Earn Money by Offering Your Services as a Business Coach
We all need someone to lead us. It doesn’t matter how far along we are in the game, there’s always someone a little further ahead.
You’re that person for other people. Whether you’ve been in business for decades, years, or even just months, you know more than someone else. You have insight and skills of leadership that can cut down on the time it takes someone else to get started.
What you know is valuable; make no mistake about it.
Not sure you know “enough” to get into the coaching business? There’s something really special and unique about you that’s going to help someone. There is only one “you” on the planet. The longer you wait, the longer the people you’re going to help have to wait to receive your services.
Do you think that’s fair?
Let that sink in for a while. You’re actually doing people a disservice by sitting on this decision and not getting things going right away.
Are you convinced? Let’s dig into more about what coaching is and how to get your coaching business up and running. This is a great income stream and you can really help people.
What Is Business Coaching?
People need help with their business for a variety of reasons. Some people need help from the ground up. They are completely new to business and don’t know the first thing about getting started. Others need a bit of a boost. They are doing okay, but need inspiration and motivation to get to the next level. Others need something in between— coaching is always a very individual thing. You’ll figure out exactly what your coaching client needs.
What Is The Value Of Business Coaching?
I don’t care how successful someone is; they need help and inspiration from others. We all do. It’s easy to get stuck in our own way of doing things. We get caught up in our own self-doubt and worldview.
Getting a coach hooks people up with someone who is specifically trained to push them beyond their current limits. That’s what you’re going to do for people. You’re going to help them define their goals, develop a mindset of success, and achieve whatever they want to achieve.
We all have a limited span of time between when we enter business and when we retire. Making the most of that time is crucial. If someone can help you get from Point A to Point B a few months sooner, so that you can start earning the money or respect that comes with being at Point B, wouldn’t you invest in that person?
And then perhaps someone else can help you get from Point B to Point C.
You too, can help others advance toward their destinations, and that’s a service that has tremendous value.
Do You Have To Be The Very Best To Offer Coaching?
There’s a big misconception out there that only the top business people can offer coaching-- that you have to be a super successful millionaire to offer coaching.
I want you to try a little exercise. Think of the top 5 people you admire in your specific area of business. Are they on the level of Bill Gates? Are they on the Forbes 500 list?
They probably are not. Yet, they are still successful and you can still learn a lot from them. The same goes for you. You are more successful than many people out there. You have a lot to offer. You’ve been in the trenches and know what it’s like to get started. You have a gift in that you can help newer people avoid mistakes you made and reach success more quickly. That’s the most important thing people can ask for in a great coach.
Can You Really Help Anyone?
Some people get into coaching because they know they can make a truckload of money doing it. Coaching is extremely lucrative— there’s no getting around that. But, the fact that you’re reading this right now tells me that, while you want to make great money, it’s much more important to you to do a great job. You want to help change the lives of your clients.
I promise you— as long as you’ve had at least some success in business yourself, and you follow the advice I’m giving you in this guide, you absolutely can and will change lives. You’ll help people achieve their business goals and change their lives for the better. That’s something you can feel good about.
If you have any doubt about your ability to coach, let me tell you something very important… a good coach isn’t a teacher.
Though a good coach does have the ability to do what he or she is talking about, the coach is more than anything a “facilitator” in helping the client get from point A (where they are now) to Point B (where they want to be, but are stuck somewhere on the path).
Often a coach simply has to ask the right questions, like “what have you tried already?” “what happened when you tried that?”; “did you consider doing this instead?”; “can you think of another way to do the same thing more effectively?”; and more, each question getting the client closer to the “ah ha” moment that will be their breakthrough.
Yes, sometimes a coach can give the answers in some cases, but it’s not always necessary because often the client will know the answer deep down inside, they just haven’t brought that answer to the surface yet.
In this way, a coach can function as a psychologist to some degree, or at least a business analyst, without even knowing every bit and piece about the person’s business or their niche.
The longer you coach people, and the longer you coach a specific person, the better you’ll get at this. So even if your first client or two scares the heck out of you, once you’re safely outside your comfort zone, it will become second nature.
So have no fear, if you care enough, you can help enough to provide the value that people will look to you for.
You’re Going to Be an Excellent Business Coach
As a business coach, you’re going to know your clients well. You’re going to get to know where they are in life and business. You’re going to get both a bird’s eye and up close view of their life, goals, and actions.
You’re also going to figure out where they want to go and what’s prevented them from getting there. Sometimes, you’ll feel like a detective. It can be fun to brainstorm strategies and inspire someone to find new and better ways of doing things.
You’re also going to jump-start your clients to success. Many of them will come to you quite scared. They will feel stuck in place… often quite hopeless. They won’t know what they’re doing, will feel like they are doomed for failure, and will tell you that you’re their last resort. Accept the challenge and help turn their mindset around.
A great coaching relationship is almost like a partnership. You really have to work at it. It’s not up to you to do all the work for the person. It’s not up to the person to take what you say and run with it without clear direction or motivation. It has to be a perfect recipe that bakes up into something that works for both of you.
I have no doubt that you’re going to be an excellent business coach. You already have a huge advantage over many of the people who decide to give this a try— you’re learning how to do it the right way. You already care a great deal about your future clients, which says a lot about who you are and how successful you’re going to be.
Gaining Credibility as a Coach
Now you’re all set to go. You’re ready to make waves and change lives as a coach. Only, you’re not sure how to get enough credibility so that someone will hire you. You know what your level of experience is. You know how much you can help and what you can do to inspire others. But, no one else does. Sure, it’s easy enough for experienced coaches to get clients, but how can you get clients as a new coach with little visibility?
Become Known
One of the best ways to gain credibility is to release a book in your industry. You need to release something fairly groundbreaking that will get you a lot of notice. This might sound kind of intimidating. But, it’s really not at all. These days, you can quickly write a book and self-publish.
Consider it a giant business card that can get you a lot of recognition and some easy clients.
Take a look at what’s already out there, both on Amazon and in the eBook space. Are there books written by well-respected consultants and coaches in your area of expertise? Buy their books and analyze their strategy. Take notes on what you like and what you think you can do better.
For your own book, brainstorm what you have to offer that no one else does. You want to write a book on a topic that will help you get a lot of interest but that’s unique at the same time. Basically, put a new spin on a hot topic. You’ll get the benefit of getting book sales outright.
In addition to the book sales, you’re going to sprinkle information about your coaching throughout. You’re going to do “soft sells” for the coaching throughout, with a harder sell, like to an opt in page for more information, at the end.
Writing and releasing a book does wonders for your credibility. You’ll be helping people who buy and read your book for information. You’ll also be getting your name out there as an established coach. You’ll also be getting yourself out there as an authority, even if people don’t actually buy your book. Just the fact that you have a book for sale does wonders for your authority.
Network
As a businessperson, you’ve likely built a network of customers, clients, and like-minded business people already. You communicate with them on social media like Facebook and Twitter. You chat with them on Skype. You send emails back and forth and keep up with their LinkedIn updates. This is all wonderful— and you can make use of it all for your new coaching business.
That’s the first step— start planting seeds about your new coaching business on all of your existing networks. Sometimes, all you have to do is take advantage of the credibility you’ve already built up. Let people know what you’re up to and they will support you based on your great reputation.
If you don’t have any sort of online reputation, now is the time to start building one. It’s very important for you to network online, no matter which field you’re in. You have to get to know people and let them get to know you. Join Facebook and create a page for your brand. Also, join and create groups related to your area of interest. Share your expertise so you can become known as an authority. Join Twitter and LinkedIn to network. Build your blog and rub elbows with other experts in your niche. Get your associates to write guest blog posts for you, and return the favor for them.
The goal is to get your name and brand out there in any way you can, even when you’re in the early launching stages. Plant the seeds before you’re fully ready to launch and you’ll likely have clients lined up when you’re ready to accept them.
Be “Seen” With Others of Authority
People tend to trust those who are liked by others they trust. So let’s say they are fans of business guru #1, and you are liked by or endorsed by business guru #1. You’re a near shoe-in for success with your coaching business, simply by association. I’m not saying to sell yourself out, but it never hurts to be well liked by association.
Always Be True to Yourself
There is a bit of a backlash against fake people in this industry these days. People are so tired of those who are only in business or marketing to take their money. People want real solutions. They want people who really care about them and want to help them succeed. Make it clear that’s what you’re all about. Shut out the part of this industry that’s only in it to make a buck, and you’ll stand out like a shining star.
Start Small and Work Your Way Up
Prove yourself by working with just a few people at a time. Absolutely anyone can get a few clients. Help those people transform their lives and business. Word of mouth will spread. Network, grow, stay true to yourself, and transform people’s lives.
If you’re not confident of your ability yet, just start with even one or two clients. Over deliver like crazy, charge a very small amount, and not only will you help your beginning clients, you’ll learn a lot and become confident in your ability to coach.
Once your clients have found success with your coaching, you can bet they’ll be happy to spread your name around like crazy. Ask for permission to share their success yourself, and they will most likely agree. People will want to latch on to this success themselves by hiring you as a coach. Rinse and repeat… and of course you can raise your rates.
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