The Center for Executive Coaching Presents

YOUR GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS List your goals for your practice. 1. What is your income goal: a. One year: b. Three years: c. Five years: 2. What are your other aspirations for your practice? What do you want your practice to look like, by when? What products and services will you offer? Who will be your clients? What will you be famous for? How do you want to feel about your practice? 2

YOUR MISSION 1. What are your top 3 unique talents as a professional, that you enjoy using? a. b. c. 2. What is the contribution you want to make to your clients and to people in general? What is your vision in 5 or 6 words of an ideal world? 3. Put it together: a. I use my,, and, b. So that my clients 3

YOUR TARGET MARKET(S) List your top target market(s). If you have trouble doing this, list the target markets you know you do not serve or want to serve. Target Markets 4 NOT Target Markets

THE PROBLEMS YOU SOLVE For each target market (or one, to start), list the key problems they face and that you solve. Target Market: Key Problems Logical/Organizational Costs Emotional/Personal Costs 5

YOUR SOLUTION AND BENEFITS Describe your solution to the problems you have identified. It is strongest to have a clear X-part proprietary methodology that has been proven to get results. Key Problem 6 Solution Logical/ Organizational Benefits Emotional/Personal Benefits

YOUR EDGE/COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Why are you the perfect person to solve the problems your target market faces? Unlike others, I.. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 7

PROOF What are ways that you can prove that your claims are true (credentials, testimonials, endorsements, interviews, client list, pledge/guarantee)? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 8

CALLS TO ACTION What is your primary call to action when people learn about you on your website, at a speech, or via other means? How they hear about, experience, read about, see, or meet you Call to Action 9

YOUR BRAND Think about the key adjectives, values, and attributes that represent YOU as a brand. What makes you unique? If you have trouble with this, fill in the adjectives, values, and attributes that do not represent you as a brand first, and then go back to defining your true brand. IS my brand 10 NOT my brand

YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH Write a 2-3 sentence, 30-second elevator pitch. The format I help X to get Y is often the strongest. 11

ONE WALK-ON-WATER (WOW!) STORY Write down one case study of amazing results you got for a client. 12

OBJECTIONS LABORATORY Write down the top objections you get, and your current best response (e.g., asking a specific question to understand, reassuring, the quid pro quo ). Objection Current Best Reply 13

TOP QUESTIONS TO UNCOVER A NEED List the top 10 questions you can ask prospects to identify potential opportunities. Exclude obvious sales questions like What keeps you up at night? After you do this, for each question, write up a list of follow up questions so that you keep drilling down to opportunities and pain. Good questions identify a problem and what it is costing in organizational, business, logical, personal, and emotional terms. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 14

YOUR MEME Come up with a graphic image that represents the core of your firm s benefits, value, or essence. 15

YOUR TAGLINE Come up with a quick tagline that captures the primary benefit or edge your company offers. 16

BUILDING CREDIBILITY OVER TIME What are various ways that you will give FREE or low-risk information, services, or products to people so that you build credibility and show your value? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 17

ARTICLES/SPEECHES List up to 10 titles of articles or speeches (or similar educational vehicles) that will entice people to learn more about you while building your credibility. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 18

YOUR AUTORESPONDER AND/OR ENEWSLETTER Come up with a sequence of your first 10 autoresponder messages to people who sign up for your enewsletter, including a call to action. Topic Call to Action 19

FIVE-LINE EMAIL Write a five-line email to your target market, influencing them to take some form of action (e.g., download a free report, call you for a consultation, sign up for a webinar). 20

EDUCATING YOUR REFERRAL SOURCES When you seek introductions from others, what do you need to tell them to educate them about the types of introductions and referrals you seek? 21

REFERRALS/POWER BASE List people you know now who will be your top sources of referrals and introductions, and the people you need to know (and who need to know you) so that you propel your practice to the top of the totem pole? In the left column, you might segment people as A s (the 20% who give you 80% of referrals and introductions), B s who could be A s (solid sources of referrals who could move up to A s with a bit of nurturing), and C s who could be A s (people with whom your relationship is weak but if you are proactive could move into your A list). Current Referral/Introduction Sources 22 People I Need to Meet (and a note or two about when/how/your value to them)

REFERRALS/TIMING When in a client relationship will you ask for referrals or to sit down and discuss new opportunities for add-on or additional work? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 23

ALLIANCE PARTNERS With which professionals and firms can you form alliances to co-market? What kinds of comarketing (or fusion marketing) can you suggest (e.g., co-endorsement letters, panels, joint webinars, referral relationships, complementary content)? Alliance Partner 24 Types of Co-Marketing You Will Suggest

GETTING CALLED AS AN EXPERT What are strategies you will use to be called as an expert on topics that are in your sweet spot? How will you get known to reporters (e.g., HARO, PR expert, relationship strategy with key media and reporters)? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 25

ONLINE STRATEGIES What must you do to improve your online presence (e.g., stronger website, capturing contact information, appealing to left- and right-brain, electronic brochure, video sales letter, video/audio testimonials, LinkedIn presence, Facebook presence, YouTube How-To s, TED, blogtalkradio, podcasts, Pinterest, hiring social media assistant, pay per click, links via logos, blogging, guest blogging, online groups and forums, autoresponders, broadcasts, email courses, webinars, Camtasia recordings, hiring an SEO expert ) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 26

TARGET OR CORE CLIENTS List specific (by name) organizations and people with whom you would like to work. Which tactics will you use to have them learn more about you and see you as credible? Specific person or organization Tactics 27

HOW ELSE WILL YOU GET VISIBLE? List other ways you will get visible in your target market (research, association leadership, board membership, etc.)? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 28

OTHER COLLATERAL YOU NEED List other types of collateral you need (e.g., electronic signature, business card, brochure, executive briefs, premiums/giveaways, thank you note cards, letterhead, folders, engagement start-up kit, etc.). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 29

NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS What are the ways you will nurture relationships with your clients and power base, so that you keep your share of mind and so they know that you care about them? What you will do 30 When in the relationship/engagement you will do it

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP PLANNING For each client, how will you uncover new opportunities to pursue and relationships to develop? What you will do When during the engagement you will do it 31

PROPRIETARY FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT A good framework solves a pressing problem with a what, a how, a who and adds up to a compelling So what? Start mapping out your framework here. 1. What problem will your framework solve? 2. What are the root causes of this problem, and associated solutions? 3. What is your 3-step process for solving this problem? 4. Who else do you involve to provide a complete solution? 5. What is a catchy name and visual way to present your framework? 6. What is the value/benefits to your target audience? 32

LEVERAGE IN YOUR PRACTICE Describe the programs you will offer to build leverage through other people and products. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 33

30-DAY ACTION PLAN Based on everything you have created so far, what are the top action steps you commit to taking in the next 30 days? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 34