4 Ninja Tricks for Identifying, Finding, and Hooking Your Ideal Client

Jan 10, 2017

by: Melinda Cohan, January 2017

As you’ve probably discovered, we love to hear from the members of our community. We’re constantly interviewing our clients, asking tons of questions about your challenges, triumphs, and everything in between.

And we want you to know, there IS a method to our madness!

You see, we ask you so many questions because we want to get to the root of how we can best serve you … which information will most effectively help you get from where you are now, to where you want to be in your coaching business.

Our research has shown, time and time again, that the members of our community are struggling in one key area: identifying, finding, and hooking ideal clients.

If this sounds familiar, you may have said (or thought) things like:

“I don’t know how to identify or where to find my ideal clients.”

“I don’t know how to articulate what I do so people get it.”

“I am not making money, don’t have enough clients, and haven’t launched my business.”

Great news: we’re here to help!

With the information we’re sharing today, we’re confident that 2017 can be your breakthrough year—the year when you finally begin connecting with the people you’re meant to serve in a deep, authentic way … the year your business explodes!

The first steps: identify, find, and hook your ideal prospects so you can turn them into clients.

But how?

Today, we want to share with you our powerful 4-step process for identifying your ideal client and crafting a free gift that not only allows you to attract that ideal client, but that also gives you the opportunity to begin making a bigger impact on those you serve—from the very first time you communicate with your prospects.

Step One.

“Pain and pleasure island.”

The first and most important step in identifying your ideal client and how you can help him or her is to get clear on what we call the “Pain and Pleasure Island” points.

The most effective way to present your services as the solution to your ideal client’s problem is to show her that you can meet her where she is by articulating her challenges and struggles, that you understand what she’s going through, and that you can guide her towards making it better. It’s critical to talk not only about the challenges she’s facing, but also about the results your ideal client desires, to help her get clear on the vision for her ideal life as she reaches the goals that are so important to her. Finally, it’s key to show her that your coaching is the boat that can take her from where she is now, to where she wants to be.

Specificity is key, here, not just in ideas, but in language, too. It’s crucial that you use the same language, words, and phrases your prospects use. Otherwise, what you say may fall on deaf ears.

Step Two.

“Jump on your Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+ accounts.”

Over and over, members of our community have said, “I can’t get clients. I don’t know anyone.”

We say, “Nonsense!”

You have tons of connections! Think about the contacts you have through social media, on your phone, from previous jobs, and through your friends and family. And maybe these connections aren’t your ideal clients, but they likely know people who are your ideal clients. Consider your current contacts the stepping stones to your ideal prospects.

Step Three.

“Identify strategic referral professions.”

Strategic referral partners are other professionals who are helping the same type of clients you’re targeting, but in different ways, in their business … and (this is important!), they may be able to refer their clients to you. For example, if you coach the owners of small businesses, they may need legal advice or help with taxes, so they can reach their desired goals of a successful business.  You may develop a strategic referral partnership with an attorney, a CPA, and/or even a bookkeeper who can introduce you to many of their clients.

So first, look for professions that serve the same ideal client you serve.

Step Four.

“Identify your strategic referral partners.”

The first several months in a new business are all about building strategic partnerships so you can reach a greater number of ideal clients. These relationships can provide you with a steady stream of referrals.

SO many startups make the mistake of working so hard, putting all their attention on finding individual clients. When you create strategic referral partners, you’re creating relationships with key people who can introduce you to many people at once.

It’s a New Year, which means it’s a new opportunity to start building massive momentum in your business!

The process we’ve shared here is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to growing your business online.

Because identifying, finding, and nailing ideal clients is such a huge topic, and because we hear about it over and over again in our interviews and surveys, we want to make sure you have everything you need to master it.

So if you’re ready to create a steady stream of ideal clients who can’t wait to work with you—and to make THIS the year your business growth explodes—then join us January 18th at 4pm ET (3pm CT, 2pm MT, 1pm PT) for a complimentary webinar, 8 Steps to Identify, Find, and Communicate Effectively with Your Ideal Clients, where we walk through these steps together, take the information deeper, and offer hot seat coaching to answer any of your questions.

Because we’re offering live coaching, seating is limited. So reserve your spot here, now:

Master 4 Steps & Gain Momentum <<< Join Us January 18th at 4pm ET, FREE

What an African Safari Taught Me About Creating Magic in My Life and Business

Oct 21, 2016

by: Melinda Cohan, October 2016

This month’s newsletter is going to be a little different than what you’re used to.

Why?

Because I recently returned from a South African safari, and while I was there, I experienced several lessons, as well as an incredible “aha” moment … one I can’t wait to share with you.

When a business colleague invited me and 8 other women to join her for a girls’ trip to the safari, I was SO excited.

The Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa was nothing short of amazing; in fact, I now consider one of the days the second most epic day of my life (next to my wedding day!).

Here’s what happened:

Every day, we went on a morning AND afternoon safari.

On the second day (aka the second most epic day of my life), we tracked lions. Yes – LIONS!

I was like a kid at Christmas! I was practically bouncing out of my seat as we started out in the open-air safari truck.

That’s when I asked Africa, “What medicine do you have for me today? What gifts?”

Within minutes, the universe answered.

We happened upon a cheetah. WOW – I can’t even put into words the beauty and grace that animal exhibited.

In fact, I was so blown away, I looked up the animal totem of the cheetah, right then and there. I learned it’s about reacting in a quick and flexible way.

Lesson One:

When you’re open to the magic of the universe- when she delivers exactly what you’re wanting, desiring or needing at the time right to your feet – you must be ready, willing, and able to respond in a quick and flexible way.

You must be totally alert when you receive what you’re asking for, to follow her lead.

Just a bit later, we happened upon a leopard. This was totally unexpected. The guide shared with us how it’s actually quite rare to see a leopard in the wild, let alone in such close proximity to the cheetah, and I was just blown away.

No really … it was like I couldn’t believe my eyes, or good fortune!

Suffice it to say, I was more than “fulfilled” by the time our morning journey ended. I thought “Wow … this has been an incredible day. How could it get any better?”

Fast forward – we head out for the afternoon safari. Despite the fact that my day had already kicked ass, I made the conscious decision to open up to wisdom.

So I asked Africa again: “What is the gift or medicine you have for me this afternoon?”

And guess what?

Minutes later, we came upon an entire herd of elephants (which, by the way, I learned is actually called a “trumpet” of elephants).

There were about 10 or 12 of them, all of 30 yards away from our truck.

We watched them for a while, engrossed in their behavior and majestic beauty … until suddenly, the female that had been at the very back of the group (along with an old “grandpa” elephant) beelined straight toward me!

(Do you remember that scene in Jurassic Park, where the T-Rex starts chasing the jeep, and Jeff Goldblum is in the back with eyes as big as plates as he watched it racing toward him? That was ME!!)

This elephant was HUGE!

She kept right on at me, as the guide continuously reassured me that everything was fine – that she didn’t see us as a threat.

Still, I was freaking out. I mean, was he an elephant-whisperer?? How could he KNOW??

My entire body tensed up. I could hear each of her steps and see the dust “poof” as each giant foot hit the ground.

Soon, she was so close, I could have reached out and touched her.

She approached the truck, inquisitively.

I looked into her big, beautiful, graceful, delicate, dark eyes.

She looked right back into mine.

Breathless, we looked into each other.

I marveled … she was SO big, and yet SO gentle.

It was probably only a minute or two, but it felt much longer.

Then, just like that, she turned away. (And the group collectively exhaled!)

That’s right when we realized the bigger grandpa elephant was following the same path the female had taken, heading straight toward us!

He was even bigger than she was. His ears flapped as he ran, and I had no idea if he was happy.

(Yep – I failed to breathe for a few moments, again!)

And just like the female, he came straight toward me, right up to the vehicle.

The guide must have been a little nervous at that point, because he started the truck.

The elephant, right next to me now, paused. He stared, and I felt like he was looking beyond my eyes, into something much deeper.

Then he turned, brushed along the vehicle, and off he went.

Again, so immense, yet so delicate.

Lesson Two:

“Bigness” can co-exist with gracefulness, simultaneously.

I can be a big, powerful being and make a huge impact, while remaining delicate and graceful.

WOW.

As we headed away, I took a long, deep, grateful breath and thought, “My day is done. Complete. I’ve seen a cheetah and a leopard, and I’ve had a close encounter with elephants. This really IS the second best day of my life!”

But then something hit me.

I stopped right then and there and thought “Wait, we’re only 30 minutes in to this safari! Who am I to say I’ve had enough?”

You probably know what I did next, right?

I said, “Okay, Africa. What else have you got for me?”

And that’s when my amazing day became EPIC.

We saw a herd of giraffes. We saw a family of rhinos. We saw warthogs. We saw zebras.

We saw lions, and water buffalo, and wildebeests … “Oh my!”

We tracked lions, found a family of 4 females, and were able to get within about 20 feet of them.

Much to our surprise, we watched as they enjoyed a recent baby giraffe kill.  Yes, it was of course sad, and we experienced a mix of emotions. But the reality is that we were watching the circle of life … and despite the sadness for the baby, it was a sight I’ll never forget.

***

My friends, the entire experience was beyond my capability of describing adequately. It was CRAZY – crazy amazing!

I had a Big 5 Day.

I saw all Big 5 predators that are so hard to hunt, and so rare to see – especially all in one go.

Unbelievable.

Later that night, we were sitting at dinner, and I thought again, “Wow. What a day. I am done. Fulfilled. Complete.”

And then again, I stopped myself.

There was still time in that day! It wasn’t over yet. So why was I putting a “cap” on my experience?

I shared my insights right then with the girls in our group, and it began a discussion in which we all expressed the same feeling: “Who are we to put a lid on our abundance … on what we’re here to receive?”

Who, indeed?

Great food. Great company. Great discussion. The experience just kept getting more and more amazing!

Soon, one of the women wanted to head home, so we dropped her off. When we heard a lion roar off in the distance, it was like a collective light bulb went off as we all had the same thought:  “It’s still going! The day is NOT done. Africa still has more to give!”

So we embarked on a night safari with our guide, and it did not disappoint.

We came upon a huge, gorgeous male lion standing right in the middle of the road. Our guide echoed our thoughts when he said, “Well, we’re not going home now!”

We followed the male lion for about 20 full minutes. All of the sudden, he stopped.

We stopped.

Our guide turned off the truck and its lights. It was pitch dark.

We knew the lion was less than a car-length in front of us, but we couldn’t see him.

Then he absolutely shattered the silence, as he let out this gigantic, loud, reverberating roar that hit me right in the heart!

Deep and guttural, I could literally feel my cells vibrate as the sound bounced back and forth between the hills.

Chills, everywhere.

I’m telling you, I was a different human being after hearing that lion.

And to think, I’d tried to put a lid on my day after the leopard!

So I broke into tears. Grateful and humbled, I couldn’t believe all I’d received and experienced.

Lesson Three – My Big “Aha” Moment:

Who am I to say, “I’m done”?

Who am I to put a lid on my abundance?

If I’d “given up” that morning, after we saw the cheetah, the leopard, and the elephants, I would have missed SO much.

I would have effectively shut off my ability to receive.

Instead, I opened myself up for more.

And I received more.

So I want to ask you:

Where are you putting a lid on your abundance? Where are you cutting off what the universe wants to give you?

Be grateful for what you have, absolutely.

But I want you to stay open to MORE.

Surrender to receive the magic the universe wants to give you.

Because it’s always willing to provide it. You don’t have to worry about the how.

In South Africa, we didn’t try to script anything or bring the animals to us. We were simply open to receive, and the universe took care of the magic.

So, every morning, I want you to ask the universe, “What do you have in store for me today? I am open to receive.”

Then, wait to be dazzled!

The Evolutionary Scale of an Entrepreneur: Where You Really Are, and How to Step Up to the Next Rung on the Ladder! Part 2

Jul 20, 2016

by: Melinda Cohan, Jul 20th, 2016

Note: This is the second article in a 5-part series designed to guide you in aligning your business mindset, actions, and goals, and therefore supercharging your productivity and success. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here: Part 1 (part 3, part 4, part 5)

No matter how you envision your “success” you can follow specific steps to climb the ladder rungs of the Evolution of the Entrepreneur.

As promised, this week I’m outlining the 4 rungs of this ladder, and how to move from one to the next, so you can run your business AND live your life with the success and freedom for which you work so hard! (There is a fifth rung, Shareholder, but we’re not covering that, here, since the vast majority of coaches work their way up to the fourth rung, CEO, and stop there – this allows them to still participate in their favorite activities while their team members take care of everything else. On the other hand, a Shareholder usually views their business as an investment, and doesn’t work in it or on it at all.)

For each rung—Technician, Hobbyist, Business Owner, and CEO—I’ll list mindset (outlook), self-identifiers (this is how you’d introduce yourself at a networking meeting), common thoughts, biggest commitments, biggest fears, and driving motivations.

As you read through them, you can begin to identify where you really are in your own evolution. (After all, you have to have absolute clarity as to where you are now, so you can identify your current mindset and actions and ensure they align with the mindset and action of the rung where you want to be.)

Here we go!

TECHNICIAN. The simplest way to define a technician is someone who is getting paid to do the work she loves. In Part 1, I defined a technician as someone who is inherently gifted at something, and who may even consider this a calling. When she is doing “that thing,” she dips into the ‘zone of genius.’

Most technicians stay in a job, working for someone else, getting paid as much as they can for what they do.

Mindset:“Just let me do what I love, what I’m really good at … so I don’t have to worry about anything else.”

Self-identifiers: “I’m a do-er and have extreme focus on the task at hand.” (In this case, that task is coaching.)

Common Thoughts:

• “I just want to {coach} my clients.” (NOTE: “coach” can be replaced here with whatever service you provide.)
• “I can’t believe people pay me to do this {coaching}! I love it so much, I’d do it for free!”

Biggest Commitments: Safety and steady cash flow.

Biggest Fear(s): Having to get a job doing work she hates just to make money and take care of responsibilities. At the core, we can further define this as sacrificing happiness to take care of responsibilities.

Driving Motivations and Desire(s):

• To find a great job making great money doing “that thing,” while creating a decent lifestyle around it (again, safety is at the core).
• Financial security.

HOBBYIST. A hobbyist is often exploring her talents in her off-time, working for fun beyond that 9-5 J-O- B. She almost can’t believe she’s getting paid to have so much fun! That’s pretty much where it stops – FUN!

Mindset: “It’s safe to explore my talents as a {coach} in my off hours, and people payme to do this! They pay ME! I don’t have to work for another company to do this!”

Self-identifiers: “Right now, I’m just dabbling in the world of coaching. I fit this gift or calling of mine into my existing world—which means my real job, my family, and other responsibilities take priority. Still, I love getting paid for doing work I love, and this brings me great joy.”

Common Thoughts:

• “If I can help someone, great! If not, that’s okay too.”
• “I have a job that makes me decent money, and I’m stable while I also get to
• “I love helping people and making an impact.”
• “I wonder if I could do this full time as my only job and sole source of income?”
• “I hate marketing and don’t like sales; I just want to coach.” enjoy the fun of doing this work that I love and that lights me up.”

Biggest Commitment: Safety.

Biggest Fears: The hobbyist is afraid she won’t get to pursue her calling and greater purpose because of her job, her family, and other responsibilities – at the core, she is afraid that she has to sacrifice her professional happiness and fulfillment to take care of responsibilities. She loathes marketing and sales, and hates the thought of feeling like a pushy salesman. She’s afraid she’ll run out of time, energy, money, and/or passion before she realizes her dream, or of having to get a “real” job if she fails at her passion. As a result of these fears, she often ends up stuck between being a Technician and fully going for it as a Business Owner.

Driving Motivations/Desires:

• Actually making money doing the work she loves while making – and witnessing – the difference and impact she has on people’s lives. (At the core: being of service to others.)
• Financial survival: because it’s “safer” financially, she maintains “real” job so she’s sure to pay the bills, and coaches on the side.

BUSINESS OWNER. A business owner does the work of the technician while taking consistent action to overcome the fears of the hobbyist. In other words, she gets to work in her genius zone while finding ways to make great money AND a big impact, doing what she loves.

Mindset: “I’m creating a well-oiled business machine that generates consistent results in terms of clients and cash flow, so I can do the work I love while getting paid for it AND making a big impact.”

Self-identifiers: “I have a nice lifestyle business doing the work I love while making great money and working with amazing clients!”

Common Thoughts:

• “I feel like I have a ‘real’ business.”
• “It’ll take too much time to delegate tasks. Besides, I can do it more quickly … I’ll just do it myself.”
• “If it’s got to be, it’s up to me.”
• “There’s not enough time in the day to do everything that needs to be done.”
• “I can’t believe I get paid this much to do work I love doing!”

Biggest Commitments: Steady cashflow and scaling the business.

Biggest Fears: The business owner is afraid that in order to grow her business, she’ll have to work long hours, which will take away from her family and other important things in her life. She fears burnout as a result of doing everything herself, and wonders whether she’ll overcome her fear of marketing and sales. She doesn’t know whether she has what it takes to “do this” consistently, and isn’t sure whether she’ll be able to pay herself what she wants to make.

Driving Motivations/desires:

• Accomplishing more while doing less.
• Working smarter, not harder.
• Creating a “lifestyle” business that keeps her in the lifestyle she’s become accustomed to or desires.
• Consistent cash flow and financial stability.

CEO. The CEO is all about scaling her business so she can work less, earn more, and make a huge impact in the lives of her clients and her team members.

Mindset: “I will inspire my team so it becomes their passion to fulfill my passion.”

Self-identifiers: “As a visionary leader, I’m a source of inspiration.”

Common Thoughts:

• “What people, resources and technologies do we need in place in order to reach our goals?”
• “Is this the right direction for the business?”
• “In what other ways can we scale?”
• “I can’t believe that other people’s passion is to help me fulfill my vision!”

Biggest Commitment: Creating a well-oiled machine that runs better without her.

Biggest Fears: The CEO worries about whether she and her team members have what it takes to implement the goals she has for her business while providing exquisite support and delivery in effortless, fun ways … or, whether they’ll kill themselves trying to implement everything! She wonders if the decisions she’s made, the risks she’s taking, and the direction she’s going will turn out to be wrong, and cause the business to close down. She worries about being able to pay her team members and herself.

Driving Motivations/Desires:

• Scalability.
• Wealth.
• Creating an inspiring culture that helps people be their best.
• The tantalizing questions: Can I really do this? Can I create a team that handles everything and that runs better without me?

SHAREHOLDER. As we mentioned earlier, a Shareholder usually views her business as an investment, and steps away from the running of it. The vast majority of coaches don’t become Shareholders; they still want to be involved, especially with the activities they enjoy.

Whew!

So … now that you know more about each rung of the ladder of the Evolution of the Entrepreneur, which rung are you actually on?

So often when I talk to start up coaches, their goals are in alignment of that with a Business Owner.

However, their actions and mindset are in alignment with that of a Technician or a Hobbyist. This disconnect keeps them stuck. It’s like a vicious tug of war!

On the one hand, they still desire the financial safety of being a technician where someone else pays them to do a job, or that of a hobbyist where they have the freedom of maintaining a full-time job while enjoying coaching.

On the other hand, at the heart-and- soul level, they know the only work they want to do is that which fulfills their higher purpose.

They have just enough courage to step out of the safety zone to go for it—pursue their calling—because their heart is speaking so loudly. Yet they move forward into business ownership while keeping the mindset of the hobbyist.

Here’s the thing:

Being a business owner is no joke! But when you adopt the mindset of a business owner and have that outlook, things become much easier.

Alignment of your mindset, words, actions and goals creates an internal shift, and you become more committed than ever to doing whatever it takes to succeed.

Stay tuned to your inbox for next week’s article, in which I dive deeper into the Hobbyist vs. Business owner discussion, to help you understand the distinction and identify where you are (and, if it’s not where you want to be, how to reach your goals).

LOVE IS THE TRUE BLACK

Mar 15, 2016

Melinda Cohan
Founder and President
Virginia

Kate Steinbacher
Founder and Vice President
Virginia

Cosmin Costin
Chief Technical Officer
Romania

Raluca Ciuperca
Project Manager
Romania

Angee Robertson
Virtual Assistant / JV Manager
Florida

Ruth Brown
Bookkeeper
Maine

Marius Chitosca
Customer Support
Romania

Jackie Cunningham
Customer Support
Illinois

Adi Scoarta
Programming
Romania

George Cheteles
Programming
Romania

Ana Markovits
Programming
Romania

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