How to get clients fast, and create instant credibility
When people ask how to become a life coach before they get enough hours to apply for national coaching certification, they often really mean, “How do I get some clients that pay me so I have some credibility and can really tell people that I am a coach?” What they are also wondering is, “Who is going to pay me to be their coach?” and how they will step into the role where they have actually become a life coach?
“Who will believe me?”
Because until you become a life coach, or motivational coach, and actually have some cash-paying clients, you don’t even believe it yourself.
…and you can’t apply for national coaching certification from ICF until you have at least 250 hours of PAID coaching.
The way to step over this hurdle, is to provide massive value to your prospective client. BEFORE you try to sign them up. Even many salespeople make this mistake. They skip over building trust and report, and then they skip over identifying the needs of the customer. Skip over these crucial steps, and people’s walls go up, and they will run.
How do you create massive value? You must become a life coach without the ”credibility” you would have with national coaching certification. Schedule a complimentary session. This provides value for both you, and your prospective client. You find out if they are coachable, and they find out if you have become a life coach for real.
The first steps to doing this are:
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Create some initial rapport.
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Find out what’s really important to them. Specifically, ask them, “What are 3 things that are absolutely crucial for you to achieve or at least be well on their way to achieving in the next 90 days?” Make sure you confirm that you are clear on each goal (and they understand their goals as well). There is power in this. Their goals now exist outside their head and they can start to own them. You have begun to add value just by doing this. Few people have ever had someone completely focused on them, allowing them to create space to dream.
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Find what’s missing for them to be able to achieve their goals. Look into the PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE to really create understanding of how things will look if they don’t change their limiting patterns or beliefs. Get them to FEEL the emotions they would feel if they DON’T achieve what they want. use coaching skills like the ‘JOLT Technique‘.
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Give them your BEST answer to help them move forward. WAIT, Did I really say “best”? Of course! Are you a motivational coach that is living in fear of scarcity? How can you expect people to show up and do their best if you are not giving your best EACH and EVERY session? Hold NOTHING back.
If you are able to give massive value, things will happen.
Your prospect may become your client.
HURRAY!
Now you can start owning that you have become a life coach.
If not, HURRAY!
These people may refer others to you, and if not, you are stepping into the role of a life coach despite not having national coaching certification. When you can focus every session on providing value for your clients or prospects, and get out of your own head and desires…you will gain credibility as a coach and start making an impact on the world.
Colette Seymann
JTS Advisors Accountability Coach
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"Become a Coach" – Google News
People go to a life coach because they don’t want a professor or a counselor, they want someone with practical knowledge and experience to help give them the perspective they need to achieve results. There is no need to ever jump through ICF’s hoops that make it seem like a Master’s Degree if you help clients get what they want.
do doubt, Sherry. Nothing wrong with generating credibility by getting a certification, but there are much easier ways to do so and if you know what you’re talking about, why bother? Most get certified because of their own insecurities or uncertainty or need for permission from an authority. That makes for more business for the certification body than anything else.