Duct Tape Marketing - Latest Comments in 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

martydasilva — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:19:20 -0000

Great Article. There is some wonderful info here that I will definitely apply in my own business.

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

Joseph T. Dager — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:58:50 -0000

Good leading edge thoughts John and in nice bite size chunks that you can practically make a task list out of!

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

christopherpetersen — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:57:17 -0000

That was a superb post! Definitely worth the read and of course the implenentation!

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

lisatholen — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:31:36 -0000

Thanks for this very helpful post. I have been struggling at some level with nearly all of your points. Starting the business was easy, and I get a lot of positive feedback on being a LEED AP and green building consultant. Lead generation and conversion is much more difficult! Thanks again!

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

pbekkum — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:46:49 -0000

Thank you for all your spectacular information.

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

RedHotFranchises — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:21:01 -0000

Great advice, made a difference.

Deflect glory to your manager that's a big reason why they hired you.

Never complain. Managers have enough of that, that's why they need you. You're their machete in the jungle of red tape. Try to affect positive change, or leave. The thoughts and acts that you devote to your time the most on a daily basis, you'll become. You are the sole magnate of all that is around you.

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

disqus_Pj33XY4LPM — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:16:16 -0000

Sorry for commenting twice. Thought the first had disappeared! And not sure why I'm showing up as a blockhead instead of my FB photo...

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

disqus_Pj33XY4LPM — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:13:01 -0000

I hope in #1 you mean to also turn your content into marketable products that don't need YOU to be present to sell? I've found the biggest challenge of being a coach/consultant is having enough time. I'm not the originator of this idea, but by converting a lot of my existing content into various products (e-books, teleseminars, print books, Web-based training programs, etc.) I do not always have to be present to generate income. There is no outsourcing coaching or consulting and, much like retail, you have to always be available so I agree with #1 but think you might expand it. Besides you are already doing all of these things!

Thanks for the post!

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

disqus_Pj33XY4LPM — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:02:04 -0000

I think #1 is crucial and when you say "products" I assume you mean things that can be reproduced with no additional time spent by you? So easy in coaching and consulting to find yourself working constantly...you can't outsource what you do! So you MUST develop products like teleseminars, ebooks, training programs, etc. that do not require you to always be present for your customer in the moment. Managing time is one of the biggest headaches I've encountered though I love what I do!

Great post!
Steven

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

ducttape — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:24:59 -0000

Terri - I wouldn't argue with that a bit.

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

Terri Z — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:42:35 -0000

Excellent outline of the success factors of the solo entrepreneur, John. If I may, I'd add one more:

8) Assemble a strong support team. You can't do it all yourself! You're going to need help setting up speaking engagements, posting articles, corresponding with prospects and clients, and setting up your systems. A great team can do all the work that you aren't good at or just don't like doing...leaving you free to spend your time doing what you are good at: delivering your solutions to current clients and converting future clients.

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

BigDaddy00 — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:48:11 -0000

Your blog was listed in Technorati and the duct tape name made me laugh and I just had to visit.

Your blog content is excellent, well written and very readable. Thanks for great info and I look forward to reading more.

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

JeffMack — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:32:07 -0000

Very very sage words of advise John! Thanks a bunch for the great post.

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

johnspence — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:28:36 -0000

Great post John:
I have been a corporate trainer, executive coach and professional speaker for the past 14 years, and I am constantly approached (even more often recently) by people who say they want to do what I do for a living! So I wrote a very honest and frank blog about EXACTLY what it really takes to succeed in this business -- as you'll see - we have some very similar views!!! Here is a link to my blog -- I think that any of your readers who are interested in this topic might find this extremely helpful:
http://johnspence.com/blog/...

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

David Jehlen — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:22:03 -0000

Excellent post John. The concept of sharing “this is how we do it” with a client in a kind and empathetic way puts us in the best position to serve them and is one of the differences between a consultant and a coach. Thanks!

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

Clemens Rettich — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:53:00 -0000

Bingo!

That is one of the most elegant pieces on the right flow between commodity and relationship I have read. You make matter/energy/matter conversion seem easy!

Thanks for that!

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

rabiya — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:33:20 -0000

Great Article ! Love the practical advice.

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

joecostantino — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:16:35 -0000

Type your comment here.

John,

Great information here. I believe the most important step to developing a successful consulting or coaching practice is to become really good a converting your leads into paying customers or your #6.

Sometimes, I find coaches do fairly well at the other points in their practice but when it comes to the moment of truth, or the close, the coach may not do a good job at addressing the needs of their prospect and it turns into a one-sided sales pitch, rather than listening and responding to the issue that enticed the prospect to call the coach in the first place.

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

Jim Kukral — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:02:07 -0000

Bah, quit telling people our secrets! GREAT article. :)

Re: 7 Steps to Creating a Winning Coaching, Consulting or Service Business

JoeJacobi — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:10:59 -0000

Thanks for the great post, John (and not just talking about the cycling pic :) - good advice and good timing too.