#10 Navigating the Possibility of Clients “Not Getting The Result” of your Signature Coaching Programme: A Guide for Coaches

Navigating the Possibility of Clients “Not Getting The Result” of your Signature Coaching Programme: A Guide for Coaches

I ran an event last week for Coaching Central, a brilliant coaching group. It was exciting to present the topic of creating a Signature Coaching Programme to a group of 30 coaches ranging from 1-30 years of coaching business experience.??

Someone asked a fantastic question towards the end of the session:?

“What if the client doesn’t get the result of your Signature Programme?”

It’s a brilliant question as it’s the one that stops most coaches from creating and marketing their signature coaching programme.?

What is a signature programme?

A Signature Programme is your unique process to help your clients get from where they are now to where they want to be.?

Coaching is intangible so one of the best ways to explain it to prospective clients is to make it more tangible and turn it into your own Signature Programme.?

It's the programme you'll become known for and it will be the key source of your consistent clients and income.?

It will help your clients feel safe and cared for. They’ll have confidence in you. And you’ll gain more confidence too once you’ve done the ‘journey’ a few times.

Here’s an image to show what I mean:?

So, instead of selling coaching which the average person doesn’t understand or prioritise enough to pay for, you talk about what they’re likely to gain from the coaching and HOW you’ll get them there.?

For this to work, you need a niche

Here’s why niching can help you to sell coaching:?

• People pay for a specific outcome?
• You can become an expert (and get referrals)
• Knowing your niche helps you find your ideal customer
• You’ll have increased focus, reduce overwhelm and burnout
• It allows you to speak directly to your people in your marketing and messaging enough for them to contact you.?

So, back to the question:?

“What if the client doesn’t get the result of your Signature Programme?”

When you have this question in your mind it’s easy to retreat and go back to offering vague ‘coaching sessions’ just in case they don’t get the result they want.

But then you’ll be giving up the opportunity to:?

• Inspire the client to sign up to coaching at all.
• Be paid well for the transformation you facilitate.?
• Attract clients with the motivation to create their transformation.
• Create a thriving, impactful, freedom fuelled business that makes a difference.?

So, let’s answer the question!??

Because most of the coaches I work with feel this way when we move on to the ‘offer promise’ section of my signature programme, The Business of Coaching.

They’ll say,?

“Well, I can't promise results because I can't control my clients. They have to do the work”.?

And you're right. You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.

But what you CAN do is say, “I’ve designed this programme to take [this sort of person] from [where they are now] to [where they want to be].?

You have the tools, techniques and you’ve had some experience of delivering it.?

You can say that, hand on heart, you have created a programme that is designed to get someone from A to B, right?

You are gifting your expertise, and you’re enabling people to go on the journey with you. But they must do their part and every step of the way you’ll be checking in with them.

They’ll make decisions.

If, for example, you’ve sold a career change package. As you take them through the journey you’ve designed to take people from stuck in a rut to get into a career they love.?

You might be covering their beliefs, values, strengths, options, and the technical side of career change.?

At each step they’ll decide:?

• Whether to prioritise the sessions. Or not.
• Whether to do the inner work. Or not.?
• Whether to take the actions. Or not
• Whether to listen to your expertise/questions/challenge. Or not.

And, whilst it’s easy to feel like we want 100% of our clients to get the result of our programme, not everyone will.?

At some point the client might say:?

“You know I think I’m going to stay in the job I’m in. Doing this work has made me realise that the real reason I hated work was because of my people pleasing tendencies and lack of boundaries. And I’ve dealt with that through this process. Thank you – I got exactly what I needed”.??

They’ll go on their own journey. And take what they’re available for at their current state of awareness from your coaching sessions.

What if they complain?

A coach’s worst case scenario. But it reminds me of this quote:

“If you avoid the conflict to keep the peace, you start a war inside yourself”.?

Don’t let your business come to a standstill because one person *might* complain.?

You’ll do everything in your power to hone your process so it gets results. I know that because you’re a coach. It matters to you to make a difference.?

Frankly, most adults know that by joining the gym they’re not going to suddenly look like the guy or girl on the billboard!?

When we buy the book - ‘Thinner Thighs in 30 days’ we realise we’re not going to get thinner thighs if we don’t implement the steps.?

They must take responsibility for their own life. Show up. Do the work. Overcome the mindset hurdles in the way.

They’ll get what they need

A client I worked with in my Business of Coaching programme was not emotionally ready to tell anyone she was a coach. She was scared of judgement. Of making mistakes. Of not being perfect.?

At Christmas I received a card from her saying:???

“I know you don’t feel I got out there and got clients like the other coaches in your programme but I got so much more than that. I’ve found myself. My opinions. My voice. I’ve changed my relationship with myself. With my husband and children. I’ve been on the biggest personal growth journey of my life. I’m so glad I joined your programme”.

And now she has got several paying clients. In her timescale. Not mine.?

They’ll take what they need and gain SO MUCH MORE than they would if they hadn’t taken the first step.?

So, design your signature coaching system today!?

Continuously improve it so you can pretty much guarantee your results if the client follows the steps and takes consistent action.??

Know that either way they’ll go on a journey and get what they need from working with you.?

Can you imagine what meaningful change will happen for them if they take that first step??

Show them what’s possible for them.?

Don’t skirt around the edges showing them a photo of a completely unfit person entering the gym (the majority of gym goers ??).

Believe in their potential. Show them what’s possible. Trust that they are resourceful and with your help so much is possible if they make the decision to go all in.

Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you grow your coaching business:

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1. Love coaching, but struggling to get clients? Download the 12 Quick and Easy Ways to Get Clients now.

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2. Want to learn from valuable insights and actionable advice so you succeed in the coaching arena? Listen to my podcast Women in the Coaching Arena here .

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3. Interested to know more about the Business of Coaching programme? Click here .