Improving Engagement

March 5, 2020

available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play

A few caveats:

  • First, we’re all standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Everything I share in this post has in some way been shaped by the generous humans you’ll find in the final notes. Please do connect with them; I couldn’t recommend them enough (both as people and their work).
  • Second, this is a snapshot of what’s currently working. Six months from now, I could be taking additional actions and/or laid others to rest. 
  • Third, “improving engagement” is relative to my personal goals for my coaching business today.
  • Lastly, this is what’s working for me. What you’ll find below is by no means intended for blind implementation, neither is it any kind of guarantee (notice the title isn’t a “7 Steps to Blah Blah Blah”). Follow what feels right, leave the rest.

Right! Let’s get to it. I recently shared my business goals with my “mastermind” group and one of them quickly replied with a congratulations and a question: “What have you done today to move closer to achieving them?” My answer is what got me thinking about this post: today I wrote in my journal and meditated; that’s what moved me closer.

In many ways, my current approach to improving engagement with my coaching business is fashioned after the posture my wife took during her pregnancies. 

 

WELCOMING AND EXPECTING

I would watch my wife rub her baby bump endlessly, talking to the baby, singing to them, welcoming them into ongoing development. Similarly, I don’t use words like “growing” my business; instead, I journal words like “receive, welcome, cultivate, nurture, foster, appreciate.” I’ll do this several times a day, or even recite those words on a walk. Essentially, I am aligning my energy and messaging my posture to the universe. 

It’s worth noting that there comes a point in the journey of birthing where there’s simply no question that something is going on here:) There’s no hiding the bump. I have that same kind of expectation and confidence in my business: this is happening; this is what I’m supposed to be doing. In fact, it’s not so much a “confidence” as it is an awareness of a coming reality.

 

GAINING FOCUS

I’ll never forget the beautiful process in each of my wife’s journeys of slowly watching our babies take shape. Literally. One visit they looked like avocado’s, and later the images would show hands and feet. 

I am taking the time to “image” my business into fruition. For example, getting clear on specific details like income, pricing, duration, schedule, etc. This can’t be rushed, and I believe only comes with quiet contemplation. Of course mentoring from those who are further along is useful, but your expression will always be unique.

Also, I’m aiming as small as I can. In some ways, a call to everyone is a call to no one. While I do post on various platforms, my greatest engagement comes from actions like sending specific emails to single individuals, asking if they would forward this opportunity to even one person in their network. Or another example would be that I’ve recently begun searching for (and then connecting with) people on LinkedIn who have “new opportunities” in their descriptions. These are individuals who I may be able to serve!

 

MAKING SPACE

Once my wife and I learned the sex of the child, we got excited about decorating the nursery! This color of paint, that glider, this crib, etc.

Likewise, after I’d gotten clear to a point about the details, I needed to start making space, both in my schedule and in my home. I carved out times with my days and evenings, and made some purchases for a specific backdrop to use (it’s a wall in our living room that has great light with some repurposed bookshelves...it’s not an office, but it’ll work for now and it gives a really inviting presence).

 

FOLLOWING THE FEELINGS

During both of my wife’s pregnancies, she never got a prescription of any kind that read something silly like: on Tuesday and Thursday evenings you should eat bacon double cheeseburgers; and on Fridays you should eat only toast. Did she get somewhat random cravings? Absolutely! Did she (we!) act on them? You bet. When she wanted something, she usually got it; when she was revolted by something else, she declined it.

Conventional advice (?) tells me I should have a sales funnel with lead generators and a host of social media ads. 

I want to vomit just typing those words. 

At the time of this writing, I have a personal aversion to click-bait, funnels, generators, and interruption ads. I just can’t stand them. Am I against them? No. Might I one day utilize them? Sure! But right now I simply cannot summon the energy to engage with those tactics; it wouldn’t be authentic or aligned with my energy. Instead, I follow my “cravings” in all of the ways I’ve mentioned above.

So that’s where I’m at. I trust you’ll find something helpful for you, and I wish you all the very best!

 

 

Below is a list of those who have influenced this post, and to whom I’m very grateful. In no particular order: