Entries by Will Craig

by Will Craig

Your New Year is off to a flying start—and with your strong connection to coaching—I’m sure your plans and preparations are outrageous and compelling. Don’t let anything hold you back.

Momentum Stallers
Some of the things that can stall forward momentum faster than anything are telephone inquiries to companies that force you to interact with an automated machine. More and more, it seems, companies are doing all they can NOT to talk to their customers.

What passes for "customer service" these days drives me crazy. I especially have challenges with the endless "menus" of options, none of which seem to apply to me.

Here's something that will save you time, money, and frustration: Get Human This is a list of U.S. companies and their direct phone numbers that enable you to talk to a real, live human being... imagine that!

Here's the Code
Included in each listing is the sequence of keys to push to bypass the insipid menus (i.e., Press 0# at each prompt, ignoring messages -OR- Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages). Try it! You'll feel like you've broken the code.

It's a nice little tool to add to your info economy toolbox. Be sure to Forward this article along to your friends and clients. We can all use the extra momentum in reaching our goals this year!

The most important thing to know about marketing your professional services is experience. Not how much experience you have, but how much you let your prospects experience you as a person! People need to know you before they can trust you with their private thoughts and personal situations.

Allow people to experience you before they make a buying decision. You can do this in ways that don't require advertising or selling. In fact, those two intrusive techniques will cost you clients.

Gradually absorb new client by building awareness, interest, and an understanding of YOU. In other words, educate your market. Consider the following absorption techniques that enable people to get to know you:

1. a free subscription to your monthly newsletter
2. free participation in a teleclass you teach
3. free attendance at one of your public speaking engagements
4. a free 30 minute coaching consultation or meeting

The next steps includes fee-based options:

5. a copy of your audio tape or book
6. attendance at your next workshop
7. group coaching or masterminding
8. one-on-one coaching

Notice how each step builds upon the last. You can find more details on these absorption techniques at Fill Your Coaching Practice. The idea is to give part of yourself away, but don't give it all away. People will want to coach with you because of who you are and what you have demonstrated you can do for them.

Allow prospective clients to be gradually absorb into your practice and they will cheerfully soak in all you have to offer.