Coaching For RESULTS!

Monday, 2 June 2014

The Coaching Proposal – Could It Be Your “Missing Link”?

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.

A date that may never come!

The reason for all this discomfort with coaching fees is very simple. The client’s perception of coaching value does not match the coaches’ expectation of adequate remuneration 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.

For many coaches, rejection becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy!

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 “closer” to the 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!

A ICS call only has one purpose! Its sole function it to move the client to the next step in the process of attracting a highly motivated and valuable coaching client. And what is that next step?

The Coaching Proposal!

As soon as you finish your ICS call, you must send your client a Coaching Proposal. Your Coaching Proposal consists of 5 parts that are all designed to accomplish one thing: To confirm to the client that you are the coach who can lead them to 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 Outcome.

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.

With a properly prepared and presented Coaching Proposal, your clients will see the value of you program and the justification behind your fees.

And you will no longer have to deal with any “fee anxiety”!

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

“PersonaCoach™ teaches Life & Business Coaches from around the world how to be EXPERTS at what they do and charge EXPERT FEES for what they do. Get your FREE eBook “Become a Coaching EXPERT and Charge EXPERT Coaching Fees” at http://www.personacoach.com

Contact PersonaCoach at info@personacoach.com

Friday, 9 May 2014

Your Initial Coaching Session Can Make You . . . . Or Break You!

There are a lot of misconceptions in the coaching industry about the value of an Initial Coaching Session (ICS). Far too many coaches consider their first encounter with a new client of such limited value that they will do the initial session for free!

I often have coaches tell me that the purpose of their initial session is to find out if it is “a good fit” for coach and client! Whenever I hear that comment, I cringe! Are they coaching or dating their clients?

Few coaches truly appreciate the real value of the ICS and why it should NEVER be given out for free! Here’s what an ICS is NOT:

- It is NOT a social call

- It is NOT a coaching call

Your ICS is a skillfully crafted and structured first encounter with a client that has only one purpose in mind! It is designed to take your clients to the next step.

Unfortunately, for many coaches the ICS goes nowhere and the potential client disappears!

If this happens in your coaching practice, here are the 5 elements of an effective ICS that will result in the retention of the client and the cultivation of a long-term coach/client relationship!

First, you should allow 30 minutes (approx.) for your Initial Coaching Session (ICS). The 30 minute ICS is structured in such a way that it validates you as the coach that the client needs to achieve their Desired Outcome. There are 5 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.

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.

3. Resolve (5 minutes)

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-driven coach and not a “dream weaver”!

4. Solution (5 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 shine . . . . and deliver!

• You understand the issue(s) for which your client seeks your help.

• You 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 10 minutes explaining how your coaching program is going to deliver the desired results!

Then it’s time for the . . . .

5. Assumptive Close (10 minutes)

It’s time to introduce your Coaching Program! This is your coaching “piece de resistance”. This is how you’re going to deliver the desired results your client is looking for. How to deliver the details of your Coaching Program and reveal your Coaching FEES is the topic of my next post.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Contact PersonaCoach at info@personacoach.com

Tuesday, 29 April 2014

Select a “Restore Point” for your Coaching Practice.

In one of my previous posts, I asked the question “Do You Know Your Client’s Profile?”

Your client’s profile allows you to identify the goals, objectives and challenges that are unique to your niche. But equally important is your ability to identify WITH these goals, objectives and challenges. In other words, your own profile as a coach must be congruent with that of your clients!

Coaching has the unique distinction of facilitating a Desired Outcome without actually creating it! You are not a consultant who provides an outcome or a counselor who identifies one. Your clients must be the architects of their Desired Outcome, while you facilitate its achievement!

These distinctions are often blurred and many coaches find themselves re-defining their role in the determination of their coach/client relationship. If the coaching definition is too rigid, then the coaching becomes constricted and the ability to facilitate a Desired Outcome is often compromised. On the other hand, if the role of the coach is too broad, the relationship with the client becomes subjective and the ‘accountability factor’ is no longer discernible.

Once your client profile and your personal coaching profile are aligned, you are able to provide the coaching services your clients are looking for! You’ll be able to deliver the value that clients are prepared to pay you for!

But your personal coaching profile may have been compromised over time. It may have been subjected to the ill-gotten advice from some coaching gurus, trainers and certifiers who are trying to impose their narrow and restrictive points of view on what coaching should be.

The irony is that your clients really don’t care by whose definition you produce results. They simply want the results and if you can produce them, your clients will reward you for your services!

Instead of looking for new shiny objects to advance your coaching career, take a step back.

What compelled you to become a coach in the first place?
What were the driving motivators behind your decision to become a coach?
What are the unique values you can bring to your coaching clients and are these values aligned with your authentic self?

If your coaching practice is out of alignment with your personal values it will not produce the results your clients are looking for. Nor will it generate the financial rewards you are entitled to.

Perhaps it’s time to select a “Restore Point” for your coaching practice!

This is where you’ll start to align your personal coaching profile with that of your coaching niche. This is where your previous coaching profile may have taken a wrong turn!

Make a list of the ‘wrong decisions’ you made in your coaching career, dating back to your Restore Point, so that you won’t make the same choices again. You must also identify the personal dreams, hopes and ambitions you once had as a coach that were left behind at your Restore Point, so you can determine if they still have relevance in your coaching practice today.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Contact PersonaCoach at info@personacoach.com