This episode is a Listener&apos;s Choice episode, which means it&apos;s a favorite of coaches. Find the full transcript at prosperouscoach.com/160.You’ve heard that you need to build the know-like-trust factor with your target audience before they’ll hire you. It’s true. Imagine that your ideal clients reach out to hire you already feeling a deep connection with you and want already what it is that you offer. It raises their willingness to invest at a high level and fully dedicate themselves to the work.So how can you convey credibility as a brand new coach?So to answer that question – how can you convey credibility as a new coach – let’s l=turn this around. Shift your perspective on the problem. It’s nearly always the best way to solve problems.What inspires YOU to feel that a resource is trustworthy?You’re listening to this. I bet you heard about me from another coach or saw something posted  somewhere. If this is your first episode you might not feel trusting of me.But if you’ve been listening for a while and looking forward to these coming out every Tuesday, my guess is your sense of my credibility has been building and trust is growing. Some people say things like credentials and years in business, or reviews and testimonials that convey that trustworthiness. And sure, absolutely. Those things do help.But there’s something that grabs attention and builds trust even faster than credentials, years in business, reviews and testimonials …Coaching Prospects Trust Coaches Who Understand ThemI hear constantly from clients, prospects and fans of my podcast that they feel like I’m speaking directly to them. Someone wrote me today saying: “I’m beginning to think your podcasts are written for me.”That is your goal.People will trust you if they feel understood by you. And this is the territory where brand new coaches can get real traction.As a new coach you’d be unlikely to have loads of credentials or relevant testimonials. You haven’t had the chance to build up social credibility online. And, you don’t have ‘word of mouth’ going for you yet. So instead, put your attention on KNOWING your audience inside and out. I just received an email from a company that wants to promote my podcast. It took me all of 5 seconds to decide to toss that email.Not only did they not even use my name, I could see that they had not bothered to research me at all. It’s arguable that they know little about the challenges and goals of podcasters.That’s a stupid and wasteful way to develop a business.I get countless requests to connect on LinkedIn from supposed experts pushing out blasts to all coaches promising to help them get a steady stream of clients. It’s clear from what they write that they don’t understand coaches.They haven’t bothered to look at my profile. They searched “coach” and then put out the same basic message as thousands before them – all of whom I summarily blew off.Don’t ever market like this. You will LOSE CREDIBILITY so fast. And essentially it’s spamming. Never spam.Do Your Homework, CoachGo here to read about 2 more critical ways to build your credibility so coaching clients want to hire you!

Prosperous Coach Podcast

How Can New Coaches Be Perceived as Credible? – Listener’s Choice

This will be a super short episode. And it’s part of the Smart Mindsets & Habits series. Also this is a LISTENER&apos;S CHOICE episode meaning it&apos;s a favorite of coaches. Find the full transcript at prosperouscoach.com/159.I feel so honored that when I work with my clients I get to see them shift their mindset in ways that will help them succeed faster at this game called entrepreneurship.By the way, thinking of building your coaching business as a game is one way to take the pressure off and enjoy the journey.So the specific mindset I’m digging into today is about OWNING your right:·      Own your right to be in business for yourself·      Own your right to earn well·      Own your right to live the life you wantThat may sound odd. Let me explain.My Early Coaching Business Was An AlbatrossWhen I was new to my own coaching business I treated myself like I didn’t deserve to be in business, like I didn’t deserve to earn well and have the life I want. Here’s what I did instead:1.     I over-complicated my business model by offering way too many options to prospective clients. 2.     I undervalued myself and charged way too little to sustain my business. 3.     I over-delivered in every single way. 4.     I was too accommodating with my schedule.5.     I allowed late payments.6.     Ultimately, I didn’t think through what I wanted and plot a strategic course to get there.Bottom line … I was operating unconsciously in my coaching business. I was driven by a mindset that doesn’t go well with being the CEO of a business. Big mistake.A few years in, I realized that I had created a monster — a business that was complex, running me ragged and paying me poorly.Its part of the reason why I now teach coaches to create a Simple Coaching Business Model and to strategically grow their business from the get go.The Big Mindset Shift and 7 Actions to Charge Coaching Clients More and Get ItSo here’s the secret I want you to come away with from this episode … ACT AS IFAct as if you are already in high demand.There are 7 ways I can think of that will help you do this:1.     First decide what you want your life to be like.2.     Strategize every step of your business development to fit that vision.Go here to read the rest of the 7 ways to act as if you&apos;re already in high demand so you can charge and earn more as a coach ...

The Mindset Shift That Helps You Charge More with Coaching Clients - Listener's Choice

This episode is meant to help you earn more by strategically determining your coaching niche and all that goes with it. Find the show notes at prosperouscoach.com/158.When coaches ask me in a Strategy Session: "Is this a good coaching niche?" What they really want to know but don’t know to ask is:Will focusing my energy this way repay me with a consistent flow of clients who are willing to invest?That&apos;s the 6-figure question.A strategically determined coaching niche is the linchpin for your financial success. Without that direction and focus your messages and offers will be vague and won’t capture attention. Which means you won’t have that consistent flow of paying clients.A profitable coaching niche helps you to:Quickly become a coach in high demand through momentum.Leverage your efforts and contextualize your messages and offers, instead of being all over the place.Command higher fees.Test the financial viability of your current coaching niche with these 5 powerful questions:POWERFUL QUESTION #1: Does Your Coaching Service One Specific and Viable Audience?If not, consider narrowing your audience to a specific group before you go much further in your biz.A target audience is a specific audience that’s small enough to help you stand out in the crowd. It is not a coaching track or a coaching topic.So, for instance, your target audience isn’t relationship coaching. That’s a track, a general topic. Your target audience isn’t even a specific topic, such as dating.An audience is a group of PEOPLE with unique goals and big problems in the way of that.Since coaching is all about people, shouldn’t your marketing and services be tailor made to one group? You cannot tailor make something that’s for everyone or even for a big amorphous group. Don&apos;t try that.The narrow audience I used in episode 140 called What is Missing In Your Coaching Niche was single parents who want to date successfully. Single parents have specific dating problems and specific dating goals that a relationship coach could specialize in.Go for a group that’s that narrow and you’ll magnify profitability. That may seem contrary to you. But take the advice of every marketing guru I’ve ever known – target a specific narrow audience. Your life will be easier.POWERFUL QUESTION #2: What is the BIG OUTCOME your narrow audience wants?People want. And when they want they are driven to get.I know it sounds basic, maybe even base, and it kind of is. For people that have their basic needs regularly met, the drive to get what they WANT is even stronger than the drive to get what they need.Episode 99 was about this. It’s called What Coaching Clients Want Vs. What You Think They Need,.I remember being oriented around people’s needs after coach training. I tried to market to needs. But then I realized that focusing on needs wasn’t going to result in clients who invest well over the long term.In other words, I couldn’t make a decent income focusing my coaching on needs.It is said … “offer what they want and then help them get what they need.”If you don’t know specifically what your audience wants that lack of understanding will keep you from having a profitable coaching business.Read about the remaining 3 powerful questions to fully test your coaching niche here.

Test Your Coaching Niche Profitability with 5 Powerful Questions

This episode is inspired by earnest new coaches everywhere. May you uncover your greatness and personally evolve through your coaching business. Find the full transcript at prosperouscoach.com/157.I’m privileged by my long-term experience and my long-range view of this industry and entrepreneurship.Because I have the honored role of mentoring other coaches to build their coaching business, I get to somewhat re-live those early years over and over.I know what you’re going through. And I also know the high potential ahead of you if you stay the course.So I want you to know that I realize that it’s easy for me to say what I’m going to say. You are in the thick of things and I’m observing it.But because I’m an empath – I feel what people around me feel in an energetic way. It can be a gift and it can be ... painful to watch the mindsets that trip coaches up. They tripped me up too.You know the power of mindset in working with your clients. What a person believes can make or break their opportunities.These 3 mindsets could kill your coaching business because until they are shifted in your mind, they will run you ragged.The High Pressure MindsetI mistakenly answered an unscheduled call the other day. It was a coach who wanted my help RIGHT NOW! She didn’t take it in when I explained that I was booked 8 weeks out. Later in the day, she sent not one but 4 emails loaded with exclamations points and extreme urgency wanting me to accommodate her.The pressure was palpable. I started to feel as breathless as she was. I knew she wasn’t an ideal client for me because I don’t respond well to the energy of push, push, push.Coaching and entrepreneurship often attracts high achievers – people who make much of life and business look easy. But under the surface they are boiling with anxiety and the need to do everything well right NOW!To these dear people — the idea of patience feels like prison and following a process step by step is torture.Faster, faster, faster is their motto and work style. There’s a desperation attached to it.Do you recognize yourself in this sub-group? If so you’re in good company. Your coaching business is an excellent territory to shift this mindset for a more peaceful and yet still successful life.If you’re in a big hurry to make things happen. STOP! You are not a chicken so turn off the pressure cooker!The pressure you put yourself under creates the exact opposite thing you desire. Energetically, it’s like you’re walking around throwing hot acid all over the place. Prospects will perceive the push and steer clear not knowing why but certain they don’t want to be a part of it.Try this mantra … Mindful action, step by step, builds prosperity.The Plan B MindsetA coach recently asked me … “How soon will I know this coaching business isn’t working and it’s time to go for plan B?”Whoa! That was a loaded question underpinned by a sense of doom. That’s scarcity thinking, ya’ll. Big time.To read more about two of these killing mindsets and learn the mantras to break yourself out of them go here.

3 Mindsets That Could Kill Your Coaching Business

If writing for your business is your nemesis or you just wish it wouldn’t take so long, this episode is for you. Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/156.Also as a bonus to help you write more effectively grab your copy of my free downloadable guide called 5 Rules to Write Better Copy at prosperouscoach.com/47.You know this … writing well is one of those skills that can catapult your business into a more profitable gear. If you can learn to write in a way that your audience wants to read, you can:·      write and publish your own books·      develop online training programs·      publish a weekly blog·      post articles on well known platforms·      create excellent scripts for your podcast·      write better presentations, lead magnets and guidesAnd all of that would help you attract and enroll more high paying clients and earn in other ways too.But for most coaches I meet they say that writing doesn’t feel easy and it’s so time consuming. One of my clients told me that it takes at least one full day to write a blog post. And I remember taking that long when I first started writing.Here’s the thing … writing is easily mastered with a few tools in your toolbox.You Are a Better Writer Than You Think, CoachAnd, of course, it’s part mindset. Some of my clients tell me they are not good at writing. Inevitably, I disagree! I love helping my VIP clients learn how to write even better and it’s fun for me to copyedit and give suggestions for all of their writing.I find that they all very rapidly improve in their skills so they don’t need my edits any more.The real issue is how long it takes to organize thoughts into a flow that inspires reading.I was a passable writer when I was given the opportunity to write the curriculum for Coach Training Alliance. By the time I finished that project I was a far better writer and could write fast.Surprise, surprise … writing more means writing more easily and better.5 Secrets to Whittle Down Your Writing Time1.     Know your key takeaway before you start writing.2.     Keep your topic specific and bite sized.3.     Use a formula for the flow of paragraphs.4.     Set a timer to write, then another to edit.5.     Go for good enough.What’s Your Big Aha or Takeaway?All writing should have a top takeaway. To impress your audience and show your value, provide one well formed and unique aha, insight or tip. Don’t start writing until you’re crystal clear about what that is.And one is all you need. The biggest mistake writers make is delivering too much at one time. I delivered my top takeaway for this episode in the 5 secrets just named. Now, I’m going to flesh it out a bit more for you.The Strategic Writing FormulaWhen you write your blog or notes for your podcast your goal should be to inspire, guide and entertain your audience ...To learn the Strategic Writing Formula find the full transcript here.And don’t forget to grab my bonus for you of a free downloadable copywriting guide ... 

Write Faster in a Way That Attracts Coaching Clients

This episode is for all the coaches out there struggling to tell people what they do in a way that gets a positive response. Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/155Many coaches design a statement to tell people what they do. It’s a misunderstanding that your benefit statement is about you or coaching. Those tend to be non-benefit statements.For example: I coach people to live the life of their dreams.How would most people respond to this message? Their eyes would glaze over and they’d disconnect. People do want to live the life of their dreams. But it doesn’t feel believable. It feels like a pie in the sky.Unbelievable messages don’t inspire a strong positive response — such as to hire you!To make messages believable so they inspire a strong positive response, you need SPECIFICITY.Your Core Message for Your Coaching BusinessYour benefit statement is the first and arguably most important message for your business. That’s why I call it a CORE Message. Some people call it a HUB Statement.The point is that message is at the center of all of your messaging. And every other message you create springs from the central ideas in your Core Message.The statement” I coach people to live the life of their dreams” won’t grab attention for two main reasons:1.     It’s missing a critical part of the coach’s niche — the target audience. 2.     And it’s also missing specific outcomes the target audience knows they want. “Live the life of their dreams” is a vague and abstract concept.Why do I say “the target audience KNOWS they want”? Because if they don’t know they want it, they won’t be out there seeking solutions.A beautifully crafted and highly effective benefit statement names your target audience in specific terms then goes on to name specific outcomes the audience knows they want. Not all the outcomes but the top of mind desired outcomes.Let’s break down the NON-benefit statement into components.1. First, there’s the lead in phrase: “I coach”. I recommend “I help …” instead. For one thing it doesn’t immediately raise concerns about what coaching is. But also a coach is not something most people know they want.If you haven’t already, please listen to Episode 7 and then Episode 153, which both explain why coaching is a hard sell so you don’t want to push that language – coach, coaching etc.Why use “help”? Well, for one thing it’s a single syllable word and easy to connect with the rest of a benefit statement. When I wrote curriculum for Coach Training Alliance I suggested “I work with” but I’ve long since realized that makes sentences awkward.Also a coach IS a helper – a thinking partner. You’re not going to solve problems for your clients. You’re going to help them solve problems and reach goals.2. Now let’s look at the word “people”. Uh oh, this is a NON niche — no target audience at all. Someone said: If you try to serve everyone, you’ll serve no one. I agree. Even “people who …”, like “people who want more from life” is arguably not going to be a narrow enough target audience to have a sustainable business.3. How about the phrase “to live the life of their dreams”? This is the big zero. There’s nothing to hook onto here that inspires the response “I want this!” because it’s trying to cover all the bases.So let’s say this coach focuses on careers, how could the message change for the better? To read REAL benefits statements of real coaches go here.

Have You Aced Your Coaching Business Benefit Statement?

This episode is inspired by a rarely used skill that we all have and that can greatly help you attract more coaching clients that you’ll love. Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/154.I recommend you also listen to a previous episode called Can You Manifest Coaching Business Success with Your Mind?  Find that at prosperouscoach.com/106, that&apos;s episode 106 in your favorite podcast app. It talks about different aspects of manifesting.This episode won’t be repetitive as it’s about one particular part of manifesting, which is attracting ideal clients. Back in 2001 when I was writing curriculum for Coach Training Alliance I came up with the term ideal client. I doubt it was a wholly original idea but it was an aha in my mind.Coaches want to have a financially successful business. I love the idea of prosperity thinking and wanted to include elements of that in the curriculum. But I’ve also used this idea in my own coaching business.Every coach will have preferences about the best clients for them and every client will have preferences about the person that helps them transform. In an ideal world there would be that excellent fit more often than not.Fit is critical for excellent coaching to happen. And, fit is critical for you to earn well as a coach. Look, if you’re attracting non-ideal clients a lot you’re not going to be happy and neither are your clients.If your clients aren’t happy, you have referrals and testimonials. If you’re not happy, you’ll feel drained and burned out.There’s an art to attracting clients. I call it an art because it takes time to learn who is ideal for you and it takes conscious attraction practices to draw them to you.One powerful part of attraction is the words you use on your website, your social posts, your freebie, your content such as blogs, podcast episode and also the words you use to describe your Signature Program.If you’re blessed as I am, you’ll have that word fit reflected back to you. Here’s a review I received for Prosperous Coach Podcast to illustrate what I mean:I absolutely love how open, sincere and generous Rhonda is with her time-tested wisdom in what it takes to build a successful coaching business from scratch. As a newbie coach still enrolled in a certification program, my mind-wheels are constantly spinning about how to build my new business. Rhonda’s value-filled words and energy help ground and ignite me at the same time. She takes me out of the fog and into clarity, out of stumbling into jogging steadily forward.Wow! Thank you for that amazing review, Lena.How did I help ground and ignite something inside Lena — someone I didn’t know before? How did I help her come out of the fog and into clarity? Two main ways:1.     By studying what words would land best with my ideal client within my chosen target audience.2.     By thinking of my ideal client while I create messaging to attract clients.What Are the Right Words to Attract Your Ideal Coaching Client?That’s a discovery process that takes place BEFORE you do anything to attract clients. Before you build your website, before you put out content and social posts, before you design your Signature Program ...To read the full transcript and see the 24 Powerful Questions to Identify Your Ideal Coaching Clients go here.

Are You Manifesting Ideal Coaching Clients for You?

This episode is inspired by all of my wonderful clients … coaches who are so smart. They have so many skills and advantages. And … they still have to attract a steady stream of clients and that can feel hard. Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/153.I remember a couple of years into starting my coaching business having a regular walk with another relatively new coach friend of mine. We often commiserated about how most of our clients only stuck around for 3 months of coaching. That meant we were in a constant state of chasing clients.We felt truly clueless about how to find more clients. All the low hanging fruit had been picked — you know, the colleagues, friends, and friends of friends — people we already knew.I’d had a sample coaching session with them all and few invested in a package. Those who did seemed to be constantly questioning whether they wanted to continue the investment. They said they valued our conversations. But they just didn’t get the long-term value.My coach friend and I kept exclaiming with frustration … where are the clients who get coaching enough to invest in it?That’s the same question I hear new coaches ask two decades later. The problem is, it’s the wrong question.So there are layers to this problem of constantly chasing clients and I want to tease them apart for you.1.     It’s what you’re selling.2.     It’s how you’re selling.3.     It’s how you think about what you’re selling.Chances are, if you don’t have a steady stream of clients finding you, then at least one but possibly all 3 of these need a permanent adjustment. And you’ll be so glad you did. Coach, You’re Selling the Wrong ThingLong since that agonized time of trying to find clients, things are very different for me. My ideal clients find me! And I don&apos;t sell coaching anymore. “Finding clients who get coaching enough to invest in it” isn’t something I bother with anymore.Why? Because with a shock, way back when, I realized that there just aren’t many people out there who understand the value of coaching. So trying to convince people to buy it is … well, misguided.That’s why I recommend designing a Signature Program for your audience based on what you learn from them in market research. Will you coach your clients in that program? Yes. But you won’t sell coaching anymore.Have you ever been on Facebook or Instagram and seen a gadget for sale and you think — I want one of those! Well, some smart person figured out a gap in the marketplace and filled it with that gadget. They knew it would be wanted.Selling products is very different from selling services but what’s similar the way a human being responds when something unexpected solves a problem for them or something they want lands in front of them.Coaching just isn’t that thing very often.It’s so much easier to sell something to people that they KNOW they want!For the 3 ways  to stop chasing coaching clients and have them find YOU instead, go here.

How to Stop Chasing Coaching Clients and Attract Them Instead

Recently, a client asked me to share the biggest lesson I’ve learned in my 20 years of running my coaching business. Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/152I have a feeling you’re going to be surprised by my answer … the best lesson boils down to less is more.It took me a long time to learn this lesson. Now that I have integrated it fully into my business and coaching mindset and habits I see the real power of this lesson. It applies to so much, not only in business but other aspects of life. And I’m so grateful to the experienced coaches and business owners who shared this wisdom with me long ago. So coaches often struggle to reach simplicity in their business in a number of ways. Of course, the first way is about who they serve. You hear me say this often enough so I’ll just reinforce this quickly. Choose one viable target audience and develop one specific niche for that audience. Less is more. You’ll market less and earn more.And now, I want to share 4 more ways that less is more in your coaching business. Take the time to review these areas in your business to see how you can recalibrate to doing less and saying less.Consider putting a sign up in your office that says LESS IS MORE to remind you about this.Put Less on Your Coaching WebsiteIt’s so tempting to use your website as a clearing house for too many satellite concepts, favorite quotes, recommendations. Getting carried away like this can mean failure because you don’t show your prospects the real path to you.So keep it simple. Provide the essentials. Inspire reading, exploring and invite only a strategic few calls to action.If you try to cover every possibility, cram in all the things you want to say, the message that could spark them will be lost.Adding more tabs is not a good idea, drop down menus under tab — don&apos;t ever do that! Too many words, too many paragraphs, too many buttons and distractions everywhere, that means your website will be a dud.See distraction creates a confused mind. And a confused mind never buys.In this overfull life, every potential coaching client wants a calm, logical experience. You want to inspire them to read more by having less copy. Rather than pushing and prodding them towards action, let them have their own pace.Every web visitor views a site differently. Your job is to help them see themselves in what you say so they want to explore.There’s one exception to less is more on a website. If you post a regular blog or podcast there’s no need to limit those posts but you can limit the length to a 5 – 7 minute experience per post. Which brings me to …Write Less and Say MoreOne of the things I passionately teach my VIP clients is how to write in a punchy way. Punchy in copywriting speak means streamlined, powerful and compelling all at the same time.Long highly descriptive sentences and paragraphs won’t get read. Go for a skimmable experience. People will read short sentences, short paragraphs and less total copy.When you finish writing an article or blog post, go through every sentence and streamline it. Take out most adjectives and reduce prepositional phrases. Also shorten paragraphs by breaking one up into two or more.Because people read on their phones ...To read 3 more ways less is more for your coaching business and 3 powerful questions to ask yourself now go here.

The Best Lesson I've Learned 20 Years In To My Coaching Business

This episode is about allowing yourself to fully evolve into your coaching business. The full transcript can be found at prosperouscoach.com/151.Take a journey back in time with me and imagine …Who were you and what was your life like before the idea of becoming a coach inspired you and made you leap?Maybe you had a job and a comfortable routine. Maybe you were used to your paycheck and working certain hours. Your family knew what to expect of your time and attention. You knew what to expect of yourself and your day-to-day life.And that was part of the problem — part of the growing discontent that causes all people to seek.Maybe your colleagues were a daily respite from the mundanity of work or maybe you felt drained by all of it.A dream began to form. It was just a little spark.Something awakened in you and made you think. Maybe you could break away and breakthrough to a life where you could be your own boss and do more meaningful work. One where you had more flexibility in your lifestyle and you could serve your own vision.When you first heard about coaching something in you thrummed with new life.You took coach training and your excitement built along with a healthy dose of doubt. Learning how to coach transformed you — the way you think, the way you communicate. It was no less than revolutionary for you.And, it wasn’t all easy because it broke you out of your mold. You saw yourself differently. You saw your relationship to others differently.And coaching gave you hope. It gave form to something you’ve longed for and did not know existed.Then the moment came when you needed to start making decisions about your business.Imposter syndrome rose up. Some days you could just brush it away. And some days it hung over you like a dark cloud.Yet every time you coached, even if it was for free or for way too little, you still loved it and so you moved forward bravely.You were asked to choose a niche, to work on messaging. Things that required you to put a stake in the ground. Gulp! “What’s the right niche for me? Do I have to pick just one?”All these things were not what inspired you to become a coach. Some resentment for all this hard stuff kicked in. But you moved forward bravely despite thoughts like:“Can I really do this?”“Will anyone really pay for this?”“Won’t marketing mean I have to sell out?”You realized that learning coaching was the vocational side of things. There’s another more serious side to this  called being a business owner. All the realities started to materialize as territory you’ve never been to.“I have to attract clients, charge fees that will replace my old paycheck, navigate the mine field of social media and summit all sorts of learning curves.”Seemingly. Endless. Learning curves.For some this is the point of departure. For some it’s a dare to keep going, keep building and manifesting the new life.Now let’s pause for a moment in the present …To read the full transcript and learn more about building your coaching business with Rhonda&apos;s help go here.

How to Not Slide Back to Your Life Before Coaching

This episode is about a mindset shift that could free up mental blocks you might have about choosing or sticking with a specific niche. Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/150The two concerns I hear most from coaches about choosing a narrow audience and developing a unique niche to serve them are:1.     “But I don&apos;t want to exclude anyone.”2.     "But if I limit myself to a particular track — such as career coaching, business coaching or relationship coaching — I won’t get to do life coaching."I’ll talk in another podcast soon about the exclusion worry. Let’s tackle this life coaching concern.Coaching is CoachingFirst, repeat after me … coaching is coaching. The skills of coaching are the same no matter what topic you coach around or target audience you serve.Listening on many levels, asking powerful questions, mirroring what your client said back to them — all those excellent skills and more are the same no matter who you’re coaching or what you’re coaching about.But also, it’s really critical to realize that all coaching IS life coaching.Whether you are a business coach, relationship coach, health coach, career coach or some other fill-in-the-blank coach, you are essentially a life coach.If you’ve chosen a track it’s to help you focus and create a sustainable business. And you might have expertise or experience to apply to that particular territory of life — business, career, relationships or health.All Coaches Should SpecializeBut calling yourself a life coach or specializing in life coaching might not serve you well because it’s non-specific. Life includes everything. Helping everyone about everything might seem wonderful or a relief to you but if you don’t specialize you might seem like a hobbyist rather than a business owner. You might lose credibility.Also, it can affect your income. A few years ago statistics showed that coaches who specialize earn at least 40% more than those that do not.I always encourage coaches towards specificity in everything. The more specific you are in your target audience, niche, messaging and offers the better it will be for you. When you specify everything you’ll find it easier to attract and enroll a client.Why?Because broad language that tries to be all encompassing doesn’t grab attention. Let me illustrate the value of specificity.Which of these messages attracts you more?I help people succeed and be happy.orI help coaches earn more and market less by choosing a highly profitable niche they’ll love.I don’t know any coach who would respond more positively to the first message over the second. That’s because, as a coach, you want certain things, you have certain challenges. And when I speak of those certain things it piques your interest.You want to earn more and market less. And choosing a niche might be the biggest challenge you face at the beginning of your business.The same is true with all messaging and whenever marketing a service like coaching.To read why Life Coaching is the least distinctive and lucrative niche read more here.

All Coaches in Every Niche Do Life Coaching

If I’ve learned anything from life it’s that simple is better. Less is more. And that’s true when it comes to staying organized in your coaching business. Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/149I happen to be one of the most organized people I know. But I wasn’t always like that.I also used to be a lousy money manager.I also used to be hopeless at writing.I also used to suck at managing people.So, no matter what you think you’re hopeless at now, you can change that. You can grow into whoever you want to be and however you want to live your life.What changed those things for me? First, I stopped telling myself what I’m no good at.The harsh way you talk to yourself is the main habit to stop. You’ll be so glad you did. It’s a life skill. If I can do it, you can do it.Now try this … every time you think you’re not good at something get curious.Curiosity is a powerful game changer. It quiets the amygdala – the part of your brain associated with fear. And then, attention and creativity take over.When you explore something with curiosity, dopamine — the reward chemical — floods your body and you feel good. And then you can easily get past the “way it used to be”.So, get organized coaches. It feels good. And it will mean you can serve clients better while you earn more.Template Everything You Can in Your Coaching BusinessThis is my secret weapon against the limits of time. Everything that can be templated in my business is templated.For example, I have a template for my Session Recap for clients. Of course, it’s customized where it needs to be within the template so it’s valuable for both of us.I have a template for typical responses to prospects’ questions. But that’s doesn’t mean they don’t come across as personalized. They do.I template processes. I have a 15-page Word document with 15 different processes I take my clients through in my Signature Program so I can cut and paste them into emails as we go along. My clients always say – I love how fast you respond. Part of it is about the templates.I also have pre-made guides for my clients to save us time in session.So ask yourself …What can be templated now to save me time later?And then be sure you create a place where it’s easy to find and use the templates. Me? I have a folder in my email for Templates.Prep for Tomorrow and Next WeekThis may seem basic but you wouldn’t believe how many people don’t do this.Prep tomorrow today. Prep for next week at the end of this week.I have a master to-do list with 2 categories – Personal and Business. And it has tasks that need to be done soon and later. I pull from the master to-do list to partially create my plan for tomorrow and for next week.But here’s the secret – my daily to-do list is super short. No more than 3 things. If I have extra time after completing the 3 things, I’ll pick from the Master list tasks that will fit the time I have open.Ask yourself … What must be done tomorrow?What must be done next week?What will help me get ahead next week?To read the last of 3 organizational secrets find the full transcript here.

3 Easy Ways to Stay Organized in Your Coaching Business

This episode is inspired by an excellent question posted by two coaches in my Facebook group called Prosperous Coach Club. Find the full transcript at prosperouscoach.com/148Before we dig into this, let’s get on the same page …What is a Smart Coaching Niche?To me, a smart coaching niche has 3 clear components:1.     One unique viable target audience full of seekers – people who want to grow personally and professionally and are actively seeking solutions. Without this, it’s hard to have a successful niche.2.     A strategic coaching business model built around what that audience urgently wants and the BIG problem that’s in their way. If you don’t know what will motivate investment for your audience you don&apos;t have a robust enough niche to earn well.3.     Your skills and talents applied to those other two things. This is more than just coaching skills. This is bringing forward all the skills and maybe even expertise that will make you credible to your audience – something that help you relate to them and them relate to you.A coaching niche is weak if one of more of those things is missing or not solid enough so it’s worth it to take the time to develop a niche fully.And let me just stop the worries here … everyone has skills to bring to the table. I’ve never worked professionally with a coach that didn&apos;t have options for their niche based on the sum total of who they are.It’s good to remember that coaching is a business and you need to operate in the marketplace.What do I mean by that? Your business needs to be more than selling coaching services. Unless you don’t need to earn, you need to frequently grab the attention of and enroll clients who pay you well. That’s not a casual thing for the long run. It’s totally doable and some strategy is needed.One Coaching Business for One Well-Formed NicheI encourage my clients to develop one business built for the long term around one well-formed niche. Why limit it? Well, because two niches may very well feel like having two businesses, which is like having two full time jobs. No one really wants that.It comes down to what you can handle effectively. You may be able to do many things at once but is that the best life to live? Why not build a business that’s sustainable for the long run?You might start out with two niches but somewhere along the way one will get more attention and the other will suffer unless there is some way to leverage the two. So let’s talk about those possibilities.Two Different Audiences for Your CoachingTargeting two distinctly different audiences is not a good idea unless the two audiences are related in some easy way.To read the full transcript including 4 circumstances where two niches could work for you, go here.

Is it Wise to Have 2 Coaching Niches?

Today’s episode is inspired by a sticky question. Do you really need to be certified in order to say that you&apos;re a professional coach? Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/147It&apos;s a sticky question because there are two camps — the yeas and nays — and both have strong opinions.I say … whether you certify or not is your decision. 2 Types of Coach Certification1.    Certifying through a coach training organization. You enroll, complete training and certify through a review process when training is complete.2.    Independent certification such as through the International Coach Federation (ICF). You work towards it by completing requirements and paying an application fee. You&apos;ll need a certain number of hours of paid coaching, completed training with an accredited organization, and being mentored by people who are certified at the master level.To maintain or advance ICF certification you have to re-up every few years and also take continuing education courses. It&apos;s a significant ongoing investment in time and money.By the way, the ICF and other certifying bodies often change requirements for the various levels of certification. So, if you&apos;re on route to certify, stay in touch with the requirements so you&apos;re not blindsided by changes.Independent certification helps to mature emerging fields and garner acceptance in the marketplace. ICF launched in 1995, when life coaching was a new concept, and now has a presence in 140 countries and over 30,000 members.There is a segment of the coaching industry that will firmly say YES, that you must be certified to be considered a professional coach. I&apos;ve softened on this over the years, which I’ll cover more later. 5 Main Reasons Proponents Give to Independently CertifyReason #1    Coaches who certify are more likely to earn more and not drop out of the profession.Reason #2    Certification distinguishes you from all the people who co-opt the term &apos;coach&apos; but who have not been rigorously trained.Reason #3    Maintaining certification requires you to stay in tune with best practices.I&apos;ll chime in here. Independent certification does not necessarily mean you&apos;ll earn more.Your income as a coach largely depends on your chosen target audience, how you charge for your offers and your ability to market and enroll.Reason #4    The public will perceive you as being a more skilled coach if you&apos;re certified.Reason #5    Your clients will require it.Credibility largely depends on how you conduct yourself. And most clients do not require or even know about certification.In my 20 years in the industry, none of my potential or actual clients has ever asked me if I was certified.And, I&apos;ve checked recently with experienced coaches. We agree that for most niches the client does not require or even ask about certification.The Bottom Line About Certifying As a CoachIf you go into the executive or leadership coaching track where you&apos;ll provide services to people within corporations, coaches that are ICF certified or with another independent body are much more likely have a competitive edge. Organizations know to ask about it.For many other tracks, niches and audiences, being certified is a non-issue.So here&apos;s what I tell my clients ... why not work towards certification?To read my advice for coaches and see the rest of the transcipt, go here.

Will Coach Certification Make You a More Successful Coach?

This episode is inspired by YOU. You’ve helped me surpass 100,000 listens of Prosperous Coach Podcast. I’m so grateful to you for binge listening and sharing my podcast with other coaches.Now, maybe I can help you start your own podcast.I’ll tell you what podcasting has meant for me and I’ll share some details about what it takes, what it costs plus a few powerful questions to ask yourself about whether podcasting is right for you. Find the full transcript of this episode at prosperouscoach.com/146My podcast has revolutionized my business and also given me great joy.I posted a blog for over 8 years and it was hugely instrumental in attracting ideal clients to my services. But it was never as impactful as my podcast has been. I think it’s because listeners hear my voice weekly so there’s more of a sense of intimacy. People feel like they get to know me in ways that can’t come across only in words on a page. And because my episodes are short and I’m consistent about putting out a weekly episode I have a lot of binge listeners. Isn’t that fun!When I have a Discovery Call with a coach who wants to enroll in my 5 month VIP program, they often say: “You sound just like you do on your podcast!” That’s reassuring to them.Some of the joy factor is in putting my voice out there. I say what I think and feel.Your voice is more than just sounds and words —it&apos;s an integral part of who you are. When you speak up and speak out you’re stepping fully into your personal power. It’s almost impossible to be anything but authentic when you show up weekly with your voice on air.I didn’t expect the satisfaction of putting my voice out there. I can stumble over words, just be myself and my audience is forgiving. I can tell you personal things about myself and know that I’m relating not burdening. It’s connective not self-deprecating.And I get so much positive feedback. It’s nourishing to know that my philosophy, guidance and truth telling resonates with so many coaches. A few coaching training organizations suggest my podcast to their students. I know I’m helping people who will never hire me. And that’s gratifying. But I also know that people I’m meant to work with will hire me and we’re likely to start our journey with a deeper understanding between us.And when people reach out and fill out the application on my Work with Rhonda page of my website, they are 99% ready to enroll. Wow! No other form of messaging or marketing has brought me that kind of ease.And then there’s the accessibility piece. People in over 100 countries hear my podcast and that’s growing.So what is a podcast?You might have listened but not really known what a podcast is. It’s similar to a radio show but it&apos;s delivered online in episodes that can be experienced on demand rather than by tuning into a specific station at a specific time. Listeners can subscribe to a podcast through apps they download onto their phone like Apple Podcast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio and other directories who, at this point, all offer free listening accounts and downloadable apps. My listeners can also hear my episodes on my website.When you subscribe to a podcast, the app brings new episodes up first. You can also click SEE ALL and explore the back catalog of a show. There are limited show notes or transcripts that listeners can see on their apps. I put links to other episodes and resources in my transcripts.To read about what podcasting costs and questions to decide if it&apos;s right for you read the

Should You Start a Podcast for Your Coaching Business?

Prosperous Coach Podcast is hosted by Rhonda Hess, international business coach and niche strategist. This bi-monthly show offers practical guidance and inspiration to emerging coaches who want to launch their own successful coaching business. Episodes will cover how to choose a profitable coaching niche, create authentic messaging, design magnetic coaching programs and other topics to help you get noticed by ideal clients who will pay well. The show will also delve into coaching tools, coaching client challenges, money mindset and moving beyond limiting beliefs. Rhonda has over 20 years of experience in coaching, marketing, curriculum development, copy writing and editing. Join the conversation at https://prosperouscoachblog.com/podcast

hubhopper

Prosperous Coach Podcast

hubhopper