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The Marketing Funnel Mastery Live Event was a great success. So many people were able to give themselves the gift of clarity in their business after filling out the marketing funnel worksheets. It allowed them to take the potentially confusing and overwhelming task of building a marketing plan, and simplified the process.
Now that the process has been made so simple, the focus can be redirected to the meat of the marketing funnel; the very part that makes the funnel unique to each entrepreneur. As a coach, it is important to recognize that it is in this part of the process that an entrepreneur can benefit from the support of a coach.
You can help business owners make decisions about what kind of service or product they will provide, discover their marketable strengths and talents, define their target market, decide on and create a free product, compose marketing emails, set goals that are based on their values, and stay accountable to their action plan. Through this process, you can move them through the creation of their Marketing Funnel with ease, organization, clarity, and confidence.
So what is the difference between marketing to your target groups under normal circumstances and marketing to the same people after a Live Event like Marketing Funnel Mastery?
In this article, the concepts we will be discussing can be applied to many similar Live Events and Conferences that you or your potential clients may attend. Our purpose here is to get you thinking about how you can take the intense energy and motivation that is inspired within individuals who attend a successful Live Event, and use it to power your own marketing efforts in order to help more people at a time when they are most ready to embrace the value.
A great coach can put himself in the shoes of his clients and sees things from their perspective.
Imagine that you have just arrived for an event, and you are not quite sure what to expect. You are familiar with the presenter and confident that you will learn a lot from him. Taking a look around at the mostly unfamiliar faces both intimidates and inspires you.
You wonder: Are they feeling the same way I am? They look so confident. I bet they have some really great ideas. I feel like my ideas are great, too, but how will they compare to everyone else’s. Will they laugh at me? Am I dreaming too big? Not big enough? Will I be able to perfect my ideas here at this event? Will I be inspired to do more? What’s going to happen?
Then the presenter hits the stage. You are enthralled by his words. Your inspiration and motivation shoots through the roof! At the lunch break, you can’t even think about food. Instead of eating, you work on your business plans.
The rest of the presentation goes just as well, and you are constantly coming up with new ideas. You scribble them down, but it almost seems like you are thinking faster than you can write. Not to mention that you are also trying to take notes on the presentation itself!
With everything you learned and created, along with the connections you made with other attendees, you find yourself on an absolute motivation high! The event ends, but your spirits are still soaring!
But now that you are back home in your normal, everyday world, how long will your motivation last without structured action steps? You no longer have a live speaker to motivate you, peers to inspire you, or an environment to hold you accountable. The danger of losing your momentum over time is present… unless you find new ways to become motivated, inspired, and accountable.
How could a coach support you?
How could they help you maintain your drive and desire to make plans and take action?
How soon would it be appropriate for them contact you after the event is over?
Would your willingness to pursue coaching change as time goes by?
What kind of value would you want from a coach before you felt comfortable signing up for services with them?
If a coach wanted to help you and you did not happen to meet any coaches at the event, how could they find you?
How can a coach harness your energy from the event and channel it into your work in an organized manner?
This is just one example of the many types of experiences people can have at a Live Event. What other experiences are possible? How could you help them as a coach? Would any answers to the questions above change if the potential client was not confident in their work, but thoroughly enjoyed the networking opportunity?
Now that the Marketing Funnel Mastery Live Event is over, think about the following quick tips to utilize the energy of the event and its attendees.
How can you leverage the MFM Live Event to help more people in new ways?
Take action with your own marketing with this group before the energy begins to fade.
Write a blog, email, or other type of communication about the event or a related subject that you can connect to the event.
Find out or brainstorm on your own about possible issues that people who are creating their funnels may be experiencing, and come up with a solution, tip, exercise, etc that relates to that issue.
If you were at the event yourself and you connected with anyone, follow up with those people immediately and ask them about their progress with developing and/or implementing their funnel. Do this quickly because they also met a lot of other people at the event, and while they may remember you at first, it might not take long for them to forget who you are and lose that personal connection. Not that it can’t be rebuilt, but why rebuild when you can move forward?
Don’t rely on people you met to contact you first. While it is important not to spam them, they may still embrace the fact that you took the time to contact them. The truth behind why they didn’t reach out to you first could be that they simply got busy and forgot. Don’t miss out on potential clients or friends because you are too timid to follow up with them.
Find new and interesting ways to keep the buzz going in the community so that more people stay excited about it for a longer period of time, giving you a wider window in which to give value to more people from the event.
If you were not able to attend the Live Event, talk to people who were there, ask them how it went, what they thought about it, what they learned, etc. Learn as much as you can about the subject being presented, in this case, Marketing Funnel Mastery, so that you can begin to position yourself as an expert in a relatively new program.
Conduct a formal recorded interview with someone who attended the event and post it! Make sure that you have clear goals for your interview, and that it not only promotes Marketing Funnel Mastery, but also promotes you and shows potential clients the value you can give them. This is another way to utilize the excitement and energy from the event, whether or not you were able to attend yourself.
Go to websites or social sites where the attendees or presenters from the event are hanging out. Whether you attended the event yourself or not, these are perfect spots to do some serious marketing. Those who attended the event who are not familiar with Coaching Cognition may be posting questions and comments that will give you an opportunity to provide value to those who will benefit most from your coaching.
In fact, there is a Facebook Fan Page for Marketing Funnel Mastery that we highly recommend checking out. Even if you do not find a specific comment to which you can reply with value, post a new comment that is loaded with value in order to make your presence known.
Remember your attraction marketing techniques. The idea is to be present where your potential clients are and to give value without expectations of getting something in return. You are helping for the sake of helping. When you do this, people will come to you for more assistance because they will already know and trust that you will provide them with value beyond their normal expectations.
Don’t forget to visit the Coaching Cognition Facebook Fan Page to provide value for those who attended the event who may have just learned about the benefits coaching during the presentations by Cindy Schulson or by Barbara Silva and me. After all, they may be actively seeking coaching services or have more questions about the benefits.
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Are you looking for a way to decrease the number of mistakes you make while at the same time increasing your confidence during the times that you do make a mistake? Mistakes are a part of every journey; in fact, they are vital to your success. Sometimes, it takes finding out what NOT to do in order to determine the correct actions.
In this article, we will explore how to recognize mistakes, different types of mistakes, how to find positive meaning in them, and how to apply the inherent lessons towards your future.
When you make a mistake in your journey toward achieving a goal, what do you do? Do you see the mistake as a negative reflection of who you are as a person? Do you feel guilty? Stressed? Unmotivated? Unconfident?
These are all very natural emotions that are healthy to experience after you have taken an action that you think is a mistake. In fact, they are the very emotions that let you know a mistake has been made.
Your complex system of emotions is an incredible reflection of your value system. When you feel happy, it is a sign that your actions and surroundings align with your values and morals. When you are angry, it is a sign that someone else has treated you in a manner that does not align with your values. When you feel guilty or a lack of confidence, it usually means that your own actions do not align with your own values.
By staying in tune with your emotions and exploring them as they arise, you will have a better understanding of yourself and your values.
There are many different types of ‘mistakes’ that someone can make. Sometimes they are a direct result of a specific decision. This can make decisions seem stressful because you are afraid of making a mistake; making the wrong choice. But if you have a great understanding of the true nature of mistakes, decisions will become easier because you will know that if a mistake is made, the ‘worst’ that will happen is that you realize the mistake, learn from it, and apply it to future decisions.
Some mistakes are made due to a lack of forethought. Perhaps you take some kind of action without thinking it through. Whether that action involves an unnecessary purchase, a statement made to someone you care about that hurts them in some way, taking a job that you don’t really like, or taking on too many responsibilities, the mistake occurred because you didn’t think about the consequences or the true meaning your action carries.
However, the next time you are faced with a similar situation, how likely do you think it will be that you pause and reflect on the possible outcomes before you commit to the action or statement?
Other mistakes are made because you base your action on your own values, but the outcome directly affects someone with different values or values that you may have projected onto them. You feel like your actions were right, but find out that they caused a negative experience for the other person.
For instance, if you take on someone else’s responsibilities, thinking that you are helping them, you may find out that you were actually depriving them of something they would have enjoyed doing or could have learned from. Perhaps in this case, it is not the action itself that was the true mistake, but the assumptions behind the action that holds the true lesson for you.
There are also mistakes that are made because they are reaction to someone else’s mistake. These are actions that are taken in the heat of the moment, when you are so deeply immersed in emotion that your judgment is affected. In these situations, you may find yourself taking actions that you would normally never take, and it might cause you to feel negative emotions about yourself and the way you handle stressful situations.
However, once again, you learn from these experiences and apply it to the future. You recognize when you are feeling emotions that can cause impaired judgment, and you know not to take any action until the wave of emotion has passed.
Every mistake that you make carries a valuable lesson about your values, what your goals are, and how to achieve them.
Wherever your mistakes are made (like within a relationship, your business, etc), the mistake itself is not a reflection of who you are. It’s what you do afterwards that will help you define yourself and what you stand for.
We all make mistakes, but those of us who use them as life lessons have a much more positive outlook on life. There is nothing wrong with feeling down about a mistake, but if you dwell on it, you will never grow.
Take the negative emotions and use them to take positive action. This may include making up for your mistake if at all possible, or you may simply acknowledge the mistake by creating a plan to make sure it (or something similar) does not happen again.
Not only can you take action to make sure a mistake is not repeated, you can also learn more about what will work for you. The more you learn about WHY certain actions are mistakes, the more you learn WHAT kinds of actions will lead to success.
Like a clay sculptor who begins with a solid block of clay and carves away all of the clay that is not a part of the final sculpture until all that is left is the masterpiece, so do you “carve away” all of the actions that you discover are not a part of who you are until all that is left is your ‘real self’.
When all else fails… Succeed!
2 steps forward… 1 step back? I say 3 steps forward! After all, in my book, learning from your mistakes bring you closer to finding success, not further from it.
What examples can you think of from your own life? What are some ‘mistakes’ that you have made, and what lessons have you learned from them? Take some time to think about them, and reflect on them. If you would like, I invite and encourage you to share your lessons in our DISCUSSION AREA. Sharing your mistakes is a great way to put even more meaning to your experiences because you can use them to help others who may have similar situations arise in their lives.
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The Coaching Mindset allows you to approach life with a new confidence, not only in yourself and your abilities, but also in those around you! During your training, you were in a group of your peers, talking specifically about the power of coaching and how it affects your own relationships, so it was always freshly on your mind.
We have heard many of you say that you now view your lives in a new and more positive way. This is a mindset worth holding on to! You may have every intention of going on with your lives, seeing your world with your new eyes, and we encourage it!
With the absence of the weekly training calls, what can you do to keep yourself constantly aware of your mindset? If it is no longer freshly on your mind, you might forget to access those strengths and use them to increase the quality of your own life.
Let’s relate this to scented plug-in air fresheners. That’s right. Air fresheners. People have used scented plug-ins for years to freshen up their homes. When you first get a scented plug-in, the smell is both strong and new. You breathe in the soothing scent and exhale with a smile. It is relaxing… refreshing!
For the first week, you look at the plug-in and smile again, noticing and inhaling the fragrance. But after a while, even a plug-in that is constantly giving off active levels of scented freshness can lose your attention. It does not mean you love the smell of vanilla any less. It simply means that the wonderful new edition to your household has left your awareness. When this happens, the innate benefits of your plug-in are lost.
One company noticed that this problem not only leads people to forget about their current plug-in, but it also means that the product leaves their mind so completely that they don’t think about purchasing a replacement cartridge when the time comes. So they developed a plug-in that uses a rotating scent cycle so that each time a new scent is emitted, the person notices and can enjoy it.
They found a way to bring the scent into the customer’s awareness so that they can enjoy the product on a long-term basis.
Your Coaching Mind-scent… I mean… Mindset… is the new and wonderful part of your life. In fact, it lets you see your life in a completely new way. But just like a scented plug-in, if you set it aside and let it become an unnoticeable part of your life, you may forget to ‘refresh’ yourself and your relationships.
So how can you find a ‘rotating scent cycle’ to keep your new Coaching Mindset within your awareness?
Of course, by becoming a coach, you will constantly be involved in the coaching process through your clients. Staying involved in the community is another great way to keep your mindset within your immediate awareness because the community is populated with like-minded individuals.
But what other ‘fragrances’ can you add to the ‘rotation’? Maintaining the Coaching Mindset in your personal and professional lives will help you solidify your newfound strengths and perspectives.
Here are a few ways to expand your coaching skills to your life outside of coaching that will not only strengthen your relationships, but will keep the Coaching Mindset in your awareness through practice. These exercises can be applied with your friends, family, co-workers, customers, online acquaintances, and even perfect strangers.
PRACTICE ASKING QUESTIONS:
Ask someone about their day, and then continue to ask questions until you get a story! Even if the story is about how they dropped their toothbrush in the sink, it is okay because it is a story. Watch how their facial expressions change the more you focus the conversation on them.
People are not used to this. In fact, you may sense some discomfort at first. You may get a series of short answers before they finally realize that you are actually interested in what they have to say. When they finally tell a story, what kind of nonverbal communication do they exhibit?
If your job involves working directly with customers, either in person or on the phone, try asking each of your customers at least 5 questions to help them find what they are looking for. By asking 5 questions, you are forcing yourself to come up with creative questions that you may not have otherwise thought to ask.
OBSERVE YOUR PEERS:
Make 3 observations about someone with whom you are in a conversation, then tell them your observations as you notice them, and then ask them a question about it. For example, “You smiled when you talk about that, does it make you happy?” or “You keep looking at the kitchen, are you hungry?”
The next time you walk into a store and are greeted by a friendly clerk, make a positive observation about that clerk. They will be a stranger to you, but tell them what you observe. “I notice that when you talk about this product, your face lights up. Do you own one, too?” or “Well, look at that smile and energy! I feel right at home. Do you enjoy your job?”
PROBLEM SOLVING:
This one does not have to involve a major problem or crisis. It can be as simple as helping someone decide where to go to dinner. Use your powerful questions to help them make a decision. “What are you in the mood for? Do you want something different than normal? How much do you want to spend? What kind of atmosphere are you looking for? Where else have you been recently?”
ACTIVE LISTENING:
When someone starts talking to you, make the decision to focus the conversation on that person. Become a mirror to their thoughts, words, and emotions. Practice blocking out all other distractions. Turn your cell phone on silent and put it away. Let them know through your words and actions that you are in the moment with this person, and that this moment is all about them. As they talk, ask them more questions about what they are saying so that you get all possible meanings from their words. Observe how they react to this. Do they feel more comfortable and talk more?
CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT:
Many people will feel more comfortable with you when you physically mirror someone’s nonverbal cues. Do not ‘mimic’ them, but match their basic cues. For instance, if the person is sitting back in a relaxed position, then be relaxed yourself. If they are sitting forward, sit forward as well. If the conversation is upbeat and they are smiling, smile back at them.
Sometimes people apologize for ‘babbling’, but take that as a compliment! If they felt comfortable enough to ‘babble’, it means they felt completely safe and were no longer aware of ‘what you might think of them’. This is a sign of trust. If they actually apologize, it means that they are suddenly aware that they might be ‘wasting your time’. Try answering their apology with a question about something they were saying. This might remind them that they are, in fact, in a safe environment.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU THINK OF?
What other ways can you come up with to practice your coaching skills and mindset in your everyday life?
Post your responses here or on the Coaching Cognition Facebook Page. We know you will have some great ideas!
9 Comments »
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Excellent exercise Kendall. Thank you so much for the tip. Have a great day.
Comment by Elizabeth Pennington — June 16, 2010 @ 11:29 am
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I am lucky that I can practice my coaching everyday – I have a 17 year old daughter. Not only am I teaching and coaching her to drive, but I am (unknown to her) coaching her on life skills too. Plus I have a friend who has just gone thru a messy marital break-up and is trying to get on her feet and create her own business – again another great way for me to practice my coaching skills with lots of active listening and asking powerful questions.
I am so grateful that I perservered with the Coaching Cognition course and to have met so many new genuine people through this life-changing experience.Comment by Helen Wenley — June 16, 2010 @ 3:00 pm
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Hey Kendall, Great Post! And oh so True! You know, I have never had the “Gift of Gab” in many social settings. I’ve never been the “life of the party” (I’m one of those techno-geeks who can spend hours with my nose in technical manuals and be happy as a lark. Or stand in front of thousands of people and give a professional technical presentation without even a hint of “butterflies.” I can write technical papers that flow marvelously, or write white papers on the latest technological advances that even management types can understand and enjoy, but that’s a whole other story).
Once I began the Coaching Cognition course, that all seemed to change for me. And now that I have graduated the basic course, I find myself actively listening to coworkers, managers, customers, and people in my social circles. Not because I’m consciously doing it, I’m not. It seems to have become second-nature to me. I have found that my professional and social relationships have improved immensely! It’s simply amazing! I am using more direct, powerful questioning techniques while doing research for projects and programs. The reactions and responses I get from people are completely different than they used to be. I sense they understand my true interest and concern in them and their jobs. They really open up and share their knowledge and emotions more freely than ever before.
I could go on & on about the improvements I’ve seen in myself in communicating and relating to & with other people. The results are beyond anything I expected!
But, I must say, the most amazing result of attending Coaching Cognition and learning coaching skills is my new ability to coach someone in an area of their life or business they want to improve. Watching them respond to the powerful questions, find their true values and vision, setting their goals, and guiding them toward an action plan that can really make a difference for them. Helping people through this process and watching them succeed is the greatest reward of all!Comment by Jack Conley — June 16, 2010 @ 8:10 pm
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Like mother like daughter Kendall. Your post is so in place, I loved every word of it. As I wrote your Mom yesterday, handing in my student log, I am looking forward to the next step, enjoying my peers and the safe haven I find there.
Never the less, I like to share this: I seem to have mastered the listening ability; being able to put aside thoughts of how I should answer, the erg to complete others sentences, guessing what they meant etc. A fault I was aware of and am glad to correct now. In other words, I do master active listening. Now I have to practice active questions.Comment by Amnon Thaller — June 17, 2010 @ 2:54 am
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Kendall,
As Elizabeth said…excellent in my opinion: the whole focus on staying active in the art of caring for others while continuing in your own self development quest.
One thought that did come to mind was recording short “takeaways” in a journal as you practice. In my way of thinking those might be not all of insights, but short ones you decide to remember for one reason or another.
Thanks again. I’ve copied this to keep and review.
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@Elizabeth – Thank you for such a nice comment! I hope that these exercise ideas help you apply your skills to your life outside of CC as well as within, and that they inspire other ideas, too.
@Helen – Your daughter and friend are lucky to have you. Not only are you equipped with the skills to help them in a constructive way, but you have the inner ability and confidence to use your skills with them! What a great example of the coaching process at work
@Jack- Wow! It is truly inspiring to read about your journey with CC. When we started, we knew that the coaching process would increase quality of life for our students and clients because we trust in this process! But it is an entirely different story to watch it actually happen for real people. And the best part is, look at all the lives you have touched with your ability to listen and ask questions. Absolutely amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing this, Jack.
@Amnon- It takes a truly perceptive person to recognize where you are at the moment, what your strengths are, and where you are ready to begin improving. Hmmm… sounds like the coaching process.
You will be a great coach, after all, when you can recognize these things for yourself, you will be in a great place to help someone else do the same!@Lee – What a great idea! This would be a wonderful way to organize your thoughts about the ways that people react to you and the experience of having someone focus completely on them! You can learn so much more by writing it down to refer to later on… what worked? what didn’t? etc.. Thank you Lee!
Comment by CoachingCognition — June 17, 2010 @ 10:07 am
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After reading your article, Kendall, I continued to reflect on what you had said and wrote down then printed out the following for myself to reflect and act on.
Enjoy!
Lee
Questions Prompt Actions. Six Questions To Consider
How can I capitalize on the value of story today? Could I ask others to share their story in any creative way?
How can I continue to use and refine the art of asking questions today?
How can I increase my “observe people skills” today?
How can I continue to develop the “people helping” habit through attentive, caring efforts at problem solving or giving assistance today?
How can I practice active listening and being in the moment today?
How can I create safe environments for people today?
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Thank you, Kendall
I love your Air freshner analogy.
Keeping a new skill fresh is a good thing to aim for.
Much appreciated.
Looking forward to your next post.
Love and Light
from
YorindaComment by Yorinda Wanner — June 26, 2010 @ 8:32 pm
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wow this was great and I learned alot just from this one post. I have been thinking about incorporating coaching into my business and after reading this I feel good about it
Comment by Emily Giuffre — August 13, 2010 @ 10:12 pm
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14
Do you ever feel a lack of motivation? This is a very natural occurrence that can be expected at some point as you move toward reaching your long-term goals. However, when you are feeling unmotivated, it may affect your confidence because you feel like you are not accomplishing everything that you ‘should’.
Just like any other obstacle, approaching these times of slowed or halted progress with the understanding that there IS a way past it is incredibly beneficial.
One of the best ways to overcome a decrease in motivation is to rekindle your excitement about what you are doing. After a long series of action steps, you may become so focused on the steps themselves that you forget about the big picture.
If you only look at the HOW
you risk forgetting the WHY.
Lee Wise, a graduate of the Coaching Cognition Certification Program, has provided a series of inspirational thought exercises that can help you bounce back from a lack of motivation and even maintain your high levels of motivation in a variety of different settings in his new eBook, Stay Motivated! An Inspirational Handbook For Attraction Marketers, which we discuss in more detail in my interview with Lee below.
I first heard about the work of Lee Wise when he won the eBook contest with Renegade Professional. Since then, Lee has continued to put himself on the map by giving people updates on his work via Facebook, creating training for R Pro, and submitting other valuable videos and articles.
When he sent me the video he made as a response to my article here on Renegade Professional News, Rewriting Myths: Why It’s Actually GOOD To Be New To Your Profession, I personally witnessed the immense value he can bring to our community. That video is now posted with my article.
Lee’s gift to the community includes his ability to absorb value from his peers, identify specific lessons from it, and present it in another format that will reach even more people. He has been successful in positioning himself as an expert who will make a great collaborative partner:
Lee Wise radiates value in everything he does. His caring and giving attitude has attracted us to him, and will no doubt attract many others. Lee is an asset to the community and is certainly someone to be watching as he interacts with and gives value to others. Do you want to learn more about successful networking skills that new coaches can use now to reach their goals? Look to Lee Wise!
To hear Lee describe his networking methods, listen to our interview (below).
We were happy to hear from Lee that he plans to use the knowledge he gained through the Coaching Cognition Certification Program by applying to be a coach with us and continuing his involvement in the Coaching Cognition and Marketing Merge community. His motivation and drive are inspiring and ever growing!
Of course, every once in a while, motivation can slow down a bit, and Lee has experienced this as well. Because this is a universal obstacle, he decided to put together this eBook, full of inspirational thoughts that have helped him in the past, and may therefore help others on their journeys.
Stay Motivated! An Inspirational Handbook For Attraction Marketers is yet another example of Lee’s ability to give value. Lee states that his book will most benefit anyone who:
“(1) enjoys self development; (2) would appreciate something designed to give inspiration along the way in their professional marketing development; and (3) those who would like ideas on training others… or using the material to train others. “
If you are involved in Coaching Cognition as a coach or a recent graduate, listen to the interview with Lee for more information on how to receive a 45% discount on his eBook, or email Lee at writeleewise(at)gmail(dot)com.
To learn more about Lee Wise, you can find him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Lee.LeeWise or on his website http://attractionmarketingexcellence.com.
Don’t forget to stop by the Coaching Cognition Page for continued updates and inspirational thoughts from members of our community. Remember, the more we share, the more grow!
2 Comments »
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Great interview. Thanks to Kendall for bringing the interview to all of us. And Lee, thank you for putting yourself out there everyone can use motivation. Lee I look forward to following your work. Thank you so much you have been an inspiration to me.
Comment by Elizabeth Pennington — June 16, 2010 @ 12:08 pm
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@Elizabeth… I will return your “Thanks” for the kind remarks, Elizabeth: it almost goes without saying they are encouraging!
Hope you enjoy the book!
Lee
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09
Are you a Coaching Cognition student who has just graduated? Do you experience feelings or doubts that you may not be ready to call yourself a coach? You are in the middle of the wonderful transition from student to coach. Here you will discover how to change your perspective on transition and how to shorten your transition in order to reach your goals even faster.
There are many kinds of transitions that we experience in life. Some are more defined than others, such as moving to a new home. You know exactly when you are fully moved in to the new home because all of your belongings are there, and you no longer possess the key to your previous place.
Other transitions are less defined, but as a society, we define them in other ways. “Growing up” is a seemingly gradual process. When did you first say, “I am now a mature adult”? It’s difficult to tell when you have finally arrived at adulthood.
So we look to our age and our ability to handle various situations as signs of our maturity and adulthood. Once we begin to see ourselves as adults, we are more aware of what it means to be an adult, and we act accordingly.
We look for these signs or milestones to help us determine when one phase has ended and another one begins. We tend to lean toward defining and labeling our current situation so that we no longer feel like we are in transition. Why do we do this?
Transitions commonly
make people uncomfortable.
But is it the transition itself that causes stress? Or is it the struggle to avoid the next step due to fear or lack of confidence that keeps you in a perpetual state of discomfort instead of enjoying the journey?
If you are in a transitional stage, you may feel unstable or nervous. When you focus on transition as a negative experience, you may slow or halt your progress and this could cause you to remain in the transitional state indefinitely.
Transitions are a part of everyday life and
are essential to achieving your goals.
Therefore, it is important to identify your transitional stages, define the next stage, enjoy the transition, accept when the next stage has arrived, and learn more about yourself. Through these five steps, your transitional period will become shorter and more enjoyable. It will become I.D.E.A.L.
I – Identify the Fact That You Are In Transition
Sometimes you may feel unstable, and you are not sure why. Everything is going smoothly, you are taking the right actions, and you are moving toward your goal successfully. However, you may experience an uncomfortable sensation, as if something is askew.
When everything is going according to plan, and you feel unbalanced, there is a good chance that you are going through a transitional stage. This is not a bad thing, and the instability does not mean that your life is unstable. Instability, when associated with transition, simply means that you are outside of your comfort zone.
If everything always remained stagnant, you would always be ‘comfortable’, but you would never be achieving more for yourself. In order to succeed, you have to experience transition. It is the only way to get from Point A to Point B.
For example, if you have just completed the Coaching Cognition Certification Program, you may be feeling nervousness and loss. Are you nervous about becoming a coach? Are you unsure of weather or not you are ready to call yourself a coach? Is there a sense of loss because the training is over? These are all very natural emotions, and they are valid and healthy.
But do realize that one stage (training) has ended, and the new stage (coaching) will begin soon. The time in between is a transitional stage. Recognizing this will help you validate your emotions, understand why you are feeling them and why it is normal, and be able to move through the transition more smoothly.
D – Define the Next Stage
When you are in transition, sometimes you might lose focus due to the fact that you have breached the boundaries of your comfort zone. To avoid losing focus, take the time to define the next stage and what it will take to get there.
For many of our recent graduates at Coaching Cognition, the next stage will be to become a coach. How do you define a coach and how is it different from a coaching student? What do you need to do to begin your practice? What will it take for you to be able to assume your new role as a coach? What do you think you have to have in place before you begin calling yourself a coach? What are the things that you do not have to have in place before you begin, things that can be developed as you learn from your experiences with clients, such as your niche?
E – Enjoy the Transition
If you watch the sun rise, and you try to follow its movement as it creeps above the horizon, you will not necessarily be looking for the moment in which it becomes ‘daytime’. You simply enjoy the changing colors in the sky.
Keeping a similar attitude in the midst of your transition will allow you to enjoy it as it happens, instead of focusing on when you are ‘ready’ for the next stage. As long as you continue taking steps, you will arrive. So take the steps, but ENJOY THEM!
As a student of Coaching Cognition, you have transitioned from student to certified coach. You are already a coach! Your goal may be to become a practicing coach, so now is the time to take steps to start your practice. While it may feel strange that the training calls are over, what can you do with this new time to move you closer to your goal? Have you looked into how you will start your practice? Are you planning to apply to be a Coaching Cognition coach?
Again, take the steps, but don’t forget to enjoy the process. Every moment of your journey is special.
A – Accept and Embrace the New Stage
As long as you are focused on the positives, this will be much easier! Fear can get in the way of this step in the transition process because it is the very step that allows the transitional period to end and bring the new stage upon you!
If you have mapped out your action plan and followed it accordingly, then you will have all of the confidence you need to succeed. Does this mean you will be 100% sure? Of course not, every step into new territory comes with a hint of doubt. Otherwise, it would be easy, and everyone would do it. Taking a risk becomes less of a risk if you are prepared in as many ways as possible.
Those of you who just completed the Coaching Cognition Certification Program are no longer students. You are coaches! How does it feel to say this? Say it out loud.
“I AM A COACH”
Say it again and again until you embrace it. And when the time comes that you are a practicing coach, perhaps with Coaching Cognition, it will be even easier to accept and embrace that title.
L – Learn About Yourself and Continue to Grow
Take this transition as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and your career. Specifically define what you have learned so that you can apply it to the next transitional stage. You will begin to notice that they get easier and easier.
Let’s quickly review the I.D.E.A.L. Transition:
I – Identify the Fact That You Are In Transition
D – Define the Next Stage
E – Enjoy the Transition
A – Accept and Embrace the New Stage
L – Learn About Yourself and Continue to Grow
What are you doing during your time of transition? Share your plans at the Coaching Cognition Facebook Page and see what your peers are up to.
02
You have just decided to become an entrepreneur, and you have taken the necessary steps to get your business in order. For instance, those of you who just completed your coach training with Coaching Cognition are now equipped with the skills and knowledge to begin your coaching practice.
It’s a new experience that is both exciting and motivating. However, it is also natural to feel a bit overwhelmed by the fact that you have not yet had what you might consider a ‘real’ coaching session. You realize that you are a ‘new coach’.
It’s time to continue the process of building self-confidence, which may seem difficult when you are brand new to a profession. For example, when I was hired to work at a gift shop, I was really excited! I was ready to learn about the job, the products, my co-workers, and the customers.
I also understood the fact that I knew nothing about the day-to-day duties of working for that particular store. At first, I found myself afraid to answer the phone or greet customers. What if someone asks a question that I do not know the answer to?
So then I thought about what I DO know. I know how to talk to people, how to make them feel comfortable, how to find the answers they are looking for even if I do not already know them myself, how to run a cash register, how to ask them questions about what type of gift they are looking for…etc…
I realized I was spending my time worrying about what I don’t know, and not appreciating and using what I do know. Just because I am new, does not mean that I cannot help customers find the perfect gift. Once I took this perspective on being ‘the new girl’, I discovered a way to handle those situations in which I didn’t know the answer. My new response to those questions came from an honest place, and let the customer know they would get valuable service from me. 6 little words made the difference for me.
“I don’t know. Let’s learn together!”
Suddenly, their questions did not just present an opportunity to educate them on our products, but also to educate me! Each time was a learning experience. But the major lesson for me was that I had fallen victim to the myth that being ‘new’ meant that I couldn’t give good customer service.
When the Coaching Cognition training ended last week, I thought about my gift shop experience. Many of you, our students, are planning to go on and become coaches for the first time through Coaching Cognition, and you may be feeling the same way I did on my first day at the gift shop. I started thinking about the different types of fears or concerns that a new coach may experience.
But more importantly, I started thinking about how can we rewrite, or reframe, these myths in a positive way? How can we draw on our strengths and experiences to build confidence and provide value for our clients?
This article is dedicated to reframing the marketing myths about being ‘new’.
Myths: I’m New, So That Means…
… I Don’t Know What I’m Doing –
What do you mean when you say this to yourself? You have completed your training, had tons of peer coaching sessions, and a passion for coaching that has led you to pursue it as a profession. Are you afraid of a client presenting you with a situation through which you do not know how to guide them? What version of “I don’t know, let’s learn together” can you come up with to help you become confident in your ability to address that situation?
… I Have Nothing To Offer-
Instead of focusing on what you think you do not have, look at what you do have. You have the learned coaching skills, along with a passion for helping others. You know how to ask the right questions to help your clients succeed. You have your personality, and through that, your coaching style. There may be ten other Coaching Cognition coaches who offer sessions around the 90 Day Action Plan. But YOU are the only one who will approach the subject in the manner that fits your personality and style. One coach may take a more relaxed approach, another may take a very personal approach, and you may prefer a more professional approach. So who do you think the serious executive type will choose? You ARE what you have to offer.
… I’m Inexperienced-
You are a new coach who has not yet had a scheduled session with a paying client. Does this mean you are not experienced? Of course not. Again, you have the training and practice you need to be great. Beyond that, if you focus on the fact that you have not yet coached in this particular situation, then you may feel overwhelmed or nervous. Every client, every situation, every session will be different. This does not mean you are inexperienced in coaching a 24 year old entrepreneur who is breaking away from the family business to pursue his dream while also juggling a new marriage and setting up the nursery for the unborn twins. It simply means that this is a new situation, but the process is the same. Trust yourself and trust the coaching process. Focus on the experience you DO have. Perhaps you relate really well with baby boomers, so you market to baby boomers. Again, use your strengths.
… I’m Not Good Enough Since I Don’t Already Have A Lot Of Clients -
Having a small client list is not a sign of your quality of service; it is simply a sign that you are new. Let people know that you just started coaching with Coaching Cognition. Educate them on the coaching levels and what a Level 1 coach means. It does not mean you are a less qualified coach, it just means that you haven’t coached for THIS company for as long as a level 6 coach. If your list is not very long yet, it just means that you can’t use “I’ve coached over 300 entrepreneurs!” as a part of your marketing.
… The Value I Have To Offer Is Probably Already Out There-
While this statement may be true to a certain degree, the myth here is that this is a negative thing. Not every message can reach every person at the right time. Be the messenger. You do not have to invent positive thinking in order to share its power. However, you CAN put your own spin on it. This is probably not the first article ever written about what it’s like to be new. However, it is probably the only one that compares becoming a coach to someone’s first day working at a gift shop. Find your voice, and use it give value in a unique way. As long as the value you give is from an honest place that says a little bit about who you are, your message WILL be unique.
Being a new coach can itself be a selling point! Have you ever listened to Lasik eye center radio ads where they tell you that Dr. So-and-So has performed over 3000 Lasik procedures? Have you ever thought… Doesn’t he get tired, or go into ‘autopilot’? I wonder if he is always paying close attention to detail or if he makes mistakes as a result of over-confidence!
There are many other benefits to being new, a few of which I’ve listed here. What other Truths can you come up with? Share them at the Coaching Cognition Facebook Page.
Truths: I’m New, So…
… My Energy Is Strong And I’m Highly Motivated
… I Can Connect With My Prospects On A More Personal Level
… I’m Learning Along With My Prospects
… I’m Able To Add A Fresh Perspective On My Profession
As A New Coach, Your First Client Is Yourself: Coaching Yourself Through Being ‘New’ – Video by Lee Wise
14 Comments »
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Thanks Kendall.
I love your stile and the way you put a mirror in front of every one of us. I know the answer for each one of us is in him and wish for all: enjoy your trip. AmnonComment by Amnon Thaller — June 2, 2010 @ 12:32 pm
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What a great perspective this is Kendall. We can be so hard on ourselves and not place enough value on the knowledge we possess.
I can well remember the first free coaching I did and the first paid coaching. I was nervous but so excited, and in the end, I remember that I really helped my clients.
Just remember that even if all you do is really listen to your client and feedback what you are hearing, you are offering your client a very special gift. The gift of your time, attention, focus, insight and perspective. Congratulations on graduating and providing the valuable service of coaching.
Comment by Cindy Schulson — June 2, 2010 @ 2:12 pm
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Everyone has his values and some things to offer to the
people. when we dicide to accomplish our purpose in life,we have just do it, and
the building self-confidence
will come by itself.Lea Sedan.
““The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance.
Remember, the greatest failure is to not try.
Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.”
~Debbi Fields~
Founder, Mrs. Fields Cookies & Fields BakeriesComment by Lea Sedan — June 3, 2010 @ 5:53 am
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@Kendall An absolutely superb article and thoughts, Kendall. Quality thinking to reflect on. As a new coach, I can tell you that I copying this article to review and apply.
@Cindy. I appreciated the thought of “gifting” to your client: “…you are offering your client a very special gift. The gift of your time, attention, focus, insight and perspective.”
Super. Another entry into material I am keeping to review.
As always, I appreciate the Renegade Pro/Coaching Cognition team.
Thanks!
Lee
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Kendall, what a great way to look at being new in any profession. I will certainly keep this in mind when doing my first paid session.
Cindy, you are so right that our time and attention are gifts to our clients.
Comment by Tracey Hausel — June 3, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
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Thank you Kendall!
I really appreciate the way you reframed the Newbie perspective.
Love and light
from
YorindaComment by Yorinda Wanner — June 4, 2010 @ 1:41 pm
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Thanks for this article Kendall. Much needed advice, I needed to read this for sure.
And yes, any category is a strength in itself, as is the category of newbie.
Comment by Asha — June 5, 2010 @ 3:06 am
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Kendall, you are such a great addition to this community. Your contributions of wisdom and unique insight have been so valuable to me. I too will read this daily for inspiration. Just printed it out. I look forward to hearing more from you.
Thank you.
CharleneComment by Charlene Herman — June 5, 2010 @ 9:45 pm
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Thanks for an interesting and informative article. Being new does have it’s challenges.
Comment by Patty Jones — June 6, 2010 @ 3:53 am
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I like the way you think, Kendall. It clearly shows how your mom has influenced you over time.
The newcomer is faced with many challenges and one of the biggest is wondering if they can give something that is of value to others. This business does put one in a place where they cannot avoid learning more and more about themselves.Comment by Marie Leonard — June 8, 2010 @ 1:11 pm
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[...] [...]
Pingback by Are You Looking For Ways To “Stay Motivated!” – Lee Wise Shows You How! « Renegade Professional News — June 14, 2010 @ 8:01 pm
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I once learned, and now teach new people who join my network marketing team, how to cope with questions when new, and not so new.
You do not have to know everything, and once soemone has asked a question, it gives you the opportunity to go and find the answer, for next time, therefore building up our personal knowledge.
Secondly, by having a couple of replies ready for when you get a surprise question you are much less likely to be stuck for words. Ideas are “I am not sure, all I know is …” or “that is a good question, I will check that out and get back to you” or “wow, I had not thought of that before” or something similar. Expect surprises, but know that you are not going to get a lot of unanswerable questions from one person.
If you have built up a relationship up with the person you are speaking to, they will not hold it against you for not knowing everything.As I discovered with my new car and my new house, new does not last forever.
Comment by Mary Speller — June 20, 2010 @ 11:10 pm
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[...] great example of this is the video that Lee Wise made in response to an article here on Renegade Professional [...]
Pingback by Coaching Cognition Helps You Market Your Coaching Offers « Renegade Professional News — July 7, 2010 @ 2:32 am
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thank you for showing your appreciated experiences and knowledge about coaching when you are new!
it helps to concentrate on the things that are important rather than on being a “bad coach” because you are new!
i wish you a good and solid start into the next week!
gerald
Comment by Gerald Gigerl — July 25, 2010 @ 9:09 am
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I love this advice Kendall (and by the way, it was so wonderful to meet you). It’s easy to get swept up in the energy and excitement and then not implement when you get back home.
Here are two things that really help me make the most of an event like this.
1. Commit to 3 specific actions I will implement within the next few weeks after the event — and follow through!
2. Get involved with a program that was shared at the event. At a recent conference I went to, I found the program that met my needs and invested in that. For you, that program might be “Coaching Business Mastery” that I announced during my presentation (all about building a successful coaching business that leverages your time and creates multiple streams of coaching income). Or it might be to really get serious about the Marketing Funnel Mastery Program (which you might not have done fully before the event). Or it might be participating in another program, or working with a coach that you met there. The reason this is important is that it gives you the support you need to move forward with your business.
Thanks again for allowing me to do the presentation, Kendall and for helping put together such an amazing event!
p.s. I posted a snippet of my presentation on my Facebook Page if anyone wants to see it:)
warm wishes,
Cindy
Comment by Cindy Schulson — July 2, 2010 @ 4:38 pm
Even though I was not at the event, Kendall, in reading over some of the material and thinking about ways to keep the motivation going, I would amplify several things by saying…
1. Ask yourself who seemed to respond to you personally? Your ideas, thoughts, personality, plans, brainstorming, etc. Then… simply contact them.
2. Think “short, sweet and meaningful” and use that as a filter in the reviewing of your notes and/or thoughts you had… then write down “short, sweet and meaningful” insights or ideas. The “filter” will cause you to further refine and solidify things *in the context of your own style and personality.*
And, I personally would think relative to the above statement and this particular conference, to definitely “let the ideas and thoughts flow”… inside and *outside* of the marketing funnel concept. Why? Answer: The creation of material to share and ideas to jot down for the future.
Okay, there’s my two cents worth of off the cuff thinking.
Comment by Lee Wise — July 2, 2010 @ 7:10 pm
These are great ideas and great suggestions of how we can put ourselves in the other person’s shoes and really try to understand how they feel. This is great for coaching, marketing or just being a nice person who thinks of others!
I’m excited for coaching cognition to re-open. Where can I get more information about that?
Kari Baxter
Comment by Kari Baxter — July 2, 2010 @ 7:39 pm