by: Melissa Quiter
Everyone needs support in life. No matter who you are, what you do, how much money you have or don’t have. No one does this thing called life alone.
In developing a coaching business, one thing became very evident. If you wanted to make the “big bucks,” you had to go after target markets that could pay the price. You needed to attract clients who understood the value of having their own personal tool (yes, a coach is a resource and tool) for making more money, creating amazing relationships and achieving more than is possible than going it alone. And, these people needed to have the money now to invest in that belief.
This means that people with money get a huge boost in making even more money. And, people with money learn how to create better relationships, run better businesses and – bottom line create even more amazing lives than they already have. Now, that is absolutely wonderful for those people. If they have the foresight to invest their money in a coach – more power to them.
The problem is the rest of us! The rest of us may not have $300 or $400 a month extra for six months to a year for a coach. We don’t get that added boost to create more success and more money. We don’t get that opportunity to break out of where we are because of where we are.
Being a coach that couldn’t help those who were desperate for the help, but couldn’t afford it (as I had to make a living too), was extremely frustrating. Not having alternative options for those that were not yet in the space for such a large investment, seemed unfair. There had to be options for those of us who were just starting on our process to create amazing lives and have financial abundance. Yes, the money and ability to pay for personal coaching comes, but you have to start somewhere for the chance to get to that point. That is the real challenge.
So, through extensive research and questioning (and I must admit this was for myself because I was one of those people!), the following list was born. This is a list of the top five ways people are getting amazing results from “coaching,” but cannot YET afford a private coaching relationship!
TOP FIVE WAYS TO GET COACHING RESULTS WITHOUT LOSING THE RENT MONEY:
[From the least expensive to the most.]
1. Create a Book Club:
This is a wonderful idea because it really only costs the price of the book you choose. The key is getting a group of like-minded people, or people seeking solutions to the same goals, desires or situations you are experiencing. You choose a book that can create great conversation or in-depth study into each of your lives around the areas you are most interested in. Through open discussion and active participation of every member, you begin finding questions and answers that never came to you when you were doing it alone. The support of others, who are in the same situation or are seeking to know more, can be extremely enlightening. The coaching ability lives in many people. You will find yourself bringing out in others what you couldn’t bring out in you, and the same is true for the others in the group!
2. Join a Group Focusing on Your Goal/Desire:
There are many groups out there that can be amazing support for achieving goals. Finding a group where the members are actively seeking the same or similar milestones can pull you toward your goals with far more ease than constantly pushing yourself all alone. These can be fitness groups, metaphysical groups, spiritual groups, groups that focus on financial improvement, groups that focus on learning new skills, etc. Finding groups in your area is as easy as doing Internet searches around topics of interest. Typically, when you have chosen a group, you will find that there are many others in the group who may even want to create a buddy-coaching situation, where two people team up and individually support the other. The key is finding a supportive person, who is not connected to you through family or friendship (no agendas that skew your progress!). Providing support for that which you want to learn and master yourself is often an even more profound experience.
3. Buy a Customized Program:
Buying a coaching program is the next best thing to having a personal coach working with you. Finding a program that has been developed around specific criteria matching your existing situation, desires or goals is absolutely a wonderful way to really begin making changes and seeing immediate results in your life. Most programs are reflective of the person who developed it. It is important to know what the coach stands for and what his/her style is in order to know if the program is best for you. There are many levels of programs. It is also important to know how you best like your support. Do you want active exercises that engage you? Do you want audio included? Do you like visually seeing what you are learning? Do you want a process that takes you from point A to point B or do you prefer a more open-ended method that allows you to meander? There are three keys to finding the program for you:
a. Be in alignment with the person who created it (by researching what else they have done, looking at their websites, reading other materials, talking directly to them, etc.).
b. Know what style of learning you prefer and find a program that matches it. (Visual, Auditory, Exercises, Worksheets, Participation, etc.)
c. Know what you want to achieve and find a program that offers the results you seek. (Life re-design, career change, specific type of activity, financial abundance, better relationships, etc.)
The greatest thing about most programs is that they last a lifetime (or at least they should). Be sure to get a program that grows and evolves with you, always offering you access to the next level in your life. Another great thing about programs is that you can find others who also want to buy the program and you can create your own support group. Experiencing a program with others can have even more impact.
4. Attend Workshops with Take-A-Way Materials:
Workshops are a wonderful way to get inspired and moving toward the changes you want to make in your life. Obviously, you will not have access to the coach or facilitator after you leave, but the experience can be enough to get you moving. The key for this option is to get materials to take-a-way for future use and growth. Often, you can meet others in the workshop who are on the same path as you and would be interested in buddy coaching (as described above). Since you both would have gone through the workshop, you can support the other from the same foundation of information. When choosing a workshop, it is important to follow the same criteria in choosing a customized program (listed above). It is also important to know exactly what the goals of the workshop are, both offered by the one running it and your own. Workshops range in cost. There are certainly ones that cost more than a few coaching sessions, but there are far more that are affordable. Know this is true and you will find them!
5. Join a Coaching Group:
This is the most expensive option, but still a viable alternative to one-on-one coaching. Coaching groups can be extremely effective and an opportunity to have one-on-one coaching, at least some of the time while on the group call. Coaching groups are typically designed around key goals and desires. Be sure to know what the make-up of the group is before joining. Coaches tend to offer groups at a much-reduced cost than their one-on-one coaching making it more affordable for a lot more people. This option can still be too expensive for many, which is why it is listed last. However, if you do want more personal coaching opportunities, this can be a great solution. Along with the criteria of choosing a coach you resonate with, it is also important to resonate with the other members of the group. You want to feel inspired and excited to attend the group call, not hesitant and dreading. You also want to choose a group that is not so big that you never get a chance to speak or feel heard. Usually groups with 3 to 8 people are good. Know how you typically feel in certain size group interactions and that will assist you in knowing which group is best for you.
Getting the most out of any experience always come back to you. How committed you are to making changes and getting results in your life is how effective any given option can be. The best options for getting started right away are programs that you can purchase now or joining a free, local activity group. Finding a great workshop or finding a coaching group can happen fairly quickly, but don’t choose one out of convenience. Be sure it offers what you need!
It is now your turn. Make a choice and start seeing your amazing results!!
Copyright 2005 Melissa Quiter