Bill Baren Blog

I don’t want a job.  I have never wanted a job, and I’ve never had one.  In the past, I have often found myself feeling like what I am doing is a job (not recently thankfully) and that my boss is not so nice to me.

I have been a traveler on the journey of transforming my business from a job into the deepest reflection of my internal desires for years.

In simplest terms, my desire for my business is to do what I love, in a way that’s congruent with my deepest values, and with people I love working with.  It’s a pretty simple concept, yet the realization of that dream of mine has been my practice for years now.

I’m grateful that in recent times, I have been able to do exactly what I want.  I have been creating exactly the kind of programs and products that I am excited about and ones that create a huge impact.

I have been able to liberate my time to do only the things I love - writing, coaching,  delivering tele-trainings and designing my business. All of this to maximize my ability to be of service and offer my gifts to the people I am meant to serve.

I have been able to work ONLY with clients that I love and who totally resonate with my teachings and my coaching style AND I have had the privilege of partnering of some of the best minds and hearts in the business space.

Underneath all of this, it’s not just a walk in the park. I’m expanding my comfort zone and often that’s very uncomfortable.  But I know that everything I long for is just outside my comfort zone.  And to tell you the truth, it is even more uncomfortable to me to know that I am wasting my gifts.  So I always give it my all even if it’s difficult.

The place I have had struggle in my business is with my schedule.  I am now extremely productive.  I can get more done quicker than almost anyone I know (my business partner, Patrick, is amazing at that, too).  And at the same time, my desire to give, be of service AND be available has meant that my schedule is constantly filled-up.

So I am continuing to work on refining my way of being in my business that allows me to give fully without the demand on my schedule increasing.  This is the part of my personal growth that my business is moving me towards.

Why am I sharing all of this?

#1 - I want you to be inspired to play bigger and ALLOW your business to help you create the kind of life you truly want.
I want you to know that you can make the kind of money you want to earn.
And make the kind of impact you crave for.
You can feel great and expansive in your business.
And create the kind of schedule and lifestyle you want to create.
And I want you to know that you need to set a strong INTENTION for this to happen, and have a commitment to intentional action.  That’s the only reason I have been successful.  I am not more talented than you.  I am not more of a natural at what I do than you.  So I know that if I can do it, you can, too.

#2 - My life and my business are far from perfect.  I may seem like I’ve got it all together.  I don’t.  I have a lot of things together and figured out.  On the other hand, I still struggle in certain areas of my business and my life.  But I know that because of my commitment to my own breakthroughs that I will have the big shifts that will allow me to continue to create life and business I truly want.

So I want to invite you to commit at that same level (that’s 100%) in areas that you are currently struggling or simply tolerating in your business and in your life.

I recently learned from a mentor that struggle is effort with negative energy (resistance). If you can remove the negative energy, then effort can be enjoyable.

Enjoy!

As a business coach, I get a LOT of questions from very diverse business owners.

One of the most frequent questions is this:
“I’m very good at what I do… so why aren’t people hiring me?”

Is this happening with you?

If so, I am going to share with you three of the biggest mistakes people make when they are having an enrollment conversation with potential clients.
(By the way, “enrollment conversation” is another way of saying “initial consultation” or “sales conversation”)

MISTAKE #1 – Promoting your services before your potential client gets clear on what they REALLY want.
The consultation is about your potential clients and their needs, and not about you. So be sure to take a substantial part of your consultation to ask questions to understand you potential client’s needs before you offer solutions.

When you understand their deepest wants and needs - and I mean what’s keeping them up at night - then you’re in a great place to offer your services as a solution.

If you aren’t establishing the “Gap”, you’re going to have a hard time getting hired! The “Gap” is the frustration that potential clients feel about the chasm between where they are now and where they want to go with their life, business, health, web site, etc.

MISTAKE #2 – Trying to solve the potential client’s problem during your initial consultation. The consultation is not the time to help your prospect solve a micro-problem they are currently having.  It’s an opportunity for them to see much greater opportunities for themselves and for their business and to establish you as someone who can help them close the gap.

Here’s why this is a mistake. Often when you give them 1/20th of a solution to their problem, they think they’ve already received the solution from you and go off to implement it on their own – without hiring you.

This is not the best way you can be of service to them, since their problem is only partially solved. And it will certainly not land you the client.

And this isn’t just an issue for coaches – it’s often true whether you are a web designer, business consultant, healer or wellness practitioner, professional organizer, etc.

MISTAKE #3 – Not using a consistent system for your enrollment conversation.
When you’re having a conversation with a potential client about working together, is it something you do spontaneously, without a script or agenda? Does it feel kind of random, and you’re uncertain if your conversation is going to work? You may even feel like the conversation with your potential client is going well, but then they don’t hire you. And you don’t why.

If this is the case, I have to ask you, do you have a “system” that you are using in every sales conversation?

I am not a systematic guy by nature.  In fact, I have often been allergic to systems.

But after a while, I couldn’t deny that when I developed a system for enrolling clients during a one-on-one consultation, used it every time, continually made it better – the results spoke for themselves. My results jumped from a 0% success rate to a place where now 80% of prospective clients hire me.

If you are making one or all of these mistakes in your enrollment consultations, don’t despair!

Just make a conscious effort to change how you’re approaching your clients and holding these conversations.

And consider learning a more systematic approach to having enrollment conversations, such as my “Master of Enrollment” program.
Before you know it you these conversations will flow with ease, and you’ll allow new clients to say “yes” to you.

I get a ton of questions from people who ask me how to choose a good niche.

I’m going to tell you exactly what to do to get it figured out for good.

It all boils down to one very simple thing.

What’s your promise?

Everything you do in your business is about making and keeping promises to your customers.

Seriously, think about it.
Tylenol promises to reduce fevers and help your headache go away.
Your TV promises to project moving images for your entertainment.
Your manicurist promises to help your hands look more beautiful.
What are you promising with your service?

A confused customer always says no

Are prospective clients confused by what you do?

Here’s a tip: think about the service or product that you provide as a promise.

Instead of thinking of yourself as a massage therapist, what if you thought of yourself as “helping women get totally relaxed in an hour” expert, then you can totally devote yourself to delivering on that promise.

Instead of thinking of yourself as a life coach, what if you thought of yourself as a “find a career that fulfills you” expert then you can do what it takes to you have all the tools in place to help people with just that problem.

When you can promise what your ideal clients want, and consistently keep that promise you will have more business than you can handle.

Are you a generalist?

It’s often said that generalists tend to be less successful then experts in a service based business. Simply put, people want to work with experts or specialists.

I’ve run into this challenge myself, because I have the tendency to be a generalist. Here’s my own experience: the more I became an expert in helping you get more clients in less time, the more money I started making.

Because, figuring out your niche (and your promise) is such a common challenge, I’m going to be launching a unique program in a few weeks that will give you powerful tools for CLAIMING a niche that you can be an expert in. I’ll send details soon.

I promise you’re going to love it!

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IMPORTANT UPDATE!

I have since launched the Coaching Niche Telesummit taking place December
15-18. If you are a coach and this post spoke to you, then you definitely
need to attend. Go to http://www.coachingnichetelesummit.com for more details.

This event features coaches who are leaders in 6 in-demand coaching niches.
Each hour long telecall will feature a different area of specialization and
will show you key strategies for you to take your business down a path of
growth and success.

Sign up at http://www.coachingnichetelesummit.com to see our full list of
experts. You’ll get completely free access to the Coaching Niche Telesummit
as well as a complete schedule of telecalls.

Plus, we’ll send you the recordings after the event has concluded.

See you there!

Oftentimes, when a prospective client isn’t sure whether to hire you, it’s because you haven’t zeroed in on the REAL problem or challenge that the prospective client would be willing to invest into solving.

So I recommend the “5 Whys” method, which gained acclaim as a powerful approach used at Toyota in Japan during its growth in the 1970s.
This method will help you (and your client) get to the heart of their problem, which forms the basis for working together.

Here’s how it works: typically during an initial consultation, you’re listening for the problem or challenge a client would like help with.
Instead of stopping at the superficial level, keep going deeper by asking “why?” (what caused the problem?) 5 times.

Here’s an example. Let’s suppose you’re a life coach talking with a potential client.

Q: Hello, what motivated you to see me today?

Potential Client: I want to stop smoking.

Q: Why do you want to stop smoking, why today?

A: Well, I’m concerned about my health.

Q: True, it’s smoking impacts your health, but why today, what made you decide to take action about health today?

A: Well, I was playing with my kids, and I got winded, because I have so much tar in my lungs.

Q: Well yes, not very good, what about that bothers you?

You keep going, and you find that the potential client is concerned about how they are showing up as a role model to their kids.
They are concerned about whether they are an adequate parent.

THIS is likely the area where they would find value in working with you.

In sum: The 5 Whys approach is an easy and often-effective tool getting to the root of a client’s problem
Because it is so simple, it can be applied quickly to most any problem.
BTW, this also works for you to know why it is you really want something in your life or in your business.

Click here to download an explanation of The 5 Ways Method
Give it a try, and let me know what you think in the comments below.

“If one is master of one thing and understands one thing well, one has at the same time, insight into and understanding of many things.” - Vincent Van Gogh

Why is mastery important?

There is a difference between knowing how to do something and being a master of it. There is a difference between dabbling in something and being a master of that pursuit.

I know how instrumental this mind shift has been for me in my life.
And naturally, I just want to share with you some of what I’ve learned.

Here’s an example - my path towards mastering getting clients:

• I learned to see the whole picture of what it takes to get clients anytime, anywhere (my system)
• I committed myself to a relentless pursuit of learning everything that’s relevant for me on that subject (pieces of the puzzle)
• I learned to say no to other things while I was in the throws of my pursuit (focus)
• I also gave absolutely all of me while I was with my clients and always put them first (it’s not about me)
• I never gave up even when it seemed like I was going to fail (perseverance)

There have been tremendous tangible benefits to this pursuit. I have an overflowing practice and a coaching company with 5 successful coaches. I now know what works and what doesn’t work as far as getting and keeping clients. I have the confidence that I can get clients. The freedom that gives me is huge. And most importantly to me, I now have intimate knowledge of the mechanics of success and the confidence that I can be successful with anything I commit myself to.

What I learned by playing poker

I have recently got into playing poker. I love the game. There are a lot of moving parts and it takes a lot to master. I have to know the cards. I have to know myself. I have to know the people I playing with. I have to know the situation. It’s complicated and I love it.

I can talk about poker all day, but one important thing I have noticed is that many of the top players were once champions and winners at other games/sports - chess, backgammon, bridge and even basketball.

In this past World Series of Poker, Jordan Farmar, a point guard for the Lakers basketball team, made it to Day 3 of the event. I have played in the tournament and I know how difficult it is to get to Day 3.

What’s remarkable about Farmer’s great poker run is that he learned to play poker just a few days prior to the tournament. He already knows what it takes to win. He knows what it takes to be a masterful point guard. And he converted that to doing well at the World Series of Poker.

When you commit to mastering one thing, you commit to being successful.

Another example of this is Josh Waitzkin. He was a Junior chess champion and now he is a Martial Arts champion. I’ve heard him mention in interviews that he sees no difference for himself between chess and martial arts. He understands mastery and the rest is simply picking what he wants to be a master of.

“There’s this wonderful buddhist story, an ancient Indian story, and basically the parable is this: If a man wants to walk across the Earth, and the Earth is covered with thorns, he has two answers, he has two possible solutions: He can cover the entire Earth with leather, which will take a lot of time - that’s the external solution - or he can make sandals, that’s the internal solution. And I really believe in making sandals.” - Josh Waitzkin

So when you commit to mastery, you don’t just master that one thing, you learn how to master anything… and thorns will not stand in your way.

When you can make a mindshift from attaining your goals to being a master of what you chose to take on, not only do your goals come to you more effortlessly, but you learn how turn anything you want into gold.

What can you do now?

• Decide if mastery is important to you
• Pick something that you want to master
• Commit to getting on the road to mastering that which you just picked
• Identify what the first step is on the road to mastery
• Start walking

“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.” - Albert Einstein

Here’s to mastery!!

I don’t about you, but I often wonder what happens to the results when someone asks me to take a survey.  I’ll let you in on what we did with ours.  Before I get to that, I want to thank you for taking the time to take our survey.

I know how valuable your  time is and I am thankful that you lent a few minutes of it to give us your opinions.
I thought it might be useful to you to actually see the survey results.  I found it interesting how many of you have similar concerns.

One of the things that struck me was the *variety* of business topics that you have questions about.
And certain topics clearly stood out as being important for you.  For example, our survey respondents had a strong interest in having a marketing plan for their business and having web sites that capture clients better. As for personal mastery, there was a clear desire to be more focused and practicing better time management.
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**If you have any observations about the survey results, please share in the comments below.**

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Question 1: It’s not enough to develop your business. Your own personal development (your “personal mastery”) is critical too. Which aspects of personal mastery would you be interested in working on? Which would have the most impact for you? [Please choose ALL that apply.]

It’s a typical Tuesday evening. Sylvia is running a little late to meet her boyfriend for dinner at great out of the way bistro on the Lower East Side. She is lucky to have gotten a seat on this rush-hour NYC subway cart. She is struggling to read Wired magazine, as the ride is especially bumpy today.

It’s amazing that on such a crowded train, she feels completely invisible. But if anyone is paying attention to her, they are noticing that she is beginning to be visibly excited by what she is reading. In fact, she is so excited that she is dying to tap the shoulder of the man sitting next to her and tell him about what she is reading. This stranger is startled out of his subway stupor and is soon engaged by what she is sharing. He learns how taken she is by her new discovery. He is now a believer, too.

She is reading a story about your business!

• Is your product or service remarkable enough?
• Is the story of your product engaging enough to a stranger?
• How easy is it to spread your story?

How quickly do you trust?
How quickly do you trust someone who is selling to you?

Check out Seth Godin’s brilliant post on the matter.

7 Steps to Customer Trust

1. Wholeheartedly believe in your product or service
2. Be authentic in your marketing and in all your interactions with your customers
3. Be curious about your customer’s experience
4. Create a business culture of integrity
5. Over deliver
6. Love your clients
7. Trust Yourself