I see it again and again, and it breaks my heart.
New (and some not-so-new) coaches understand the importance of marketing, and they work very, very hard.
They choose a tagline, build a website, get a logo, buy business cards, design a brochure and wait. They wait, and wait, and wait, wondering why clients don’t come. A few clients come and go but not enough to sustain a business. Years go by and the discouraged coach eventually gives up thinking marketing just doesn’t work.
It doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, just one simple truth could turn this whole scenario around.
Good marketing has two important parts: passive and active.
Passive marketing consists of the things we do because they have to be done – websites, brochures, business cards, knowing our unique selling proposition, branding and more. These elements lay an essential foundation for our businesses but they do nothing to get the word out about what we do.
The more important piece of the marketing puzzle is active marketing.
Active marketing involves activities that put you in front of your potential client. Strategies such as meeting with friends and acquaintances, calling them on the phone, sending personal emails, following-up with handwritten notes, networking meetings, interacting on social media, public speaking, writing your blog or articles, and more.
Active marketing is the essential ingredient that connects you directly with those you hope to serve without waiting for them to come to you.
Active marketing means you reach out and tell people what you offer and how coaching can help. Once they hear this good news, your passive marketing kicks in. These potential clients will go to your website, read your brochure and hang onto your business card. But these passive elements only work when you have someone to share them with.
I’ll be honest with you. Passive marketing is easier. It’s more comfortable to stay home and tweak your website, create new systems and design another brochure than it is to introduce yourself to a room full of strangers. It certainly feels like marketing, but potential clients will never know you are there.
Thus, passive marketing should be limited to 20% of your marketing time. Spend the other 80% of your time and energies on a few, high impact outreach activities and you will soon have a schedule full of long-term, profitable clients.
Thank you for that important reminder! I have to admit that most of my marketing activities since this challenge began have been of the passive variety.
Today I’ve taken steps towards some more active promotions. I’ve sent off my deposit for a Certificate in Christian Coaching and Mentoring where I’ll be working with people who run mentoring programmes in schools… something I plan to do when I move to Lincoln in September. That won’t put me in front of potential clients yet, but it will put me in contact with people who are “doing it” and are looking for people to expand their network. A step in the right direction? I think so…
Today I am meeting with a web designer to discuss my desire for a website. After doing research for a month on what makes a great coaching website, I am looking forward to interviewing a few designers. Marketing is overwhelming but fun. One step at a time.
Good reminders, Kim!
You mentioned brochures as a component of passive marketing. I thought someone told me that brochures are not a good investment for coaches, that the ROI is low.
What are your thoughts?
Mary
You are absolutely right. Of course, there are a few exceptions, but as a rule it isn’t a very good investment.
Thanks Kim, I actually enjoy the active marketing so much more than the passive, anyone else? I want you to know that I can’t put into words how much I appreciate you..it is evident that you are oh so willing to go far out of your comfort zone to make a difference for those you are called to serve. I am smiling as I think about what we talked about yesterday and thinking the relief that you must be feeling to know that there’s one thing that is not needed from you (for me)..
For today, I am working on my Free Offer and refining some marketing pieces and I attend a Christian Spin Class that’s great networking along with a wonderful coaching group today.
So true. Active marketing, getting out of my comfort zone is the hardest thing to do but so vital. Of course, the more I get out of my comfort zone, the more comfortable that “zone” becomes. Go figure.
I never have liked the word “passive” – but when it comes to marketing it almost seems a friendly word.;)
Thanks Kim, today is a good reminder to me to keep my focus on my Active Marketing and let go of the worry of the other… Good reminders for me today… been an area of struggle!!
It is such a temptation not to risk actual contact. The crazy thing is I love connecting. So today at least I will do followup with personal notes. Also I sent an email to a very targeted group thanking them for participating in an event I put together.
In the process of flipping my 80/20 principle; sadly, I’d let it lean too much the other way! I’ve been aware for a long time that the “ask” is a challenge for me, and I’m learning through my different roles that this is the area of leadership that God is calling me to grow. I have to continue to remind myself that it’s not about what I want, but rising to the opportunities that God is placing before me. When I stand in that context, the “ask” feels like obedience rather than pushing.
That said, I’ll be sending several personal emails, and making a few phone calls to “ask” to continue some conversations. I also attended a Christian business leaders breakfast this morning.
Today I decided that I need to start doing any work on marketing in the early morning. I tend to have very low energy levels after a full day of work, so I started this morning to get up early and do the work that I need to, and it was refreshing! I took a bit of time to reflect on who I’m marketing to, write a bit, and came away with a clearer sense of direction for the future as well as for the challenge I’m working on.
Had two calls scheduled today with people who also serve my target market. One postponed but the other went very well. Just gotta keep doing the active marketing!
I want to add,to date, my clients all found me online (from a variety of places). Even a local one found me online first. I’ve coached women from New York, California, Illinois, and several other long distance locales. I did two local coaching groups, but not without obstacles and disappointment. For instance, a local bookstore agreed to let me use their facility for a group and promised to put my advertising in their Christmas shoppers’ bags. I spent close to $100 printing flyers. After Christmas I discovered they hadn’t put any flyers in the bags and I was told the store would be closing permanently the very week my group was to happen. A year later, I picked myself up and tried again with another store. Again I was excited, but they didn’t want me to charge money and they only put my advertising in a remote corner of their store, not on the cash desk or main bulletin board. My message is, others won’t care as much about you as you do.
Marketing efforts today…two inquiry calls!
I must admit I have been giving more time to the passive marketing than I should so thanks for the reminder. Today I spent some time putting down thoughts about a workshop I hope to put on at a local business centre.
Your post really hit home! Today I contacted a prospective client.
Thanks for this, Kim. Sometimes I think I am not doing “active” marketing because I have only spoken before groups a few times. But your writing that meeting with friends & acquaintances, calling them on the phone, sending personal emails, following-up with handwritten notes, interacting on social media, writing your blog or articles, strategies for active marketing is great to know. It is something I just naturally do. (The words like “systems” and “strategies” and “marketing” have intimidated me until I ran into you and you tell “stories” and give illustrations that put all that in terms that empower me and encourage me.) Today, I actively connected on two tele-groups and have connected on FB and emails to encourage and affirm. Onward! YAY!
Thank you for the reminder. I emailed a prospective client to invite them to experience coaching.
Great Reminder!!!
I can not wait to get to my speaking engagements! This ground work is really paying off, however, I do tend to fall into a CZ in the passive marketing.
Stretched today by offering my coaching to a complete stranger who was introduced to me as someone who wanted to become a Life Coach. I offered her three sessions for free so she could get a feel of what coaching was and so I could have some practice!
Today my work was finishing up some projects so they will be off my plate come next week!
Yes, Yes Yes, you have reminded me to review and get into contact with my resources for activities
Yes!(Activity) you have reminded me to dive back into my contacts for doing activities where I meet people through presenting parent related resources. At that time there is always coaching style communication happening that will be the first active contact and leads to getting them into repeated contact with the sign-up drawing. Just need to get the website up geared to coaching to connect to.
I really appreciate your discussion on passive and active marketing. It is very useful in prioritizing my time. I will begin to focus on the active marketing strategy. I plan to meet with some friends on Friday and a network meeting on Saturday. I plan to give out some business cards and give a short on what I do.
Praying over and writing down the “big picture” view of my life and life coaching business. Thank you Chris McCluskey and the podcast which prompted me to do this! Thinking Waaay Outside the Box 🙂
Day 7: To introduce my coaching practice to 5 purposefully selected networkers, I sent them an abbreviated version of the assessment tool that is a significant piece of what I might do with a client. My goal is to have done this for a total of 15 pivotal people before our challenge is over and then schedule individual reviews of results. I find that many of my contacts are not familiar with coaching or how it may benefit them or their company so I am making it a priority to show them rather than tell them.
Great reminder, Kim. I do both active and passive marketing, but my current focus is mostly on passive marketing. Today I communicated with my new web designer about the face/branding/layout of my new and improved website. We are choosing the headings and order of the various pages. Next on my agenda will be to give my public speaking ministry a boost, beginning with social media.
I have been challenged by the active marketing phase for sure! My prayerful desire was 6 clients this year; with all the rest of life’s obligations I felt this to be a realistic number. I am so excited to say I have 5 paying clients as of last week! Keeping myself “out there” in front of people, having conversations, handing out my business card after a convo in the line at Starbucks, are actions that are becoming more natural. Thanks again Kim!
Day 7: I have a post-it note in my work space that says “No Excuses!”. It’s that very phrase my personal trainer uses to move me off the fence when I’m contemplating skipping a work out. Early in my coaching biz, I would devote a measly chunk of time two days per week to active marketing and call it good enough. Now I find there’s really no excuse for me not to do some type of active marketing every day. The venues in which to communicate with active and potential clients makes this activity so easy. It boils down to this: I can get results or I can make excuses; which one puts me closer to my goals?
Got my business bank account opened today…also got an email from a clergy friend I am coaching wondering whether I would be willing to coach a priest friend of hers! Well, but of course!! Doors keep opening!
I have been focusing on relationship marketing. I’ve been meeting with people face to face so they get to know who I am and what I offer. “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” by John Maxwell. That is probably my favorite quote. Until people can hear your heart/passion, they just won’t “get” what you have to offer.
Thank you for the Kick start I will take on with doing the 80/20. Love it.