How to Fast-Track Your Practice (the 'Mentor Coach') by David Wood

How to Fast-Track Your Practice (the 'Mentor Coach') by David Wood

How to Fast-Track Your Practice (the 'Mentor Coach')
Body of Article
When I was starting out as a coach I looked around for the leading coach in Australia (and chose Christine McDougall). For my next coach I called the President of the ICF in the US (Marcia Reynolds). I believe this track is appropriate for high flyers - those going for big achievements.
If you truly believe coaching is valuable, it's just common sense to have your own coach. Choose the right coach for you, and it will definitely fast track your practice.
In this article I'll share a few tips to help you choose the right coach for you. After all, it can be a sizeable investment....let's make it pay off!
You're after a coach who has something you want. Are they a well paid professional speaker? Do they have forty clients? Are they in the corporate market? Do they LOVE their life? Are they working in your dream niche? Do they own a seaside home? Ar they hugely visible in the media? Are they a wiz at the internet and technology (cough, cough)?
Dream the kind of practice you want, and find someone who has it.
Ideally, you're also looking for someone with experience in getting new coaches started. They may have what you want, but there's no guarantee they can impart/teach what they know.
Anything from US$300 to $500 p.m. is reasonable providing they can demonstrate results and have testimonials.
Searching
You can do a search for "mentor coach" at any internet search engine e.g. www.google.com You might try the coach referral service at www.coachfederation.org - which allows you to limit your search to the coaches who offer mentor coaching (note - this does not mean they have experience in this). You can search for a CoachU certified mentor coach at www.findacoach.com.
Questions to Ask
Most coaches are willing to answer some of your questions, and even do a fr'ee trial session before you sign on. Some good questions to ask are:
1.How long have you been coaching?
2.What training have you had?
3.How many coaches have you/are you currently mentoring?
4.What kind of results have your mentorees had?
5.Can you provide email addresses of a couple of coaches you've worked with?
6.Could you please provide details of your practice? (Fees, # clients, different revenue streams)
7.What do you love about your practice?
8.What's great about your life?
Check Them Out
Lastly, you want to feel comfortable with this person. Interviewing or trialing one to three coaches should be sufficient. They no longer have to be in your country - just make sure if they're overseas that they are willing to cover the cost of phone calls, or factor this into your monthly fee. Be aware they may not be willing to do a fr'ee session with you if you are doing this with a number of coaches. (I know I don't like to - I prefer people do their research on the net first, even talk to other coaches first, and ask me for a chat only once they're pretty sure they want to work with me).
Investment
If you're concerned about the investment, consider what your return on that monthly investment might be. In most cases, you only need 2-4 paying clients to cover the cost of your mentor coach. And if your coach can't increase help you increase your client list by MORE than 2-4, something's missing! It can be very empowering to hire a mentor coach, and set a goal of bringing in enough coaching income to cover the cost of your own coach by a particular date.
Remember, you don't need a mentor coach. No-one NEEDS a coach. It's just a faster, more fun, and often cost-effective road with one.

By David Wood and Geoff Grist
I encourage you to share, replicate or forward this article as long as the authors links and copyright information are kept intact.
Davids Bio

David Wood is a Certified Life Coach. He helps coaches, consultants, speakers and trainers to build their businesses via his popular eBook http://10SuperCoaches.com and his audio eBook at http://www.FirstFiftyClients.com. Get his new Free Download '50 Power Questions' and popular monthly eZine for clients at coaches (now over 15,000 subscribers) at: http://www.solutionbox.com/freedownload.htm

Link to website
Web site: www.life-coaching-resource.com

Copyright information
Copyright 2004 SolutionBox and Life Coaching Resource.com


About the Author
David Wood is a Certified Life Coach. He helps coaches, consultants, speakers and trainers to build their businesses via his popular ebook at http://10SuperCoaches.com and his audio ebook at http://www.FirstFiftyClients.com. Get his new Free Download 50 Power Questions and popular monthly ezine for clients and coaches (now over 15,000 subscribers) at: http://www.solutionbox.com/freedownload.htm

The Secret to a Thriving Practice by David Wood

The Secret to a Thriving Practice by David Wood

The Secret to a Thriving Practice
Body of Article
Are you busy building a web site?
Would you say brochures are the answer? Business cards? Advertising?
Many coaches you try this route in the beginning, only grow their practice very, very slowly. They do what all the marketing books say. But why isn't their business booming?
I'm going to give you the answer right here in this article.
The Vicious Cycle
99% of coaches lack confidence. And rightly so! It can be very daunting to put on the hat of 'coach' and offer to change people's lives.
Building a web site or designing a brochure are great down the track. But while you're still scared to coach - you'll subconsciously find a way of turning away clients.
Here's the vicious cycle: Having little or no clients which means no exp'erience, which leads to a reluctance to extend the invitation for trial sessions, which leads to no clients, which leads to no exp'erience, and so on.
The Secret
The answer is quite simple - forget the money, forget your pride, and get your experience up - no matter what it takes. And the fastest way to do that? "Coach 50 Clients!".
Free, paid, 1 session, 1 week, 3 months - I don't care. Just get those initial sessions.
As I explain in depth in my speech, choose your target list of likely prospects, craft an invitation that feels comfortable you, and do your initial, exploratory sessions - yes, with 50 people!
Each client, fee or no f'ee, 3 months or 30 minutes, is "gold" to you. And I'll tell you why...
What Every Client (or Practice Client) Gives You
the feeling you are really a coach, not a fraud
a practice that looks busier
the potential for more referrals
free training
more and more confidence with each client
possible revenue, either right away or down the track
a testimonial
Starting Out!
It's O.K. to be nervous when you are starting out, but do those sessions anyway. The next ones will seem easier. So, coach a lot!
Even if you are doing sessions for free, you will be gaining the confidence and practice to allow yourself to start charging for your work. You will see how you are helping others. You will be able to convince yourself of the importance of coaching in people's lives.
(By the way, if you're concerned about where to find your prospects, how to craft your invitation, and how to motivate yourself to get moving - then relax. I'll give you a link at the end of this article to the speech I delivered at the ICF conference - which explains in detail how to go from ZERO to FIFTY CLIENTS.)
Conclusion
In the beginning, don't distract yourself from coaching with longer-term marketing methods. Could you be trying to avoid coaching by working on your business cards or web site? Work through your confidence issues and explore coaching with your current network.
Once you have about 10 clients you can work with your mentor coach to find more sustainable marketing methods. By this time, your practice will begin to grow naturally in the number of clients, how long they stay and your inc'ome.
******
If you want to get started, and find out exactly how I've helped over 60 coaches walk this exact path, I highly recommend you listen to the speech I gave to the ICF conference called 'Getting Your First Fifty Clients'. I'm really happy that coaches are getting outstanding results from applying these principles.
You can access this online and on CD at www.firstfiftyclients.com
By David Wood and Geoff Grist
I encourage you to share, replicate or forward this article as long as the authors links and copyright information are kept intact.
Davids Bio

David Wood is a Certified Life Coach. He helps coaches, consultants, speakers and trainers to build their businesses via his popular eBook http://10SuperCoaches.com and his audio eBook at http://www.FirstFiftyClients.com. Get his new Free Download '50 Power Questions' and popular monthly eZine for clients at coaches (now over 15,000 subscribers) at: http://www.solutionbox.com/freedownload.htm

Link to website
Web site: www.life-coaching-resource.com

Copyright information
Copyright 2004 SolutionBox and Life Coaching Resource.com


About the Author
David Wood is a Certified Life Coach. He helps coaches, consultants, speakers and trainers to build their businesses via his popular ebook at http://10SuperCoaches.com and his audio ebook at http://www.FirstFiftyClients.com. Get his new Free Download 50 Power Questions and popular monthly ezine for clients and coaches (now over 15,000 subscribers) at: http://www.solutionbox.com/freedownload.htm

If It's Worth Dreaming, It's Worth Writing Down by Josh Hinds

If It's Worth Dreaming, It's Worth Writing Down by Josh Hinds

If It's Worth Dreaming, It's Worth Writing Down
By Josh Hinds

You have the idea so therefore you have within you the ability to make it a reality. Such is one of life's great truths. This may not always appear to be the case, but rest assured deep down you've got all the ability it takes.

The problem is that far to often we don't lay a foundation so that we have in place what it will take to make our idea a reality. First of all, we have to understand that things often don't just happen. They are the result of following out carefully planned steps and taking daily action until we have reached our intended destination.

Say for example you wanted to take a trip. Most likely you'd chart your course wouldn't you? You'd at least take the time to know where you were headed and write out the directions. This is the same idea behind achieving our goals, yet you'd be amazed by how many people choose to go day in and day out without having a basic plan of where they're headed.

The main thing to keep in mind is that your goals should be committed to paper. This is the same as having a map. Each time you begin to feel as though you're drifting away from what you want, you can refer back to your written goals. Sounds pretty simple doesn't it? Well that my friend is because it is!

Yet as easy as this is to implement the fact still remains that most people simply lack the determination to make this an ongoing process. I won't lie to you here it's going to take an ongoing commitment. It takes the understanding that all things are changing. Life is about change. The better we become at adapting to life's changes the better prepared we will be. Amidst all the changes, keeping a written plan will do wonders for keeping you heading in the direction of your dreams.

Here's to your success, Josh Hinds

(c) All rights reserved
About the Author
Josh Hinds of http://GetMotivation.com specializes in helping people to achieve maximum success and live the life of their dreams. He is also the co-founder of http://AudioMotivation.com