7 Smart Ways To Network Virtually
During the COVID-19 quarantine, more and more people are being forced to get creative and expand their networking beyond in-person networking meetings or coffee shop 1-1 meetings.
Eliminate the burdens and distractions of coaches so they can live their God-given potential.
That was the calling I wrote on the back of a napkin 16 years ago that launched Coaches Console and this community. We believe that the more people who experience coaching, the better the world will be. For 16 years, we’ve focused on eliminating the burdens and distractions as it relates to having a coaching business. It is time – past time – that our calling extends beyond business.
While the common topic of “business” is what brings us together in this particular community, it is through unification and interconnectedness that we stand together, and share our voices, seeing and hearing every person with compassion,and lifting people up by how we regard one another as strong, capable, and worthy of deep respect.
It is then that we all can be seen, heard, supported and loved. We can move into action together and the world can become a better place. We ALL can live our God-given potential; no matter our skin color.
Words have failed me these past several days as I’ve been deeply saddened by the unnecessary acts of violence that led to the senseless deaths of both Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, and the violent acts of shooting and looting that have followed. I’ve been asking myself “what can I do? How can I help?”
I believe insufficient words are still better than silence or non-action, so I am doing my best to make sense of it all and to understand better not only what I can say, but more importantly what I can do.
As a white woman, I am not the most suited person to speak on racism and injustice. I have a lot of education I need to continue to do. However, I did start this company and I did build this community and, for that, I feel responsible for sharing this with you as a leader.
You’ve heard me say it over and over during the past 3 months of the pandemic that as coaches, WE are the leaders that folks will turn to to help them navigate these uncertain times. The same still stands with this recent crisis we’re encountering. As coaches, I believe it is our responsibility to be educated on the topic of racism and to share resources with others. More importantly to listen, support and guide our clients and respective communities with massive compassion, truth, and from a place of love.
When coaches can support clients from this place first and foremost, positive actions will result that will ripple through families, communities, countries and the world.
Your work as a coach is more important than ever.
Keep doing what you’re doing. Keep loving and serving your clients.
I believe that while we can educate ourselves on this topic, take action on this topic, I also believe that the more we can continue to do good work in this world, that too has an impact that is needed right now.
Know that here, at Coaches Console, every entrepreneur has a place, a voice, and a contribution that is welcome.
We reject racism, inequality of opportunity, hatred, and cruelty.
As Nelson Mandela said, “The truth is that we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free, the right not to be oppressed. . . . For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. The true test of our devotion to freedom is just beginning.”
There may be people in this community who disagree – or, deny – and unsubscribe. That is their choice and a loss well worth it to ensure that those who remain feel safe, heard, and seen.
I love you and am proud of the amazing work you’re doing in this world as a coach.
We are here for you, with you through it all.
Stronger Together,
Melinda
Your WHY + I Believe statements – how this will help your clients emerge from quarantine.
The quarantine stay-at-home and now the possible emerging from it is having people really look at what is most important to them – their health, their relationships, their financial stability, their hobbies, their families, and their overall purpose in life.
As the world begins to emerge (or think about making plans to emerge), now is an ideal time to go back to your WHY.
Your WHY is a source of inspiration for you to recommit to your business and impact.
It’s also a source of inspiration to your audience, community and clients. Helping your clients reconnect and recommit to their WHY is a powerful move to make with your clients right now.
They’ll be facing new challenges as different states and countries consider emerging out of quarantine. And with these new challenges they will be required to take action.
Their WHY will be their beacon for how they invent and create their new normal. Your guidance as their coach, mentor and leader will help them navigate what they want to consciously create as a result of all they’ve contemplated and experienced over the past couple of months.
Here’s an exercise for you so you can easily connect and engage with your clients during this time of emerging:
What are your “I Believe” statements?
When you share your “I believe” statements (on social media, inside emails, newsletters, blog posts and in client conversations) it does three things:
It helps you get crystal clear on where you can make the biggest impact (when you’re clear, your prospects and clients will be clear).
It provides a cause for your audiences and clients to rally around. People want to be inspired right now. Your “I believe” statements will give them that inspiration they’re seeking.
The articulation of your “I believe” statements helps others find their voice.
In this time of emerging, now is when it’s vital for people to be clear in how they want to move forward, what they want to consciously create for their lives and how they want to show up in this world.
You are their leader.
One of the biggest mistakes I see coaches make when trying to start their coaching business… or launch it to the next level…
In working with hundreds of coaches for the past 16 years, I’ve seen so many coaches become so passionate about helping people, supporting them in a cause that’s so near and dear to their heart that they end of spending WAY TOO MUCH time in planning and creating mode… as a result, they miss so many opportunities, and they may be spending all their time and talent on the wrong thing.
When your creating marketing content, a lead magnet, or content for a course, have you ever spent so much time on creating content… creating content… creating content… that it was taking forever and then analysis paralysis kicked in… then perfectionism took root. The next thing you know, you’re doubting your own calling, and wondering if you’re even cut out for this.
That’s a bit dramatic, but it’s all too common.
Right now, during this pandemic and these crazy times, I wanted to make sure you could PIVOT QUICKLY… we know that this pandemic quarantine, stay-at-home, shelter-in-place, and lockdown are temporary… but we don’t know for how long. And right now, when you’re pivoting your messaging, content creation, or changing your offers, this is NOT the time to get caught up in wasting time.
In this Facebook Live I want to talk to you about “getting paid to create” – as a great mentor of mine once taught me.
It’s the BEST strategy when it comes to launching something new – be it a new coaching package, a membership program, an online course or a high-end mastermind; especially when it needs to be done quickly – like right now during these times.
Client Success Path: Momentum vs. Friction
I’ve had many folks in this community share with me how they’re pivoting their offers and packages during these times to leverage online courses – full courses, mini courses, home study courses… That is awesome!
Whether you’re pivoting your business to leverage online courses or you’ve always known you wanted to launch one and you’re doing it now, there’s one thing that makes ALL the difference in the quality of your course and the degree that your clients will get results from it.
The Client Success Path!
One of the beautiful things about offering online courses in your coaching business is that there is a defined starting point… a defined ending destination… and a specific path to follow. When people have a specific path to follow it increases their chance of success and results.
And that’s the name of the game = clients getting results.
The name of the game is NOT putting a lot of people into your course then forget about them. That’s a revenue focused business. Revenue isn’t bad, it’s just ideal to be a by-product in our business not the focus. Results (of or clients) is the focus. The more clients get more results the more revenue you make.
A Success Path begins to map out the journey and destination to support your clients in getting results.
When it comes to the success path your clients will experience Momentum or Friction. How you create your success path and course will have a significant impact on which of those two scenarios your clients experience. That’s why we spend so much time with our clients in our Bootcamp, Accelerator and Masterming making sure their success path is simple and clearly defined. I wanted you to be sure your’s was too.
During this Stay-At-Home quarantine, I’ve been spending quite a bit of time reading, journaling and investing in my own growth. One of the books I’ve read is a new book by a colleague of mine, Danny Iny: “Teach Your Gift.” In chapter 5 he wrote about Momentum vs. Friction.
He nailed the core essence of why clients fall prey to friction and lose momentum. And I wanted to share that with you!
Danny also described the 3 categories of friction. When I read this, it was so crystal clear about what I need to be sure I’m doing as a course creator to set my clients up for momentum. I had to share that with you as well.
Comment below what you’re top take-aways and aha’s are from what I’ve shared with you from Danny’s book…