The following is taken from David’s interview with Leza Danly in 10 Super Coaches.

What top three methods, in order, did you use to get your clients in the first 2 years?

My top three methods were:

• Magic
• Referrals
• Public Speaking

I am not joking when I saw magic was my primary enrollment method. In fact, it was really important to me that I create my practice magically, meaning that I visualized it, I programmed for it, I spent time regularly in meditation imagining my full practice and seeing myself happily coaching a full practice. I made a schedule of where my client appointments were going to be and I absolutely allowed myself to desire it, imagine and expect it to happen.

Then I would delight as the phone rang and people called and I would set up sample sessions. I got so excited about the opportunities for growth for the people who called. I think I held an authentic space of possibility in such a way that they could more clearly see who they were becoming. Then I imagined people saying yes to coaching, and they did.

Again, I want to be clear I am not talking about a child’s magic that is about wishful thinking and looking the other way. I’m talking about the true, adult magic of consciously creating reality.

Once I started getting clients, then they referred other people. Also, even though I don’t recommend coaching friends and family, I did give them sample sessions so they would know more first-hand what I was doing and they were more likely to refer people.

Later, I began training coaches and speaking at conferences, which is another way for people to see you and get the power of your presence. But I didn’t do any public speaking in the first wave of practice-building.