Get Your Baps Out

Before you get offended by the vulgarity of the title of this week's newsletter, please note that it has been specifically designed to illustrate a point. Hopefully, it captured your attention. Hopefully, it stopped you in your tracks of whatever else you were thinking beforehand.

During my recent holiday in Italy, I was particularly struck by the theme of getting attention. In Venice and Florence in particular, street traders competed to gain the interest of tourists in an attempt to get them to consider their wares (mainly silk scarves, fake handbags and reproduction posters of Renaissance scenes).

A number of the observations can be directly applied to your coaching practice and how you attempt to attract clients. You see, if you don't first capture your prospects' attention, nothing much else will happen to help you to attract them as clients.

The street traders faced a number of challenges and two in particular:

1. The passers by were busy - Most of the tourists (with guidebook in hand, camera at the ready and the next attraction in mind) were pre-occupied. Their minds were elsewhere.

The first task of the street trader was to capture the focus of the passer by. Without achieving this nothing else would happen.

Likewise, your potential clients have busy lives. Their minds are pre-occupied with other thoughts. Your coaching practice is most likely not on the top of their priority list at the moment. It's your job to change this and your first task is to get them to focus on your message.

How are you capturing the attention of your potential clients at the moment?

2. The street traders were displaying very similar things - After passing by a number of makeshift stalls, what they were offering became indistinguishable. They blended into one another and became a blur of nothingness.

A similar thing is happening in the field of coaching as a lot of generalist life coaches are presenting very similar and almost indistinguishable services.

Are you presenting the same thing as other coaches in the field in such a way that you're indistinguishable? Why would someone choose you?

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How to Get Your Coaching Fees Teleclass

Are you unsure about how to charge for your coaching services? Maybe you feel uncomfortable discussing this topic with prospective clients. Well, on Wednesday, 26th October at 8pm (3pm EST and 12noon PST), I will be delivering an informative teleclass on how you can actually get the fees you set in your coaching practice.

To get your complimentary place on the teleclass, just send a blank e-mail.

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> Some things to think about...

Here are some points to consider from the lessons above:

1. Attention - Look for ways that you can capture the attention of your target audience. This includes the headlines on your brochures, what you say verbally of course.

Are you capturing the focus of your target market? If not, find ways that you can do this or nothing much else will happen in attracting clients into your coaching practice.

2. Differentiate - Find a way to differentiate your coaching service from the rest of the pack.

What makes your service unique? Specifically, why should people choose you? Look for ways that you can present your service so that it is viewed as distinctive, special and unique.

P.S. Sorry this newsletter is a day late - I had a more eventful journey than expected on my way back from Italy on Wednesday, 5th October.

So, are you capturing the focus of your potential clients?

With very best wishes,

Authentic Practice
helping coaches to get more clients
45 Capitol Court
Old Coach Road
Wollaton
Nottingham
NG8 1GX

Website: http://www.authenticpractice.com

Tel.: (0115) 928 3070 or (0845) 123 5105
Mobile: (07811) 262 111

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I work with coaches who have a strong desire to help others but are currently struggling to get clients. I help them to attract more clients and create a stable coaching practice to make a difference in the world.

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