I am frequently approached by people who are looking to get into the world of coaching. They ask me for a "secret sauce" recipe that will guarantee their success. I can’t give that but I what I frequently do is give them the following list, which is a "best practices" list I’ve created over the years by listening to friends and colleagues.
These aren’t in any specific order:
* Create a blog. Don’t worry about creating a fancy website just yet. Start with a blog – WordPress is a good system – and just start writing regularly (or hire someone to write for you). Write down your thoughts, opinions, and experiences. This is a killing-three-birds-with-one-stone situation: By starting with a blog first, you get a website while generating some search engine optimization benefits early on, and, you can do a lot of "positioning" of your expertise.
* Figure out what makes you different. There are a million coaches out there – and many of them are good. So why should someone hire you instead of the other 999,999 coaches? You need something that makes you different. If you’re just starting out, don’t despair. It doesn’t have to be your extensive coaching experience. It could be your specific work experience or an innovative way that you approach the solution you help other clients achieve.
* Write other stuff. Write blogs, industry journals, magazines, intranets, forums, local newspapers, whatever you can. Get your name out there and get your name linked to the idea that you coach people in your area of expertise. In the early days, don’t expect to be paid for your writing. Willingly do it as an investment into the future. Later, once you have built up your name a bit, then you can ask for payment.
* Get where your clients are. You should have a good idea of what your clients are like (demographically) and where they like to spend their time. Then you need to go there – either physically or online. If they’re all on Twitter, then start tweeting. If they’re all in a specific forum, then get in that forum. If they all belong to your local Chamber of Commerce, get a membership.
* Get your first ten clients. Other coaches might have a magic number of what makes a successful business, but I think the first ten clients is often the most challenging. You might get one or two with luck. Maybe another one or two from a family or friend connection. But that still leaves 6-8 who need to be acquired through good old "hustle" – salesmanship (or, "salespersonship" to be a little more inclusive). Sure, your first 10 clients may not pay the bills and make your business a 7 figure success, but they will show you what it takes to get the job done. I’ve found that client #11, #12, #13, etc. are much easier to get than the first 10.
This "secret recipe" isn’t going to guarantee long term success but I’ve found it to be a great set of early best practices for any coach.
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