I started this before the notice about the virtual classroom which includes a blogging section. I haven't had a chance to explore that yet (I'm posting this from my phone) but it seems that there is also a place to post written assignments. Althought I am sorry that I hadn't known about it before, I am happy that there is a virtual classroom and this is essentially superfluous. It is still possible that it can serve a specific purpose. It can be a repository of comments that are either not connected to the learning goals or that people would not want in the CTA forum. Neither purpose would justify the absurdly minimal effort to start this blog, but once established it might be positive.
Let' see if this place survives....
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
The Picture of My Practice
The Picture of My Practice
Since I was away vacation last week I did not actually do this assignment in the proper manner. I'll try make up for it now.
I think the easiest way to do this is just a start by answering the questions which are asked in the accelerator.
My goal is to have a full-time coaching practice. I defined a full-time coaching practices having between 25 to 31 clients per week. I intend to the relatively flexible at this point concerning schedules. This is actually one of my main goals for opening up a full-time coaching practice since my personal and family schedules has to be difficult to predict on a regular basis. That being said, I have no problem working the 45 hours a week that I picture necessary for coaching sessions, marketing and administrative duties.
I intend to do most of my coaching by phone, again because the flexibility that it provides. On the other hand, since I particularly enjoy face-to-face contact I intend it to plan for a certain amount of local clients whom I can meet face-to-face.
I'm not exactly sure what is meant by, "what style type of coaching sees most like me?" I'm sure this will become more apparent in the coming weeks.
Specialties. An interesting topic. As a psychotherapist I specialized in survivors of trauma and abuse. One can say that my specialty was finding the strengths that people were able to express, expound upon them, and help the clients develop those strengths and unique positive characteristics. But is not what I call the specialty because it is the most important single skill of any successful helping professional. When thinking about coaching as a business I prefer to think of a specialty in terms of, "what problem or urgent need of my client population I propose to help them solve?" Of course, this question presupposes that I've identified a population of my target clientele. Another way of approaching this question is to decide according to what happens to intrigue me. I am intrigued by the human processes that are involved in developing and managing personally important projects. I happen to believe the most important personal project, and probably the most common of all important personal projects, is marriage. However the great majority of people do not look at marriage as an all-encompassing project. In reality, professional life and the establishment and nurturing of small business are the most common examples of personally important projects. Therefore, I intend to focus on the urgent needs and compelling desires of independent professionals and small business owners. It is this process which we are involved in right now which can become one of the basic specialties that is needed by this target market. The process of branding and precisely defining a niche market is one of the skills I would like to specialize in. A corollary of that skill is connected to the field of communications. I have a great deal of experience assisting clients to identify, define, and communicate their thoughts and feelings without ambiguity.
Questions number six and seven seem almost redundant. I believe the proper marketing I should not have to find any clients, rather they should be finding me. Initially intend to market my business to local businesses. I've already joined the local Chamber of Commerce and begun to network there. The local Chamber of Commerce has many opportunities for networking and marketing. I hope to be detailing a plan for my interactions with Chamber of Commerce within the next week.
It seems that marketing through the Internet is an important factor. Using a blog, website, and/or social networking is purported to be a potentially powerful networking venue. It is not clear to me the details and technicalities involved in these tools. Blogging should be an easy challenge for me since writing is something I can do easily. A website is important once you're a member of the Chamber of Commerce because people are expecting to be able to log in and check you out. However, still not clear to me how or why anybody arrives at or stays at any particular website.
I am aware that through a website it is possible and it even important to establish through that website multiple streams of income. These relatively inexpensive informative or helpful services establish trustworthiness and credibility for the publisher of the web website. Additionally hope to incorporate some sort of webinar or online communications course.
It seems that there is an industry-standard for fees which is perfectly acceptable for me. I plan to charge $500 per month which will include four 50 minute sessions and unlimited e-mail contact. However I'm also considering an alternative. I am considering charging $600 a month for unlimited amount of sessions between the hours of nine and five plus the unlimited e-mail contact. All fees need to be paid at the beginning of the month.
I'm still struggling on what to call my coaching company.
I do have a secondary dream concerning my coaching business. I would love to do for coaches would have done for clinical social workers, namely to provide live supervision and training. This needs to be expounded upon at another opportunity.
Since I was away vacation last week I did not actually do this assignment in the proper manner. I'll try make up for it now.
I think the easiest way to do this is just a start by answering the questions which are asked in the accelerator.
My goal is to have a full-time coaching practice. I defined a full-time coaching practices having between 25 to 31 clients per week. I intend to the relatively flexible at this point concerning schedules. This is actually one of my main goals for opening up a full-time coaching practice since my personal and family schedules has to be difficult to predict on a regular basis. That being said, I have no problem working the 45 hours a week that I picture necessary for coaching sessions, marketing and administrative duties.
I intend to do most of my coaching by phone, again because the flexibility that it provides. On the other hand, since I particularly enjoy face-to-face contact I intend it to plan for a certain amount of local clients whom I can meet face-to-face.
I'm not exactly sure what is meant by, "what style type of coaching sees most like me?" I'm sure this will become more apparent in the coming weeks.
Specialties. An interesting topic. As a psychotherapist I specialized in survivors of trauma and abuse. One can say that my specialty was finding the strengths that people were able to express, expound upon them, and help the clients develop those strengths and unique positive characteristics. But is not what I call the specialty because it is the most important single skill of any successful helping professional. When thinking about coaching as a business I prefer to think of a specialty in terms of, "what problem or urgent need of my client population I propose to help them solve?" Of course, this question presupposes that I've identified a population of my target clientele. Another way of approaching this question is to decide according to what happens to intrigue me. I am intrigued by the human processes that are involved in developing and managing personally important projects. I happen to believe the most important personal project, and probably the most common of all important personal projects, is marriage. However the great majority of people do not look at marriage as an all-encompassing project. In reality, professional life and the establishment and nurturing of small business are the most common examples of personally important projects. Therefore, I intend to focus on the urgent needs and compelling desires of independent professionals and small business owners. It is this process which we are involved in right now which can become one of the basic specialties that is needed by this target market. The process of branding and precisely defining a niche market is one of the skills I would like to specialize in. A corollary of that skill is connected to the field of communications. I have a great deal of experience assisting clients to identify, define, and communicate their thoughts and feelings without ambiguity.
Questions number six and seven seem almost redundant. I believe the proper marketing I should not have to find any clients, rather they should be finding me. Initially intend to market my business to local businesses. I've already joined the local Chamber of Commerce and begun to network there. The local Chamber of Commerce has many opportunities for networking and marketing. I hope to be detailing a plan for my interactions with Chamber of Commerce within the next week.
It seems that marketing through the Internet is an important factor. Using a blog, website, and/or social networking is purported to be a potentially powerful networking venue. It is not clear to me the details and technicalities involved in these tools. Blogging should be an easy challenge for me since writing is something I can do easily. A website is important once you're a member of the Chamber of Commerce because people are expecting to be able to log in and check you out. However, still not clear to me how or why anybody arrives at or stays at any particular website.
I am aware that through a website it is possible and it even important to establish through that website multiple streams of income. These relatively inexpensive informative or helpful services establish trustworthiness and credibility for the publisher of the web website. Additionally hope to incorporate some sort of webinar or online communications course.
It seems that there is an industry-standard for fees which is perfectly acceptable for me. I plan to charge $500 per month which will include four 50 minute sessions and unlimited e-mail contact. However I'm also considering an alternative. I am considering charging $600 a month for unlimited amount of sessions between the hours of nine and five plus the unlimited e-mail contact. All fees need to be paid at the beginning of the month.
I'm still struggling on what to call my coaching company.
I do have a secondary dream concerning my coaching business. I would love to do for coaches would have done for clinical social workers, namely to provide live supervision and training. This needs to be expounded upon at another opportunity.
Welcome
I thought that it might be nice to have a place to post ideas, assignments, reactions etc. where anybody in the group can see and comment.
Of course, it is unofficial, non-committal, and completely voluntary.
It should replace the work with the "buddies".
Actually, I have no idea how it will develop.
I sort of envision a place like a "blackboard" in other on-line classroom settings. But in my experience, most people use blackboards in a most perfunctory manner. Since it is a class requiremnet to repsond to a certain amount of classmate's posting each week, each class participant responds, but often without a lot of thought. I would hope that people will respond to postings here with more thought and concern for each other. Especially since empathy and understanding is the single most important characteristic for a coach. On the other hand, I would hope that there is an extra measure of honesty that can be expressed here. Even bordering on bluntness. This is possible if we realize that we are here only to help each other grow and succeed.
I have never blogged before. However, this is a group blog, so I suppose that this will not actually give any experience at blogging. I'll save that for another venture.
Of course, it is unofficial, non-committal, and completely voluntary.
It should replace the work with the "buddies".
Actually, I have no idea how it will develop.
I sort of envision a place like a "blackboard" in other on-line classroom settings. But in my experience, most people use blackboards in a most perfunctory manner. Since it is a class requiremnet to repsond to a certain amount of classmate's posting each week, each class participant responds, but often without a lot of thought. I would hope that people will respond to postings here with more thought and concern for each other. Especially since empathy and understanding is the single most important characteristic for a coach. On the other hand, I would hope that there is an extra measure of honesty that can be expressed here. Even bordering on bluntness. This is possible if we realize that we are here only to help each other grow and succeed.
I have never blogged before. However, this is a group blog, so I suppose that this will not actually give any experience at blogging. I'll save that for another venture.
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