What do you want your coaching clients to do? Don’t assume they’ll come to your website or storefront just because you’ve told them you’re there. Results driven advertising, marketing and promotions take more planning and effort than an “If I build they it they will come” approach.

One of the best pieces of advice I can offer when creating copy is to always include an offer, otherwise known as a call to action.

Give your potential customers and coaching clients a reason to support your business. Invite them in to your storefront, request they visit your website and be sure to ask them to take action by giving them a compelling reason to do so.

What are you “asking” your clients and prospect to do?

How often do you see a billboard, print ad or webpage that makes you scratch your head and wonder “what was that all about?” Think about radio and television ads for a moment. Do you ever wonder why advertisers invest in the so called clever and catchy campaigns with no clear message?

Take a moment to consider the types of marketing or advertisements you personally respond to. If you see an ad on television that is unclear do you immediately gravitate toward the brand being featured? Probably not. On the other hand if you see an ad with a specific offer, perhaps a solution to a problem you’ve been experiencing or an item that fills a need you have right now you’re more likely to take action.

Advertisements designed to build top of the mind awareness without any clear call to action are called institutional ads. I’m not saying they don’t have their place. If you have an unlimited budget this can be effective. I’m simply making a case for the use of direct response tactics in all of your marketing efforts. Direct response ads get better results. They promote action. Isn’t that what marketing is really all about?

Here’s an example: If you’re reading this article it’s my sincere intent that you’re getting some value from it. This article is designed to help you think more objectively about your business. It’s also designed to showcase my expertise and let you know you can tap into additional savvy marketing insight and copywriting tips when you visit my website. You’ll notice a signature box below. This includes my contact information and a call to action to accept a free gift from me. Feel free to a visit my website and take advantage of the offer.

Take Action Challenge: Review your marketing materials to re-evaluate what you’re asking your coaching clients to do. Are you offering them a compelling reason to act?

Copywriting Expert

Lisa Manyon is the President of Write On ~ Creative Writing Services, LLC. and a Professional Copywriter and Marketing Strategist specializing in POWERFULLY communicating your marketing message to increase results. She’s a published author and is a featured in the International Association of Web Entrepreneurs Official AWE Guide to Emerging Trends Every Online Entrepreneur Must Know and has written promotional, advertising and marketing copy for internet gurus and a wide variety of brick and mortar businesses. She's completed Glazer Kennedy’s Creating Copy that Sells certification and is a Copy Coach for Lorrie Morgan Ferrero’s She Factor Copywriting Bootcamp. Manyon offers a free Copywriting Action Plan with 7 Power-packed Insider Tricks of the Copywriting Trade to Dramatically Increase Sales of your Products & Services on her website

Many people might think that the life of a professional speaker is glamorous, easy and fun. While it's true that those of us who are in the speaking profession often love our work, it's not always easy - or glamorous!

Here are some popular myths and misconceptions about being a professional speaker, motivational speaker or group coach - and the "real" realities:

Myth: Professional speakers get paid to talk.
Reality: It's not just "talk" - there's a lot of planning involved. The best speakers put in several hours of research and preparation for every hour that they spend actually speaking or coaching. There is a lot of “behind the scenes” work that has to happen before the “show” can start.

Myth: Being a motivational speaker is all about presentation, performance and pizzazz!
Reality: You need to have some substance behind what you're saying. It’s not enough to just put on a good show; you also need to be a respected authority in your field of expertise. And some of the most popular speakers are not necessarily the ones with the most charismatic styles of presentation – there are many ways to win over an audience.

Myth: Professional speakers and group coaches just talk off the top of their heads, using a standard script that they’ve memorized and delivered thousands of times.
Reality: The best motivational speakers and coaches take the time to prepare something special and unique for each audience. They adapt their message and target their expertise to the particular needs of every audience – so that every speech or group coaching session is a little different. The best professional speakers don’t give “cookie-cutter” speeches.

Myth: Professional speakers and group coaches just show up, deliver a speech, collect their pay and move on – they don’t really have to think about the longer-term effects of their work.
Reality: It’s much more than “just” a speech. The best professional speakers and coaches make sure that they leave a lasting impact on each audience that goes beyond the time they spend speaking. Every group coaching session or motivational speech is a chance to help change an audience and influence the direction of the organization. Whether it’s a cleverly-packaged “leave behind” document, an e-mail survey to gauge audience feedback, or a formal follow-up session, the best speakers and group coaches find a way to leave a lasting impression with their audience that will have lasting results.

What are some other misconceptions that you've heard from other people when they hear you're a professional speaker or group coach? And how do you work to overcome these misconceptions in your own business?

DeLores Pressley, Professional Speaking Expert

DeLores Pressley is an international keynote speaker, author, life coach and the Founder of the Born Successful Institute and DeLores Pressley Worldwide. DeLores has spoken to more than 107,000 people in over 65 major cities and countries. She has been interviewed on America’s top rated shows including, OPRAH and Entertainment Tonight. She produces Speak for Hire, an educational program teaching entrepreneurs, speakers and coaches how to speak and grow their business. More about DeLores

Speaking helps build credibility. When you speak to a group, organization, or audience— whether niche-marketed or general—you create credibility for what it is that you do.  You are using one of the most basic tools that we as human beings possess; and that is communication.  The power and gift of effective, engaging, compelling communication is not to be overlooked or underestimated.  It provides benefit for the listener in whatever it is that you’re sharing with them; it serves your need to promote your products or services; and on a very subtle level it builds community and connection, reminding us that we all have the same basic needs and that we can help one another to fulfill them.

By using the gift of speech to convey your message to a population of people who might otherwise not know of your group coaching program, you not only establish yourself as a presence in their mind, but you’re actually building your reputation and credibility as a business or entrepreneur that offers the world something of value.

Here are more ways to promote and grow your group coaching business by speaking:

Be Niche Specific
Have a specific area of expertise. Clients will not want to hear that you can cover any topic that they need. Being good at many things is not as impressive as being great at one thing. Find a need and fill it.

Target your Market
Your niche tells you who you are selling to. Think of your general market and consider what problems you can solve for them. The answers to this will give you content for the future and specify what you are currently working with.

Give Benefits not Features
Illustrate how your content can help your audience, not what is great about your ideas. People want to know what is in it for them. Take your objective and apply it to your potential client.

Give Away your Ideas
Draw traffic to your website with free downloads. If you don’t have an online presence, you can opt for a written document as a handout. However, hard-format allows audiences to put it to the side and forget it, plus you miss the internet browsers. Create definite action by collecting their leads before you give away a paper that contains detail of your work.

Be a person of action. Share with us how you have used or will use these tips to grow your group coaching business. If you want more information on how to speak and grow your business, check out my CD/DVD entitled "Speak to Grow Your Business: The Formula to Speak Your Way to Millions." How have you used the power of your voice to grow your business?

DeLores Pressley, Professional Speaking Expert

DeLores Pressley is an international keynote speaker, author, life coach and the Founder of the Born Successful Institute and DeLores Pressley Worldwide. DeLores has spoken to more than 107,000 people in over 65 major cities and countries. She has been interviewed on America’s top rated shows including, OPRAH and Entertainment Tonight. She produces Speak for Hire, an educational program teaching entrepreneurs, speakers and coaches how to speak and grow their business. More about DeLores