As a coach you may not feel motivated by standard marketing principles that tell you that a well-defined niche will contribute to your overall business success. But you recognize that if you want business success you’ll likely have to get more specific about who you’ll be working with.

You hear the question “who is your ideal client?” and you begin working through a description. For some, this is when their niche becomes clear. For others, this is a process that evolves over time.

Recently I was working with a new coach and we were discussing her target market. I asked her to think about what her ideal client would Google if they were looking for solutions that her coaching would bring. Additionally, where do they hang out? What do they read? What are their hobbies? What recreation and entertainment do they enjoy?

“How do I know that?” she asked.

“Where do you want them to hang out?” I asked. “What do you want them to read? Do you want to work with people who are interested in art or in science or in sports?

A brief pause and an ah ha moment: “Well those are two completely different questions! Who is my ideal client and who do I want my ideal client to be are two different questions.”

She had been guided by the belief that there was a “right” ideal client that she needed to look for “out there.” She perceived the need for identifying and getting to know them via external research. With a different perspective, she shifted to thinking about discovering her ideal client by looking internally to describe the clients that she wanted to work with. This shift brought her new energy and insight.

At the risk of offering one person’s story (by permission) that may be understood only by a few, I’m sharing it, certain it will click with readers who need to hear it. For others, if you’re in the process of defining your niche or target market, here are some additional thoughts.

• Invite God into the process through prayer.
• Allow God’s timing.
• Do what you can with the clarity you have.
• Learn more about who you want to coach by coaching.
• Who do you want to coach? Who would you love to work with?

Defining your niche or target market is important because it helps you most effectively focus and leverage your marketing efforts. But focusing on a niche market doesn’t limit you to coaching only in that market. If your heart is stirred to coach someone who does not fit your “ideal client” description you can of course always choose to do that! Use the 80/20 principle. Who has God called you to work with 80% of the time? That is likely your target market.

Do not neglect real Person-To-Person contact!

Setting up your coaching business requires an immense amount of focused energy. If you are in the process of creating a coaching business or ministry, you know exactly what I mean. You can get focused on choosing a logo or creating your intake forms or developing your website or learning new technology.  Etc. You can get stuck in these places. You know what I mean, right?

All of these things need to be done to create your business. But, ironically, they can also get in the way of developing relationships with potential clients. It’s important to have a website with a freebie and a blog and a newsletter, but if you develop a list from those activities that doesn’t result in real live conversation you likely won’t be selling your coaching services to this list.

Much of a coaching business can be developed virtually. Using social media and sending out newsletters can be important to relationship-building, but we can’t hide behind these efforts. Ultimately to enroll clients in our coaching groups or one-on-one coaching programs, we need to reach out in real life.

By “real life” I mean it’s important to reach out over the phone or in person and have a voice-to-voice conversation. So concurrently with your business set-up, do not neglect real, live, relationship-building.

I want to challenge you to think of someone you know right now who is a potential client. Especially if they have indicated an interest in coaching with you! Call this person! Or email this person, suggest scheduling a call and include possible meeting times! If this person is a local contact, schedule coffee and meet in person!

CHALLENGE

Who will you reach out to today? This week? This month?

Schedule your answers on your calendar and make those personal contacts!

Stress happens when we are operating outside of our strengths. When it comes to creating a successful coaching business or ministry, it is important to be aware of our strengths and our personal resources so we can leverage them for success.

In addition to your coaching skills, the following are strengths or resources that can contribute to your success as a coaching business or ministry owner. Take a moment and consider what of the following are strengths you possess.

• Speaking
• Writing
• Traditional Networking
• Cultivating Relationships
• Social Media Savvy
• Teaching
• Selling
• Creativity
• Organizational Skills
• Business Skills
• Tech Skills

What of the above are the strengths you can leverage for success? Of the remaining, what is crucial to your business or ministry success? Of the remaining crucial activities, what are your options? You have options.

Yes, sometimes as you operate your coaching business or ministry, you must do things that are not in your wheelhouse. Hopefully that will be only up to 20% of your time. Last week, my friend Mary Verstraete of the Center for Coaching Excellence posted about personally functioning with convergence. The goal is “80 percent of who you are overlapping with 80 percent of what you do.” Click here to see her post Are You a Want-to-Be?

Otherwise, find creative solutions to deal with what you need to get done but you aren’t good at. Delegate. Hire someone. Barter. Let it go.

Are you trying to do something and you just need to let it go?

For example, if you’re not a speaker, you don’t have to make yourself into a speaker. Unless God has given you a specific directive to speak, consider the other ways to let people know about your coaching business or ministry.

What are you doing that you need to let go of?

You can’t do it all. You can’t be good at it all. Be aware of your strengths and intentionally leverage what you do best.

There are so many reasons to be a part of this eSummit! Including…

Join the bigger Christian coaching community. Connect with coaches with rich and diverse backgrounds, training, and vision for coaching – like-minded coaches who share Christian faith. Be inspired.

Be equipped and energized. Learn. Topics include everything from coaching skills mastery to successful business development to integrating the practice of coaching with faith and ministry.

Register now here.

Speakers include:

Jennifer Britton

Doug Lundrigan

Ircel Harrison

Jennie Turton

Gary Wood

Christopher McCluskey

Chris Kirby

Nathan Kreger

Keith Webb

Steve Ogne

Gary Wood

Susan Whitcomb

Jane Creswell

Tony Stoltzfus

Ben Koh

Michael Marx

Tanya Smith

Gary Collins

Bryan Wintersteen

Tracy Stevens

Cheryl Scanlan

Mary Verstraete

Kim Avery

Christina Lee

Tim Figley

Lyn Eichmann

Fran La Mattina

Janice LaVore-Fletcher

Diane Wiater

Jory Fisher

Sam Farina

Gary Beck

Nancy Branton

Register now. I will be hosting the evening sessions. “See” you there!

Not a Christian Coaches Network member? You don’t have to be to attend the conference, but I definitely recommend getting an annual membership to CCN at the same time you register for the conference to result in great savings and a remarkably reasonable cost for the combination. (I’ve been a member since 2003!)

In the spirit of full disclosure, the link in this post is an affiliate link which means I may receive compensation as a thank you from CCN for referring you. If you prefer a non-affiliate link, simply go to the Christian Coaches website here.

What is WordPress anyway?

Let me try to explain it with an analogy.

When I first started working with computers, there was no Windows interface. No slick iOS from Apple. There was DOS. And no mouse. You booted up your computer and saw a black screen (or green, depending on your machine) with a flashing white cursor. That was it. And nothing happened until you type a command.

But now, you turn your computer on and you’re greeted with a pleasant chime, a pretty screen, and all you have to do is click the mouse, and things begin to happen. That’s called a Graphical User Interface (or GUI), and it is rather like a program that lets you accomplish things without having to use any programming languages.

WordPress is like that. It’s the program, or engine, or platform that allows you to build a website without having to get your hand dirty in all the code.

For example, I’m typing this into a nice box that seems very much like an email – no muss, no fuss, no HTML, no PHP. But if you right-click your mouse on this page and choose “View source,” you’ll see all the code that created the page. Go ahead and look at it now. I’ll wait…

With WordPress you can add your content and never have to see any code like that. It truly is a wonderful thing.

Yes, there’s a learning curve, but there is with every new skill. And it is so worth doing!

Susan was the guest speaker today at the Christian Coaching Resources free tele-seminar – Getting Started with a WordPress Website:  What You Need to Know – and she did a fantastic job!  Those who signed up for the event received an excellent hand out, access to the recording and also a very special offer (that expires Friday, April 8th). If you missed out, email Susan and she’ll get you the handout, recording and special offer!

My first two posts on WordPress which explain why you need to know about WordPress can be found here:

Why I Love WordPress – Part One

Why I Love WordPress – Part Two

Today I notice with new coaches – my mentor coaching clients and others – that this thinking continues. You feel overwhelmed because you think you have to tackle the big website project at all at once and get it right on the first try. “Getting it right” makes you feel overwhelmed and the project becomes daunting. And since you feel like you have to “get it right” before you move forward, the whole project becomes a bonafide roadblock that stops you dead in your tracks.

If I’ve just described you, there’s good news! You will be glad to know that times have changed, new solutions have emerged and WordPress is available to you. WordPress is the program you create your website with, just like you use Powerpoint to create a presentation or Word to create an article. And WordPress itself is free.

WordPress makes it easy to get started because the initial costs are relatively low, and making changes is pretty much the order of the day. You can have a professional web presence in a matter of days and you can easily make changes whenever and as often as you desire. All this without having to take out a second mortgage.

So…no more thinking that you have to get everything done, perfectly, on the first pass. It may be helpful for you to break your website project down into stages. Following is just an example of how the stages might play out. For some, these stages may overlap. But take a look and see how you can break things down into doable steps as your WordPress website grows to meet your needs in the initial stages of developing your coaching business.

Customize the following stages to meet your specific goals. And then…just do it. Keep moving. One step at at time.

Stage One

Make it “guest ready.” Get started with a home page that will at least identify who you are, what you do, and how people can contact you. If you’re not blessed with a rich flow of astounding content rushing through your fingertips and appearing on your screen, don’t let that stop you. At this point put out some basic, straightforward information and make it look professional. Choose a look and some colors for your site that reflect what you know about your branding and what you believe will attract your target market. Once you have this done you can get your business cards printed with your web address and you can feel confident that when people go there they will see that you are “Real.”

Warning: Do NOT let the “branding” reference slow you down! You do not have to have a logo to make it through Stage One. At this stage, branding is referring to presenting yourself in the most comfortably authentic professional way you can. For example choose site colors and fonts and a personal photo (headshot) that you feel comfortable with, that feels authentic to you and represents your professional style.

Stage Two

You’ve bought some time by completing Stage One. Time to work with a designer to create branding (a logo and identity package that attracts your target market). Time to develop your rich flow of pithy and engaging content as you add pages and enhance your message. Time to develop your “freebie” and create your opt-in.

Stage Three

Add a blog (this comes with your WordPress website) and start posting about topics of interest to your target market. Continue to refine your content and tweak your branding. If you’ve not yet done so, add testimonials.

Stage Four

Regularly add fresh content and new resources that appeal to your target market. Branch out into audio and video. Create products and add a shopping cart when you are ready.

Your website is a work in progress. It needs to change as your business evolves. WordPress makes it easy to have the flexibility you need as an entrepreneur.

You CAN do this! One. Step. At. A. Time.

Why I Love WordPress – Part One is here. And “Why I Love WordPress – Part Three” is here.

Take me, for example: I have five websites. I didn’t start with five, but over the years, God has led me to embrace new possibilities, new ways to grow my coaching business, new avenues to of ministry.

I am not a techie and when I started out as a coach in 2003, getting a website was a huge undertaking. It seemed rather like a marriage because it felt like making a commitment for life. You wanted to get it right the first time because making changes once it became “live” was extremely difficult without help. And with help, costly!

Technology changes, too, and in this case, that’s a good thing. A very good thing. I’ve been converting my websites, one by one, to WordPress, and with each completed project, I’m thrilled. Why thrilled?

I have control.

It’s easy. It’s flexible. And it’s not expensive.

I’m not a techie, and even I can make changes.

And if I’d rather not make the changes myself, my Virtual Assistant can make them for me. Either way it gets done quickly. And it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

So, whenever I can, I encourage new coaches to investigate how they can build their business using WordPress.

Now, at this point, if you are a non-techie like me, you are wondering what WordPress is.  And me, being a non-techie…well I’m not the person to explain that to you.  In part three of my series on WordPress, I’ll have my Virtual Assistant, Susan, explain that to you.  But for now, trust me. WordPress is a great solution.

Don’t be a scaredy-coach. If you can surf the web and write an email – if you are reading this! – you can conquer your WordPress website. With just a little training you’ll be able do things like:

• Fix that spelling error someone pointed out
• Change the dates for your latest class
• Add a new page that tells about your new program
• Write a blog post
• Add images to your site
• … and much more

In Why I Love WordPress – Part Two, we will explore what’s involved with getting a WordPress website.

Twelve complimentary appointments were offered on a first-come first-served basis.  How were the appointments scheduled?  I used an online scheduling tool that I enthusiastically recommend.

The scheduler at TimeTrade is the best scheduling tool I’ve come across. It’s easy for me to use and easy for those scheduling appointments with me.  Once I set up an event, I get a link to post online or include in emails.  Those that want to schedule with me can click on the link, follow the instructions and choose from the times available.  The system confirms the appointment, notifies me, and sends a timely reminder to the person scheduled.  To check it out, sign up for a free 30-day trial account.  If you decide you like it, it’s an excellent value at $29.95 per year.

If you’re wondering – I’m not receiving anything from TimeTrade for posting about this. I am just sharing what has worked for me in hopes it might be helpful to you.

If you’re a new coach interested in cost-efficient resources, that’s exactly the topic Beth Cole (www.thewebservant.com) and I have been discussing.

Need an affordable website?  If you’re new to establishing a web presence, please know that you have many choices.  Put time into your research and learn what your choices are even if you’re not a technical person.  Don’t go with the first thing that makes sense to you – dig even deeper to best understand your choices and make an informed decision.

My recommendation is that you establish a site that can easily be updated with basic text changes, fresh content and your latest updates.  Most coaches aren’t technicians, but you can hire someone create a site that you can maintain by learning to update fairly easily.  That creates freedom for you and saves you money that can be invested in hiring technical help for when more major design changes or revisions are in order. 

Here is part of an interview with Beth:

Linda:  What are the most efficient, cost effective ways to create a great website?  

Beth:  For efficient and cost effective I’d say WordPress.com, or a WordPress hosting service like Page.ly, or  Web Coaching Solutions. 

WordPress.com has a limited number of included free design themes. 

Page.ly offers free and premium themes with great support for WordPress (like automatic upgrades). 

Web Coaching Solutions is plug-n-play with pre-written text and images. 

Any of these tools will allow you to manage your own content.  The WordPress options will give you more freedom in terms of blogging, audio, and social media, etc. 

There are many free website solutions – many that come with a hosting package for instance.  Some have mentioned Site Build It as an option.  I have not used this tool so I don’t want to give an opinion. 

Linda:  When I interview you on May 18, can we talk about the pros and cons of the various options? 

Beth:  Absolutely, Linda, that will be fun!  It’s one of my favorite subjects and I will look forward to it.  

Linda:  I know I’ve been really happy with WordPress at one of my sites.  I can see myself converting them all to WordPress.  

Beth:  Here are couple of articles from my blog that may be helpful for coaches considering WordPress:  Is WordPress a Good Fit for You? and Choosing a Free, Premium or Custom Theme for WordPress. 

Linda:  Thanks for the excellent resources Beth! 

OK, everyone!  Put this on your calendar now!  For more about creating a cost-effective website, join us as I interview Beth live at the next Christian Coaching Resources free monthly “Christian Coaching…Tell Me More” meeting on Tuesday, May 18 at 12 noon Central time.  Click here for free and easy registration. 

Beth and I invite you to comment on this post with questions you have about setting up a website. That way we’ll be sure to cover your special interests on May 18.

While putting together a list of free and low-cost tools on the web, I checked in with Beth Cole of www.thewebservant.com to include her expert input.  Later this week I’ll be posting a brief interview with Beth about cost-effectively creating websites.  In the meantime, we have compiled a list of tools for you to investigate. 

Many of these online tools have free trial periods so you can try them first:

To offer group coaching via telephone:  For the bridge line, I’ve recently had good connections with www.freeconferencecall.com .  Beth says try Whistletree for bride lines also.  To help facilitate your groups (up to five for $27 per month with no long term contract) look into www.groupcoachingmanager.com .

For an online scheduling tool:  I just started using www.timedriver.com and so far, I’m really impressed.  Simple to set up and after the generous 90 day trial the cost is $29.95 for a year.  Beth says also check out Genbook, or Acuity Scheduling (allows payment) .     

To create surveys:  Use www.surveymonkey.com to create surveys to engage your potential clients and invite them for input.  The basic account is free.

To covert a document to pdf:  Try www.pdfonline.com to convert documents to pdf format.  Beth’s additional recommendations include www.freepdfconvert.com and Adobe’s PDF tool (subscription).,

For email marketing and list management:  I use www.constantcontact.com .  Beth recommends another popular possibility, www.icontact.com .  Both offer free trials.

To request money and facilitate client payments:  Until you obtain a merchant account and shopping cart which is more costly, www.paypal.com will facilitate invoices and requests for payment.  Clients can use their credit cards or bank account to make payments.

More on managing client billing:  Beth uses www.freshbooks.com and says other popular solutions are BlinkSale and Harvest.

For delivering ebooks:  Beth recommends www.ejunkie.com  .

For delivering ecourses:  Beth recommends www.icontact.com.

What recommendations for free and low-cost online tools do you have?  Let us know!  Leave your recommendations in comments below. 

Finally, a strong recommendation from me:  To contribute to your success, go order Beth Cole’s ebook, Essential Web Marketing.  It’s a great investment at only $19.95.  Click here to learn more.