The #1 mistake coaches make when creating clients is that they forget to CREATE them…
You don’t ‘get’ clients. You don’t ‘attract’ clients. You create them.
Seek out clients who are willing to take risks, make mistakes and fail.
Seek out clients who play and love challenges.
Seek out clients who put practice over outcomes and who are in it for the long haul.
Clients who desire “success” are everywhere. Clients who are willing to do what it takes… Those are the rare ones.
Filter for clients who inspire YOU,
rather than clients you can inspire.
You can’t find your voice, if you don’t use it
I’ve filtered for more and more inspiring clients. For over 13 years.
I’ve served more and more people. And I’ve served them more and more powerfully.
I’ve created a body of work. A book. Audios. Articles. Videos.
Because of this I’ve became known in the coaching world.
My clients have become more and more interesting. And they’ve referred more and more interesting people to me.
I ask every new client how they even know I exist. The two most common answers are: “Someone told me about you…” or “I read your book…”
This is followed, on almost every occasion, with the following words, said rather sheepishly, “And then I stalked you online! I watched every video you’ve ever made. And I read everything you’ve ever written.”
That’s interesting.
Because ten years ago, I’d never written anything online. Eight years ago, I’d never taught from a big stage. Seven years ago, I’d never written a book. And six years ago, I’d never made a Youtube video.
In 2013, Vishen Lakhiani, the founder of Mindvalley reached out to ask if I’d help him launch the Evercoach platform with its founder, Ajit Nawalkha. He told me that they had an audience of 3 million subscribers.
I said, “Hell Yes!”
What I didn’t tell him was that I was terrified because I’d never been on camera in my life.
Instead of admitting my fears, I told him a white lie. I feigned confidence. I told him that I wasn’t like his other presenters because I’m a coach. So, I would coach people – and I’d be looking at them, instead of teaching to the camera.
He thought this was a great idea.
And I was secretly very relieved!
We launched Evercoach and every single week, for a couple of years, I recorded videos of me coaching people, live on camera.
In my earliest videos, I barely said my name to the camera, before I retreated to my safe space by hiding in the intimacy of deep coaching!
But time passed. I began to relax. I’d speak to the camera for a couple of minutes. Then five minutes. Then ten. Eventually I could speak to the camera for 30 minutes. Then 60. Ultimately, I could teach for hours and I used my teaching skills to create products with Mindvalley that have received rave reviews – like Being An Exponential Coach.
Austin Kleon is the author of a great book, called Show Your Work. In it, he says: “You can’t find your voice, if you don’t use it.”
If you want people to know what you do, you have to share what you believe and what you care about. You can’t wait until what you share is perfect. You have to share before you are ready.
Back in 2012, I designed a guide to creating clients. It’s rough. It’s handwritten. It’s illustrated with my poorly drawn cartoons.
Within a year, this rough download of my thoughts had become the heart of The Prosperous Coach. This books still sells 1,000 copies a month, 6 years since publication.
Austin Kleon also said, “The best way to get started on the path to sharing your work is to think about what you want to learn, and make a commitment to learning in front of others.”
I’ve been doing that for over a decade.
And it never ceases to surprise me that the less I have it together – and the more I share my mistakes and my flaws and my screw-ups – the more interested in what I am up to people seem to be…
I just coached and taught on stage at MindvalleyU in Croatia.
It was really fun. It was also one of the hottest days of the year. Under the spotlights it was dramatically hotter. The ancient air conditioning units were strained beyond their capacity.
I could literally feel the sweat dripping down my back as I walked on stage.
I was self-conscious. I felt embarrassed. So much sweat was running down the sides of my face, I couldn’t hide it. In the middle of the talk, a kind woman even walked up to the stage to pass me a napkin, to wipe my forehead!
Now I felt even more embarrassed. Even more awkward. But instead of hiding it, I told the audience.
“What I don’t want you to know about me…” I began. I explained my embarrassment. My insecurities. I put a voice to the silent doubts and fears in my head. And I spoke them out loud.
Saying this to 200 people was challenging. It was one of my least ‘perfect’ talks ever. But it was also one of my most real. And that’s what people crave most these days. Being real.
We live in a world where Instagram influencers fake brand deals. YouTubers rent private jets by the hour, to pretend they own them. Coaches with no clients fill your Facebook feed with ads promising to get you thousands of clients.
When you are willing to screw up in front of your community, make mistakes and not hide them (and even get super sweaty on stage) people will like, trust and appreciate you.
Thanks for staying with me on this journey. Screw ups, mistakes, sweat and all!
Love. Rich