Here’s the Real Reason Why You’ve Never Started Your Coaching Practice
Do you have a coaching certificate waiting for you to start making a difference?
Maybe you’re like my friend Eva.
She’s working full-time and likes her job, and yet from time to time, she thinks about that coaching certificate she worked so hard to achieve and still hasn’t done anything with.
It’s not that she lost interest, but she’s never been able to confidently answer the two most important questions that every businessperson must know.
What problem are you helping to solve and who is your customer?
Without that knowledge, it doesn’t matter how well you mastered the coaching methods, your business won’t get off the ground.
My conversation with my friend reminded me just how frustrated I felt when even after taking a business course led by a successful and well-known coach, I still didn’t know the answers to these two important questions.
Everything else in the course was excellent but in those two areas, it failed miserably because it told me what to do, but not how to do it.
Somehow, I was supposed to be able to answer questions about a customer that I didn’t have yet.
The all-important, know your customer became a guessing game. Instead of having rock-solid research to make an informed decision…I guessed.
Without that key information, my first business floundered.
Three businesses later, I’ve learned a lot about the power of research.
Imagine discovering what’s really on people’s minds and what their most pressing problems are. And then, learn about those people so that you can make informed decisions about your ideal client. The ones who will get the most benefit from working with you.
That information can seem like it’s only accessible from big marketing firms. But the truth is, it’s there for you too, you just need to know how to find it, and then how to use it.
To get you started, here are three resources you can begin using now.
1) Google. Think about all the questions you throw into a search engine and what comes up. Even a simple definition will also display questions that people ask.
For instance, if you ask for the definition of “bankruptcy” you’ll get that along with links to other pages AND other questions people ask. Those questions provide even more important information as you dig into the people behind the questions.
For instance, say you want to provide help to people who are challenged with making ends meet because of the changing economic times. Those additional questions will help you discover even more about what's on their minds and who they are.
2) Newsletters. What organizations cover the topics you’re interested in? Did you know that Gallup has a newsletter? They cover a variety of topics, you can subscribe for free and review their articles based on the research they’ve done.
3) LinkedIn. So much more than a site to post your career information. If you haven’t been there in a while, start searching out other people that are linked to your coaching area of expertise. Check out what they’re posting and the comments that people are leaving. This simple method can help you see what people are struggling with and how common the problem is.
These are just three ways that you can dive into information online and use it to become clearer about the problems that people are looking to get answers for.
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Becoming better at research takes effort but will save you from wasting money and time because you’re not guessing what’s needed, you’ll know.
Gathering information is step one, how to manage and effectively use it are the next steps on your path to business success.
Of course, you can do this on your own, or you can join me in September when I open the doors for my 3 month On Your Mark Business Builder program.
This one-to-one program will teach you:
· The process of effective research necessary for you to answer – what problem you’re solving and who is your customer.
· How to collect, organize, and use the information efficiently.
· How to define your offer and the outcomes, so that your ideal customer knows if you’re the person to help them.
If you’re ready to dust off your coaching certificate and you’d rather know than guess the problem you’ll solve and the person you’ll help, then let’s connect.
Because this is a one-to-one program, I’m only offering six spots. So if you’re interested, comment below NOW to let me know you want to be considered.