Month: April 2010

Last week, I called six of my coaching colleagues to ask them if they have a coaching colleague who is actively looking for more clients and who might be interested in taking my new, nine-month Client Enrollment Immersion Program.  I didn’t reach any of them directly, so I left lovely, informative, succinct voice mail messages.  Or so I thought!  After a few days none of them had called me back.

What, they have their own busy lives?  I’m not their first priority?  Not even in the top ten?  Alas . . .

I could’ve taken it personally.  I started to go there.  But it turns out I didn’t have time!  While impatiently waiting for my colleagues to call back, I got three referrals – one from a current client, one from my coach and one from my hard-working website.  I no longer had time to take anything personally, as I used my time wisely to talk with these three new precious referrals!

Moral of the story?  I need to show up and do my part: call the people I’m inspired to call to fill my program.  Then, I need to get out of the way and allow the Universe to deliver the right people.  Without the slightest concern as to whether or not they came via the route I thought they should!

Feel free to share your thoughts and insights in the comments . . . 

I recently raised my coaching fees. I had been preparing for a few months by getting VERY clear on what would make my coaching services worth the new fee. A steep learning curve, to say the least!

And, I am thrilled by what I have learned. It’s simple, profound and absolutely life-changing.I have a new commitment and confidence that our coaching WILL get my clients to the goals they set when I am willing to ask them the hardest questions. And when they are willing to move through the discomfort of answering the hard questions and then the fear that often accompanies the change as they take new actions based on their answers.

This isn’t always easy work for either of us. But it does bring the change they needed to achieve what they desire.

When someone is considering hiring me as their coach, we need to know before we start working together if I am the best person to ask the hard questions for them. We also need to know if they are actually willing to perceive themselves differently to answer the questions honestly and make the required changes.  I’ve been amazed by how quickly it becomes clear if we will or won’t do the tough stuff well together.

These initial conversations fall into two distinct categories.

The people who are ready to receive huge value from coaching often tell me things like:

• I feel really confronted right now.
• This is right on and I had no idea this is where we’d go.
• This brings up stuff for me.
• I can see now I really need to change some things.
• I’m scared and I know it’s what I need to do.

The people whom I’m not going to be able to help right now say things like:

• I can’t make our meeting because I have to take care of a client.
• I am not willing to spend that kind of money.
• I had really hoped you’d give me a magic pill. (Yes, someone actually said this!)
• I’m going to wait until I get (fill in the blank) in order.
• My husband doesn’t want me to spend any more money on my business.

I love seeing this pattern. I KNOW the people who feel scared and willing will receive huge value from our coaching and will be thrilled with the outcome and investment. I also know that the people who aren’t yet taking full responsibility for themselves, their lives and their businesses, blame many external circumstances on them not being able to achieve what they most desire.

Ah, the joy of hard questions!

Feel free to post your thoughts and insights about asking and answering the hard questions in the Comments.

I recently heard an interview with Bill Baren, who coaches entrepreneurs, in which he talked about one of his businesses as a kid.  He made good money carrying groceries.  Apparently where he lived, there was a gap between where the grocery shopping cart could go and where the shoppers’ cars were parked.  So, he offered the service of carrying the groceries from the cart to the cars.

In the interview, he talked about paying attention to what his customers each needed specifically and finding out when his best customers shopped, so that he could be there for them.  He built a nice business by paying attention to what service and when to service, then charging for that service and then taking the money to the bank!  How simple.  How often overlooked.

He also talked about how he still does that today.  He pays attention to what specific service his clients want and need, he offers that service to them when they need it, and then he puts the money in the bank.

Listening to his interview challenged me to pay even more attention to what services my clients need.  I love this clean and clear business model.  And I love the direct correlation between offering a valuable service and putting money in the bank.  When I offer services that my clients don’t want or need, then those services aren’t valuable.  Even if I think they are!

So how about you?  Would you like to ask your potential clients what services they are looking for?  Would you like to ask your clients what additional services or deepening of services they want?  Sure beats guessing!  Or worse, thinking we already know – because we know better than our clients and customers!

Feel free to post your findings in the comments.