| Ever wondered how to become a business coach | | | | Into Content |
| using the knowledge, skills and experience you | | | | Create a content marketing strategy and |
| have already amassed? | | | | curriculum out of the problem-based keywords |
| Just 10 years ago, business coaching was not a | | | | and jargon you have identified. Create talks and |
| very well known field. Many of the few who | | | | speeches, reports and white papers, newspaper |
| knew a business coach, or who knew about | | | | and online articles, videos and podcasts that you |
| business coaching did not understand the full range | | | | can use to communicate with this marketplace |
| of benefits that could be gained by working with | | | | about their problems and ideas you have for their |
| a good business coach in a formal coaching | | | | solutions. |
| arrangement. | | | | 7. Turn Content into Expert Positioning through |
| Today business coaching is a well respected | | | | Niche focused Content-to-problem matching |
| method by which business leaders, executives and | | | | It is not enough to create relevant and |
| entrepreneurs build up their personal accountability | | | | informative content that your marketplace finds |
| and achieve their business and even personal | | | | valuable. It must be packaged in a way that is |
| goals. The demand for effective business coaching | | | | designed to attract them into a lead nurturing and |
| continues to rise in all areas of the business world | | | | marketing system that pre-sells your expertise |
| today. | | | | and your coaching services. |
| In their book "Execution: The Discipline of Getting | | | | Be sure to "brand yourself" with a clear unique |
| Things Done", former Honeywell CEO Larry | | | | selling proposition (USP) and possibly even a |
| Bossidy and Leading Business advisor Ram Charan | | | | business nickname. One of the most impressively |
| illustrate in no uncertain terms just how important | | | | branded professionals in the Denver area where |
| it is for companies to have coaching as a core | | | | our company is based is Laura Stack who brands |
| competency of their corporate culture if they | | | | herself (quite persuasively I might add) as "The |
| hope to win their marketplaces. | | | | Productivity Pro". |
| You might be surprised to know that you can | | | | You'll notice on my website profiles online that I |
| build a profitable coaching practice that adds value | | | | am known as "The Small Business Digital Coach". |
| to companies and businesses even if you have | | | | 8. Systematize cornerstone content |
| never taken a formal coaching course or been | | | | Starting your content development process by |
| certified by any organization as a coach. All you | | | | thinking about your potential or future customer is |
| have to do is to carefully follow the 10-step plan I | | | | a sound approach. Identify the core content areas |
| outline below: | | | | you must have solutions for, through:a. Problem |
| 1. Conduct a S.H.E.L.L. Audit | | | | identificationb. Process articulation,c. |
| Set aside an hour to two hours and conduct an | | | | Problem-solving and...d. Program packaging (naming |
| audit of your skills, hobbies, experiences, learning, | | | | branding, proof, personalization and passion |
| and loves (passions). Be very comprehensive in | | | | elements). |
| thinking about these things and in writing them | | | | This is where many would-be coaches and |
| down. Now is not the time to be selective or | | | | independent consultants stumble. Systematizing |
| editorial. Just brainstorm and write. | | | | your content is very important because of the |
| 2. Map out your Wealth Capital Matrix | | | | power it brings to subsequent partnership and |
| Your wealth capital matrix is my proprietary term | | | | platform promotion efforts. |
| for the collection of intangible assets most | | | | Systemizing your content means that you |
| individuals have access to that can be bundled or | | | | develop a full language of "biggest mistakes", |
| packaged for value in the marketplace. They | | | | "most important tips" and "insider secrets other |
| include spiritual capital, social capital, intellectual | | | | don't share". It means that you develop case |
| capital, and financial capital. Every individual and | | | | studies and stories that illustrate the foundations |
| organization has a wealth capital matrix that can | | | | of your process. These case studies don't even |
| be mapped out for increased value and profit. | | | | have to be from your clients or business. |
| 3. Identify a Target Customer | | | | It means that you are able to concisely describe |
| Identify a target customer that resonates with | | | | your overall coaching or consulting process in a |
| you and your personal habits, experience and | | | | sequential manner that prospects can understand |
| preferences. If you've never been in a big | | | | and appreciate. |
| corporate environment, or if you hate to sell to | | | | 9. Recruit Your Initial Customers |
| committees, you may decide to avoid mid-sized | | | | Only after you have done the above should you |
| or large companies and focus on individual | | | | recruit your initial customers. You do this through |
| entrepreneurs or small companies. | | | | speaking engagements to groups and "special |
| If you have experience with a particular industry | | | | invitations" afterwards, or through targeted |
| vertical, it may be a very good idea to deal with | | | | advertising, or by inviting friends and family to |
| that industry exclusively (at least at the beginning). | | | | share your information to their contacts in |
| 4. Identify their core problems and the "cascading | | | | exchange for giving their invitees a special deal. |
| effects" | | | | There are many, many, ways to recruit your first |
| Spend some time to think about the most serious | | | | customers, and just about everything works, so |
| problems of your target customer. Think in terms | | | | experiment. |
| of the individual decision maker as well as the | | | | 10. Promote through partners |
| organization as a whole. Map out the problems | | | | When you have recruited your first few |
| that they are most concerned about and how | | | | customers and obtained two or three testimonials, |
| those problems might be related. Your coaching | | | | you can approach your first potential bulk referral |
| solutions will have more power when you identify | | | | strategic partner. By this time, you would have |
| root causes that result in multiple problems. | | | | been able to get some feedback on your process |
| 5. Identify customer's problem keywords and | | | | and tweaked it for greater effectiveness. You |
| language. | | | | also now have people that can give you |
| Learn the language of your customer. What are | | | | testimonials to use in your marketing campaigns |
| the terms that are used for the problems they | | | | and your partner outreach. |
| have? What language are they used to hearing | | | | Conclusion |
| from solution providers? Where should you tweak | | | | These 10 steps should be simple to understand |
| your communications so that they sound even | | | | and implement. However, if you have personal |
| clearer than vendors and solutions providers? | | | | issues like self-doubt, lack of self-confidence, or a |
| Answer these questions, and create a | | | | history of self-disappointment, you may want to |
| spreadsheet that lists the customers "jargon". All | | | | get some coaching yourself before you launch |
| the keywords, synonyms, keyword phrases and | | | | your own coaching program. Just because you |
| "catch phrases" that are commonly used by your | | | | have the knowledge or the skills does not mean |
| target marketplace should be listed and analyzed | | | | you are beyond self-sabotage...especially when |
| with keyword generation tools and keyword | | | | such patterns are not explicitly acknowledged and |
| research tools. | | | | dealt with. |
| 6. Turn S.H.E.L.L. Assets And Wealth Capital Matrix | | | | |