“I didn’t get out there to reach my ideal clients because I didn’t feel like I had enough value to offer or know how to do it professionally. Now , after Bootcamp, I have a web site, a free gift to share and a professional manner in which to describe my ideal client and engage them.“
Presenting Bootcamp STAR Graduate – Angelique Beauregard, AB Transformations
Angelique is one of our Top 11 students in this past session—the “cum laude” of the bunch who launched her businesses with our support and who is now thriving!
Angelique offers coaching to overweight, overstressed, overtired midlife women.
7 Reasons Why You Should Make a Family Photobook, Even When You Hate Your Pictures Because You Think You’re Fat
This is the time of year I create my annual Family Photobook for the previous year. So far I have created 16 since 2000 when my second daughter was born. I always have two copies made, one for each of my girls. For now I keep a copy at my house and another at my mom’s, in case of fire.
On the cover of each photobook is my favorite photo of the kids. When I line them up side by side, I see how quickly they’re growing!
Unfortunately there aren’t a whole lot of pictures of me in them. I’ve always hated having my photo taken, always disappointed with how fat I look.
How sad to think that my daughters have so few images of me in their treasured books!
Fortunately, their 2017 book will be filled with photos of me (whether they like it or not!). Since I lost 50 lbs, I love having my photo taken, and I actually look as good in them as I feel.
Here are 7 reasons why you should create your own family photobook:
It creates a record of your family life for future generations (my main purpose). It’s not so much about the photos, but the moments and memories they represent.
It forces you to get your best photos out of your computer, so you can easily look at them over and over again.
A photobook is beautiful and fun to look through, much less bulky than a photo album (and easier than wading through thousands of forgotten photos on your computer).
It encourages you to take better pictures, because you know you’ll be putting them in your book the following year.
It is affordable and easy to do – just Google Search online photo shops for the best deals (Costco is a great one).
The photos they contain are laid out to tell a story. You can create a theme, add text, and change the image sizes. You can get really creative!
More importantly, a photobook builds a meaningful connection between you and the person you’re viewing it with.
So if you are avoiding the camera because you think you’re fat, I’m here to tell you that you CAN lose the weight and learn to love having your photo taken too! Your family will thank you – for generations to come!
You just need to take the first step.
I invite you to sign up for a complimentary “Love Your Mirror” consultation. You’ll have access to my online calendar, so you can choose a date and time that works best for you.
Your Biggest Supporter, Angelique
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Angelique Beauregard is the principal and owner of AB Transformations Inc. Through her one-on-one transformational nutrition coaching, she helps women who struggle with their weight create a simple personalized plan for permanent weight loss so they can finally wear cute clothes, move around freely, and love their bodies. Learn more about Anelique.
Grew her list by 300%!!! From 0 contacts to 300 in less than 10 weeks using the Free Gift she created in Bootcamp!
Presenting Bootcamp STAR Graduate Jenifer Horvath, Heart Lifted Coaching
Jenifer is one of our Top 11 students in this past session—the “cum laude” of the bunch who launched her businesses with our support and who is now thriving!
Jenifer offers whole life coaching for women with children who are tired of surviving and are ready to thrive.
Moving From Surviving to Thriving
As parents, it’s easy to fall into the rhythm of merely surviving. Doing what you need to do to exist and get the necessary tasks done on a daily basis, especially under hardship. We need this survival mode.
Problems begin to appear when we are in survival mode for too long. Survival mode is exhausting, stressful, and emotionally defeating. It causes wear on your mind and body. Signs of being in a state of survival are blaming and judging others. Perhaps we feel inferior, or not in control, so we gossip and have short tempers with our kids. We are overly critical of others and ourselves. Seeing the bad first. We see life as happening to us, instead of for us. We find it difficult to see different points of view and all the possibilities.
To help numb any feelings of disappointment, fear or guilt, we begin to turn to things that take our minds off our feelings. Some people turn to wine, food, Facebook and Netflix to zone out night after night. Others become workaholics or excessive cleaners to keep themselves busy. These coping mechanisms in excess become crutches, so we don’t deal with our emotions and reality.
We soldier on doing the things we think we must do to survive. Not giving ourselves permission to think about how our lives might not be what we want them to be. Planting smiles on our faces to hide that we feel lost. This is survival mode.
Is this all there is to life?
The beautiful thing is that you don’t need to stay in that state of surviving. You can reignite your spark, inspiration, and motivation. You can choose to see the positive and opportunities. You can find what you’re passionate about and uncover ways to enjoy it, while being a parent. You can thrive.
Thriving is an intentional state. Knowing what you really want and why you want it. Purposely planning and living your life, so it’s in alignment with your values.
Yes, it does take work to get there and effort to choose to be your best self every day. The benefits, however, of being in this state are greater energy, awareness, happiness, focus and an even more meaningful life. Thriving creates more thriving. Suddenly, the world opens up to you and ideas you never saw before are there.
As parents, it does mean blending all components of your life – yourself, your family, friends, work and other elements – into a delicious life smoothie that works for you. Everyone’s life smoothie is going to be different. What matters is if it’s working for you.
While our life will swing between surviving and thriving, choosing intentional and purposeful living and personal growth daily will bring you greater fulfillment.
Choosing to Thrive: How to begin
Awareness is the first step in moving into thriving. Specifically knowing where you are now and where you want to be.
Try this life satisfaction exercise to get more clarity on what’s working for you and what’s not:
Identify: Write down the different areas of your life: health, family, career, self-development, volunteering, hobbies, home, spiritual and other areas.
Rank: For each area, rank your satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is a little bit satisfied and 10 is completely satisfied.
Observe: Try not to judge. Simply be honest with yourself and notice what’s sticking out from the ranking. What’s higher? What’s lower?
Consider: If you could change just one area to give your life more overall satisfaction, which one would it be?
Create: With that one area in mind, focus on creating one tiny action step you can take to improve that area. Keep it doable and enjoyable, so you get positive reinforcement when you achieve it.
Using this new awareness, be mindful of how your satisfaction begins to shift with this small step. When you’re comfortable and consistent with incorporating your first action step, ask yourself what might be your second action step.
Creating change takes time but it’s absolutely do-able. Working with a life coach can help you move to thriving faster and easier than doing it on your own. They are experts in getting results for their clients. They not only have the knowledge but most have been trained in the psychology of change and habit making. If you’re really committed to making a change, consider hiring an expert to give you the guidance, support, and accountability, especially for those days that you fall off the wagon. They’ll get you back going quickly.
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Jenifer Horvath is the founder of Heart Lifted Coaching, and a trained Life and Business Coach. Through weekly sessions, she helps moms reduce stress and guilt, in order to be happier, calmer and live a more meaningful life. She has two daughters and loves yoga, brain-science and sipping lattes with friends. Learn more about Jenifer.
“When I started Bootcamp, I didn’t even have a name for my business. It didn’t feel right. With Bootcamp I was able to take the time to get clear on the value of my work and came up with the name. The best way to win in Bootcamp is to TRUST THE PROCESS, use your Bootcamp coach and take one step at a time.”
Presenting Bootcamp STAR Graduate – Nancy Southern, Road Less Traveled Coaching
Nancy is one of our Top 11 students in this past session—the “cum laude” of the bunch who launched her businesses with our support and who is now thriving!
Nancy offers less traveled coaching to those who are overwhelmed, lost and frustrated with what to do with their lives.
“How in the World Did I End Up Here?”
Have you ever found yourself in a new situation and silently asking yourself that question? I certainly have. If I’m suddenly uncomfortable or afraid, my mind is quick to judge or lay blame and I often think I must have done something wrong. Nevertheless, it’s actually a good question to ponder. If I can stop myself long enough to ask it again without the judgment, it can reveal some very helpful insights.
When I got the email from Kate saying I was one of eleven (my favorite number) winners of the Easy Breezy Bootcamp contest, I was shocked and a second question popped up. “OMG, now what have I gotten myself into?” (Just another version of the same voice, right?) Instantly, I remembered that winning is a really good thing, even if it lands me in totally new territory.
Once I got past the shock of it, I followed my own advice regarding such questions. I turned within, took some deep breaths and asked the first question again without the judgment. Not long after I was reminded of a moment years ago in high school. I had read a poem that opened my mind and planted a seed in a profound way.
The message of that seed idea has been a beacon for me many times throughout my life and though my path has included many bumps, pot holes, leaps, tight ropes, detours, crashes and dead ends, I can’t imagine living any other way. Instead I let the answer to the question shine light on the choices I have made, including the mistakes and the celebrations. I could see more clearly how each helped to lead me to be here and now.
Where I am today is just right for me and it’s far more remarkable than any idea of how I thought it should be or how to get here. I wanted to share that poem with you to remind you of all the many ideas, choices, visions and experiences you have encountered or passed by that brought you to being right here right now.
The Path Not Taken by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
I can honestly say it has served me well in living my not so ordinary life in an extraordinary way. If you are a coach or mentor, it’s my guess that yours has been extraordinary too. I am delighted that I have this opportunity to cross paths with you, to say hello with a smile and share a knowing look. We each are doing what we love to do because we want to share the wonders of taking “the less traveled” path with others. And as you know, wherever you or your clients are right now, it’s just right and…. it isn’t the end of the road or even the destination. It’s just the next glorious adventure.
Happy traveling to you and those you serve and thank you for shining your light for others along their way.
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Nancy Southern, MSW is a Healthy Lifestyle Advocate with Purium Health Products. As an artist, life coach and all faith’s minister, her creativity, spirituality and desire to be of service to others is fulfilled. Her objectives are to inspire, empower and to foster personal happiness from the inside out. She loves what she does and she marvels at the ways those she works with make amazing changes in their own lives in ways that also benefit others. Learn more about Nancy.
What a crazy ending to our 8 Steps To Identify, Find & Communicate With Your Ideal Clients…were you on? Yep, even the best plans can have a mind of their own sometimes… I’ll be here answering your questions…you can also find the details here:
As you’ve probably discovered, we love to hear from the members of our community. We’re constantly interviewing our clients, asking tons of questions about your challenges, triumphs, and everything in between.
And we want you to know, there IS a method to our madness!
You see, we ask you so many questions because we want to get to the root of how we can best serve you … which information will most effectively help you get from where you are now, to where you want to be in your coaching business.
Our research has shown, time and time again, that the members of our community are struggling in one key area: identifying, finding, and hooking ideal clients.
If this sounds familiar, you may have said (or thought) things like:
“I don’t know how to identify or where to find my ideal clients.”
“I don’t know how to articulate what I do so people get it.”
“I am not making money, don’t have enough clients, and haven’t launched my business.”
Great news: we’re here to help!
With the information we’re sharing today, we’re confident that 2017 can be your breakthrough year—the year when you finally begin connecting with the people you’re meant to serve in a deep, authentic way … the year your business explodes!
The first steps: identify, find, and hook your ideal prospects so you can turn them into clients.
But how?
Today, we want to share with you our powerful 4-step process for identifying your ideal client and crafting a free gift that not only allows you to attract that ideal client, but that also gives you the opportunity to begin making a bigger impact on those you serve—from the very first time you communicate with your prospects.
Step One.
“Pain and pleasure island.”
The first and most important step in identifying your ideal client and how you can help him or her is to get clear on what we call the “Pain and Pleasure Island” points.
The most effective way to present your services as the solution to your ideal client’s problem is to show her that you can meet her where she is by articulating her challenges and struggles, that you understand what she’s going through, and that you can guide her towards making it better. It’s critical to talk not only about the challenges she’s facing, but also about the results your ideal client desires, to help her get clear on the vision for her ideal life as she reaches the goals that are so important to her. Finally, it’s key to show her that your coaching is the boat that can take her from where she is now, to where she wants to be.
Specificity is key, here, not just in ideas, but in language, too. It’s crucial that you use the same language, words, and phrases your prospects use. Otherwise, what you say may fall on deaf ears.
Ask yourself two questions:
Question One. What are the three main worries or concerns that plague my ideal client?
Imagine she wakes up at 3 a.m., unable to go back to sleep because her mind is filled with these worries and concerns. Drill down to the actual words and phrases she would use if she were to describe these things to you.
Question 2. If your ideal client could wave a magic wand and put an end to all of her frustrations, what would her life look like?
The idea here is that your ideal clients are living on “Pain Island” with their worries and concerns, and your services can take them to “Pleasure Island,” where their frustrations have dissolved and their lives are great and fulfilling!
Once you’ve answered these questions, you can begin creating your free gift around tips and resources that provide insight to help your ideal clients make the journey from Pain Island to Pleasure Island.
Step Two.
“Jump on your Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+ accounts.”
Over and over, members of our community have said, “I can’t get clients. I don’t know anyone.”
We say, “Nonsense!”
You have tons of connections! Think about the contacts you have through social media, on your phone, from previous jobs, and through your friends and family. And maybe these connections aren’t your ideal clients, but they likely know people who are your ideal clients. Consider your current contacts the stepping stones to your ideal prospects.
Make a list, and start the conversations.
Send your contacts an email (it can be brief!), letting them know what you’re up to. Be sure to mention your free gift and the transformation you provide. Ask them to pass this info on to their friends and connections who may be a good fit.
Step Three.
“Identify strategic referral professions.”
Strategic referral partners are other professionals who are helping the same type of clients you’re targeting, but in different ways, in their business … and (this is important!), they may be able to refer their clients to you. For example, if you coach the owners of small businesses, they may need legal advice or help with taxes, so they can reach their desired goals of a successful business. You may develop a strategic referral partnership with an attorney, a CPA, and/or even a bookkeeper who can introduce you to many of their clients.
So first, look for professions that serve the same ideal client you serve.
Go back to the Pain and Pleasure Island points you developed in Step One. Then, list 10 other professions who also help your same type of ideal client, via different services.
Step Four.
“Identify your strategic referral partners.”
The first several months in a new business are all about building strategic partnerships so you can reach a greater number of ideal clients. These relationships can provide you with a steady stream of referrals.
SO many startups make the mistake of working so hard, putting all their attention on finding individual clients. When you create strategic referral partners, you’re creating relationships with key people who can introduce you to many people at once.
Look at your contact list through a different lens. Revisit the contact list you made in Step Two, and look for people in professions that relate to your coaching goals. Are any of them in the 10 strategic professions you listed in Step Three? If they are, great! Reach out to them. If not, then consider them a bridge to the people who are in those professions.
It’s a New Year, which means it’s a new opportunity to start building massive momentum in your business!
The process we’ve shared here is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to growing your business online.
Because identifying, finding, and nailing ideal clients is such a huge topic, and because we hear about it over and over again in our interviews and surveys, we want to make sure you have everything you need to master it.
So if you’re ready to create a steady stream of ideal clients who can’t wait to work with you—and to make THIS the year your business growth explodes—then join us January 18th at 4pm ET (3pm CT, 2pm MT, 1pm PT) for a complimentary webinar, 8 Steps to Identify, Find, and Communicate Effectively with Your Ideal Clients, where we walk through these steps together, take the information deeper, and offer hot seat coaching to answer any of your questions.
Because we’re offering live coaching, seating is limited. So reserve your spot here, now:
Step Four.