One of the CLC3 Apprentices recently asked me a very important question.

He asked about the problem of becoming attached to the outcomes of the client–in other words, “what happens if they do not achieve them? What happens if they do not hold up their end of the bargain [doing homework, reading, etc.], and what does that mean about us? How do I avoid this problem—and the discomfort of it all”.

“And what happens if–even worse, they have already paid in advance in full and it becomes clear they are not keeping up with the milestones that are necessary as sign-posts on the way to their destination we call ‘goals’ or ‘outcomes’? What do we do?”

This is an important question and it has a several-part answer. It is important because it comes up for most coaches and practitioners; at some point you really, really want XYZ for the client. Yes, they must be outcomes the client wants [not outcomes you see they "need" but they do not resonate with] but even still, with their outcomes we get emotionally engaged–we care–and we want them to have XYZ really badly.

Part of the challenge is that we are not responsible for the lives of our clients–we can’t be. They would get less out of the process if we were; at best, we would actually be inhibiting their growth if we take on that responsibility. They might blame us; they would take less responsibility for creating the life they want and deserve. It could become the coaches “fault” or for some, the coaching [or whatever you call the process] will be just another thing that did not work for them, etc.

And we created that with our attachment.

So the first part of the answer is to make clear to the client–practically–that they are not responsible for their life; that they are. How do we do this? We write it directly into the client-coach agreement that they “are responsible for the results of their life, business, relationship”, etc. And given how some people can be when they are making large life-altering decisions, we review the agreement and then we further clarify and have them initial each paragraph while reviewing it with them to make sure we have done our due diligence as a practitioner in making sure they understand the nature of the relationship is one of trusted adviser–nothing more—and that they understand the agreement in full.

That is the practical aspect.

What about the interpersonal aspect? The actual coaching dynamic? Because you see, to complicate matters if you seem attached [that is you start become emotionally attached to their outcomes, you may engage them in a way that has them polarize, dig in, and resist you--and they start to resist you in ways that will not serve the process overall.

Or worse...

Or worse--they do not do their "homework"--whatever that may be or represent--and they are scared to tell you. In the worse cases they may simply go missing in action. Or they become dishonest.

This is simply another reason I am not a "coach" I am a "Guide" and that approach is something I am careful to embody in every interaction--they do not do their "homework" I communicate to them--with a compassionate smile and a shrug--that I want them to get their outcomes. That I care; and I may even ask them how they best want to be supported. How they want to be held accountable--and I have them design the dynamic.

I have found this softer approach--with nothing for them to resist or push back against--is far more effective than any hard-nosed techniques by far.

Finally [and at times most importantly] is our own development as we, as practitioners, continue our path: who we are is not the results we assist clients in achieving [both positive, amazing over-the-top goals as well as “failures”. Who we are is not that.

Those are the results we assist them in producing, to be sure, and we are professionally responsible for that, but who we are is that which is experiencing it all. Who we are is that Witness; that locus of awareness. And as we come from that place, we will be even more effective, they will feel more freedom to expand and grow within that gentle, ever-present embrace. From that place, where universal beauty unfolds, we are reminded why we do what we do–for that expansion. And within that expansion a better, more joyous, more beautiful world awaits us all.

Coaching Resources, coaching practice tips, inter-personal dynamics, spirituality

Daniel from Portugal [http://yogaportugal.com] writes:

I am really loving [Evolutionary Sales] it has turn my world around, I am listening to them in order and I am now on ES012 so if the next 2 two question I have for you have already been answered on the show I would appreciate it if you could direct me to it.

The idea of an integrity and service-based sale is one that I even without knowing had been searching for quite some time, I am very glad I have found you.

Glad you are finding it of value.

As I said I have two questions that have been haunting me.

1. What if when talking to someone you are trying to sell to you realize that the person doesn’t need the product you are selling? You make it seem like it is always a matter of the right context and the right motivational techniques.

I walk away from the sale. I tell them I do not think it is a fit or that it will not serve them. It is that simple and that direct. No amount of money is worth the hassles that will come from trying to force it. It rarely happens to me because I make sure to qualify them [by "qualify" I mean that I need to be reasonably certain--over 85% certain--that I can be of service to them effectively and assist them in getting what they want]. But if and when it does happen, I do exactly what is stated above.

2. I would like to know how much thought you have gave to the notion of not permitting the person to wait before making the decision. I have develop a philosophical principle so to say that I should not decide any big amount of money sale on my first contact with the sales person. I has served me well in the past for I have examples of things that now I am really glad I haven’t bought and I have examples of things that each day that passed until I bought it my motivation to get it just kept rising and so did my faith in the product and the sales person. Someone who urges me to make a decision right then always strucks me as wanting to sell. But when someone is confident in their product enough not force to make a decision it may well be that I am there in the next day to “open the relationship”.

It is a great question. It is also a very common one, so I am glad to finally address it publicly.

In my business, people come to me wanting certain mental habits resolved, e.g.; fear, anger, anxiety, etc. They want other things too, but they know they want these negative habit patterns. If they go away to think about it, then they will start to have those same mental habit patterns that they have come to me to resolve take over. I have then essentially failed my first test as their Guide.

Now, if the business we some business other than the one I am in, then sure. But with my business, what serves them best is to have them sign when they are clearest on my presentation, and are clearest as to the benefits. That means in that session.

It has nothing to do with levels of confidence in my offering. Rather confidence in what will happen when they leave–and I simply tell them that all up front and directly. They agree in most all cases. They know it is the truth.

I think it is also critical that they never feel “pressured”. They never do. I often will simply shrug when I tell them the above. I say it casually, in a relaxed manner, with nothing for them to resist. I am never attached to someone signing. If they sign under pressure, the sale might drop off. That serves no one.

When the reason for signing is a simple truth they know to be true, and I am coming from that place of service, it just has them all the more convinced I can [and do] help them.

It is also hard to argue with 97.7% [my current opening ratio averaged for the last 3 years with 220 prospects with a significant commitment to a 6-month agreement ]. If my ratio were lower, I might look there first.

My wife recently went to an English language school and what threw her off was exactly that. All the reasons they had for making her sign a 2 year agreement right in that moment. What ended up happening was that she found another school in which she didn’t felt pressured to make rash decisions.

I must say that I would be feeling better if I could have the time I want to ponder and then acquire the product, EVEN if that meant not taking the advantage of a special discount for on the moment decision. I would gladly pay 10% or whatever more to have the time to decide for myself if I want the product or if I was just influenced by the momentum of the salesman and the occasion.

I really hope you truly give this a thought and not just answer in your answer/question mode on how to do something, for I would like to know that you can relate to this concern.

To be clear for other listeners, I do not offer a discount for making a decision at any point. I do offer a 10% discount for payment in full, but there is no monetary incentive for the decision itself. I think that would cloud things and would not serve the client.

As far as your wife and that situation goes, if she felt pressured, then they were not coming from service–but rather wanting to reach an objective. I am sorry to hear she had that experience, and to me, it simply means it was not a fit. That was also a life-altering decision in many respects, and should be carefully considered so wanting time should be allowed. I have had clients refuse to decide in the session, and I simply stay very engaged with them until they do make a choice [one way or the other] so we are partnered; I make sure I am very available for any questions or concerns as they arise over the next day or so. But that is a very rare exception to the general policy for the reasons stated below and above, summarized as it simply does not serve them to go and “think about it” as their thinking usually has them needing my services to one degree or another.

As far as this particular strategy, I have considered it and reconsidered it for years. That is not to say that I am not considering it carefully now; more to say that it is always open for review. All of my techniques are.

Usually, when it arises as an issue for the client,  I ask them two questions:

1. Is this concern [fear, indecision, etc.] the concern that stops them in other areas of their life. In other words, is this one of the issues they need resolution on. If yes, I let them sort it out and they usually simply sign the contract. If they  say no …
2. I ask them, “how heavily would you like me to leverage you here on a scale from 1 to 10? What would best serve you?”

They answer and I do just that. If they say do not leverage me at all, well, I don’t. If they ask me to, I do to the degree they ask for it. If the answer to question 1 is yes, and it is signifigant for them, I have to stay with that. Again, if it is a limitation in their life they have come to me to resolve, I would not be serving them if I let it run their life in this situation as too. AND I am transparent about all of this to them [and heck, now it is here for them to read. Heh.]

In Service and in Transparency,

Jason

UPDATE: Free evening on Evolutionary Sales April 28th in San Francisco. Details HERE:

http://tinyurl.com/clbnek

21st Century Marketplace, Coaching Resources, Evolutionary Sales, Listener Questions, coaching practice tips, sales and marketing tips

Here is the NLPco Teleseminar for your listening convenience.

Your URL for the discount for the CLC Apprentice Program is HERE. and
The actual URL is http://tinyurl.com/4zu7oz

Go there to start the pre-screening process.

It expires Sunday night at 11:59pm. If you get a 404 error, you
have missed the deadline for the huge negotiated discount from NLPco.

In Service,

Jason D McClain

 

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21st Century Marketplace, Coaching Resources, Evolutionary Sales, Purpose, audio, coaching practice tips, organizing principles, sales and marketing tips

Part 1 from last week is HERE. Go there to read it for the fist time or to refresh your memory before reading part 2.

Live a Life of Service

There are two components to getting paid what you are worth.

• A foundation of service and contribution
• Skill with creating more accurate and more effective value perceptions

Make a Choice Today–if you have not already done so–to live a life dedicated to assisting others. To be of service. To be an agent in overt operations designed to assit others in reaching their pinnacle–or at least the next plateau and vista. This is the foundation you must come from to act ethically with tools of influence—and to be justified in greater latitude in the type of influence you use.

Why is this important?

It is important for two very different, yet deeply related reasons:

1. Coming from a place of service–only serving another’s need and goals–your communication dynamics will be cleaner. You will not be trying to get what you want–from or for–the client; you will be assisting the client in reaching the higher fruits they find appealing. You are in partnership. There is no call for conflict. This and one other organizing principle I operate by as a practitioner has yielded me only 1 hostile client situation in a pool of 200 clients over a span of nearly 5 years.
2. If you are truly being of service to another achieving what they want–and it is an outcome or goal that does no harm to any living thing, it then becomes your duty–yes, duty–to leverage them beyond their limitations. What that means to you is that your grounding of service, coupled with the permission you receive, or context implicitly set by walking into your office is the gateway to free reign with tools of influence. If what your desire creeps in, or more subtly, you desire for them to set a goal or an outcome that you think they should want or that you see as possible for them, you have lost your footing and your just cause—unless you enroll them in that and gain their permission to influence them towards that end.

You must be genuinely coming from assisting them in creating the life they want. You must not appear attached–and hopefully you do the intra-personal work to actually BE unattached. Otherwise you will seem desperate. And in romance, politics, and in business, desperation is not an aphrodisiac. Either way, consider your service to them as your organizing principle: how would your behaviors show up? How far would you go to inspire or help them? Would you care about them? To what degree? How would you relate to their opinion or their experience of you? Your approach should be determined by what serves them as an individual. Some need loving care and safety. Some need a kick in the tush. I can call upon any style that serves them–and I encourage you to take that on as well.

Whatever the truth of your situation and concerns, you must act as if you do not need them to sign anything. The best way to do that is to put your concerns out of your head, and focus on theirs and theirs alone for at least the time you are together. Your concerns for your own life are simply irrelevant for that hour. Pretend to set them down next to the door right after you hang your coat up, or boot your computer, or whatever ritual you conduct in your office when you walk in.

They are not in service of you and your needs. They are not lucky to have you. You are lucky and honored to be in their service. Act that way. The referrals will pour in. You are in service of them living the life they dream of. Continue to help people attain what they envision for themselves, and you will eventually have everything you could want.

You will be far more spiritually fulfilled. If your life and your business is about helping others–that is your livelihood is sourced in assisting others in realizing and attaining a higher level of excellence in any context in their lives–you can not help but be fulfilled.

How does one shift away from a subject-object orientation to an orientation of service in support of another’s vision? A relational orientation. The organizing principle and the effective method is simple: you are not trading time for money–you are not really selling a service. What you are selling the prospective client is their vision for how their life could and will be.

If they achieved their stated desired results working with you, How would their life be different? what would that be worth?

Of course, when you ask the question of them, you may want to say “will have achieved” not “if”.

I wish I did not have to stress this, but you also want to be sure before you go any further that your service will, with an overwhelming percentage of certainty, give them what they need to achieve their outcomes.

It is probably priceless. That is certainly the answer I receive more than any other–so valuable to their life It is certainly worth more than your fees. In fact, your fees are insignificant compared to what any client would say the experiencing of achieving ABC or resolving XYZ would be worth to them.

You can ask further:

• How would their relationship with their spouse or significant other be positively impacted
• How would they feel about their life and themselves?
• What would that make possible [or] what would arise in their life as a result of these changes?

These are not rhetorical questions. You must openly guide them to answer explicitly–several times–to get clear on why they would purchase your product or service. That is the value perception you would ask them to consider while reviewing any agreement. I do so openly as I hand them the agreement. After they answer the questions, I hand them the agreement saying:

“That is the value you are considering this agreement against–the context you are to hold as you review it.”

That is why I maintain rigorous integrity to my policy of not discussing rates or fees before the exploratory session. Until they know what they want [of prospective clients do not know what they want they do not r for services before we meet. If I tell them a number--whether it is $30 or $300 dollars it means nothing. I do not know what they want in full yet--and neither do they until they meet and I ask extensive questions--they do not really know what I do as I have not explained it yet. And last I heard there was no "going rate" for an Evolutionary Guide except the one I am currently charging. They certainly have not considered what the services would make possible and what that is worth. I have only ever had one client in nearly 200 clients that has considered it fully before I inquire specifically.

Not only do the numbers mean nothing at early stages of the process--worse, they are comparing it, in their mind, to commodities they could buy with that amount of money. Are they "worth" the same? Of course not. You can not get more love in your life and connectedness and intimacy by paying a car lease, or buying groceries, or a new suit. You can not improve your embodiment of your spirituality by buying a second house.

Yet that is what we encourage them to do by telling them a number up front. They are looking at how many groceries or car payments your fees compare to.

The outcome is inevitable. They start to price shop. And you have assisted them in misunderstanding the true value of your services. You have done them a disservice.

If you truly want to be of service to them in improving their lives, it is irresponsible of you to discuss money or rates before you meet, AND before the appropriate time during that meeting; near the end of that exploratory session. After they have met you, after you have inquired about their desires and outcomes in full. After you have then explained what your approach is--and how it can assist them in getting what they want. You should not selling in your presentation--you are just demonstrating competence and establishing unimpeachable credibility. And finally, after you have addressed any questions they have about the process or your offering, but before they see the agreement and your rates.

And really, the be of service, money should be the last thing you or they are concerned about. It should certainly not be your primary focus.

It is this approach that has me with a consistently full business of one-on-one clients [over 20 a week] and a 98% success rate of converting prospects to clients for 5 years running.

As you look at the above stats, know that I do not re-new clients. We complete at the end of 6 months. I am talking about constant new client acquisition.

With the one-one-one clients it is my general policy to only renew them under special circumstances. I am not just renewing them automatically–and do a full inquiry into the purpose behind doing so. That means I go through this process at least 3 or 4 times a month with a virtual stranger. It works. And I want you to be able to have that kind of confidence in your results–and to turn your practice into a business so that you can live a financially prosperous life as a result of your spiritual principles and living a purpose filled life. Rather than in spite of or in conflict with your spiritual life.

In nearly 5 years of being in this business full time, I have never once had this backfire on me–no one has ever declined to meet me for an exploratory as a result of this policy. I have twice had people in which were not financially qualified, but they were not financially qualified for anyone. And that is the risk I am willing to take for the benefits of this approach.

So HOW do you use this organizing principle?

• Have a firm and unshakable resolve to not discuss your rates. Put it in your FAQ and declare it to the world on your web site. Then, keep your word about it. [check your local laws and regulations if you are a licensed therapist]
• Discuss rates only at the appropriate time–after they say what it would make possible in their life, and right before they are handed the agreement
• Use these formulations to ask that question:
  • “If you had XYZ, what would that possible in your life?
  • “Once we achieve all of that together in this program, what would that open up for you in
    • Your relationships
    • Your emotional life
    • Your professional life?

Follow up with this question several times: What else would it make possible?

Get three or 4 out. Unless they go to something universal and spiritual that brings tears to their eyes–in which case, stop right there, it will not get any better than that. Also–be transparent. I usually add, “and that is the context you hold, and the value you are weighing this agreement against”. Sometimes I am even so transparent as to say, “Ok, time for me to do ask a silly sales question–because it is my duty to leverage you beyond the limitations you came here to resolve…that experience it makes possible? What is that worth to you if you could put a price on it?”

The more you hear the mind-blowing answers people give, the less you are fearful about raising your rates for new clients–and finally getting paid what you are worth; getting paid more in alignment with the differences you are making in their lives.

Of course, this is one small component of the larger structures you will need to have in place to become more effective at new client acquisition, but it is an important one. I look forward to sharing more with you and being your Guide as you turn your practice into a business in the 21st Century Marketplace.

21st Century Marketplace, Coaching Resources, Communication, Evolutionary Sales, Purpose, coaching practice tips, organizing principles, sales and marketing tips coaching practice tips, communication skills, Purpose, sales

One of the challenges I see so many coaches and solopreneurs struggle with is what they should charge for their services. Most do not know what they should charge. Many charge what they think they can get. Some charge whatever the next coach or practitioner charges. That is–”the going rate”. Many charge what they would be willing to pay themselves. Most charge less than they are worth–while improving the lives of others dramatically.

But why? And what are the solutions to this travesty of value? Read more…

21st Century Marketplace, Coaching Resources, Communication, Evolutionary Sales, Purpose, Uncategorized, coaching practice tips, featured, inter-personal dynamics, organizing principles, sales and marketing tips, spirituality marketing tips, practice tips, Purpose, sales tips, value perception

 

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Coaching Resources

We have already covered errors in philosophical grounding, lack of skill, and a failure of implementing a sustainable structure for your business–and for the scope of your clients’ needs.

What is next?

More nuts and bolts rather than philosophical grounding or mindset:

Mistake: Having only 1 stream of prospects

Most coaches and solo-preneurs rely on word of mouth. Word of mouth is critical. In the 21st Century marketplace there are hyper-empowered and talkative people. This is good for you. However, it is not enough. Make a decision now to take control–to be the locus of responsibility–for the success of your business. While word of mouth is critical, it is only one of at least three prospect streams the successful solopreneur must establish for themselves. What are those three?

Solution:

• Formalized referral systems [two of them]
• Speaking engagements and free evening talks
• Word of mouth

The two formalized referral systems?

• An affiliate program with a percentage or fee for referrals
• Write a referral clause into your client contract–requiring two if the client is happy with your services. While you do not want to be heavy handed about this, it does set their intention and focuses their awareness on a more formal approach to referrals

The evening talks?

• Make it explicit in your marketing AND in your introductory remarks that you are there for two reasons:
  • to provide value to their lives–first and foremost
  • to expose people to and offer an introduction to your services

Word of mouth?

• Consider this a great backup and occasional unexpected icing on the cake when those unintentional or random referrals occur. And occur they will.

If you do this, and you consider them in this order of importance, you will always be in control of your flow of clients and prospects–and they will flow in. Your sustainable prosperity will follow.

Mistake: Failure to leverage contact points and the opportunity they hold

Solution: many

• Consider any contact point you have with a prospect [be it an initial session, an email, or a phone call] an opportunity for you to leverage them beyond their current limitations emotionally or mentally–an opportunity for your to expand their world. An opportunity for you to be of service.
• Do not give “free initial coaching sessions”
  • Many coaches and many prospects think it is beneficial to give away services or to experience the practitioner directly. I have never found this to be effective in a prosperous business. If you want to turn your practice into a business then offer a complimentary exploratory session–and consider it an information gathering session for you and a sales presentation for the prospect. Let them get a sense of you, but do not give them free coaching. You are not part of a buffet. You want them to commit to a more fulfilling experience. A full 3 course meal. Be sure to show them the menu and explain the dishes and presentation–be sure to demonstrate your competence, but be careful you are making sure your contact point is leveraged to its full potential–for their sake in finally having a better life–and for yours in creating a sustainable and prosperous business.
  • Have them make a decision one way or the other in that exploratory session. If you let them “think about it” then they will get less and less clear on what you presented, and therefore less and less clear on what it will make possible in their lives and their fear and limitations kick in. The very habit patters of the mind that they are coming to you to resolve take over. It is your duty to guide them to a choice in that session. Yes and no are both fine answers–but require an answer. I will often ask a prospect who wants to “think about it” if that is the thing that stops them elsewhere in their lives. That is usually all I have to say in those situations for them to sign the agreement in front of them.
  • Be respectful with their experience–set context–and make sure when you chat with them on the phone for the purpose of setting up the exploratory session that they are aware of the process–that they know you will clarify what they want, then explain your approach, and then if it is a fit–have them review a contract. Those contact points are critical for your guidance of the client to changing their lives.
• When a client sends you an email raving about your contribution–or when they acknowledge you verbally communicating the difference you have made for them–ask them if you can quote them. Turn that acknowledgment into a testimonial for your marketing materials.

There are more examples I could give, but remember, if you want to have sustainable prosperity and truly be of service to a larger and larger portion of your community, and therefore be an agent of change rippling out to assist in creating a better global condition–consider every contact point an opportunity.

Mistake: Considering Your Service a Commodity

There is a reason I do not publish my rates.

My services are not a commodity on the shelf to be price-shopped. And no one else does what I do, really. And consider that you offer something unique that no one else does. In discovering that you will not only feel better about your “fees”, but you will also have take the first step in being able to communicate the value of your services to your clients and prospects in such a way that your fees seems insignificant and nearly irrelevant when measured against the value your service will bring to their lives.

And really–just between you and me–do you really feel that a number, no matter how reasonable or how unreasonable it may seem communicates the scope and richness of the difference your service can provide in their lives? Unless you have nothing unique to offer–you do your prospects a disservice by buying into their mindset that they can price shop.

I have never lost an opportunity or had a client not want to work with me as a result of this approach. In fact, it is one of the secrets of my success–selling from vision and value and having the money be a formality–but an afterthought.

Mistake #7: Did I say 6?

I guess there is at least one more: “Healing” that which you need to resolve in your self and in your own life by healing others

I am going to say something harsh here and say that I consider it unethical–yes, “unethical” for coaches, therapist, or “healers” to work on the same issues with clients that they have not resolved within themselves.

While you may still be able to provide solutions–at least be honest with your client that you have not handled it in your own life. And make a choice now to only provide services that you feel competent, resolved with, and apply to your self in your own life.

If you are a relationship coach–have a great relationship. If you are a coach around self-esteem, have a well developed ego [in the positive and healthy sense]. If you are an addict who is still smoking, drinking, or doing drugs, do not counsel others on that. Do not look to heal your wounds through the wounds of others. There is a danger of projection, and even more so–how can you charge someone to solve something you have been unable to demonstrate as being solved in your own life?

I hope this article helps you in your desire for sustainable prosperity.

Coaching Resources, Evolutionary Sales, coaching practice tips, sales and marketing tips

It is amazing how many coaches, solopreneurs, massage therapists, lawyers, etc. are competent at what they do–yet suffer financially. They are doing good, but they are not doing well–that is, they are struggling financially, mentally, and emotionally.

There are reasons for this. I have identified the top 6 reasons–and their solutions-that I have found in my experience in my own business as well as observing those who still have a “practice”.

The first 3 are presented to you below. The next three will be in Part 2 in a couple of weeks.

A Lack of Integral Thinking: “Money and Spirituality are in Conflict”

For some, “capitalism” is a bad word. Which makes sense. “Capitalism” was a phrase coined by the biggest enemy of the free market and free enterprise to ever live–Karl Marx. Yet, we keep that inaccurate and pejorative moniker. We were taught for thousands of years that to profit was bad–and then this meme was punctuated by the evils of capitalism laid out by a failed mathematician who had no foresight into the services industry–never mind respect for private property and Natural Law and was therefore essentially a thief on a grand scale. Even though with the rise of capitalism in the mid-1800s, our standard of living has more than trebled, never mind that our life expectancy has doubled in a short time as a result…it…is…bad.

While there was a a time when one could only profit by exploitation and manipulation or by inheritance or plunder, this has not been accurate for nearly 300 years.

[Before commenting on this, please read my series of articles on Spiritual Capitalism, found here: Read First || Read Second || Read Third.]

Maybe we should consider throwing off the chains of thinking birthed centuries before the Enlightenment and even before the founding of this Country and came to a head–and have been proven to be inaccurate, ineffective, and fundamentally broken in the last Century.

The truth is, it is not only possible to come from service and contribution in a “for profit” environment–that is to live a purpose-filled life–but also to profit well from it and to live prosperously. It takes some personal work–being mindful of your thinking, cleaning out your unconscious imprints of guilt and shame, and to constantly be of service while having sufficient esteem for your self to recognize the value you are bringing to another’s life and to have them provide that value monetarily in exchange. It takes a lack of attachment to “closing that deal” and being more focused on service and “opening relationships”–and much more.

Actually, I have found what can be provided to our clients lives is priceless to them. Fees are insignificant when weighed against what the work we do in their lives will make possible. It is not a commodity. It is a gateway to greater freedom and happiness. We can live a spiritually oriented life–and integrate free-market, service-based principles into that.

By doing so, we integrate our spiritual and our financial life. This frees us from guilt, shame, and allows us to flourish spiritually while prospering financially.

Lack of Skill: Sales and Marketing

We have all had negative experience with sales people. Not sales professionals, but sales people–that is, people who want to “close a deal” rather than open a relationship. And most sales trainers teach techniques with little regard for a philosophical base or grounding. I do not support that.

I used to think sales was a dirty word. That was until I realized that until I could influence people to take action in their lives–leverage them beyond their limitations–I could never really do much good in the world. You can only be a positive agent for change if you can inspire others to move beyond their current thinking–the thinking that has them in their current life situation and has stopped them from being fully free and thriving.

Therefore–if you truly want to do good in the world, it becomes your duty–yes, your duty–to assist others in overcoming their limitations. That means learning to sell and market your services in a compelling way that comes from service and contribution while combining that with powerful tool of influence.

You must gain those skills if you want to make a difference and be prosperous.

While it may be hard to swallow at first [took me years to accept] you must be a sales person first–that is you must be able to enroll others in a vision–to live your purpose and prosper.

Error in Structure: Service, Sustainability, and Packages

One you are coming from service and contribution, you begin to consider what would best serve the client. Most practitioners have session-by-session practices or monthly packages, but they do not have comprehensive packages that have stages and phases in them. How many people out there have dabbled here and dabbled there and never really bucked down and did the deep work to reveal greater depths within themselves? I have found most clients approach their personal development this way. “Well, I have tried this and I have tried that…”, [but I never really got what I needed that was deeper].

The best thing you can do as a coach or a practitioner is to find a way to create a compelling 3-stage or 3-phase offering that allows the client to reveal greater and greater depths or to attain greater and greater heights. For a massage therapist, this may mean something like:

• Healing
• Activating
• Opening

For a Coach it may mean something like:

• Clarity
• Tool Gathering/Education
• Purpose/Action

I am just pulling these out of my pocket and tossing them out there. The point is that if you truly want to be of service to your clients, you will develop a phased program so that they finally make a deep commitment to themselves–and they finally achieve that elusive transformation–mentally, emotionally, and perhaps spiritually, they have been looking for for years.

In the process, you create a sustainable practice with monthly payments coming in–and you get to then relax and be certain you are always acting with integrity and acting ethically. People only get slimy when they are desperate. You owe it to your clients to create a deep compelling offer that is only offered with integrity–and you owe it to your self to be prosperous as a purpose driven helper. Everyone wins.

And wouldn’t you like to be in a position to say to to a prospect you really do not want to work with? Of course you would. Wouldn’t you like to always operate with full integrity and ethics intact coming from service and contribution? Of course you would. Wouldn’t you like to provide comprehensive solutions to your clients so you can make a deep and lasting positive impact on their lives?

Of course you would.

[the next 3 top problems/errors and solutions will be handled in part 2]

Coaching Resources, coaching practice tips