But remember, this ‘returned favor’ should never be expected.  It may lead to disappointment.  There are many external factors that are involved in whether or not the person you are promoting will even see your promotion.  Therefore, make sure that if you promote, you are doing it for the sake of increasing the value of your content.

I am discussing the possibilities of what the promotion of others can lead to, but it should not be the goal.  For example, you are in your car on the freeway in rush hour traffic, and there is a car in the lane next to you with its signal on.  You decide to let them over, and they get in front of you, and then do not wave thanks.  How do you feel?  Are you upset or angry?  If so, what was your purpose for letting them over?  Did you do it so that traffic would flow more easily or so that you would get the self-satisfaction and validation of the wave?

When you are promoting others, promote people who have influenced you in some way, either through their services or through content you have read.  Otherwise, your readers may not find value in that promotion, and you may be left in bumper-to-bumper traffic AND miss out on the ‘wave’.

So, what can the promotion of others

do for you and your prospects?

Promoting others will establish your own image as a giving person.  If you are willing to promote the work of others, then it means that you do not take the ‘every man for himself’ attitude in business.   It means that the importance of giving value to your prospects is more important than making sure your own name is all your readers ever see.

It shows confidence in your own value.  By sharing what others are doing, or giving credit to others who have helped you achieve your goals, you are letting your prospects know that you are not afraid to expose them to other leaders, risking that they leave you to follow that person.

Promoting others through giving credit for their product or service that has helped you in some way can also give you credibility.  It lets your prospects know that you have experience and/or training that may help them succeed, too!

And finally, when you honestly promote others, especially if you do it on their own sites, it will help you become more recognizable!  Not only will you be more visible on their site when you leave comments for their blog or post on their wall, but when you use a frequently searched name in your own content, it is likely that others will come across your work while looking for information on the person you credited or promoted.

What are some easy ways to

promote others successfully?

Write an entire article about what someone else is doing, while making sure that you find a way to relate it to yourself and/or your readers.  If you read an article that you enjoyed or that you learned from, share it with your readers by writing a response article.  You do not have to simply share the link to someone else’s content, you can write your own content that shares their information and shows your personal reaction to it.  Did it cause you to think or to act? Tell your prospects about it, and include a link to the original work, so that they can read it for themselves and see what they get out of it.

Write an entire article about what you are doing, but give credit to others who have helped you along the way.  Promoting in the form of giving credit where you believe it is due will not only show your prospects that you are a grateful person, but it will also give them the opportunity to get the same kind of assistance from the same place you did!  You are essentially pointing your prospects in the right direction for their own development as an entrepreneur.

Be where your future cross-promotion partners are!  Go to their blogs, Facebook pagess, etc and leave valuable comments often.  The more you leave comments and interact with them and their visitors, the more promotion you are giving them by contributing to the activity of their sites, and the more recognized you will become by showing the value you can provide.

Leaving comments on your own Facebook page is another way to promote others.  If you want to tag someone in a comment, make sure you are already ‘friends’, then type in an “@” and begin to type their name.  A list will populate beneath the comment box, and you will be able to choose that person from the list.  Once you do that, their display name will appear in the comment box and it will become a link to their page.  Your comment will even show up on their wall, too!  This only works with original wall posts, not with replies to posts.

When YOUR content has been shared:

If you have promoted someone, or even mentioned and tagged them in an article or blog post, and they turn around and promote that content to their own list, what do you do?  In addition to maintaining your post, including answering comments, connecting with your readers, and watching for further promotions from those readers, what can you do to show that you appreciate the promotion of your post?

If the person who reciprocated your promotion is a highly recognized individual, it may seem difficult to thank them personally.  However, there are ways to get your message to this industry leader.  For example, if they shared your link on Facebook, comment on their link post.  If they shared it through an email list, perhaps you can show your appreciation on their personal Facebook page.

What do you do if you discover that someone has shared your content without you promoting them first?  What would you hope someone else would do?  Do you think it would be beneficial to go to their page, thank them for sharing, and then try to find something worth sharing with your audience?  Remember to always do what you think everyone else would do in a perfect business world.  BE the perfect business world.

Is cross-promotion a form of collaboration?

Why do you think cross-promotion can be considered a form of collaboration?  A collaborative partnership involves two or more people working together toward a common purpose.  But what is the common purpose in cross-promotion?  If you and another individual are working together to promote each other, then the promotion itself is the common purpose.  So yes, cross-promotion is, in fact, a form of collaboration!

Thinking about cross-promotion as a collaborative effort might help you remember that it is frequently the first step toward more involved collaborations.  If cross-promotion works out well between two individuals, then it means that the content you both provide work well for both of your target markets, it establishes recognition of and between both of you, and it can possibly set the stage for future relationships.

These are all relatively broad examples of how to invite cross-promotion into your business life.  If you would like more personalized assistance, talk to your coach about ways that you can promote others that will be beneficial to your business and, most importantly, to your community!

Click here to visit an article with more information on collaboration, and then check out the accompanying interview with Richard Goutal, expert collaborator and Coaching Cognition coach!

If you are looking for future collaboration or cross-promotion partners, visit the Coaching Cognition fan page and see what others are doing that you think is worth sharing with your prospects, then practice what you have learned here.

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What can you gain from collaboration?  Do you avoid working with others because you feel it will distract you from your own professional goals?  How can collaborating help you reach your goals faster?  Do all forms of collaboration involve beginning a new project with someone else?

To answer these questions, let’s discuss the meaning of collaboration.  Collaboration describes two or more individuals who work together toward a common goal.  Whether that goal is to create a product or service, to educate people about a particular concept, or to simply promote each other, if you are working with another person, you are collaborating.

So how can collaborating help

you move your business forward?

Working with others is a great way to gain more exposure.  You will not only be seen by your own target market, but also by the target market of the person with whom you are collaborating.  Most likely, you will both be promoting your project.

Collaborating will also teach you new perspectives, ideas, and practices.  When you work with another person, you will get an inside view of the way they operate, more knowledge about that person’s target market, and see how they promote to that market.   You can learn a lot from working with others.

There are different levels of involvement when it comes to collaboration.  Here, we have grouped collaborations into 5 categories, for the purpose of simplification.  However, the possibilities for types of collaboration are as vast as the various types of business endeavors, if not more.

1) Business Partnerships –This is most likely the highest form, because a business partnership may require the most time, effort, dedication, and focus.

2) Small Project Management – This is considered a temporary project, even if the promotion of that project continues long after the project itself is complete, because the bulk of the work for the project itself will be ‘finished’ at some point.

3) Masterminds – If you are part of a group of entrepreneurs working together for the common purpose of helping each other succeed in their own business, this mastermind group fits the description of collaboration.

4) Brainstorming – If you know someone whose knowledge will improve a product or campaign you are creating, invite that person to brainstorm ideas with you.

5) Cross-Promotion – This is the most indirect form of collaboration that sometimes begins with one person promoting another, without any expectations from that person to ‘return the favor’.  However, the moment they begin to promote your work, you are collaborating, (even though you do not actually sit down together and brainstorm, plan, etc), because you are, in essence, working together toward the common goal of giving value to your community and promoting each other.

Richard Goutal, a graduate of Coaching Cognition, is an expert collaborator who helps other entrepreneurs learn how to collaborate successfully.  He comes from a long background of teaching, and enjoys taking concepts and making them easy and fun to learn.  His website, www.collaborationsimplified.com, is designed to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from his expertise and apply the lessons to their own business.

You may have read his recent article about the No Excuses Summit in Vegas this summer (2010), in which he describes his experience of self-discovery as a leader in the industry.  In our interview (below), Richard discusses this article, how collaboration in the form of cross-promotion helped him get noticed, and the incredible response to the article.

Richard Goutal wrote another insightful article in which he compares collaboration to schoolyard children at play and discusses the lessons we learn as children in the world of play seem to be re-learned as adults in the world of business.  Reading this article will help you tap into those lessons learned long ago and apply them to your business today!

As a brand new coach with Coaching Cognition, Richard Goutal is going to be taking his expertise to a new level by helping you discover your own methods, strengths, and skills that can be used to develop and maintain successful and profitable collaborations.

So be sure to find Richard Goutal at Coaching Cognition so that you can work with an experienced entrepreneur and trained coach.

The interview with Richard Goutal was absolutely enthralling.  You will gain new insight on how collaboration, specifically cross promotion, will help you move your business forward.  It was an honor to interview Richard, because he brings such a unique perspective to his work.  The presentation of his articles, videos, and webinars allow his audience to do more than just watch, listen to, or read his work… you experience it.  We are so proud to have an industry leader like Richard Goutal coaching with us at Coaching Cognition!

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Nonverbal communication accounts for most of our daily communication.  The actual words are simply a more organized version of communication, but our nonverbal cues are even more important.   In a coaching setting, understanding these nonverbal cues is essential to being a great coach.

However, there are plenty of other occasions in which it is important to understand the use of nonverbal cues, such as promoting a product or service, teaching, emailing your lead list, responding to a complaint, making a complaint, etc.

Wait, some of those examples involve written text!  Is it possible to use nonverbal communication in your writing?

To answer this, we must first understand nonverbal cues and how they are used.

Nonverbal cues include how you use your words, pauses in your speech, the tone of your voice, changes in tempo or pitch, emphasis on words, facial expressions, eye contact, how you sit, where you sit in proximity to others…  It is literally EVERYTHING except the definition of the words themselves.

So, how can you use nonverbal communication in text if all the reader sees are the written words?

The first step to understanding how to use nonverbal communication in your written materials is to understand the cues you are already using!  Once you examine what you are doing now, you will have a better sense of what you can improve.

Here we have listed some of the most common nonverbal cues that are used in written materials.

Word Choice:

Choosing to use emotional words will help your readers feel your message and will allow them to essentially ‘see’ what your facial expressions might look like if you were speaking these words.  An example might be to use the word “ecstatic” rather than “glad”.

You can also paint a visual picture by using descriptive words to convey a message.  The very things you choose to describe tell a lot about you and your message.  If you say, “Last night, I was in class and learned about coaching”, your message is pretty straightforward.  However, you may choose to say, “The sun had just dipped under the horizon, but my day was not yet done.  I attended a coaching class online, and while the skies were dark, my internal light was shining bright!  I learned so much about coaching, that I could not wait for the sun to rise again so that I could practice my new skills.”

Not only do these examples include words with different definitions, the fact that they were chosen sends a message to your readers about your emotions and what you value as important parts of the story or concept you are describing.

Explanation:

If you are not sure that your message is expressing the right nonverbal cues, take some time to explain your intent, emotion, etc.

For example,  “If you could see my face right now, you would see a HUGE smile!”  or “I chuckle when I say…”

Repetition:

Another way to show emphasis or importance is by repeating your words.  While there is great meaning to the words written, the emphasis is in the repetition… the emphasis is in the repetition.

Bold, Italics, Underline:

If you want to stress the importance of a single word, using any of these three functions is a great option.  These nonverbal cues can also communicate that a sentence is a thought or a quote.  I wonder if this is being properly communicated as a thought.

Font, Text Size, Text Colors:

Some fonts give a playful feel to your text.  Others are more professional, casual, fancy, or even personal.

Changing the color of your text can also give your message a different mood.  Sometimes, you may change the color of a word or two for emphasis, distinction, or categorization.

You can also use different sizes of text to convey different nonverbal cues.  ALL CAPS is great for emphasis and is commonly synonymous with SHOUTING.  This is why when you get an email or text in all capital letters, you sometimes feel worried for a split second that the person who sent it to you might be angry or upset.

Punctuation:

In this case, we are referring to punctuation beyond the period, question mark, and exclamation point.  You can use other punctuation to.  My personal favorite is …

No, that was it.  “…”  Those three little dots can create suspense, denote a pause, emphasize, and show emotion.  It is also great when you feel like a sentence does not need to actually be finished because your reader will already knows or can guess the rest of the thought.  I would reiterate this point but…

Emoticons:

These are great for casual emails, text messages, posts, and blogs.  They are usually not good options for professional messages.  You can insert a when you want to show that what you are saying is to be taken in a nice way.  Most likely, you are familiar with emoticons.  Many instant messaging programs have created animated versions of these emoticons that communicate hugs, kisses, happiness, sadness, boredom, celebration… almost any emotion!

It is important to be careful with emoticons.  For example, if you make a statement that is blatantly rude, adding a at the end might be considered insulting or confusing.  Make sure that if you message is important, that you are using other nonverbal cues that match your emoticon.  What are some other ways you can communicate a smile without using ?

Other things to think about:

*Physical organization of text (layout)

*Content organization

*Grammar

*Frequency of sending emails, posting, etc

What are some other nonverbal cues you can think of that will help you send a message through your written words?

Have you had any experiences when someone has tried to write to you, and it came off in a negative way?

How many times have your written materials been misinterpreted?  What can you do next time to ensure that your message is heard clearly and correctly?

Post your thoughts HERE.

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Article by Kendall Silva

Your coach application is your first marketing tool for your coaching business with Coaching Cognition.  Why?  Because a good portion of what you include in your answers will be posted directly onto your Coach Profile if you are chosen to become a Coaching Cognition Coach!

In this article, we will take you through the application, show you what answers will be in your Coach Profile (and where), and give you some things to think about as you answer these questions.  If you have already submitted your application, you can still benefit from this article.  After all, you will be able to edit your Coach Profile from your back office.  So if this article gives you some new ideas, you can include them in your profile.

50-character Short Description:

The answer you provide will become the text underneath your name on your Coach Profile Badge that will be in rotation on other pages of the Coaching Cognition website.  It is the first statement about you that many prospective clients will see, so it should entice them to click on your link so they can learn more about you.

It will also appear on your Coach Profile between your name and your list of topics.

Let’s discuss different types of short description by looking at examples from current Coaching Cognition coaches.

Credibility Quotes:

If someone with a recognizable name has said something great about you, and you can fit the quote with that person’s name in the 50-character limit, this may be a great option.  Remember, if you choose to go this route, you will attract fans of that public figure.  Therefore, it is important to keep your target market in mind.  If you are marketing relationship coaching to couples, then quoting a commendation from the head of the math department at Stanford is probably not going to mean anything to your prospects.

“Best of the best – an awesome coach.” Ann Sieg

Curt Johnson has chosen to do this because Ann Sieg made a great comment about him.  This is a great example of how to use this option for your short description.  Curt works with network marketers, so a commendation Ann Sieg will give him credibility with his prospects.

Pitch Your Niche:

Make a statement about your market and the coaching services you offer.  Let your target market know right away that you are here to meet their needs.  This is great if you have a very specialized service.  If you want to work with any entrepreneur at any stage of their business endeavor, then this may not be the right description for you.  It can work, but it is something to keep in mind.

“Guilt free parenting for the entrepreneur.”

Drifa Ulfarsdottir is addressing a need for entrepreneurs who are raising children.  In one short statement, she has described her market (parents who are starting a business), the need (parents feel guilty that they do not have enough time for their business AND parenting), and the solution she offers through coaching (balancing work with good parenting).

Word Association:

What words or phrases can you use that will directly appeal to your target market?  You can use words that create a mood, phrases that are recognized by your prospective clients, etc.

“Multi-Market Coach for the Technically Challenged”

Becky Joubert uses the phrase “Technically Challenged”.  What kind of client does that bring to mind?  For me, it brings an image of a positive person with youthful energy and humor, who is dedicated to their business, but may be held back by their lack of technical knowledge.  Does this mean that Becky is a technical expert who can make it easy for you?  Or does it mean that she, too, is not technically inclined, and has therefore discovered a solution that allows you to succeed without being technically savvy?  Either way, if I describe myself as technically challenged, I will connect with her description immediately and click on her link to learn more.

Direct Descriptions:

This is a great approach for reaching a target market that knows what kind of assistance they want.  If someone wants to learn how to balance their network marketing and their personal life, then they may be more attracted to a description that says “Life Balance For Network Marketers”.

It can also work if you would like to coach within a certain area of interest.  For example, if you want to work with couples, then you can describe yourself as a Relationship Coach.  This will cover younger couples, older couples, newly weds, etc.  The possibilities are endless.  While it can be helpful to find a particular niche, this may be a great way to start out.  As you begin coaching and learning about certain issues that continue to arise with your clients, you may begin to develop your niche.

“Wellness Coach/Strategist; Helping You Stay Well”

Sharon Graham is taking the direct approach.  If you are interested in staying well, she is the right woman for the job!  By including the word Strategist, she is emphasizing the idea of creating an action plan with measureable results.

Personality Presentation:

You may want to attract clients who have a similar personality to your own.  This is important to many coaches.  In fact, the reason we offer 15-minute free sessions is so that you and your clients can see if you are a good match.  Some coaches like to show their personality and coaching style using their marketing so that they attract similar personality types to them in the first place.

“FUN to work with!  15 min FREE session!”

Mike Hutchins has not only used the word fun, but it’s all in caps!  He is describing an upbeat, humorous, and enjoyable coaching atmosphere.  People who like to keep the fun in their business and want a coach who has the ability to laugh will be attracted to his profile.

Tag, You’re IT:

Do you want to help your clients, fans, and prospects remember you and your niche?  Try using a ‘tag’ that others will know you by.  Barbara Silva is known as the Coaches’ Coach, therefore, that is the name she uses in her 50-character description.  However, for a new coach, it might be helpful to also include something else that further describes your coaching services.

Let’s say you decide to become “The Vision Coach”.  You can either continue with the same imagery by adding “– Helping You SEE Your Potential”, or you can make a slightly more direct statement about the service you provide by adding “– Let’s Design Your Future Today”.  You could even be downright concrete by adding “– For Goal-Oriented Entrepreneurs”.  (Each of these examples fit the 50-character limit.

“The Masterpiece Coach – Bring Your Work To Life!”

This one is mine.  I use the word masterpiece because my target market consists mainly of artists and the word will appeal to the artistic mind.  Using the phrase, Bring Your Work To Life is used on two different levels.  On one level, artist use this phrase to describe a play being performed for the first time, or lyrics that are sung for the first time.  On another level, it describes the idea of merging your work with your life’s passion.   Through this tag and the accompanying phrase, my prospective clients will have a relatively good sense of what approach I will bring to our coaching sessions.

Crafty Combinations:

You may have noticed that some of the examples above could also be used to illustrate some of the other types of descriptions listed.  This is great.  Remember, this statement is a reflection of you and your coaching.  If you are a more professional type, use professional language.  If you want to project a more lad back style, try to use language that suggests your style.

There are so many approaches to the 50-Character Description, so find the one that is right for you.

200-character Description for Meet Our Coaches:

This will appear on the Meet Our Coaches Page.  From this page, you can read each coach’s entire 200-character description.

When you are writing this longer description, keep your 50-character description in mind.   This description is an opportunity to tell your prospective clients more about you.  Therefore, if you chose to take the Personality Presentation approach, then try a more direct approach in your 200-character description.  If your 50-character was based on the direct method, then try to say a little something about your style.

You may not want your longer description to simply restate your shorter one.  However, it is also important to remember that your 200-character description may be the first impression your prospective clients get.  After all, not every coach will always be on the rotation at the very moment that a prospect lands on the Coaching Cognition page, so make sure that both your 50- and your 200-character descriptions can stand alone in a way that inspires people to learn more about you.

Another thing to keep in mind is that your 200-character description is only visible on the Meet Our Coaches page.  This means that all the other coaches’ descriptions will be on the page as well.  Take a look at what the other coaches are saying so that you can make sure that yours is different enough to be distinct.  You do not want to say the same thing as another coach who offers similar topics.

-Have you coached before?

-How long?

-What areas?

These questions need only a little explanation.  They are based solely on your past experience.  If your answer to the first question is “No”, then make sure you put “N/A” on the other two questions.  Your application may not submit if all fields are not filled in.  This will not appear on your profile, it is simply information that we use to select applicants, but please note, being a first-time coach does not mean you will not be selected.

Please list any previous training or certifications:

Go ahead and include your Coaching Cognition certification in your answer.  Also include your undergraduate or graduate studies, vocational schools, etc.  Any formal training that you think might relate to your coaching services or skills.  This information is for our use only.  You can include this information in your profile once you are selected to coach with Coaching Cognition by editing your page if you choose.

Language fluency other than English:

Again, if you do not speak any other languages, write “N/A”.

Any special interests or qualifications you’d like us to know about?

This is a great place to discuss your work history and experiences.  Have you worked with corporate executives in a previous job?  The job itself does not need to relate to coaching, but if it describes your experience working with a group of individuals (like corporate executives) who may become your target market for your coaching services, this will be valuable information.

Please include anything here that you can possibly imagine might bring value to yourself as a coach.   This is also for our use only, and will not automatically appear on your Coach Profile unless you include it yourself when you edit your profile.

Tell us your reasons for wishing to coach:

This is your chance to show us your motives for becoming a coach.  You are no longer promoting your coaching services (therefore, this will not appear on your Coach Profile).  You are now promoting yourself!  Remember, with this question, Coaching Cognition is your “target market”.  It is important that you honestly look at your intentions for becoming a coach and make sure that they align with the values and goals of Coaching Cognition.  We are looking for valuable coaches who have a strong desire to give back to the community, who are willing and excited to work hard to make it happen.

This is a great place to talk about your personal goals as a coach.  For example, my goals include bringing coaching to local musicians who want to make it in the music business.  Why?  Because music and helping others are my greatest passions, so coaching musicians is an obvious fit for me.

Why would this be important to include in this section?  We want a diverse group of coaches who have different coaching services and different markets so that all prospective clients can find the help they need, whatever that need may be.

List URLs to 5 pieces of your favorite content:

This and the question about the 3 videos do not need to be completed.  If you have links you would like to include, please do, but it is not required.  You can just put “N/A” in each box.

Please indicate your understanding of the requirements for coaching by checking the boxes below:

Check the boxes that follow and you are all set!

Some other things to think about…

The picture you have uploaded in your Renegade Professional Account will be your Coach Profile photo.  Therefore, if you want to use a different photo, you will need to change it in your Renegade back office.

When the new Coaching Cognition website goes live, you will have the ability to upload a 2 minute promotional video for your coaching services.  So now is a great time to begin planning the video content and start filming!

“Happy Application-ing” to all of you!

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We are calling this match marketing because we want to emphasize the fact that we want to market with you, not for you.  The more you do to promote yourself, the more promotion you will get from us.  We will ‘match’ your marketing efforts.  Match marketing is designed to encourage our coaches to be active on the Coaching Cognition platform so that the entire community can grow and succeed together.

So how can you show us that you are actively promoting your coaching services and providing value to the community?  What types of activities are we looking for when we are looking to feature a coach, product, or offer?  In this article, we would like to share a few tips that will answer these questions for you.

STAY VISIBLE

When you think of the coaches at Coaching Cognition, does anyone in particular come to mind?  There is a reason that one or two names stand out to you, and it is that those are the coaches who are the most active in the community.  They are all over the social media sites giving value and have a similar presence in the comment sections for the Renegade Professional News articles like this one.

Those who are active in the community will not only get more recognition from potential clients, current clients, and peers, but also let us know more about the value they are offering.

RECOGNIZING VALUE IN OTHERS

When you receive a piece of value and it inspires you, tell your community about it.  Your promotion of others shows your potential clients that you believe in valuable information, even if it came from someone else. It will also let people know that you stay current on new information, and are well connected.  This means that your audience can trust that you will always give them great value and point them in the right direction.

When you post a comment on other articles, you are making your presence known to the author’s audience.  When you share that value with your audience, they see someone who thrives on a thriving community.  You look good by helping others look good.

Someone who consistently does this is exactly the type of person you would want to have on your side, reading your posts and blogs, reviewing your work, etc.  Knowing that they will promote themselves by promoting you is a marketing advantage to say the very least… for both of you!

MAKING VALUE MORE VALUABLE

Another way to share value that someone else has provided is to repurpose it in a way that illustrates the value you can offer as well.  Content is usually easier to create when it comes from your own experiences, rather than trying to map out an intellectual understanding of something that is foreign to you.

So if you come across an article or blog that speaks to you, take some key points and add your own spin on it.  Just do not forget to credit the original work.  Remember, it is not only the ethical thing to do, but it also offers the same marketing advantages as simply sharing someone else’s work.  Because you are adding your own value, too, it is an even better marketing tool for you.

A great example of this is the video that Lee Wise made in response to an article here on Renegade Professional News.

COACHING OFFERS

When you have a coaching program, offer, or discount that directly benefits the Coaching Cognition and/or Renegade community, then you are showing your desire to give back.  If you have a program or offer that will help the students of Coaching Cognition get the most out of their class experience, we are going to want to let the students know about it.

For example, Cindy Schulson and Kate Williams have started a group coaching program that will benefit any coaches who want to build their practice, and have also offered a discount to anyone involved with Coaching Cognition.  You may notice some publicity about this special offer over the next week.  This is the kind of offer that we want to promote.

TELL US ABOUT IT

If you believe that something you are doing is unique and will benefit the Coaching Cognition and/or Renegade community, tell us about it!  We cannot monitor everyone’s actions, so it is possible that we will never find out about your great offers or promotions if you do not let us know what you are doing.

If you have created a piece of valuable content that you think we can use, show it to us.  We will not be able to use everything that everyone sends us, but if we can use it in conjunction with something that we are currently doing or promoting, or we are able to appropriately use it to promote you, we will.  Remember, we cannot use what we do not know about.  So don’t be shy.  Tell us about it!

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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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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!

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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!

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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.

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