| Yep - Blogs are on a hype. You've probably heard of | | | | engage in a coaching relationship with you. And the |
| them, you may have even seen some, or, at a more | | | | best part is that you are able to achieve this with |
| advanced side of the spectrum - you may have | | | | very low costs (no print, design or other related |
| even written a comment, created a blog for yourself, | | | | costs - although we would recommend that you use |
| or interacted with bloggers in some other way. But | | | | other medias to market your services as a |
| do you know how powerful a blog can be? And even | | | | complement to your blog). You can create a blog and |
| more - do you know how powerful a blog can be for | | | | constantly post content without spending anything |
| a life coach?? | | | | but your own time. |
| Coaches - listen up! Blogs are good for you. As we've | | | | On the exposure side of things, maintaining a blog |
| previously written, blogs can be defined as a kind of | | | | with good content and reasonably up-to-date (that |
| self-sustaining site: you don't need an ISP (Internet | | | | would require an average of 2 to 5 posts per week) |
| Service Provider) to host one (at least not directly); | | | | will get you rating points in blog and web search |
| you don't need a programmer to keep it up-to-date | | | | engines - which in turn would increase the traffic to |
| and looking good; and you also do not need | | | | your site. The more people access it, and post |
| more-than-average technical knowledge about | | | | comments - the more exposure your coaching brand |
| computers, the internet or HTML. Most blogs are free | | | | will receive (with networking opportunities highly likely |
| of charge, with some of the more intricate and | | | | to increase). Blog tools also allow you to link with |
| better designed ones charging relatively low annual | | | | other blogs, and this process is one of the most |
| membership fees. A vast range of interactive, useful | | | | effective ways to drive traffic to your blog, and also |
| and practical tools (from publishing to management | | | | improve positioning in search engines. |
| tools) have also been designed by several | | | | Coaching, Learning and Blogging |
| programmers - and almost all of them are available | | | | So far we have discussed the primary benefit of |
| for free and are very easy to download and/or | | | | blogging: marketing to your customers and improving |
| implement. | | | | networking and exposure. However, there is another |
| Coaching, Marketing and Blogging | | | | benefit in blogging which is intrinsically related to your |
| The most important benefit of using blogs is in | | | | coaching career - learning and professional |
| marketing. As a coach, you'll need to market your | | | | development. |
| services efficiently in order to acquire a good base | | | | First you can use RSS technologies to receive |
| clientele - and from that move forward to other | | | | selected content in your own pre-defined structure |
| clients through a mix of networking and direct | | | | (you can do that without blogs, but the more you |
| marketing. The best ways to market your services | | | | are involved in the 'blogosphere' - the better content |
| as a coach are: (a) using education-based marketing | | | | you are likely to discover). |
| (for more information about this type of marketing, | | | | Second, you may use your blog (and others) to open |
| visit our 'Professional Development Centre' category) | | | | discussions about any particular coaching topics: if you |
| and; (b) obtaining exposure and recognition in the | | | | have the right networking, you will benefit from the |
| niche market. Blogging tackles both needs with a | | | | insights and knowledge of dozens, or perhaps |
| single act, and a very efficient one. | | | | hundreds of other professionals. |
| With a blog you are able to post articles, tips and any | | | | Third, in order to keep your blog up-to-date you will |
| other valuable content you can offer. Such process | | | | need to 'force yourself' to keep writing quality |
| elicits value to your coaching services, allowing your | | | | content. This exercise will improve both your writing |
| prospective clients to realise your potential as a | | | | skills and your general knowledge of coaching |
| coach and, furthermore, visualise themselves in a | | | | theories, approaches, relationships (and whatever else |
| coaching relationship with you. You will be able to | | | | you may write about). |
| provide a much more personal communication | | | | In such a flexible and responsive environment, the |
| interface to your prospective clients, making them | | | | opportunities are endless... |
| comfortable about the decision of whether or not to | | | | |