The following is taken from David’s interview with Michael O. Cooper in 10 Super Coaches.
What words of advice would you give to a coach starting out?
Double the amount of time you estimate it will take to build your business.
Practice EXTREME profitability on every project you undertake (profits can be virtual metrics, not just cash).
Establish enough reserves to be financially solvent and emotionally secure for at least one year.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
So, you’re considering a career as a life, business or corporate coach, but are wondering, “What’s the best way to enter the field? Do I need to do a training course? Do I need to get accredited? Where will I get clients? And do I have what it takes?”
Most coaches agree on the best way to begin a coaching career: Work with someone who already is a coach! Simple, eh?
In other words, do a month or two with a coach. Someone who has already built the type of business or career you want to have and who can then help you do the same — only faster and more efficiently.
The following is taken from Get Paid University.
Wanted – web programmer
Seeking a web person for ongoing project work paying $10- $20 p.h. The initial project is setting up a website using Word- Press, but there will be ongoing work for years.
Please provide:
1) How long have you been providing these services?
2) How many clients have you had to date?
3) How many hours a week do you currently serve clients?
4) Three client references with phone numbers and email.
5) Explain how you meet these criteria: deadline sensitive, detail oriented, experience in web editing, graphics editing, wordpress, web forms and backend databases, and ideally experience with 1ShoppingCart.com
6) List any other skills e.g. ASP, PHP, JavaScript, SEO.
7) Your hourly rate.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Anna Dargitz in 10 Super Coaches.
Would you advice coaches to pursue certification?
Yes and no. If you have no other forms of credibility to the public, pursue certification immediately.
The thing that makes pursuing the International Association of Coaches’ certification most attractive to me is the sophistication and progressiveness of the 15 proficiencies that the exam is based on.
The IAC doesn’t care how many hours of classes you’ve taken or different clients who will attest to your competence. They rely on real world demonstration of your skills and knowledge with the world’s most highly researched set of proficiencies for advanced communicating and relating. No hoops to jump. Just “show us what you’ve INTEGRATED in your life in a rigorous written and oral exam”.
On the other hand, if you’ve already integrated the high level of relating that is illustrated in the 15 proficiencies, along with knowing how to listen for a couple hundred different things and you’ve ripened your ego to such a level that most people would say you don’t have one… You definitely don’t need any other designations. You are a powerful facilitator of human evolution and a magnet for what you want in life.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Andrea Molloy in 10 Super Coaches.
What are your coaching niche(s)? How did you discover this?
Our practice specializes in personal (mainly socio’s 1&2, primarily 25-40 year olds) and corporate coaching (within organizations that respect coaching as a discipline, predominately market leading organizations and 3 month contracts for a team rather than individual executive coaching) – we identified these areas in our original business planning process.
Personally my niche is in personal coaching and media related fields (ie writing books, magazine articles).
How would you suggest coaches find their niche?
Look at your background and experience, the areas where you already have respect and a healthy reputation…that will easily lead you to your niche. In a way, you need to analyse your personal ‘brand’ – people do judge you on what you look and sound like, so make sure you reflect how you want to be perceived, and that will lead you to your niche too.
The following is taken from Get Paid University.
Hey [insert name],
Here’s the free download [or report] I mentioned a couple of days ago, to celebrate the launch of my new newsletter.
Just go to [insert web address] to check it out (and let me know what you think!)
Preview Issue
Below is a preview issue only. You are NOT subscribed – if you’d like to get regular tips on [insert benefits] and keep tabs on what I’m up to, you can subscribe at [insert same web address].
Will You Help Me?
I’d love to get this letter to people who can most use it i.e. people who want [insert target market’s desire]. Would you picture these people in your mind now, and forward this issue to them with the note “Hey – thought you might want to subscribe to this”?
Thanks!
[Signature]Copyright 2018 David Wood.