Bill, one of my clients, is trying to build a coaching practice. When I ask him what he wants to do, what kind of coaching, he says he wants to help people reach their goals and get more in touch with themselves.
Mary is also starting a coaching practice. She says she wants to help clients find out who they are, and make great strides in their careers.
All good coaches help their clients touch the source, as I call it, discover their strengths and set and reach new goals. All chiropractors offer spinal adjustments. All businesses that sell widgets, sell widgets.
Why would someone choose Bill or Mary then, instead of one of the tens of thousands of coaches out there?
90% of coaches feel they are highly differentiated from other coaches, says William Arruda, The Branding Guru ( http://www.reachcc.com ), whos had 20 years experience in international branding. Yet, he adds, only 10% feel strongly that their differentiation is visible to their ideal clients.
William helps individuals and businesses define their unique promise of value and build strong, memorable brands.
Now let me tell you about Bill and Mary as I see them. Bill worked with autistic children for 15 years. Hes empathic, gentle, versed in psychology, and has led many mens growth groups. Were working on defining his ideal client.
Mary comes from a corporate background, an HR professional with an MBA. Shes focused, forceful, and thinks career first. She knows her ideal client women in middle management.
Each coach has a very different background, personality style and preferred ideal client. How to get this across is what branding is about. It means finding the way to stand out among your peers in a way that helps your ideal clients find you. Are you branded?
Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach. Internetmarketing and webstrategies that work. www.webstrategies.cc