Want to know how I sold 6k worth of coaching in 2009? Life coaching is a high-ticket service, and there are only 2 basic ways to sell it:
#1. Build a relationship with someone over time, which includes networking and referrals. This approach may take months or years, although many coaches do very well with it.
#2. Establish yourself as an expert, sell information products and educational workshops, then offer coaching. This approach also includes public speaking, teleseminars, article publishing, and product launches.
Both are wonderful ways to fill your life coaching practice, and you can decide which one is best for you based on your personality and lifestyle goals.
But there is ONE major problem with these methods of building your coaching business. While you are out networking, writing, and speaking, you’re not generating any income. Sure, you may sell a product or two, or get a new client every month…But wouldn’t it be great if you could network, write, and speak with complete peace of mind from knowing that you are also getting paid, even while you are marketing?
Here’s my best secret weapon for selling more coaching this year than ever before…
A membership web site can do for you. Any coach with a membership site can tell you how essential it has become in their life coaching career and in the process of enrolling more coaching clients.
But not just ANY membership site. First of all, here’s how and why it works:
1. A membership-based web site allows you to build a community of people who trust you – one of the major barriers to getting a coaching client is taken down with your own membership site.
2. They already gave you money to become a member, so you know these people are truly interested in your topic. They have already shown that they are buyers, not tire-kickers – a great way to pre-qualify coaching prospects.
3. You can communicate with your members on a regular basis sharing your expertise, ideas, and resources with them. You are not only their trusted advisor, but you’re now an expert in your field. People LOVE working with and buying from experts!
4. You are generating revenue, while you’re promoting your life coaching practice. What a great mental place to come from, when you’re not desparate for money.
There are many more benefits to creating your own membership-based web site (recurring monthly income, ever-growing database of your knowledge, etc.).
But here’s one I want to emphasize when it comes to your life coaching career.
You can actually build your coaching service right into your membership site! Here’s how:
1. First, treat it like a coaching club. Create multiple tiers of membership and include coaching in the top tier.
2. Always remind lower-tier members that they can get help and coaching from you when they upgrade to the top tier.
3. Allow your top-tier members to contribute content, classes, and ideas to your membership site.
4. Add a coaching retreat (fee or free – depending on what you charge) as part of their top-tier membership.
5. If you run live events, create a “VIP style” treatment package just for your top-tier coaching club members.
What do you offer in your coaching club? What type of content do you add to your membership site? How do you set everything up? How do you price the different membership tiers? All of these questions and many more are answered inside my How to Build a Six-Figure Coaching Club program, so be sure to check it out.
Another thing I really love about having a membership site is that it sort of becomes my “play pen” – that’s where I share my best ideas, strategies, tools, discoveries, and breakthroughs.
Most importantly, when you speak, write, network, or teach, always invite people to join your membership site or coaching club. Don’t try to sell coaching right upfront. Once they join your low-tier membership site, they’ll become aware of everything else they’re missing if they’re not a top-tier member, and upgrade if desired.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
There’s a great deal of hype out on the Internet when you start researching membership sites but I find your advice really honest and practical. It’s about creating communities, trust and systems. I’ll look forward to reading and hearing from you over the next few days – many thanks !
Sue Atkins
Author of “Raising Happy Children for Dummies
I am looking forward to getting your material to learn this part of the business
Certainly a great idea. Having your own website for whatever purpose, “getting more life coaching clients” included, has tremendous potentials in this age of the internet.
I found the concept of having or being part of a membership site very useful. I firmly believe that professionals can’t adopt a mindset of being “spoonfed”, i.e. sometimes you just have to keep your eyes wide open, and play around with an idea that has potential. The membership concept has plenty of potential. Thank you. – Dr. R. Ahmed