How to explain Life Coaching to people who aren’t familiar with it

When you write or speak to a potential client, do you find yourself using abstract words that you understand fairly well, but they don’t seem to ‘get’ at all?

As a life coach, you’ve probably found that words and phrases like ‘energy’, ‘subconscious blockages’, ‘vibrations’ and ‘the Law of Attraction’ are so familiar that they’ve become a natural part of your vocabulary. But when you go to market your expertise, you’ll often find that the people you’re speaking to won’t understand what you’re talking about.

They may know what ‘energy’ and ‘vibrations’ are in a general or scientific sense, but all too often they won’t understand what these concepts have to do with helping them create the life they desire. And they may not know – or be ready to admit – that they even HAVE subconscious blockages, much less be willing to pay to have you remove them.

“Tapping into the energy of success” and “raising your vibrations” may sound good to a life coach, but unless you’re speaking to a REALLY well-educated audience – and sometimes even then – phrases like those won’t inspire anyone to take action!

So, how do you catch your clients’ attention, and help them to understand life coaching in terms that are relevant to them?

Instead of the root cause, talk about the symptoms. In practical, tangible, everyday terms, what effect do the problems and solutions you deal with have on your clients and their lives?

Here are three tips for translating your important but abstract message into something your clients will identify with and respond to.

1. Talk about the effect on their senses, interactions and emotions.

For example, if their vibrations are raised, they’ll feel more confident and energetic. They’ll be excited about getting out of bed in the morning, and they’ll feel hopeful and enthusiastic about the coming day. They’ll see the difference in the way people react to them; happy, healthy people will be drawn to them, making it easier to create good friendships, relationships and business connections.

2. Paint a picture.

When you’re discussing their problems, don’t talk about invisible, subconscious blockages. Instead, you could talk about how your client feels when they’re lying in bed in the morning, knowing they need to drag themselves into the cold air to go to a soul-sucking job, but having no energy or motivation left to do it.

They know they have bills waiting on the table, but they also know that they don’t have enough money in the bank or their paycheck to cover them.

To make matters worse, the children’s dance recital is sitting on the calendar, staring at them in glaring red letters. They promised to attend, but they just don’t have the time. The kids will be so disappointed.

If you could help them to change all that, however… imagine them waking up full of excitement and energy, eager to greet the day because they know they’ll spend it doing work they love. They got all their bills paid yesterday, so today they have plenty of time to attend their children’s recital, and money left over to take them out for ice cream afterward.

3. Show them the larger, longer-term benefits that the first benefits will create.

Because of their increased energy, confidence and focus, the client whose vibrations you helped raise will make a better impression on their bosses, clients and coworkers, complete their projects more efficiently, and get paid better. Perhaps they can hire an assistant to free up some of their time, so they can be with their families more.

Or, they’ll attract the people, money and circumstances they need to help them transition into a better job or start a business of their own.

Because they’re spending more time with their children, those children will grow up happier, more emotionally healthy, and less likely to get in trouble later on in life. Increased quality time with their spouse will also contribute to helping their marriage flourish – you might even save them from divorce!

In summary: when you’re speaking or marketing to your potential clients, remember this guiding principle: sell them what they know they want, then teach them what you know they need.

Here’s to YOUR Success,

Mary

P.S. If you would like more support for your dream of being a successful life coach our Life Mastery Mentors are here to help. You can schedule a 30 minute session with a mentor by filling out the form today.

By Mary