Business coaching has the potential to help a struggling business get back up or take a standard enterprise to the top. However, studies show that some coaches are just a waste of time and resources.
How can you ensure you don’t add to the numbers? Here are 32 business coaching tactics suggested by the Maui Mastermind business coach.
1. Understand your clients
First off, make a conscious effort to know your clients on a deeper level. Learn about their strengths, challenges, what motivates and de-motivates them, and what they excel.
2. Listen more, speak less
Listening will help you understand your clients’ interests, goals, and motivations so that you can tailor the right solutions for them.
3. Set clear objectives from the start
Failure to plan is planning to fail.
4. Encourage
Your clients sometimes get overwhelmed to the point that they lose their sense of direction and motivation. As their coach, it is your job to encourage them to think big and aim higher.
5. Celebrate success
One way to motivate your clients to keep going is to celebrate their achievements along the way, no matter how small.
6. Build trust
All great coaching relationships built on the foundation of mutual trust. Be clear, have an open-door policy, and don’t judge – trust relies heavily on these attributes.
7. Foster transparency
Being transparent with your client helps build trust and open communication – both of which are critical players for effective business coaching.
8. Encourage more communication
Constant dialogue with your client makes them feel included and informed.
9. Incorporate purpose into coaching
Helping your clients determine their goal puts things into perspective both for you and them.
10. Find your sweet spot
No one can argue with natural talent. Your success as a coach is determined by your genius talent and how you integrate it into your business.
11. Be honest
Honesty is truly the best policy – even in business coaching.
12. Offer timely feedback
As a business coach, you should be able to offer honest and timely feedback. Craft your words carefully before you lay them out.
13. Ask questions
An excellent way to manage your clients expects to ask the right questions on the first appointment.
14. Teach by example
The best business coaches talk less and walk more.
15. Admit failure
A good mentor can freely talk about their past failures with their client.
16. Leverage your experience
Sometimes, you need an extra set of hands to score high as a coach. Find commonality in an experience outside your scope when this time comes.
17. Don’t spoon-feed
As a business coach, your job is not to provide all solutions for your clients but rather to push them and motivate them to be the best they can be. Develop the answers with them to foster buy-in and see results they can be responsible.
18. Network far and wide
Want to increase your client portfolio? Consider spreading your local network group even if it means connecting with your competitors.
19. Identify a small niche
Business coaches cater to different types of clients. The effective ones know how to identify their niche and build their brands around it.
20. Offer valuable information
Once you have identified your target clients, bring them closer by doing. Develop content on various topics relevant to them, make presentations, speak at events, and generally add value to their lives.
21. Don’t be afraid to say no
No is a powerful word in the world of business coaching. When faced with the wrong clients, don’t be scared to turn them away. It makes you credible and trustworthy.
22. Believe in yourself
Self-confidence is crucial to any business coach. People have a hard time placing their ventures on people that don’t seem to believe in their skills and expertise.
23. Understand your brand and expertly deliver it
Business owners and executives will give you attention if you know your brand and provide it to them rightly. Come up with a strong branding statement that shows them what you can bring to the table.
24. Nurture your contacts consistently
Don’t underestimate the power of having a long contact list. Nurture it by sending them valuable information relevant to them on a perpetual basis.
25. Go informal
If doing meetings, informal settings are not yielding any fruits, don’t be afraid to go for lunch, outings, or meet in social places to discuss business. Draw the boundary between work and play, and you’ll be good to go.
26. Capitalize on spot-on branding
Many business coaches don’t know this, but a targeted branding statement can attract prospects like a charm. Your account should convince the opportunity of why you are the right person for the job.
27. Hang out where your prospects are
Another ingenious trick to increase your clients is to spend time where they are. Tell them what coaching can do for their business and why they should hire you.
28. Don’t micromanage
Mentoring focuses more on being a resource rather than a micromanager.
29. Fight through adversity
Adversity has a way of building you and preparing you for the future.
30. Give your client a voice
Your client is a human being with emotions, not just a means to an end for you. Connect on a deeper level by giving them a voice.
31. Create opportunities for success
You can’t expect your client to achieve greatness if you don’t pave the way for it in the first place. Provide the necessary training, strategies, software, resources, and materials they need to find success.
32. Take a step back to rethink your strategy
Finally, a momentary pause may be all you need to perceive your challenges from a positive and productive approach.
There it is—32 tactics of business coaching. Being a coach isn’t as easy as people think. It requires a high level of commitment, discipline, and continued personal development.
