Following is a great example of how powerful a single referral can be to a coach/consultant. Most coaches don't get the kind of results I'm about to describe. That's because they don't know what to look for from referrals, or how to constantly be on the lookout for ways to find additional work as a coach, consultant, trainer, expert, or facilitator.
So, here is how it worked:
1. A colleague of mine, whom I have trained to know the types of referrals I seek, referred me to a potential client.
2. The client wanted to engage me for a 3-day leadership development training. We had some touchy negotiations, but with creative work on both our sides to meet both of our needs, we made the training happen. Thank goodness we did, as you will now read….
3. At the training, one group of participants asked me to lead a half-day session to help them customize the training work to their needs.
4. At the half-day session, the opportunity for numerous coaching, training, and facilitation engagements opened up. That's because the session uncovered numerous needs, and I got the opportunity to discuss them with the key decision maker over lunch.
5. Back to the training….participants from three huge companies also got in touch wanting to set up an in-house leadership academy with a program that would include training, facilitation, and coaching.
6. The original sponsor was so impressed that we are in discussions about licensing some of my content to him on an exclusive basis, and training him in my methodologies.
That's how it works, folks — if you know the right conversations to have, can deliver outstanding content and results, can shift from coaching to other modalities, and know how to look out for opportunities to help your current client and ask for referrals the right way.
Most coaches leave lots of money on the table because they can't do the above efficiently and effectively.
If this describes you, we can help. Join the Center for Executive Coaching and we can work together to help you get the same results. Plus if you sign up now, I'll include an advance copy of my newest book, with Guerrilla Marketing founder and father Jay Conrad Levinson, Guerrilla Marketing for Coaches (due out April 2012).
