I'm going to start today with a story. Back in the mid 90's, I was coaching a financial planner with had 60 clients and would make about $2,000 from each of them. He wanted to build his practice to 100, but he wasn't breaking through on this. He came to see me to see what he could do. What we did was have him go back to his clients, spend a month talking to them and listen to them say the benefits they were getting from them. He said he knew, and I thought there was something else they're getting. The point is that he just figured people would hire him because he could do a good job with their investments. He just didn't want to do this, but the next week he called me and every week after that he came back with better and better stories. He had no idea he was a marriage counselor, a coach, and so on. After 3 weeks, he's surprised by the side benefits they're getting - from that, he had the words to talk about the services he provides in a very different way. It's a much broader spectrum of that service. it's a good story, and it makes me realize there are a lot of things our clients get from us that we don't even know about. You just need to ask your clients!

Susan: I think we're afraid of asking our clients. For whatever reason, it's very hard t pcik up the phone and do.

TJL: Yeah, it can be risky. If you're not sure, don't ask those clients. Also, clients need to be pressed a little bit to articulate the value they're getting. The benefit to you is that yu're going t have new language to use in your marketing, and you'll feel better about the work you do. Dave, are you ready?

DB: I'm ready.

TJL: The first step here is to call or email every client and ask to talk t every client for 10-15 minutes. Let's say it's towards the end of the call, okay Dave?

There's one thing I'd like to do; I'm compiling a list of all the benefits my clients are receiving. I think there's stuff we're both benefiting from that we're not aware of yet. I'll share this with all my clients. I want to schedule time to spend just 15 minutes s we can go through it.

Susan: So you recommend not doing it during the call?

TJL: I would not. I don't want my coach to use me for their benefit during time I'm paying for. I want it to be totally clean and different. You also want to give you client time to think about it. Okay Dave, we're now talking later. Thanks for talking to me; I'm just wondering what it is that you're getting from the call. What benefits are you getting? Is there anything that comes to mind that's important that you hadn't thought of before?

DB: I would say that just talking to you and seeing what you do gets me thinking on a bigger scale than I have before. It keeps inspiring me and pushing me to find my own way to expand how I think about my revenue sources.

TJL: Is it the fact that I needle you or just looking at what I'm doing?

DB: Both.

TJL: And that's an example. It's light and easy. Be curious, don't make them try to say something important. Just be profound and curious. I love that one. If you want, we can make this a larger priority in your coaching.

DB: That's funny; it's always inspiring - I get inspired by my clients too. That would be a goal I'd like to talk about more. I know I'm supposed to talk to you at a paticular time but I'm not big on goals; the accountability of our calls really helps.

TJL: Wow -that's great.

DB: It doesn't even matter what we talk about.

TJL: That's great - we'll stop there. Susan, do you have questions or comments?

Susan: It's interesting that you don't take the very first thing he says but that you ask why he said that. I've never done that before.

TJL: That's why one of the 15 coaching proficiencies is being incredibly curious. You want to know about that client, you're not just taking a couple of sound bites.

Susan: Yeah - I wanted to capture everything she was saying.

TJL: Yes, but finding out what's behind what they're saying not only helps you with that client, but helps you with all your clients. It may take a while to articulate it, so that's why we say you should allow 15 minutes for that. 2nd step - summarize the results; summarize the top 10 results or benefits.

Susan: That's one "Top 10" list I could get behind!

TJL: Also, you could release the benefits to all the clients so they can see the benefits that either they're getting and don't know, or could get. The more they know the benefits they're getting, the more it increases client retention. 3rd step - start weaving in some of these benefits into your marketing or your website. You might want to, at a later date, get a testimonial. You can also use it in conversation with a potential client. Dave, Susan - any final comments?

Susan: When I did this, I think the biggest benefit was to me and my peace of mind. I knew they got value, but I couldn't articulate it. Once I got it, I just relaxed and moved on; it removed the doubt!

TJL: Well said; every coach the first couple of years will be going through this. Dave?

DB: I talk with my clients about suction - sticking power. People will stick with you longer if you have a way of reminding them about all the values you're providing.

TJL: This gives them more reason to stick around. Great! Thank you both; we're going to end this part of the taping.

(moment of silence)

TJL: We're back and being taped. Thank you all for staying on the call. This is your chance for Q&A, comments, whatever. We'll turn it over to you.

Jane: I think this is really fantastic - I think it's the structure of coaching itself is really a benefit in itself.

Susan: It's built in!

Jane: Yes, and knowing that is very empowering. Thank you for that!

Devin: I do this in a way at the end of every session by asking what the value of the call was that day?

TJL: So you're looking at the specific benefits coming from the conversation. They're really 2 different animals - there's overlap, but they're 2 different things.

Devin: What's the difference?

TJL: At the end of the call, they're thinking abut what they got from that specific call. If you have a conversation at a different time, you want to find out what they're getting from you overall or generally.

Devin: What they're getting from the relationship?

TJL: Yes, partly, but it's more than that.

Ken: The focus I'm hearing is that it's 10-0 percent positive on the benefits the clients are receiving. Would you not also ask them what you can do to improve?

TJL: That's a separate conversation. I would probably have those 2 converations in 2 different calls. Maybe have a quarterly call or some sort of format where they can email you with 3 things you can do better for them, for example.

Rob: How about if the response is asking them to do something you don't like or don't do for them?

TJL: Again, you're going to get things you can't deliver on, but there will be many things you can deliver on. You don't want to label what they've said; you want to use their exact words.

Rob: How far along the coaching process would you start this?

TJL: I would say wait 90 days; you could start this in a week, but I would wait 90 days you could also let them know up front that you'll be asking them this question in 30-60 days.

Jane: I've actually done this much earlier, once with a very difficult client. One month into the coaching, I asked her and she was keen for me to continue. She was able to realize that I was giving her value.

TJL: Very good point! Anyone else? Any final comments Dave or Susan?

Susan: I think just remembering to come from a place of curiosity about it; it's not an interrogation thing. Once you get one client to do it, it frees you up with all your clients.

TJL: And it puts you in complete communication.

DB: I think the key thing is curiosity, and about how it's not to be listening just for sound bites or testimonials. It's to really find out about what you offer and the preivoulsy un-articulated benefits.

TJL: Thank you all for contributing! Have a great afternoon!