Better Bolder Braver Blog

Women Know Your Limits

Post-International Women’s Day, I’d like to pose the question as to whether we should niche ourselves by helping those who are just like us. Or whether, instead, we might look further afield to do better work, increase our inclusion and be kinder to ourselves.

Line of empty plates

Where do your coaching clients come from? A lot of coaches say that they get most of their business from word-of-mouth referrals. They tend to think of this as being the primary, or often only, form of marketing that they need. The problem with relying on word-of-mouth marketing is that essentially what you’re doing is hoping that by doing a good job, people will talk about you and more clients will come your way. It’s the business equivalent of a free lunch, lovely when you get one and you appreciate it, but you can’t really rely on it to feed you. So, realistically, how can you orchestrate more referrals – rather than waiting for that free lunch?

Person sitting on a rock meditating

Our sense of identity links to what we are doing. How we make an activity our own is so important. So that we feel grounded, connected and so that it is sustainable. So that we don’t feel like we are about to fall into a precipice of hopelessness and despair. Or simply give up, move on and feel a little bit pissed off with ourselves for quite a while… knowing that something that could have been a real gift and a gateway became something we resented quickly and assumed we just couldn’t do or enjoy.

Triangle showing the Who What Why of Marketing

Why do your coaching clients work with you? Presumably because what you do resonates, supports, guides or otherwise works for them. When clients are deciding if they want to work with you they are asking themselves three questions: Who does this coach usually work with? What can they help me with? Why should I trust them? Most coaches are great at talking about the what but are less sure about the who and the why. So let’s look at how to talk about all 3.

Frances Tad and Simon talking about feel good marketing

When we came across Tad Hargrave, we realised that he was a kindred spirit. He describes himself as “a hippy who developed a knack for marketing (and then learned to be a hippy again).” We very much share Tad’s view that marketing can make you feel good, can be ethical and “conscious”. And If you think “Hippy” here means doing fluffy and unchallenging marketing, think again…