In principle, selling your coaching service to an executive is no different than selling it to any other person. However, there are some points that can make a lot of difference in the result, and you would better adapt your sale routine accordingly.

So first, what are the principles of sale?

a. Get close to your prospective client. Make introduction, build some conversation, a little trust.

b. Find out what is the prospective client’s challenge or problem, so that you can show him why your coaching service is the answer.

c. Sell benefits, not features.

d. Identify and overcome objections

c. Close the deal 

Here are some of the things to be aware of:

a. Getting to even talk to an executive could be a daunting task. They are often shielded by secretaries and assistants whose task is to keep people like you away. Either get those on your side, or find some leverage to use (i.e. – a good reference). 

b. Executives are constantly being sold to. They are usually adapt and cutting through the pitch and getting down to business. Make it short, clear, concise. Like an executive summary. And even then, expect and be read to be interrupted and requested to get to the point. Be prepared, both to the task and to the emotional stress. 

c. Do your homework. Find out beforehand as much as you can about the executive, the organization, and the problems. Executives are unlikely to take the time to walk you through the basics of their business, and they will appreciate your professionalism if you come prepared. 

d. Be clear about the benefits of your service, make sure they are relevant to your prospect’s needs. Benefits should be termed in the common “corporate language”. This is no place to promote “soft benefits” and “spiritual improvement”. Use common management metrics, and if possible, state levels of expected improvement. 

e. Executives seek accountability. Think about what measurements you can offer, by which your coaching effectiveness can be measured. Also think what guarantees of success you can give. 

f. With top executives, money is not much of an issue as time is. The more you can show your service to be time-efficient and quick to get results, the more chances you have of closing a deal. This isn’t to say that you can charge anything you want, but this is often not the decisive factor in the sale. 

g. Despite all the above, do not be overly intimidated. However successful the executive is, however many assistants and secretaries you had to pass, this is still a person. He has problems, he is looking for solutions, and he is susceptible to the right suggestions just like any other person. 

Find out how to become a successful executive coach and leave the ranks of the “part time” coaches.  Get the cutting-edge free report 7 Steps To Become a Successful Executive Coach at http://www.ecoachingsuccess.com



Thanks to Shmaya David for contributing this article to our Leadership Development blog:

Business Negotiation Training

DANCE COACHING MODEL

www.executivecoachingindia.com

DANCE model, propounded by The Orange Academy has been one of the most powerful models towards bringing deep-seated changes in an individual. The model by definition epitomizes innovation, fun, coordination, physical dexterity and also gives an individual the zest to move ahead, step by step.

The numerous results of this model has been very inspiring, both for the coach and the coached

In the DANCE model, we look at a step-by-step process that would help individuals experience the transition from awareness level to levels of immense performance and satisfaction.

An overview of the DANCE model -

 DISCOVERY: It becomes impossible for us (the coach and the coached) to have a fruitful outcome of the coaching session, if we do not make great effort in having clarity on the needs and expectations of the client. Therefore, in this session, we become very clear of the purpose of the session. This is the session when both the coached and the coach sit together and discover the facets of the cube that the client wants and needs to work upon.

 This is a step-by-step progress and thereby has been broken down into sub phases - mining, defining and refining. The Discovery session gives the one being coached the understanding of the process of coaching and also makes them concretize on their goals for coaching.

 AWARENESS: This step deals with facilitating the self awareness levels of the coached through a series of high gain questions and world class psychometric tests. This aids the coached to understand their dilemmas much better and thereby helps them walk towards positive transition in an enlightened and focused manner. Awareness sessions are customized to suite the needs of the organization and the individual.

 NEW STRATEGY: The second step looked at, the coached and the coach move towards strategizing the path to achieving goals. This progression assists the coached to refine their strategies and propels them towards to well prioritized goals and clear action points. Strategy session helps the coached to create a balance scorecard to prioritize their goals and a dashboard to monitor everyday achievement.

 COMBAT: At this step, the coached launches definitive action towards progress and witnesses drastic changes by taking huge action and also learns through personal insights. Combat is about taking huge action, in the direction of the goals set in during earlier steps.

 ELEVATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE: All the steps completed, the coached individual elevates to a different level altogether and starts harnessing his potential towards greater heights of achievement. In the process of progress, the individual celebrates success and also makes it a point to acknowledge the organization and team through better performance and relationships.

Contact The Orange Academy

The Orange Academy is one of the front runners of executive coaching in India. The organization has in its fold world class coaches with sizeable experience and insights at the leadership levels. Their expertise gives The Orange Academy an edge to provide the best of coaching results. The academy endeavors to bring about positive behavioral changes in as many individuals as possible, thereby assisting in their overall growth. This in turn would contribute significantly to the growth of the organization.

The Orange Academy offers executive coaching, life coaching and cross cultural coaching in India and abroad. It also assists budding coaching professionals refine their skills through a coach mentoring program brought by accredited coaches of international repute.

For further information and understanding on our coaching process and our coaches, please do feel free to contact at response@executivecoachingindia.com or visit us at www.executivecoachingindia.com



Thanks to Sonia Kapur for contributing this article to our Leadership Development blog:

Developing Leadership Qualities

Executive coaching is a common leadership development practice among business leaders all over the world.

Coaching can be defined as “an ongoing relationship that helps clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance and enhance overall quality of life.

A well trained coach is good at facilitating the process of change–helping people make the changes they want for themselves and their organisations. A coach can assist you to face all kinds of challenges and create new ways of thinking.

A coach is trained to “actively hear and discern”, to listen for fears and to see self-defeating beliefs that get in the way of your success.

A coach will brainstorm possible problem-solving approaches with you, challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and hold you accountable to do what you actually should do.

“In a 2001 study of 100 executives, mostly from Fortune 1000 companies, Manchester Inc. found that the average return on investment was almost six times the cost of coaching. Participants report rich learning environments and improvements in decision making, team performance and motivation, and highly recommended coaching.”

Executive, Business Leader, Entrepreneur - you owe yourself this powerful way of personal mastery.



Thanks to Nico for contributing this article to our Leadership Development blog:

Business Negotiation Training

Despite the fact that executive coaching proved to be almost recession-proof, many coaches hesitate to train and master this field. The ‘Executive’ is often perceived as being a tough target for coaches to hit. Executives are important busy people. They are remote, hidden behind layers of secretaries, assistants and underlings. They are aloft, sailing above us all in their corner offices and business networks. They are tough, brisk, and efficient. They are cunning, charismatic and posses a bourn tendency to command. They are also pure fiction. Or at least – the imaginary portrait of them that I just painted here is.

The truth is that executives are people. They have problems just like any other people; often more than others, because their lives tend to be more complicated. Most executives do posses some qualities of excellence or they would not have been promoted to their rank. However, such qualities mainly have to do with their professional side. It does not necessarily mean that they possess any special wisdom or superiority in other fields.

Strip away the power suites and polished offices, and you find that executives are as human as any other. They have good traits and bad habits. They strive to succeed but make mistakes along the way. They are usually able to see a broader picture, yet still suffer from embarrassing blind-spots. They struggle to balance their personal lives with their careers. Worst of all is the fact that their position often insulates them from others, and limits the number of people that they can communicate with freely.

A coach, once he won the executive’s trust, actually have his job easier than when coaching other people. Executives are used to consider facts and look for results. They are trained to separate their emotions from the matter at hand, and their job requires them to consider the long term as well as the immediate situation. These are all things that a coach often struggles with his client to achieve. Executives are used to plan and to act, thus making it much easier to get tangible coaching result. Meaning your coaching succeeds faster and more often. And not less important – one can usually charge them more for coaching.

The myth of the executive as a tough client probably reflects the perceived difficulty in marketing coaching to executives. But it is not true that coaching executives is difficult. If you thought that executive coaching training is not for you, think again.

Find out how to become a successful executive coach and leave the ranks of the ‘Part time’ coaches. Get the cutting-edge free report ‘7 Steps to Become a Successful Coach’



Thanks to Shmaya David for contributing this article to our Leadership Development blog:

Leadership Management Courses

Can you answer Paul J’s question about Leadership Development?:

The cost of the program being a non-issue, is it worth the time and personal investment to pursue a Psy.D. in Executive Coaching? I am currently pursuing a Masters degree in Psychology and will take a couple of executive coaching courses; any supporting help is much appreciated.

Advanced Negotiation Training