In my last article I noted the distinction between inviting and educating, sharing, telling, informing and asking for a favor.
Seriously, this seems to escape a lot of coaches.
What tells me this is that I hear a lot of coaches say they just are not enrolling many clients.
When I ask them how they invite clients to coach with them, they often tell me:
- I send prospective clients to my website.
- I give them a brochure.
- I told them what coaching is.
Let’s revisit the party metaphor from my last posting to clarify what an invitation is.
If you wanted to throw an amazing party that would change people’s lives just from attending,
how would you let them know about the party?
What many of you are telling me is you do the equivalent of saying, “I’m having a party on Saturday.”
Just so we’re clear:
This is informing, not inviting.
An invitation might be, “Would you like to come to my party on Saturday night?’
Or, if done in writing instead of being spoken: You are invited to an amazing party on Saturday night.
(Incidentally, just to clarify, one example of a request – as distinct from an invitation – would be: Won’t you please come to my party?)
Notice what needs to be in place before you can issue an invitation:
You need to be clear about what you are inviting someone to.
One reason you may not be inviting is that you aren’t yet clear on what the invitation is.
So here is my question:
What IS your invitation to prospective clients?
If you were to write your invitation as: You are cordially invited to ……… – how would you finish that sentence?
You may need to spend some time reflecting on what your invitation is. Also, listen to your market to hear what invitation your prospective clients want. It’s one thing to be clear about what you are inviting them too; you need to be sure the invitation is in terms they can hear and appreciate.
You want to feel free to issue your invitation comfortably, graciously,and confidently, right?
Here are 3 steps you can use to support your movement into that ease of issuing your invitation:
1) Listen to your heart: What is its invitation to your market?
2) Be sure you have appropriate support in place via effective mentor coaching.
3) Lastly, be sure you ask your heart what its invitation is to you, as well!
And allow yourself to enjoy the journey as you play with clarifying and strengthening your invitation!
In celebration of your light and the invitation only you can offer!
Lyn
