- The value coaches can offer by just being themselves
- How to spot imposter syndrome and what you should do next
- It’s not about knowing everything… it’s all about leveraging.
This could be taken as an over-simplification…
… but I believe there are 2 main reasons why coaches aren’t making as much money as they should. (And why you’re working WAY too much.)
When I first started coaching, I focused on getting any customer I could. Looking back on it, I can’t say that was much of a focus.
“Anyone who will have me” isn’t a viable niche.
And it’s certainly hard on the self-esteem.
The other thing it will do is make you invisible to your market. Here’s how.
She Was Completely Invisible
I remember in the late ’80s, my mom graduated from college and wanted to get a job.
She figured she had a full-proof strategy.
The strategy?
She would work for anyone who would have her.
After all, she had a degree is Mass Communications. Surely, anyone who had a big enough company would need someone who could communicate to the masses.
So, she sent out 300 resumes with identical cover letters on gorgeous paper. The kind that had texture and weight to it.
As I recall, it was a lovely pale blue. We spent all afternoon picking out that paper.
And it took all of a second afternoon to perfectly fold, stuff, seal, and stamp each of those envelopes. Want to guess how many responses she got? That’s right. Zero.
Her conclusion? This town doesn’t need what I’m offering.
Think about that.
A town––a city, really––of over a million people.
All of them advertising jobs.
And none of them needed her.
But if that wasn’t the problem, then what was?
What Was the Real Problem?
The real problem was that she was trying to be everything to everyone.
It’s a common problem. And it’s a very hard habit to break when you’re starting out as a coach.
It sure was for me.
What did I do?
I discovered I had a deeply held belief that said, “The way to help women succeed is to help them build their own source of income.”
Well, that belief meant I was destined to be a business coach. But how could I do that, if I’d never built a business?
That little question took me on a 5-year detour––one where I stopped coaching to learn how to grow businesses. What did I learn?
100% of what I learned raising 5 kids, is relevant to growing businesses.
Seems corny, and possibly impossible… I said to myself.
But could it be true?
So, I put myself through the ringer of helping dozens of businesses in multiple niches grow their businesses using my brand of “teaching for action.”
Outcome?
I proved to myself that I already knew enough––right then, that day––to help build businesses and sell millions of dollars of products and services.
It’s weird to think about it now, but somehow in my head, I’d gotten “stayed home to raise 5 children, teach school, run home businesses, finish my bachelors degree, and put my husband through law school on my daycare income,” tangled up with, “I have nothing to offer.”
Nope. Not true. Not even a little bit true.
So, if you’ve ever thought you have nothing to offer, it’s okay to permanently delete that idea from your file, because it’s zero percent true.
Zero.
The Value You Can Offer by Being Yourself
Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t about sitting around all day eating bonbons. It’s about capitalizing on the skills you already have and leveraging them for all they’re worth.
Which btw, is quite a lot.
Which brings me back to my point, there are 2 main reasons why coaches aren’t making as much money as they should.
1- They try to be all things to all people.
2- They don’t leverage the skills and abilities they already have.
I don’t mean to be a downer.
In fact, if you step back, you’ll see that this is a good message. So let me flip these reasons around and leave you with some words of encouragement.
Read This. It Helps…
1- It’s okay––read, highly desirable––to stop being all things to all people. Be magical to a few, select people and you’ll always be treasured.
2- Please leverage the skills and abilities you already have. It’s okay to add more skills over time, but you don’t have to know everything when you get started. Just start wherever you are. I promise, that’s more than enough.
What’s next: If you’d like to discover how a former 9th grade Algebra teacher/SAHM helps multi-million-dollar businesses increase sales with simple “teach for action” techniques, then go to www.9BuyerSystem.com
