to change the conversation. Instead of screaming “hey, look at me, I’m a great coach too,” you want to confidently say, “Hey, I’m all about RESULTS! I do things differently. If you’re looking for a Results Coach, I’m the coach who can deliver!”
How to define your Unique Coaching Proposition
There are a lot of different approaches you can take. Your UCP might end up being a combination of things. There’s no one right answer. And depending on what type of coaching you do, even a small amount of differentiation could lead to a much greater level of success.
Here are a few simple ways to differentiate your coaching practice.
1 - Use your personality
Oftentimes your personality as a coach can make a powerful difference in the way you develop a coaching relationship. By putting your personal stamp on your coaching practice, you create a Unique Coaching Proposition no other coach can replicate (there is only one you, after all).
2 - Explore Coaching Methods that focus on RESULTS!
Think about your Signature Program and how this makes your coaching programs unique. Your UCP doesn’t require inventing something new, just combine your Signature Program (niche specific) and your Coaching Program (client specific) into a unique coaching experience!.
3 - Narrow your Niche.
By narrowing your niche, promoting your coaching services to that niche becomes much easier. Once you know where to find your niche and where they hang out online, you can target them.
4 - Narrow the Focus of your Coaching Practice.
Finally, you can focus on one particular aspect of your coaching. Instead of being a life coach, become a Results Coach who can deliver the results that clients are prepared to pay high-end coaching fees for! Instead of being a business coach, become an Executive Coach who specializes in helping CEO’s from large corporations.
Remember, you’re not trying to appeal to everyone!
When starting out, creating a UCP might seem like you’ll be leaving out some potential clients. It’s a natural tendency to want to coach everybody. But when you try to coach everybody, you’ll end up delivering weak and unsatisfactory results. The goal of your UCP will be to connect more strongly with your niche clientele. When you connect strongly with a smaller niche audience, your influence will spread much more quickly.
Strategy #5 – Your Coaching Proposal
The fifth “R” stands for RESOLVE.
Many coaches dread the moment where they have to bring up the subject of their fees! Some coaches try to avoid having to deal with this issue by posting their fee schedule on their website. By putting it out in the open it shows a level of transparency on the part of the coach. No hidden fees and no surprises.
Other coaches simply blurt it out! They take a deep breath and hastily tell the client what their fees are. Then they wait for that awkward silence that precedes the client’s response. Sometimes the client says “Yes”, but most of the time the client defers any commitment to some future date.
The reason for all this discomfort with coaching fees is very simple. The client’s perception of coaching value does not match the coaches’ resolve to charge high-end fees for the coaching services he/she will provide. But more importantly, the coach has not had a chance to sufficiently communicate the value of the coaching services in the time allotted for the Initial Coaching Session (ICS).
Whether the ICS is free or provided for a nominal fee, there simply isn’t adequate time to:
- outline the scope of the coaching program
- determine its value to the client, and
- present the coaching fees in a professional manner.
It always amazes me that for a profession that is so reliant on service and goodwill, many coaches still insist that the ICS is the time and place to enter into coaching agreement! It’s where the deal is done and the value and fees are determined!
Nothing could be further from the truth!
The ICS call is not meant to be a coaching session. It is not designed to “sell” your coaching services! And it is not the time to discuss your coaching fees! An ICS call only has one purpose! Its sole function it to move the client to the next phase in the process of attracting highly motivated and valuable coaching clients. And what is that next step?
As soon as you finish your ICS call, you must send your client a Coaching Proposal. Your CP consists of 5 parts that are all designed to accomplish one thing - To confirm to the client that you are the Results Coach who can facilitate their Desired Outcome! Each of the 5 elements of the Coaching Proposal adds a unique value and authenticity to your ability to help the client achieve a desired result.
- The first element gives your client the outline for your coaching program. It answers the HOW question.
- The second element identifies the goals and objectives of your coaching program. It answers the WHAT question.
- The third element sets out the commitment that is required to achieve the Desired Outcome. It answers the WHY question.
- The fourth element determines the mutual accountability for coach and client. It answers the WHO question.
- The fifth element brings it all together. It answers the HOW MUCH question. This is where you spell out your coaching fees, how they are determined, how they are to be paid, etc.
Strategy #6 – The Accountability Factor
The sixth “R” stands for RESPONSIBILITY.
If the objective of a Results Coach is to facilitate a result for the client, to what extent should the delivery of that result be the responsibility of the coach? In other words, when you enter into a Coaching Agreement with a client, are you responsible for the client’s Desired Outcome?
This is probably one of the most controversial aspects of coaching. Many traditional coaches will argue that “it’s up to the client to achieve the Desired Outcome” and therefore delivering results is not the role of a coach.
I personally consider this a cop-out and an excuse for not wanting to create a level of accountability on the part of the coach. True, you can’t control the client’s ability to achieve a Desired Outcome and that is certainly not your role.
But it is your role to hold your client’s feet to the fire and if the client is not progressing at the rate you originally estimated his/her feet are going to be awfully sore!
You and your client are about to embark on a voyage through uncharted waters. Even though you’re the captain of the ship, your client is paying the fare! And because your client is paying you high-end coaching fees, he/she gets to travel first-class!
If there is turbulence ahead for your client, adjust the altitude of your coaching plane.
If there is a storm brewing, find shelter for your client.
If the prevailing winds are favorable to your client, hoist all sails!
If your client’s ship is drifting aimlessly, grab hold of the rudder!
But while the coach is accountable for the safe passage to the Promised Land of a Desired Outcome, the client is accountable for determining the ultimate destination. It is their Desired Outcome you’re travelling toward, not yours! It is your job to ferry the client to their Promised Land. But let the client choose the port of entry. It is your job to interpret the navigational charts. But let the client choose the direction. It is your job to set the course. But allow the client to ‘adjust’ it. It is your job to get them from Point A to Point B. But let the client select the itinerary and the stops along the way.
If results are the essence of your Coaching Program and commitment is the glue that bonds, then accountability is the shield that protects your Coaching Program from the effects of harmful influences that may cause your client to veer off their intended course.
While you are accountable to your client for facilitating their desired result, your client is responsible and accountable for the successful achievement of a Desired Outcome. Your role as a Results Coach is to show the way!
No coach/client relationship can survive without a high degree of accountability on both sides! As a Results Coach, you’ll not only raise the bar on the delivery of your coaching program, but you will also raise the bar on your client’s performance!
And that is true accountability!
Strategy #7 - From Perception to Reality!
The seventh “R” stands for RESULT.
When differentiating between traditional coaching and Results Coaching, I always try to qualify those labels in terms of measurable and quantifiable results. In sports competition, the difference between good and great is decided at the finish line. In the corporate world, these differences are dictated by profitability, productivity and market share.
But in coaching, the quantitative measures are far more subjective and illusive. The difference between a traditional coach and a Results Coach is often measured in degrees of perception.
Results coaching fuses the concepts of performance, accountability and achievement by helping the client change their perception of a desired result, thereby facilitating an outcome that is aligned with their expectations. And is your client’s expectations (or perception) of results that will ultimately lead them to pay your high-end coaching fees!
By changing the client's perception of a goal or objective, a Results Coach allows the client to change the perception of their Desired Outcome and turn it into an achievable reality!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
© Allan N. MulhollandWANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, WEB SITE or CONTENT PROMOTION? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
About Allan
Allan N. Mulholland is the founder and president of PersonaCoach (Int'l) LLC, which provides training and certification for life & business coaches. He is the author of “Change Your Perception, Change Yourself!” and writes on all aspects of coaching training and development.
To get Allan’s free Book “Clients Don’t Pay for Coaching. They Pay for RESULTS!” go to www.resultscoachmastery.com (Available January 14th, 2016)
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