Everyday I hear from coaches how very challenging it is to find and attract ideal clients to your coaching business. You say, "I know my ideal client but I just can't seem to find them."  I promise your ideal clients are out there. They are waiting to hear your message and they can only hear your worthwhile message from you. The truth is — when you don't know what you don't know about your ideal client, it smacks and truly hurts your marketing efforts and ultimately keeps your bottom line profits from growing.

Let me tell you why what you don't know about your ideal client is so dangerous:

1. You work with anyone who comes your way. Why, because you're attracting someone, anybody, everybody, all, people and groups of  people who aren't specifically ideally served by your coaching programs and services. Those general descriptions of your ideal client are off limits if you want to find your sweet spot and love the client you serve. As the expression goes, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." I know that's tough to hear but it's SO VERY TRUE!
2. You dilute your marketing efforts, spend more money and waste lots of time marketing to groups filled with lots of people that are not necessarily your ideal client. Group descriptions of your ideal client (like entrepreneurs, solo-preneurs, small business owners) don't give you enough detail about your ideal client. Start there, then dive deep for more information about your ideal client. You want to know intimate details about who your ideal client is in order to have the marketing conversation. You may feel this level of clarity somehow limits your attraction. Not so! If your ideal client is a woman, it doesn't mean you won't attract men to your coaching programs and services. Instead, you'll have men with whom your message resonates in equally powerful ways. That's exactly what you want, right?
3. You're frustrated by the clients you serve. It's because fundamentally your values are out of sync. They aren't ideal clients!  Remember, your ideal client is ALWAYS ready, willing and able to invest in your services. This doesn't mean you won't encounter objections. Instead, you'll make a tremendous and necessary shift in your thinking about how your ideal client shows up to work with you. You'll also have a greater understanding about the level of investment she is willing to make.  Isn't it time to stop struggling with clients who aren't ready to truly make a commitment in themselves (let alone commit to you and your services)?

In my newest product, Boost Your Income with Ideal Client Clarity, you'll get to know your ideal client intimately well. You'll specify demographics and psycho graphics that help you understand what to say to your ideal client in your marketing conversation. You'll define your ideal client's experience so you know how you can truly serve her via your coaching, blogging, speaking, social networking and more. You'll see the impact on your ability to find, attract and enroll ideal clients into your coaching business.

You'll know what you know about your ideal client so you can boost your income and serve lots of ideal clients, really well.

How well do you know your ideal client?

I looked up the word compelling in the dictionary and discovered it means "to have a powerful and irresistible effect or influence."  Wow, that's very kewl especially when you think of the kind of marketing conversations you have on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.  It boils down to how powerful, irresistible or influential you can be, right?

Imagine sitting down in your living room with your ideal client. The two of you are enjoying an amazing conversation about what's keeping her up at night and how that problem is affecting her business. You're listening and caring with the utmost compassion. You relate to her experience because in some ways you've had similar experiences in your business. You continue listening with interest and professional objectivity. You ask her permission to invite her to look at things a little differently, knowing that it takes just one tiny step to alleviate that problem from her life and business. You encourage her to be courageous knowing that it represents genuine relief for your client. You challenge her and let her know you're there to support her in every step.

She taps into the opportunities you reveal and wants to continue the conversation (i.e., invest in your coaching). She knows you can help rid her life and business of the problem plaguing her. The reasons are very simple:

1. Connection - You began the conversation by building a bond of respect and genuine concern.  You continued that bond throughout the entire conversation by caring, listening and sharing. You invited her to accept the support you offered her and she accepted.
2. Value - You mapped out one small act of courage that would truly help her. You gave her a tip, tool, resource or strategy that she found gave her immediate relief. You gave her a glimpse into just how easy it is to take more steps and achieve bigger results.
3. Challenge - You believed in her ability to play a bigger game. You gave her the experience of playing bigger with a gentle, trusting nudge and she liked it! You know it's not being a "Yes Woman."  Instead you had faith in your client because of the great potential she had/has to remedy any obstacle in her life. You stood as her accountability partner, supporting her every move.

Now, that's a compelling marketing conversation/message — one that you can have in your emails, social media updates, blog posts, sales letters and more. Practice being authentically powerful, irresistible and influential until it becomes natural.  You'll see the difference right away!

How powerful, irresistible and influential is your marketing message?

If you're stuck, stalled or just starting out, marketing is at the very heart of getting things going in your coaching business. Marketing is the lifeline of any business yet it's an area that feels daunting for most business owners. Coaches in particular are challenged by doing the marketing you believe it takes to grow. You believe marketing is hard and time consuming. You believe marketing takes so much energy and you just don't have it to give, right?

What if marketing was easier, took little time, gave you energy and you loved doing it?

In order to embrace marketing with new appreciation, you must be open to changing your mindset about what marketing means to you.

You must be willing to experience marketing differently than you have before.

You must challenge yourself to behavior that facilitates the mindset change you desire.

I was browsing Facebook a few minutes ago and saw the headline on the cover of a magazine, "Put Me In the Game, Coach! I Want to Win!"  Your mind has to be in the marketing game for you to win clients and more business!

Imagine you're faced with your greatest marketing challenge, like writing copy, posting social media updates or follow-up calls. I have to admit I pause when it comes to follow-up calls, too. Then, I remember three very crucial things about marketing that help me put my mind in my marketing:

1. Time is a precious and valuable gift so use it wisely.
   You choose how you spend and how it benefits you. You can't afford NOT to spend time marketing your coaching programs and services. Like the dentist telling a child reluctant about flossing his teeth: Only floss the ones you want to keep.  Choose to invest your time in marketing to build your business.
   
2. Marketing is a conversation.
   I'm very social so whatever marketing-related action I'm taking, I shift my mind into a social mode. I love it when I do! I'm personable and professional. Most of time, clients on the receiving end are pleasantly surprised by the phone call from me. It's just not done in this day and age so I'm also standing out in the crowd by making the call.  Start the conversation and keep in going.
   
3. I am always willing, ready and able to engage in marketing activities to grow my coaching business. It's a personal intention statement of mine. I'm sharing it because it empowers and encourages me. I hope it supports you, too. Intention statements give you power to change your mind. Live your intention out loud.

Your mind is composed of elements by which you feel, perceive, think, will, and especially reason. You can change your mind and ultimately your behavior.  Put your mind in your marketing and watch your marketing efforts flow. You'll see your business grow, too!

My Challenge:  What are you willing to do to put your mind in your marketing?