David Scarlett – Coaching Business

No matter how great a business’ potential, without customers it will inevitably struggle. Fortunately when international inspirational speaker and best selling author, David Scarlett, found his coaching business in this all-to-familiar situation, some simple marketing advice from Peter Lisney, was all it took to turn its fortunes around.

Having been a financial planner for some 20 years, David Scarlett left the city behind to set up his own company, as he explains: “Though I had carved out a successful career in the financial services market, I knew that I possessed skills and gifts which weren’t being tapped. So, I set out to fulfil three dreams – 1) to write ‘the book within me’, 2) to use my counselling experience by becoming a life/business coach, and 3) to convert my public speaking experience into a profession.

“Around this time, I happened to meet Peter Lisney, we kept in touch, and I am pleased we did, for although I had the skills and services in place, I wasn’t attracting the volume and quality of clients needed to take the business forward. The business was struggling. Peter was there to give me some ideas and thoughts, and suggested some simple sales and marketing strategies as a process for attracting clients.

“The first step was choosing a niche market to specialise in, and then to develop a clear marketing strategy to target this market. Although I was initially keen to try fields other than financial services; with my experience in this sector, it seemed like the obvious choice.

“After some gentle nudging, Peter then persuaded me to concentrate on the seminar circuit in that market. After my first presentation to a room of 100 delegates, I received just six business cards at the end. Peter subsequently suggested some closing comments to use at the end of my presentation. I tried them, and was happily surprised when subsequently 50 and 70% of the delegates handed me their cards, and with it their permission for me to contact them.

“Initially I would just add these names to my email list, in the hope that the fortnightly e-newsletter content alone would be enough to tempt coaching clients to my door. Peter however suggested that I pick up the phone, and follow these presentations up with calls. This led to meetings, and soon I was travelling up and down the country to meet potential clients.

“I’m proud to say that it was me that thought of charging prospective clients for an initial meeting. While most consultants would be horrified at the thought, it was Peter who encouraged me to increase the fee (I doubled it!) and to also ask for a deposit. These two changes have allowed me to meet many more new clients across the UK and also weeds out half-hearted and ‘free-information-pumping’ prospects.

“To further improve results Peter advised that I make it clear, before confirming each meeting, that I expect a simple “Yes” or “No” at the conclusion, when I ask if they wish to engage me as their business coach. I then reiterate this expectation at the beginning of every meeting. When I first commenced these ‘Discovery Meetings’ only one in six created a coaching client. Now, through the introduction of Peter’s simple tactics, I am able to convert five out of every six meetings into a new client. Business is now booming!

“The sad truth is, less than 20% of coaches enjoy a profitable, full-time living from coaching. Despite oodles of professional qualifications, years of wisdom and a passion for applying their caring skills, the vast majority simply don’t have the marketing, sales, strategic and entrepreneurial skills to run a small business. I myself was questioning the wisdom of my own coaching business, yet in just six months my company has shifted from loss-making to healthy profit- all because of a series of simple phone calls, and the introduction of a few tried-and-tested techniques from Peter”.

“Its amazing what you can’t see when you are close to the problem! I owe our current profitable cashflow to Peter’s insights, and now go into meetings confident that I have a viable, attractive business. Activity level is set to double, and I am fully booked up for the next few months. I am certain that I wouldn’t be in business today without Peter’s help, and would not hesitate to recommend Peter to other companies,” concludes David.