Coaching for Success Inc. has many helpful tools for a variety of coaches, from business and professional coaching to life and relationship coaching, even to specifics like financial coaching and spirituality coaching. Scroll down through the specific types of coaches to find the type of coaching that you do; you’ll web pages, diagrams, resources, and more! (Resource page: http://www.coach.net/toolmenu.htm)

BREFI is a UK-based coaching company. Although their resources are billed as "corporate or individual" resources, I find these resources are ideal for middle and upper management ("individuals AT corporations" one might say). There are inspiring downloadable stories, neuro-linguistic programming resources, and flashcards. A good variety. (Resources page: http://www.brefigroup.co.uk/resources/view_product_category/product_category_sname/free.do).

Peer Coaching Program (sponsored by Microsoft) has a vision to train teacher leaders to coach peers. A lot of their coaching resources are peer-oriented and oriented toward helping teachers teach more effectively but I still liked them and found that a few were applicable across other disciplines. (Resources page: http://pc.innovativeteachers.com/mpc_web/CoachingResourceCenter/CRCHome.aspx)

MindTools is a site that is not strictly for coaches, but the resources can be used by coaches as invaluable tools. They have a number of resources, tools, and ideas that relate to stress management, creative thinking, problem solving, decision making, communication, and more. You’ll find these tools to be general (that is, anyone can use them but they need to apply them to their own situation). You’ll find good stuff here but you’ll need to customize the concepts to your own specialty. (Resources page: http://www.mindtools.com/).

IdeaChampions is a consulting and training company that works with people to promote creativity, innovation, leadership, and more. They have a slick looking website and a lot of really cool looking products. In terms of a consulting brand, these guys are champions. But over on their resources page, they also have a few podcasts and PDFs about innovation and creative thinking. (Resources page: http://www.ideachampions.com/downloads.shtml)

Coaches Plus Learning Community is a place for life coaches. When I first clicked here I thought the page looked sparse until I realized that I needed to click through each link to find way more resources: Client forms, tips, workbooks, there is a lot of stuff here and it is good! While most of it is specific to life coaches, business coaches might find a few gems here as well. (Resources page: http://www.coachesplus.com/categories/coaching-resources-centre)

These resources are not going to replace your quality insight. But they can help you to work with your clients to draw out important details, walk them through challenges, and collaborate on a solution that will work in their situation.

And, let me invite you to share the wealth: If you have tools and resources that work for you, why not compile in a page on your site and leave a link in the comments field below.

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GoogleDocs. GoogleDocs is a free online word processing application. If you use Microsoft Word, GoogleDocs feels excatly the same. Files are stored online in your own secure account and you can access them from any computer. But GoogleDocs offers coaches two additional advantages: You can share documents with others so that both of you can work on the same document at the same time without overwriting the other person’s work. For example, that means that your client on the other side of the globe can sign into a document that you’ve shared with them and the two of you can work on their goals. Together, at the same time. And the other benefit to a coach: GoogleDocs allows you to create custom forms that can be posted on your website. New clients can fill out the form online, click submit, and all of their answers are entered into a GoogleDoc for you to review before their first session. Why not have one form for new clients and another form for your regular clients to fill out before each session?

Mindomo or Mindmeister. These are web-based mindmapping software that allows you to create mindmaps online. Like GoogleDocs, more than one person can edit a map at once, making it the perfect tool for you to work with your clients no matter where there are. (I’ve listed both of the ones that I’ve used here, and there are others, but I prefer Mindmeister).

Blogs. Blogs aren’t just for you to promote your business so that the world can see. Blogs can come with limited access for only certain people to view. A coach might have a client create a blog as a personal journal of their progress, and set the viewership permission so that the only people who can see blog are the client and the coach. This allows the client to keep the coach up to date, and the coach can add comments to encourage or direct where necessary.

These are just four tools that can empower coaches to meet with clients anywhere, and to collaborate with them in real time, all the time.

Contemporary VA

@contemporaryva on Twitter.  Follow us to stay updated with our many resources that include business, accounting and bookkeeping, social media, and much more!

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Part of the problem lies in the misconception that sales is about pushing people into making a decision that they aren’t comfortable with. The truth, however, is that sales should be about helping people figure out what they need and then showing them how to get it. Not that different than what you do as a coach!

Once you’ve met someone who may have a need for your services, your first task is to highlight that need. You don’t have to push them into anything. Ask questions that draw out their own thoughts and feelings on the issue. Talk about the issues they’re facing as a result. And talk about the consequences of continuing in the same way that they always have.

By doing this, you are helping yourself understand the need and, more importantly, you are helping them to realize just how great in scope their need really is.

Once you have helped them see their current state, talk to them about how much better it could be. Don’t talk about what you can do for them. Don’t talk about how you can solve their problems. Instead, focus on helping them see an image in their minds of how life could be improved when they address their issue or challenge. In sales speak, you’ve probably heard of selling the sizzle, not the steak. Helping them to see that ideal in their mind is the sizzle. Don’t worry about your services just yet — that’s the steak.

Once they have seen the ideal image of themselves living with their issue completely resolved, then you can ask the question: "How can you get there?"

They might suggest some ideas of their own. That’s fine. But then the conversation will reach a point when you can offer that they come and talk to you. Point back to that image that they just pictured. You will want to rephrase it for your situation, but you’d essentially say something like: "You know how you pictured a life that was highly productive and free from procrastination? I’d like to help you achieve that."

And then ask when they would like to schedule an appointment. Don’t ask if they would like an appointment. Ask when they would like an appointment.

This is a basic sales presentation, customized to the professional coaching industry. Of course you will want to modify it slightly for your own needs, but this method works — proven over and over through decades of sales experience in all industries. Of course you won’t book appointments with everyone you use this method with, but it can help create some structure and direction around your pre-coaching conversations.

And do you notice something else? It’s not pushy. It’s not forceful. What’s more, it probably is not that different than what you do now: help people see the problem clearly, help people see the solution clearly, and help them get from the problem to the solution. The first step is the SALES step — to get them to see you professionally.
 

Contemporary VA

@contemporaryva on Twitter.  Follow us to stay updated with our many resources that include business, accounting and bookkeeping, social media, and much more!

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Professional-Coaches.com is a place for professional coaches to find and share tips, information, resources, strategies, and even just casual exchanges.

The business of professional coaching is a growing one and one that requires continuous learning, sharing and networking.  We encourage coaches to stop by and see what’s new, share their thoughts and resources, and learn and discuss. 

With the support and knowledge of others, we can all foster our goal of helping others reach their goals. 

Do you often find yourself Googling to assist you in your coaching journey?  Wouldn’t it be great to have one primary place to find many resources and thoughts for professional coaches?  That’s precisely the goal of Professional-Coaches.com but we can’t do it alone. 

Nuestro Casa es Su Casa (Our house is your house).  We invite you to make yourself at home and share with other coaches.  We would love for you to be our guest blogger, as well as comment with your thoughts and share your resources and strategies.

Welcome home.  We look forward to your arrival each and every time.

Karen J. for Professional-Coaches.com

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