Attracting Clients: Strategies Beyond the Hype

In this episode, Angie and John discuss the essential qualities that make a coach appealing to clients, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and expertise over showcasing a lavish lifestyle, which tends to attract followers to fake gurus.

They delve into the challenge of finding the right clients, highlighting the value of niching down and knowing where to look for potential clients in abundance. They explore strategies for coaches to effectively market themselves, including leveraging social media platforms suitable to their target audience, outsourcing non-core activities to focus on coaching, and the impact of strategic guest appearances on podcasts and other media.

The conversation also covers the pitfalls of trying to be omnipresent online and the importance of strategic planning, delegation, and building relationships in creating a sustainable coaching business. Towards the end, the significance of referrals in scaling up the business and ensuring consistent messaging across all marketing channels is discussed.

00:00 The Misconceptions of Coaching Success

01:15 Finding the Right Clients: Strategies and Challenges

03:23 The Pitfalls of Trying to Do It All

06:28 Strategic Focus: Niching Down and Delegating

12:30 Leveraging Relationships and Referrals for Growth

21:13 Concluding Thoughts on Effective Coaching Strategies

Navigating Pricing Conversations in Coaching

In this episode, the hosts delve into the challenging topic of discussing pricing with potential coaching clients. They share personal anecdotes and struggles with initially setting and communicating their rates, emphasizing the importance of being prepared for the money conversation. Starting out undercharging themselves due to a lack of confidence and experience, they highlight the journey to increasing their rates and the strategies to navigate client discussions about price. The discussion covers the significance of valuing coaching services appropriately, setting prices based on market rates and personal requirements, and maintaining ethical standards in sales tactics. Additionally, they stress the importance of integrity in coaching, avoiding desperation, and strategies for dealing with common objections regarding time and affordability during sales calls. The episode is a comprehensive guide for new coaches on pricing their services confidently and ethically, focusing on self-worth and the value provided to clients.

00:00 Opening Banter: The Money Question Dilemma

01:03 Navigating Pricing Conversations in Coaching

01:28 The Journey from Undercharging to Pricing Confidence

04:13 Identifying Your Target Audience and Pricing Accordingly

08:09 Overcoming Awkwardness in Money Conversations

13:41 Ethical Considerations in Pricing and Sales

14:57 Strategies for Handling Payment and Pricing Challenges

19:03 Maintaining Integrity and Ethical Sales Practices

24:34 Closing Thoughts: Charge Your Worth

Launch Strategies and Best Practices for New Coaches

This script discusses the challenges and strategies involved in launching a coaching business, emphasizing that it is neither as simple as a lemonade stand nor as complex as rocket science. Angie and John share their personal experiences and the lessons learned in the early days of their coaching careers, such as the importance of not relying solely on getting clients but also understanding the business and administrative sides. They explore the significance of niching, leveraging one's existing network, and the value of certifications in coaching. Additionally, the discussion touches upon the inefficacy of certain marketing strategies like cold messaging and the importance of adding value and building relationships in marketing efforts. The episode concludes with plans to delve into conducting effective discovery calls and handling questions about pricing in future episodes.

00:00 Introduction: Launching a Coaching Business

01:28 The Challenges of Starting a Coaching Business

03:35 The Importance of Certification in Coaching

05:29 Learning from Past Mistakes: What Would You Do Differently?

05:45 The Power of Niching in Coaching

06:26 Leveraging Existing Connections for Lead Generation

15:57 The Pitfalls of Cold Outreach and the Power of Adding Value

18:32 Effective Strategies for Attracting Clients

24:07 Conclusion: Best Practices and Things to Avoid When Launching a Coaching Business

In this podcast episode, Angie and John discuss a common mistake among coaches: neglecting the business aspects of their practice. They emphasize the importance of managing business administration beyond just getting new business cards or a flashy website.

Angie shares her struggles with adapting to administrative tasks, underscoring that many coaching programs do not teach the essentials of running a business, such as marketing, managing finances, or filing taxes. They explore how Angie overcame her resistance to business systems with the help of a CPA and stress the importance of systematizing business operations for success.

John reflects on his own transition from working for a major company to managing a business, highlighting the necessity of understanding finances and planning strategically to ensure a coaching business can be profitable and sustainable.

The conversation covers the need for a business plan, realistic goal setting, knowledge of one's financial needs, and the potential pitfalls of inadequate planning.

Angie and John advocate for coaches to view their practice as a serious business, advising on seeking professional support and recommending resources like the 'Profit First' book, by Mike Michalowicz, for managing business finances effectively.

00:00 Introduction to Common Mistakes in Coaching

01:09 The Importance of Business Management in Coaching

01:31 Personal Experiences and Challenges in Coaching Business

02:14 The Necessity of Business Planning and Management

02:43 Strategies to Overcome Business Management Challenges

04:42 The Reality of Running a Coaching Business

05:22 Misconceptions and Mistakes in Coaching Business

06:02 The Importance of Business Planning and Financial Management

07:12 Practical Tips for Successful Coaching Business

09:16 The Role of Business Coaches and Importance of Business Plan

16:01 The Reality of Running a Business and the Importance of Authenticity

18:43 The Importance of Financial Planning and Tax Management

24:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Friendship or Coaching: Striking the Right Balance

In this episode, the discussion revolves around the complexities and nuances of the coaching relationship, especially concerning the boundary between being a coach and a friend. The conversation touches on how coaches, driven by a desire to please and be liked, might risk crossing into the friend zone, potentially compromising the effectiveness of the coaching process.

Personal anecdotes illustrate situations where too much empathy or niceness failed to contribute to a client's growth, highlighting the importance of tough love, accountability, and direct feedback in coaching.

The hosts argue against coaching friends or family, emphasizing the necessity for a detached professional relationship to maintain the client's growth and transformation. The dialogue also covers the responsibilities of a coach in establishing clear roles and expectations from the outset, ensuring clients are accountable to themselves rather than seeking approval or fear of disappointing their coach.

The episode concludes with a forward look into discussing the business aspects of coaching in future conversations.

00:00 Introduction and the Question of Coaching Friends

01:05 The Dangers of Crossing the Line from Coach to Friend

03:15 Personal Experiences with Coaching and the Need for Tough Love

05:12 The Importance of Client Accountability and Coach's Role

10:41 The Paradox of Coaching and the Goal of Self-Sufficiency

18:09 The Challenges of Coaching Friends and Family

21:53 Conclusion and Preview of Next Episode

Angie and John discuss the crucial importance of niching in building a successful coaching business. They share personal experiences and explain how even though the idea of niching may seem limiting, it is critical to target specific audiences with well-defined problems for focused problem-solving. They also discuss common mistakes made by coaches, emphasize the importance of aligning the niche with personal passion and expertise, and provide reassurances that choosing a niche does not restrict the potential growth of a coaching business.

00:00 Introduction to Niching in Coaching

01:02 The Struggles of Niching

02:13 The Importance of Specialization

03:54 The Pitfalls of Being a Generalist Coach

04:14 The Power of Focusing and Niching

04:54 The Role of Branding in Niching

08:10 The Impact of Niching on Business Growth

09:13 The Importance of Knowing Your Niche

10:48 The Role of Passion and Business Structure in Niching

17:59 The Evolution of Niching in a Coaching Business

20:14 Final Thoughts on Niching

21:05 Conclusion and Farewell

Welcome to the coaching clinic with John & Angie, the show for professional coaches that explores the ins and outs of coaching, from working with clients through to running and marketing your coaching business.

If you’re a professional coach who’s committed to your own personal and professional growth, cares about making a difference, and wants to have a successful coaching business, you’re in the right place.

J - My name’s John Ball

A - And I’m Angela Besignano

J - Between us, we have over 50 years of coaching experience and best pracitces to share with you, from getting started to scaling up your business.

A - We know what works and what doesn’t, as well as what it really takes to have a successful and thriving coaching business.

J - We’ve each had many successes and many failures along the way

A - and more than a few UNUSUAL client situations that have taken us by surprise.

J - We’re on a mission to help professional coaches like you to build and sustain thriving careers and businesses where you can really excel.

A - And to help you master the mindset and skills you need to be a successful coach.

J - Most people who start coaching businesses go out of business in less than 3 years

A - And many new coaches struggle with the realities of running a business as well as the inner confidence to know they can do it.

J - as coaches, we could hardly be more different. Isn’t that right Angie.

A - Oh yes, very different

J - Most obviously, I’m a man

A - and I’m a woman

J - I’m English

A -  And I’m American

J - I’m polite and diplomatic

A - Hey, I’m polite too, I’m just more direct

J - I’m gay

A - I’m straight

J - I’m quiet and somewhat introverted

A - Hey… what are you trying to say?

J - OK, I think you get the idea but we both share a passion for coaching and for making a difference

A - And even with our different styles of communication, we just clicked right away when we first connected.

J - So much so that we knew we’d make a great team and since we both wanted to make a podcast

A - we decided to do it together. So what you’ll get when you subscribe to the show is short weekly episodes discussing various topics around the art of coaching 

J - plus the skill and business mindset to make it a success. 

A - So, go ahead and hit whatever you need to hit to subscribe

J - And share us with your coaching friends and communities

A - because they deserve to have successful businesses too.

J - We want to make your journey to coaching success fast, fun and fit for life.

A - So, come and join us. You’ll be glad you did. See you soon!

What would you do if you found yourself serving prison time for a crime you didn't commit?

This is the very real situation my guest Sean Crane found himself in at the age of 23, facing losing all of his life prospects and sitting in a small prison cell contemplating his life.

Sean decided this was an opportunity for him to turn his life around and committed himself to a path of personal, professional and physical development. Now, Sean is a professional coach, speaker and author with a story you will want to see the film version of.

Sean's story is an incredible testament to be able to make the most of a bad situation when it seems like your whole life has gone to hell. He turned it around and is helping inspire more people to do the same.

You won't want to miss this episode.

Find out more about Sean:

• http://seanmichaelcrane.com/
• YouTube
• Facebook

Next episode we're talking kindness with the amazing Donna cameron.

You feel your throat tightening, your heart racing, are you having a heart episode? What's going on?

Imagine being so gripped by panic attacks and anxiety that you were unable to leave your home for a year! That was the experience of my guest Erin McCullough.

It's hard to believe that she's now a coach and speaker helping people connect with and create impenetrable joy in their lives. It's a long way from the panic attacks and she is here to share her story and how she turned things around and now helps others to do the same.

Connect with Erin here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-mac-600b86178/

https://www.facebook.com/erin.fellezmccullough

https://www.facebook.com/Erin-Mac-LLC-Mindset-Workshop-Facilitator-2123172051330234/?modal=admin_todo_tour

https://www.instagram.com/erinmacllc/

Next week my guest is Sean Crane, who was wrongly convicted of a violent crime and spent 7 years in prison. Find out why he says it was the best thing that happened in his life. Don't miss it.

Do you ever wish you had more energy for life and work?

My guest for this show is personal trainer Iain Eyre and he joins me to discuss how he's helping business owners and entrepreneurs to create more energy in their lives by taking care of our exercise and nutrition.

Iain helps people create a solid mindset around health and fitness to be able to make it a part of who you are, rather than just something you do when your jeans get too tight.

I hope you'll enjoy this informative and helpful show. My big take away has been that we gain time by taking care of our health because we will feel better and perform better. Who knows, maybe we'll even gain a few extra years to enjoy it.

If you want to be a high performer in every part of your life, you might well like to connect with Iain and find out how he can help you. The best way to do that is his website www.iaineyre.com

Next week my guest is Erin McCullough who will be discussing how she overcame crippling anxiety to discover impenetrable joy.