I still cringe when I hear the word marketing. It conjures up visions of used car salesmen wearing green leisure suits. Or late night QVC fashionistas insisting I call now to get this season’s must-have Diamondette Ring. Or the dreaded telemarketer who interrupts my dinner and mispronounces my name. (Really, how hard can it be to say, Avery?)

Does anyone, anywhere, ever buy anything they sell?

I don’t know. But I do know that I don’t want to be that dreaded telemarketer.

I don’t want people ducking when they see me in the grocery store, hiding behind their bulletins at church, or mentally hanging-up every time I call.

Yet people need to know about the beauty and effectiveness of coaching. It’s a powerful tool for tremendous change, but it can’t work if it’s the best-kept secret in town.

I want to be a faithful marketer, one who doesn’t use force or isn’t paralyzed by fear.

How about you?

What’s Your Marketing Personality Quiz

To learn (and improve) your marketing personality, take the quick quiz below, circling the number of the option that most frequently represents you.

Your Confidence:

1. I know that I’m the ideal coach for everyone I meet.
2. In 5-10 years I’ll feel secure about the value my coaching brings.
3. I’m confident that my coaching is helpful to those God is calling me to serve.

Your Business Mindset:

1. I focus on getting new clients and making a profit even if that means pushing people to make a decision.
2. I hope and pray clients will find me.
3. I create win/win relationships so both my business and the client benefits.

Your Generosity:

1. I only give when I know I’ll get something in return.
2. I regularly give coaching away for free or at a reduced price.
3. I am quick to share encouragement, wisdom, and information trusting that God will call some of those recipients to become paying clients.

Your Profitability:

1. I set aggressive monetary goals and do whatever it takes to meet them.
2. I have no formal goals or strategy and often give away my coaching for free.
3. I have prayerfully researched the most appropriate prices for my services and can quote my prices without flinching or fear.

Your Sales Strategy:

1. I tell everyone I meet that I’m a coach and they should work with me.
2. I’m hesitant to tell people about coaching because I don’t want to offend them.
3. I handle each conversation differently but eagerly share about coaching when it seems the other person would benefit.

Your Niche:

1. My ideal client is anyone who is breathing and has a wallet.
2. I’m hesitant to narrow my services to one particular niche because it might limit the number of people who will work with me.
3. I have a clear and distinct niche and focus my marketing on them.

Your Work Ethic:

1. “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.”
2. “Let go, and let God.”
3. I work as hard as I can but leave the results up to God.

Your Focus:

1. To be successful.
2. To try to look successful so my potential clients will be impressed.
3. To help my client’s succeed.

 

Score your answers above by adding up the number of times you circled each letter.

1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

 

How did you do?

If you had more A’s than any other letter, you tend to be a Forceful Marketer, leaning towards the Coach-Telemarketer end of the spectrum. You love coaching and believe in its value, but your focus on the bottom-line sacrifices long-term relationships for the quick sale.

If B was your most common answer, you tend to be a Fearful Marketer and are probably the best kept secret in town. You love coaching, but are insecure about your personal ability as a coach. You focus more on what people think about you than how coaching might truly benefit them.

God’s call is for us to be Faithful Marketers, letter C.

• To be confident in our callings as coaches because God promises to enable and equip us.
• To be faithful stewards of our businesses, creating win/win relationships between the client and us.
• To be generous with our wisdom and knowledge but not giving away our coaching skills and time.
• To charge a price that is both reasonable and profitable.
• To eagerly share about coaching with those God has called us to serve.
• To focus on a narrow niche so we can serve them well.
• To work hard, very hard, but still sleep well at night knowing that the God who called us will always provide for us.
• To make our client’s success our highest aim.

We don’t have to be pushy to get new clients. Yet, God doesn’t give us permission to stay home and hide. He is calling this generation of Christian coaches to stand tall, willingly share about the benefits of coaching, and courageously invite people into coaching relationships. He wants us to be faithful, intentional, work hard, charge fair prices, put our client’s success above our own, and run successful businesses for the glory of God.

It’s Your Turn

Were you a Forceful, Fearful, or Faithful Marketer? What one thing can you do this week to increase your Faithful Marketer score? Share in the comment section below.