We coaches get terribly fixated on our methods: how we do what we do, the process, the thrill of doing it. Tons of training, tons of practicing, loads of books. We’re pigs in poo!
But paying clients really only care about results. They have specific problems that are seriously bugging the crap out of them… or they wouldn’t part with their hard-earned money.
What results do your clients most want?
I’m not asking what you think their problem really is. No “cleaner thoughts” or “mental hygiene” or anything resembling self-actualization. What results do they think want? Thinner thighs? More sleep? Calmer kids? Higher paying job? Healthier eating habits?
Knowing that desirable - no, MUST HAVE! - result helps you create what I call the Wee Portal. That’s the little door that people walk through to work with you, a.k.a. a critical piece of your brand.
Trust me: Clients love that little door. They believe that the little door is, like Goldilocks’ porridge, just right for their problem. Why? Because the little door is accessible. It’s not scary, it’s understandable, it’s not hearts-and-unicorns, it’s believable. It’s shaped like them.
Do coaches love claiming that door? Not so much…
Objection #1
“BUT LAURIE!! I don’t want to limit myself to just one thing.”
I hear you. Believe me, I hear you. People tell me this pretty much every day. I want to just give you a hug and say “Lawd, child. It’s okay. You’re still going to be super-amazing. And probably even more amazing because people will love to pay you. Then you can afford more classes, more workshops and more other kinds of coach swag!”
The happy news for coaches is that we have a magical universe on the other side of that just-right door. We get to unleash all of our superpowers in the process of helping those who cross the tiny threshold. They achieve the result they sought when walking through the Wee Portal, and we get to roll around in “the how.” You are not limited when you are working in your strengths. Honey, you are anything but.
Objection #2
“BUT LAURIE! I don’t know what ‘my thing” is.”
I bet you did before you took coach training. I bet you did before you met a zillion coaches selling a zillion3 things. I bet you did before you learned everything was the fault of “your thoughts.” (Sidebar: I’m not knocking working on your thoughts. I’m justing saying it ain’t got legs as the centerpiece of your marketing strategy.)
Your thing? It’s you. It’s your life. It’s what you’ve lived through. It’s what everyone around you can see that you have overcome, mastered, smacked down, and risen above. THAT THING.
Dig deep. What are you freakin’ afraid to really tell the world that you know how to do because it is precious to you? Coach around that. Here’s another hug, because that’s not always easy to look at. If you carry that baby around, people might say it’s ugly. Yes, they might. But a whole bunch of ‘em will probably start knitting booties and throwing showers because that baby is coming to life.
Objection #3
“BUT LAURIE! I want to work with lots of kinds of people!”
Don’t worry; you will. But only if you can stay in business. There are almost 7 billion humans on Earth. Given that you can afford a computer and an internet connection, you’re probably near a city and there are hundreds of thousands, if not more, within 20 miles of where you are sitting right this minute. If even the tiniest fraction of people can identify with your Wee Portal, you’ll meet every kind of crayon in the box doing the highly personal work of coaching.
These objections are just super-advanced lizard thinking. They are very clever ways of your lizard keeping you underemployed as a coach because such beliefs make you unreachable. You can’t be the Coaching Mall of America in your first year or even second. First, you need traction as a yummy boutique. With a delightfully attractive Wee Portal.
Try creating your own Wee Portal. Trying coaching for a year with a clear focus so that potential clients can see you clearly. Pick a result that people are yearning for and stand up (and out) as the person who is holding your little door wide open to serve them.
image credit: Martin Pettitt
By Laurie Foley
I'm Laurie Foley and I help solo professionals like you discover your natural brand so that you can get clear, get noticed and get clients. Please request your free copy of The Inner Brandifesto, my popular guidebook full of brand-building exercises.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Laurie! All I can say is I wish I had called you for a session about a month ago! It’s kind of amazing that you’re writing this now because just this morning my niche hit me smack dab in the middle of my heart (I was going to say between my eyes, but that’s not where I felt it). I had been going crazy not wanting to narrow down who I coach and at the same time feeling ready to take off and build a business and I knew that I needed a niche to really do that. I know lots of people say you don’t need a niche, and that was somewhat comforting but it didn’t feel right to me. Every coach I’ve ever hired specialized in something I really needed at the time….Parenting, Law of Attraction, Business.
But there are so many things I love to do. I was really hung up between Law of Attraction and Sensuality/Put Yourself first/Step into your power/Beauty is a state of mind kind of coaching for women. I’m also super passionate about finding your passion – for empty nesters and young women.
Well this morning it hit me Blissful Mom – Coaching for moms who want to deliberately create their lives. I know I can improve on that too and maybe make it more specific. The thing that shocked me was that It felt like putting on an old sweater. It’s so ME! My life and everything I do is so much about being a mom and living the law of attraction that I couldn’t even see it. It’s like a fish not seeing water. My tip off was feeling jealous when I saw other coaches coaching moms. But just moms wasn’t exactly right. Moms who want to use the Law of Attraction in their parenting and in their lives. Moms who want to shine and be in their power. Moms who want to explore their sensuality. That is ME!
I feel a little bummed about leaving out those college women who don’t know what they want to do with their lives yet. But that’s ok. I can get to them later. I know I can run with this one and I have so much to offer this group of people. It sounds fun and exciting and comfortable.
Thanks for this post. It’s great confirmation for me and I can just validate that although it was hard and scary to choose. It feels GREAT to know what I’m about and have a focus!
Love and Bliss,
Lorraine
Kudos to you for recognizing your tip-off, Lorraine, when you felt a little jealous to see other coaches working with moms!
Jeannette´s last [type] ..My Rookie Manifesting Move
Loved this piece Laurie. It’s a conversation I’ve had with dozens (hundreds?) of coaches who are thinking about writing a book. Once you are through with them and they have found their Wee Portal – send them my way with a book proposal.
The only thing I found this article missing was the most shocking outcome of the wee portal. I don’t understand exactly how or why it works this way but what I find with clients I coach or whose books I publish, is that the tinier and more focused the Wee Portal – the broader and more interested the clients.
If you can narrow in on how empty nest moms with an interest in painting can connect with their core truth and find happiness and fulfillment. You will attract one or 2 of those moms – who will see what you do and recommend you to a single 22 year old guy, a new mom, and a scientist with no interest in painting but a need to find true north. The truth is the Wee Portal let’s in your super-fans first so you can retire from marketing all together.
A
I love how our coaching sessions become fodder for blog posts! This post is excellent! I so needed to hear this a second time.
Great post, Laurie! It’s exactly what I needed to hear as I venture into starting my coaching business. I was so excited to hang out my shingle, I didn’t want to narrow down my group of potential clients.
But I knew in the back of my mind that there was a specific group of women I would love to work with: “High Achiever Moms”. Moms who want to excel at everything: parenting, their profession/entrepreneurship, being a sexy wife, keeping an organized and spotless home, being a loyal and fun friend… Oh the pressure!!
So I sent out a note to my friends and acquaintances, announcing my intentions and inviting them to work with me (or forward the email on). Boy was that hard! And I got some positive responses and a few negative responses (you’re charging too much, who would ever pay that? Wouldn’t you have better luck working with “underachiever moms”?). And of course it was the negative ones I focussed on. But reading your post reminded me that not everyone’s going to want to work with me, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s a good thing.
Anyway, this was all a long way of saying, “thank you”. I needed to hear that.
Michelle
Latest blog post: http://www.ripple-effect-coaching.com/ripple-effect-blog.html
I love the image of the Wee Portal, have almost built mine!
Hi Laurie, can’t wait to meet you. I am in MBeck LCT right now. Here is my answer to your great question:
What do my clients want?
1. A more productive staff—and stronger leadership skills
2. Deep satisfaction in serving the not-for-profit sector; ability to “do well while doing good” without sacrificing family, health, and peace
3. Promotion to a better (-for-them) job in advancing not-for-profits.
4. Coping skills for working with narcissistic leaders
5. Discovery of their next vocational phase when the pressure-cooker job in fundraising management no longer satisfies
I could not agree more that being specific is really important in setting up a coaching practice. I already find that a lot of people have a general sense of “coaching” and it is not always accurate.
Thank you!
Two words: insightful and masterful!
Pedro F. Báez´s last [type] ..ABOUT (L)ATTITUDES™
Oh, Laurie Foley, I love you and I love this. Mainly because it was our repeated conversations that helped me create a tiny door of women who want to rock their business, yogini-style. This IS the number one, nail-biting, furrowed-brow question that most healers, teachers, and coaches arrive with and it is ALWAYS a relief when they get (like Lorraine) that clarity and that connection with their own 10,000 hours.
Thank you for posting your brilliant thoughts on this, Laurie!!!
xoxo.n
Nona´s last [type] ..The Two Sides of a Story
I’m also making myself crazy about my “niche”…I seem to gravitate towards books written by Pam Slim, Dan and Chip Heath, Seth Godin. I would love to coach corporations about how they set up their employees to be mediocre. I would love to motivate people (especially women) working in these organizations that treat them like replaceable “widgets” to be stronger, goal oriented and I would like to help middle managers become great managers and all people to become “Linchpins” and recognize their daemon…Just can’t narrow it down so welcome all suggestions.
Love, love, love this post Laurie. I love that I had my first session with you on the 21st and the clarity of this post on the 22nd. I just posted a blog titled “The Art of Doing Onething” that features YOU and confirms this Wee Door, ‘admit one’ ticket idea. Thank you for the clarity and the insight to put my best foot forward…I have a hunch the other one will follow!
Mary
Can I just say that this post is a crack-up and you are a GENIUS! Love it!