Heart-Based Coaching: Three Simple Steps to Make More Money by Making a Difference

When I started doing life and career coaching, I was really inspired to start a business. I really wanted to work with people. I wanted to support people, help people, and I had no clue how to start a business. I researched and tried to find models and different examples, but really I didn't have a clue how to put it all together.

One challenge for me was that marketing felt gross. A lot of the stuff I was reading felt very salesy and the systems and individuals that I was getting some of the material from just didn’t feel authentic to me. That became a challenge. I knew it had to feel authentic and heart-centered and client-based, so I set out to do it differently.

I have to admit, there were moments when I was panicked and worried. I thought, "What have I gotten myself into? How will I ever get clients? I know nothing about building a business."

Step One - Identify an authentic approach:

I understand the panic and frustration that can come with starting a new business. When I set my sites on starting a new business, I centered myself and said, "I need a clear plan. It's got to be authentic for me and not salesy. It's got to be easy and understandable. It's got to be client and heart-centered."

When I began to put that authentic piece together, within 9 months I had 35 clients. I began to see that the more authentic I was, the more I attracted ideal clients and opportunities.

Step Two - Develop a clear plan of implementation:

You need a systematic approach with no assumptions that your clients know how to implement some of these methods. I don't assume that the clients I work with know how to implement. That's why I take things step-by-step and point to each path and point to every important spot along the journey.

Step Three - Marketing for helping professionals:

When talking to helping professionals about marketing, some of the most common responses are "sales", "yuck", "discounts", "recruiting", "cold calling", "closing deals", and "hard work". I recognize that a lot of helping professionals struggle with building their business because that’s their understanding of marketing. That's their experience of marketing.