Insights on the power of social proof versus big promises when it comes to building a successful coaching business. As someone who has been able to sell high-ticket services through a sales page, Jo reflects on how showcasing real client stories and outcomes was a key driver of her success.

She acknowledges the challenge of competing against coaches who make lofty claims about fast results and high incomes, and explains why her approach of prioritising proof over promise has been so effective.

Listeners will learn practical strategies for building a library of social proof, from quick testimonials to in-depth case studies, as well as tips for those just starting out who may not feel they have much proof yet.

The message is clear - in a world where potential clients are growing increasingly skeptical of over-the-top claims, genuine social proof can be the secret weapon that transforms your ability to attract and convert clients.

Episode Timestamps

[00:00 - 03:00] Introduction to the podcast, Jo's background, and the challenge of competing against coaches making big promises

[03:00 - 05:00] The power of proof over promise in attracting clients

[05:00 - 08:00] Strategies for over-delivering and quickly generating testimonials

[08:00 - 10:00] Documenting client progress and transformations

[10:00 - 12:00] Collecting diverse testimonials and case studies

[12:00 - 14:00] The importance of video testimonials and leveraging social proof

[14:00 - 16:00] Continuously updating and showcasing social proof

[16:00 - 17:00] Tips for those starting out with limited proof

[17:00 - 18:00] Summary and call to action

Useful Links

Offer to Market in 30 Days - starts 16 September

How to secure more coaching clients' free training

Download the 12 ways to get clients now

Learn about The Business of Coaching programme

Connect with Jo on LinkedIn

Rate and Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Women in the Coaching Arena helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you’re kind enough to leave a review, please do let Jo know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: joanna@joannalottcoaching.com

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Hello and welcome to Women in

the Coaching Arena podcast.

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I'm so glad you are here.

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I'm Jo Lott, a business mentor

and ICF accredited coach

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Microphone (Samson Q2U Microphone):

and I help coaches to

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build brilliant businesses.

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I know that when you prepare to enter

the arena, there is fear, self doubt,

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comparison, anxiety, uncertainty.

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You can tend to armor up and

protect yourself from vulnerability.

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In this podcast, I'll be sharing

honest, not hype, practical and

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emotional tools to support you to make

the difference that you are here for.

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Dare greatly.

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You belong in this arena.

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Hello, welcome to the 77th episode

of women in the coaching arena.

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I am so glad you are here.

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I'm excited to cover this topic

today because I was a guest on a

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podcast recently because they were

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pounds service via a sales page.

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And they said, you're not like

I'm a really famous person.

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So how is that possible?

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They've never known anyone be able to

sell that kind of product on a sales

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page without them being a celebrity.

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So I was reflecting on why this was

and the key to this huge success

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that has genuinely freed me up.

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10 to 15 hours a week of discovery

calls is through case studies.

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Today's episode is on proof over promise.

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Because I know that when I work

with clients, they really do

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struggle with the offer promise.

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And you might be thinking, well, I

don't think I've got much proof yet.

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So excited to cover those variations

from you having an established business

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already and lots of proof to just

starting out and thinking that you

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don't have much proof because I bet

you have way more than you think.

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Another thing that's had me reflecting

is I've started working with a new

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business coach on really mapping out

my processes so I can ensure that my

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business is as seamless as possible.

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And I've always had the impression

that it's easier for business coaches.

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And what this woman said and

what another person has said.

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So I've joined another copywriter's

program this month to really

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up my game on copywriting.

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But anyway, she also said, oh my

goodness, business coaching is the

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hardest industry to succeed in.

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So I think the problem in my particular

niche, which is business coaching.

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It really is saturated and especially

saturated with people talking a good game.

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So you will have seen the promises.

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How you can make this much money in

a really short period of time making

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it seem like anyone can achieve that

result straight out of the gate.

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So now I reflect it's really hard

to compete against those services.

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And I have felt in the few years I've

been working within this niche that

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I don't want to be a part of that.

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And what happened this week was someone

emailed me asking about my program.

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I was able to say, I'm not trying to

compete with those people that you

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see in the adverts when she was saying

like, are you going to guarantee

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me results and that kind of thing.

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I'm helping you build a real business and

you can look at real people on my website.

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It's joannalottcoaching.com

if you want to have a look.

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And I will show you real people linked

to their website, with their surnames,

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you can find these people online.

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And real conversations with

these people on their results.

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So I am not pretending that this is

super easy and everyone has six figures

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in six weeks because they don't.

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So imagine now two coaches essentially

offering the same core service.

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Coach A has an incredible over the top

offer promising the world and beyond.

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Coach B on the other hand, keeps

it simple, but has hundreds

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of glowing testimonials.

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Who do you think is going

to attract more clients?

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It's coach B every time and

they don't need to over promise

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because they have other people

talking about their experiences

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instead of them over promising.

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This is the approach I take to

my business and what I really

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want to share with you today.

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Is that it's about showcasing the journey.

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Yes.

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You can't guarantee that person will

get the promotion, but you can say

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that is what we are working towards.

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And these are the kinds of results that

I have achieved working with people.

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So proof is always more

powerful than promises.

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And again, this is why it, it can

feel really slow when you first

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start your business, because you

don't feel like you have any proof.

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But I guarantee you, you have

more priests than you think.

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And if you haven't got proof yet, by

the end of this episode, I will give

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you so many ways of getting proof

that you can honestly have 10 glowing

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testimonials in the next two weeks that

can really fire start your business.

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People have grown skeptical with

the continuous promises and they

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really want evidence that normal

people like them can get results.

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So, I'm not saying that a

well-structured offer isn't important.

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It definitely is.

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But if you are struggling to

gain traction, even with a great

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offer your primary focus should

be generating social proof.

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Tangible evidence of your ability to help

clients to make change in their life.

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So let's get into how we go

into building this proof.

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Firstly start small.

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And over-deliver.

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If you are just starting out, don't

be afraid to take on clients at

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a reduced rate or even for free.

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What you really want is to

generate results and testimonials.

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For example, I held a women's workshop of

10 women when I first started my business.

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And within just that two hour workshop,

I generated 10 amazing testimonials

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that completely catapulted my business.

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So this doesn't need to be

having six sessions with someone

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and eventually in three months

time, you might get testimonial.

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Think about how you can

generate quick social proof.

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Also going above and

beyond for these clients.

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When I first started every single

session for my one-to-one clients.

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I used to create notes for them,

which I know that you are not meant

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to do and I learned in my coach

training, let them take responsibility.

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But it really did

generate amazing outcomes.

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So I used to perhaps summarize

exactly why they wanted this.

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What was their goal?

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What were their steps?

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What were their options?

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I would pick out their strengths,

their values, and really make it super

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clear on a really nicely designed

image, what these highlights were.

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So they absolutely loved this.

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I mean, wouldn't you like to have

a conversation with someone and

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someone sends you afterwards.

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Here are your five strengths that

I picked out from today's call.

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I mean, honestly, no one's

ever done that for me.

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I would love to know my five strengths.

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So think about how you

can really over-deliver.

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You may not be able to do that

going forward in your business.

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I definitely can't now, sadly,

because I don't have the time.

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It probably used to take me.

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Three hours for that one hour

call to really go through the

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notes and make something amazing.

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But when you start your business,

you can do amazing things.

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You don't have a squeezed

diary full of clients.

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So you can really over-deliver.

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Those initial success stories

will become your most valuable

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marketing assets in your business.

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My second point is to document everything.

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So as you work with clients, Document

their progress, like, think about if

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you are a fitness coach, how amazing it

is when you take that photo of someone

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before their fitness journey and how

you take that photo three months after,

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and you see the actual, tangible results

that they've had from working with you.

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I know it's not so easy to do that

within coaching, but really think

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about how you can capture that before.

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So for example, I do an onboarding form.

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Where I ask, where are you now?

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How much money are you earning?

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How many clients have you had?

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And then obviously at the

end, you can do an after.

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I've had a new person join my program

this month and I haven't spoken to

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him yet, but he's intending to do a

tech coaching offer of some sorts.

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So I'm really, really desperate

for someone to create.

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Some sort of tool that generates the

results of your coaching engagement.

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For example, when I did a CBT course,

they get you to rate every single

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week on a score of zero to 10.

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How you're feeling this week.

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And honestly, at the start of the CBT

course, it was quite a few years ago now.

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It was probably postnatal depression.

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Now thinking back a bit because.

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My daughter was super young

and I just felt really unhappy.

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And I remember the scores were

two out of 10 as to how I felt

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at the start of that course.

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And honestly, by the end of the

CBT, cause I was seriously up

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at an eight or nine out of 10.

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So I think it's a really great

opportunity to really think about how

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you can capture that journey and know

that there will be ups and downs.

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Hence why they get used to do it every

week, because some weeks you will be

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down in the dumps and that's fine.

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So it's about the general trend of

how you are increasing those numbers.

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My third point is to collect

diverse testimonials.

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So some testimonials might talk

about working with you as a person.

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Some might focus on the

results they achieved.

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Others might focus on the transformation

in general, as in where they were

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before and where they are now.

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They might focus on your process

and what they particularly

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liked about working with you.

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So the amount of variety you can

showcase will help other clients to

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see themselves in your success stories.

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My fourth point, which is something

that has completely transformed my

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business is to use video testimonials.

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Written testimonials are fine,

but video testimonials completely

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blow them out of the water.

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They add that layer of authenticity

that just can't be matched

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with a written testimonial.

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You may be saying that your clients

don't want to leave you testimonials.

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But I can almost guarantee you if you

frame it right and call it a case study.

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And ask about documenting their

journey, it will gain you a far

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more likelihood of them agreeing.

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Next up is case studies.

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So even if they won't do a video

testimonial, you can still create

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a case study to show that entire

journey of working with you.

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where was that client before

they started working with you?

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What specific steps did you

take in working together?

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And what were the outcomes in a

specific, tangible terms as possible?

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These in-depth stories are really

persuasive, especially, if you can

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encourage the person to paint the picture.

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So lots of people will

say, I feel more confident.

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What we want to do is exactly how is

that confidence translating in your life?

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So we want to ask that question that's

going to help them to paint the picture of

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now I can walk into the meeting room and

really speak up and say my point of view.

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So there anything that is going to help

that other person really connects in

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with exactly what they want and how

you can get your current clients to

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paint that picture, to really connect

in with your future possible clients.

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Next up is leveraging social proof.

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This is something I need to do more

often on I've written myself a note

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for tomorrow to really start to

do this because I have forms for

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example, I send my clients each month.

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I have a ringthebell

channel in my slack group.

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Which says, what's going

well for you right now.

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And I don't really utilize these, and in

this industry, which is filled with hyped

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up promises what I really want to do is

to start showcasing more so, yes, the case

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studies that people come to the end of

their engagement with me, but the whole

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journey as well, because gaining your

first client is a huge win or having that

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first article out there in a magazine or

putting that first social media post out

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and gaining interaction and an enquiry.

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These small wins, I really want to

start celebrating within my marketing.

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Just like you will have social

proof of people saying that they are

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really enjoying working with you.

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All of the things.

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Think about asking, can you utilize

that social proof in your social media?

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You can anonymize it.

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That type of thing is totally fine.

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But screenshots are so much more powerful

than a pretty canva image with you typing

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in what this person supposedly said.

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Remember we are all becoming more

suspicious in this online world.

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We want to hear real people's

stories and see real results.

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Next up is continuously

updating your social proof.

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Social proof from last week

is way more compelling than

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social proof from one year ago.

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So make this an absolute

priority in your business.

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I was fortunate enough to have a

business coach who once said, what

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we really want is one of those

websites where you just keep scrolling

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and there's so much social proof.

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You're like, oh my God.

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This is pretty much a certain.

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And that is what I have managed

to generate from that one

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comment from a business coach.

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If you can really think about this as

a project that you want to gain the

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most amazing results with your clients.

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Then you will start to gather masses

of case studies and social proof.

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That will completely

transform your business.

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Like I've said this one step alone of

asking people to do a call with them

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after working together has enabled

me to sell from a sales page and sell

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more than I was ever selling before.

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Because people can now see real

people that look and sound like them.

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They can look them up, they can

see that they are real people.

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They can hear their full story.

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So it really is something worth your time

and worth prioritizing in your business.

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If you haven't got social proof yet.

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Like I've said, just go out there, do

whatever you can in order to get it.

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So, let me quickly cover if you are just

starting out and you're still thinking,

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I just don't have the social proof, think

about your own personal transformation.

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That is always the first port of call when

you haven't got those case studies yet.

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Because most people that I work

with for sure have undergone the

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transformation that they aren't promising.

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Second think about a test

program off your caging services.

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Be up front about being a new

offering and emphasize that you are

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committed to delivering results.

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And that you will want a case

study in return for this beta test.

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Third, if you have been trained or

certified by a reputable organization.

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You can leverage their credibility.

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So, for example, you

might be ICF accredited.

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You can, just by mentioning the

ICF, build on their credibility.

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They have already built that up.

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And by you being ICF accredited,

you can borrow that credibility.

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Lastly building this up does take time.

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It's a gradual process, but just know

that every single tiny step helps.

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Keep going, make this an absolute

priority in your business and

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it will catapult you to success.

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In summary whilst social proof is amazing

you will not want to neglect other aspects

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of your marketing or offer creation?

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It will be really hard, even if

you're doing it for free, to get

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people to give you a good testimonial.

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If you haven't got a compelling offer.

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A clear message.

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A strategic outreach campaign.

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But by prioritizing this aspect in your

business, you will be addressing that

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core concern of most potential clients,

which is can this person really help me?

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Promise me today you will think

about how you can utilize and collect

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and showcase that proof today.

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And watch how it transforms your

ability to attract and convert

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clients into your business.

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I hope you found today's episode helpful.

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If you are enjoying this podcast,

if you are an apple user.

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especially please do hit the

name of the show, scroll down

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and rate and review the show.

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Do message me on

joanna@joannalottcoaching.com to

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let me know you've done it and I

will personally thank you for that.

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So, like I say, at the end of every

episode, trust yourself, believe

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in yourself and be the wise Gardner

who keeps on watering the seed.

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Microphone (Samson Q2U Microphone):

Thank you so much for listening to this

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episode of Women in the Coaching Arena.

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I have a mess of free resources on

my website joannalottcoaching.com.

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That's Joanna with an A

and Lott with two T's.

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joannalottcoaching.com.

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And I'll also put links in the show notes.

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Let me know if you found

this episode useful.

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Share it with a friend and

leave me a review, and I will

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personally thank you for that.

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Remember to trust yourself, believe

in yourself and be the wise Gardner

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who keeps on watering the seed.

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Get into the arena dare, greatly and try.