Trades never seem to pan out in the life coaching business.  It doesn’t work out for your business, and it doesn’t work out for your clients.  It seems to be the ultimate lose-lose situation.  Why is trading such a bad idea in your life coaching business, when if often works in other areas of your life?  One of the most obvious reasons is that there are very few services that are worth your hourly rate as a coach.  That means the client will either work 4-5 hours an hour for one hour of your time, or your hourly rate goes down.  Either way, it is a recipe for disaster.  But beyond that, the mindset behind a person who wants to trade just doesn’t lend itself to a success.

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People Who Want to Trade Don’t Value Your Life Coaching Business Services

Actually you’re better off giving away your life coaching business services rather than trading because people who you trade with will think they’re doing you a favor.  This puts you in an inferior posture, which is a tough place to lead from.  That is, if the client ever ends up coming through with their end.  Most times you will deliver your end of the bargain, and they won’t end up paying you in kind.  Why?

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Traders Aren’t Committed Enough to the Process to Get Results

If someone washes your car, you have a result.  You can never “give” someone a result in coaching.  It requires work on your clients’ behalf.  Once your clients realize that success only comes with blood, sweat, and tears; they’re going to either walk away or blame you for their failure.  That is a huge loss of human potential.

So what do you do if you really want to help someone who doesn’t have an ability to pay?  They only way a trade has a chance of working out is to make it clear from the beginning that you value your services.  You are doing the client a favor.  If you do have a special arrangement with someone, you need to get payment in advance of providing your coaching services.   It’s not just for the benefit of your life coaching business; it’s ultimately for the benefit of the client you want to make a difference for.

Give this strategy a try and see for yourself that it works.   If you liked this coaching tip, leave a comment or use the handy bookmark buttons below to share it with others on Facebook, Twitter, Digg, etc. Thanks! 

Colette Seymann

JTS Advisors Bi-Designated Strategy and Accountability Coach