I would like to share 3 strategies with you on how I SHOW my clients what I can do for them. I say show vs tell because people are always being told what can be done for them, rather than being shown exactly what they need. People like to see themselves in the solution so give them everything they need to picture themselves achieving their goals and experiencing success.  

First, it is so important to meet your clients exactly where they are on their journey.  Do not have the focus of the conversation be all the things your program has to offer or that you are going to give them the newest secret to success, instead do less talking and more listening. We are all constantly surrounded by people talking at us, it is rare for individuals to really stop and listen - be the one to hear your client. When you hear them, that is where the connection will take place and then you will begin to get at the heart of what isn't working in their business.  Here is the thing, the majority of coaching strategies focus on how the coach knows how to run the business better than the individual they are coaching but here is the thing, your client knows how to run their business, they are just stuck right now.  Once you can really hear them and really validate their feelings, then they will feel empowered and unstuck. 

The second strategy is to touch on your clients current pain points in an empowering way - ask them what is hurting, how can we fix it, what have you tried.  Then begin talking about aspirations and really empower your client.  Talk about how it’s going to feel when they don’t have the pain anymore, talk about what will be possible, and talk about how different their lives will be. They don’t want you just as a coach, they want you to also be their cheerleader, their friend, the person that is going to be there with them through the whole thing.  

And last, show them what you can do for them, show them the possibilities.  To do this you can show them the before and after of other clients you have helped, show them your laid-out plan, break down the trajectory and show them step 1, 2, and 3. Show them the possibilities without getting stuck on the how.  

Now let me just add a little something here… It is not bragging when you’re telling your clients all the great things you’ve done for others. You have a gift, you are changing lives, and you should share that with people.  You can be humble and still brag about the results. 

 January is halfway over - how is that even possible?! I know what you are thinking, now it is too late for me to pick my word of the year, create my vision board or set my intentions.  I am here to tell you that you are wrong -- it is never too late! 

I do want to challenge you to be thoughtful when selecting your word though, there is more to it than just picking something that will inspire you. It is important to select a word that will push you to action. Why?! Action translates to results, and the actions you take are going to change your life. 

​Ok, lets start with some concrete examples - my word for 2020 was “disrupt.”  By the way, feel free to blame me for all the disruption that took place in 2020.  In truth, my concept for choosing disrupt was that I wanted to disrupt the way people thought about success, I wanted to disrupt the way people thought about themselves and the way they saw their business. I really wanted to disrupt the way people overcomplicate things and disrupt that pattern of thinking.  There was a solid connection between the word I selected and the actions that I would take in relation to it.  This means that if I was ever faced with a situation where I wasn't sure what was the right decision for me, I could ask myself "will this help me to disrupt?"

This year I selected a combination of words for my word of the year - intentional balance.  As I created my vision board and thought through how I wanted to focus my time and energy this year, I want to make sure that I am being intentional with my time, with my business, with my family, with my financial decisions.  I also want to maintain levels of balance, ensuring that I am devoting time to all of the various parts of my life.  Again, because my word(s) are associated with an action, when I face difficult times or am in the process of trying to make decisions I can ask myself whether I am being intentional and if it maintains balance in my life.

Let’s go through one final example using the word “growth.” Growth is a great example of an action word. When you find yourself in that obstacle, you can come back to your word and ask yourself: will tackling this issue create growth?

So I challenge you - sit down and start to think about your word for the year.  What changes do you want to make to your life and your business and how can your word drive you to action. How will your word help you when times get tough and obstacles arise, because it isn't a matter of if but when! Do not choose a word that will only be inspiring - I want you to be able to default to your word so that you can change your pattern of behavior and your word can really have an effect on your life. 

Be mindful when choosing your word, it’s going to be your moto for the year, it’s going to be what you fall back on in the midst of your obstacle so really put some thought into it.  If you are struggling to wrap your head around any of these concepts, feel free to reach out to me.  Remember, it is never too late to take action, create results and change your life.