by Dr. Caron Goode | Jun 3, 2018 | Certified-Parent-Coach
A Certified Parenting Coach is a trained professional who works with parents to solve problems, clarify goals, or find solutions to issues relating to parenting and family.
Parenting has never been easy. Among the children, their schooling, your spouse and other engagements, parenting could get complicated or overwhelming. The good news is you can make the best of parenting with the right assistance from a professional parenting coach.
A Certified Parenting Coach has completed professional training in the dynamics of coaching parents through coaching techniques, listening, as well as how to approach problem solving and structuring new situations for success. A parenting coach is not a therapist. He/she is a trained and experienced professional who uses strategy to assist parents in raising their children and maintaining balance in the family.
The bold difference between a parenting coach and a therapist is the status of parents or clients involved. Parents make a conscious and informed decision to receive assistance from a parenting coach. The aim is not to heal any broken spirits of the past, but to work together to develop more suitable parenting style, responses to daily dealings or solve problems in behavior, communication, or issues that arise.
How Does It Work?
The essence of coaching parents is to offer working solutions to families or parents experiencing some frustration. As children mature and become involved in different social circles, most parents experience frustrating times when the old rules or skills no longer work.
Most parenting problems include variations on these themes:
Parents with a short temper
Children who are disrespectful
Children who are stubborn or defiant
Homework struggles
Bedtime struggles
Sibling rivalry
Lack of responsibility
Lack of discipline
Dealing with a divorce, separation or loss of a loved one
Low esteem
Whining or throwing tantrums, and so on
The challenges one could encounter as a parent are endless and sometimes take different forms as children grow up.
A parenting coach is a fast and effective way to manage and eliminate these issues. It all begins when you contact a certified parenting coach. Meetings or consultation can take place either through a detailed phone call conversation or a visit to your home to assess the situation.
During this time a parenting coach does two things for a parent in distress:
1. Listens effectively
The solution to every problem begins when shared. Being able to share your challenges with a kind and compassionate listener is the first step to getting rid of the problem. At this time the parent will feel relieved and supported.
2. Offer personalized solutions
After receiving a full brief of the issue, the parenting coach will be able to identify the problem and brainstorm possible solutions and strategies. This process also involves a series of steps.
First, the parenting coach will ask all necessary questions and provide insight into causes, effects and characteristics of the issue.
The next step can be to equip you with new information that will give you a deeper understanding and view a different perspective on the problem. Now, the once confused parents can begin to see new possibilities and solutions.
Finally, both parent and parenting coach collaborate to come up with ideas and strategies that are peculiar to your family and parenting issue.
Typical parent coaching methodology pays particular attention to helping parents regain confidence and authority in their parenting skills.
Within a few weeks of implementing new strategies and suggestions from your parenting coach, you will see some positive results.
In the end, parents become better equipped to perform their role, while children become accountable and responsible for their actions and life choices.
Benefits of a parenting coach
It is an effective way to seek assistance and discuss your parenting problems within a professional framework that eliminates the stigma of psychotherapy.
It is the best option for working or busy parents
It is an opportunity to broaden your knowledge of parenting.
It is an excellent career choice.
Why Does It Work?
Parent coaching is useful because its approach is constructive and personalized.
Remember that parent coaching is a team effort. A parent must be open to discussing the full length of the issue and trying new ideas.
Who Needs a Parenting Coach?
Some think that perhaps this option of a parenting coach is for parents who are failing in their role, and this is untrue.
Parent coaching is a choice made my parents, who know how vital their roles are in the lives of their children. It is for parents who are bold enough to seek help when they meet a roadblock in parenting.
It is for those who desire a focused and strategic means to solve various problems that parents often encounter with their child.
Who Can Be a Parenting Coach?
The thing about parenting is that it belongs to everyone. Professionals who feel called to serve parents and families respond to their calling. Parenting coaches share certain traits like enjoying working with children, youth and parents, crafting conversations, finding answers, and discussing discipline solutions
Also, if you are a parent or a child care provider, you can equally learn how to be more effective in your role.I have always believed in the full benefits of the profession of a parenting coach. The process of learning, practicing or consulting with a parenting coach presents equal opportunities for each of us to gain something profound easily.
by Dr. Caron Goode | Dec 23, 2017 | Business Training & Marketing Courses, Learn about Coaching
Your coaching clients are out there, and they are looking for you! In my training as a therapist, counselor, and coach, I've heard this phrase often and always wondered at its veracity.
A dozen years later of online experience and building the Academy for Coaching Parents experiences, I can again state: That potential clients want you is true. Clients are out there whether you are a life coach for parents, health coach for seniors, a dating coach for men in mid-life, or a business coach for creative people.
The mindset to hold for successful coaching clients is you have a large audience, and they are eagerly anticipating the help only you can provide.
Check the list below to see if you are missing the mark in important areas. Doing so may cause potential clients to turn away for another coach.
Make it Easy for Them
When selling your products and services online, you have to make it easy for your customers to buy. The process sounds easy, but customer connections is in how you organize the information. You might be shocked at how often coaches (and others) miss
- The distinct steps are clear and obvious on your web site or on other social media platforms. The days of reading content are over. Invite visitors to download a syllabus of courses, an ebooks, take a quiz, listen to a free podcast, or watch a video that tells a visitor in three minutes abut the site and provide three options to take the next step. Would they enjoy a blog article, or would they download affirmations to stay calmer?
- The "buy" buttons are not obvious. The primary color for my websites is blue and variant shades. The buttons to link a potential client to the next page or product should stand out - bright green, cherry red, and orange are popular colors that attract attention.
- They don’t make contact information easy to find. This should be obvious to you while it may not be obvious on the website. Most websites have a contact page, which is obvious in the menu on top of the site.Here are a few more ideas: At the end of each blog, have a contact form. It could also serve to sign a new client for blog traffic, as well as to contact you with any questions, no matter how small.
- They don’t provide clear calls to action on their website. By calls to action, it means you provide instructions: click here, download this, go to the posts in children's category, review this book chapter, buy this book. In my reviews of coach's sites, I have seen a leading report on the page. A sample of content and the book cover populate a page. The button reads "Learn More." The button may lead to another page of content, a blog article, and such. The button should be much more precise: Buy this. Download the Ebook now, Read the post sample from the book, and leave a comment ti my questions: Can I email this book to you? Can you see a yes answer is more likely to be forthcoming than just learning more.
- They don’t create easy website navigation so readers can quickly find what they need. In the ideal world, you would list the pages you wanted your clients to visit in order like first, second, third etc.. Too often web builders put the basic pages up and add them to the menu with no specific navigation instruction.
The list goes on, but the bottom line is this: make it easy for your customers to buy from you. Not only will you make more money, but your clients will be singing your praises.
Court the Potential Coaching Clients
Even if your ideal market is established as business owners, you will still create your site navigation for up and coming new clients. While they might not be ready for you yet, and they'll remember you if you treat them well and have organized-easy-to-find content and giveaways.
Some ideas for helping the new coaching clients learn to trust you and your offerings are:
- Low-cost self-study products. Could you offer a short, free course, a video, or an audio file?
- E-books or guides - An ebook that you give away is called a Lead Magnet - an ebook which magnetizes a new to you? Man sure the topic is one that your clients would want to read.
- Email courses - This is a safe bet for those who don't mind leaving their email address, because they can read what they are interested in as well as learn about you also.
- Membership sites and forums should be your business model with new offers, products, or services at regular intervals.
- Facebook groups can serve as memberships also, and you have the option of making your presentations live on Facebook Live.
Get Personal
In every crowded niche, your personality is what sets you a part from every other coach out there. Don't be afraid to shine. Stand out brightly in your image, what you write and how you present your materials. That's how your potential customers will get to know, like and trust you. You cannot stop to worry if your efforts are working. You have to assume that your efforts work, and whether you are shy, non-techie, ora private person, you must shine online and in social media if that is where you are building a business.
- Share personal updates on social media so that potential customers can see the "real" you.
- Post photos of your life outside of business on Instagram and Facebook.
- Take a stand for what you believe in, whether or not it is controversial and unpopular.
- Be available to answer questions and stay on top of the most popular social media that you use.
by Dr. Caron Goode | Sep 13, 2017 | Business Training & Marketing Courses
To make money online as a parent-family coach or an ACPI Trainer, you need to market your business online. The following marketing tips and ideas will guide your marketing efforts.
- When you decide who you want to work with, keep narrowing down your ideal client to a specific niche or group. Don’t send a marketing message to a general group. Specifically target the demographic you want to work with.
Narrow it down like this example: Dads....of teens....preparing to graduate from high school....who need a Core Temperament Inventory.....to consider career choices.
2. Talk about your business everywhere. Network with prospective clients. Give speeches at conferences. Clearly articulate your value when talking about your business in a video presentation for online viewing.
3. Write about your business in blog posts, newsletters, magazines and newspapers. A case study presents your strengths in helping a client. You could also discuss group coaching and when and how you offer services. Sell value! Send out a press release when you add a new service or you are just starting your business.
4. Be active on social media. Participate by answering questions, providing helpful information and being authentic. Over the last three years and the changes made to social media offering, Facebook still remain primary. Facebook also bought Instagram, and placing an ad on both sites bring traffic to you and your web site.
5. Create a professional looking website. Include your services, testimonials and an about you page as well as the home page.
6. While I do not advocate free sessions, you will notice in reading blogs that it is a popular way to meet new possible clients. Give away a free coaching session and see which prospective clients go on to purchase a bigger package.
7. Build a strong client list. Keep in contact with them, asking for referrals and testimonials.
8. Send out a regular newsletter and update your blog regularly.
9. Comment on other blogs and social media channels with relevant information. These types of connections, formed through social media, are reciprocated when you support others and ask for the same.
10. Get interviewed by a well-known person in your niche. Promote your coaching services during the interview.
11. Create YouTube videos with helpful information. Include links to your coaching services.
12. Include a link to your website on everything, including your email signature.
Marketing is a necessity in any business for making money online. It is how clients will find you.
The Next Step
Making money online with your coaching business can be done in many ways. It’s about how you package yourself as an expert, the marketing plan you create to get the word out about your services and the different types of services and products you offer. Your next step is to decide on your market, plan out your marketing, determine how you are going to make money, and begin attracting clients.
by Dr. Caron Goode | Aug 26, 2017 | Learn about Coaching
Even with a clear communication plan and format in place, your client may push the limits. Setting boundaries is a primary task for your peach of mind and your client's best coaching experience.
- Clients may keep you on the phone longer than you intended
- They will email you more than is allowed
- They might text you for non-emergencies
- They will send you messages on Facebook, on Twitter, on Voxer, or anywhere else that is convenient for them—regardless of your preferences
Does This Work Both Ways?
Are you tempted to reach out on the weekend to answer a question or schedule a call on a Sunday afternoon because that's when your client is available. You might think this is good business—after all, you're building a relationships.
The idea is not the best for you. The situation will lead to burn out because your boundaries are weak. You'll always feel like you must do more for your clients. Sooner or later, you'll lose touch with your own health and personal space.
Setting boundaries is the answer for both you and your customers. Establish from the outset exactly what your coaching package includes, and be sure to include when contact takes place.
For example, you might say:
Your coaching package includes one monthly, 50-minute phone call with me and one question by email each working day.
My workdays are Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm Eastern, and I'll answer all calls and emails during that time.
With this format, you are setting boundaries and have included
- What the client gets (one phone call and once daily emails)
- When she gets it (Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm)
You’ll also need to establish exactly how your clients should contact you, and what will happen if they do not follow the procedures. Setting boundaries includes specific email addresses and phone numbers or conference lines exclusively for your client use.
Another step is to create “planned responses” to send out when a client attempts to contact you outside of your established boundaries.. For example, if you receive a Facebook message (and you don’t offer this as a form of contact) you might respond with:
Thank you for reaching out, and I'm happy to help you with this big issue. For better organization of my client files, though, I do ask that you send all your questions to my email address at yourname@yourdomain.com.
A gentle reminder for setting boundaries creates a better coaching relationship for both of you.
To keep phone calls shorter, use a simple kitchen timer. At the start of the call, tell your client, "We have XX minutes today, so I'm going to set a timer for YY minutes to remind us when it's almost time to end. That will help ensure I can answer all your questions."
Then set your timer for 5 minutes before the call is to end. When the timer goes off, let your client know you have 5 minutes remaining, and ask if she has any final questions before you hang up. Following this simple system will prevent those endless phone calls that trample all forms of boundaries.
Resist the temptation to allow calls to be booked outside of your working hours, or to respond to questions on the weekend, or to book additional appointments "just this once."
Doing so will make it appear to your client that your boundaries are flexible, and will invite them to push the limits as well. After all, if you email on the weekend, it must be ok, right?
Exercise: Map Your Work Hours
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Exercise: Craft Your Boundary Responses
How will you set the expectation at the start of a call, so it does not run too long?
How will you respond if a client contacts you outside your established system?
What will you tell yourself when you fail to respect your own boundaries?
by Dr. Caron Goode | Aug 26, 2017 | Learn about Coaching
At the heart of your 1:1 coaching package is giving a client access to you. Your clients most want the ability to consult with you and learn from your experiences.
An important part of your coaching package design is to determine exactly how you’ll connect with your clients, when the contact will happen, and where.
Your options
Here are flexible options and can include:
- Email
- Phone calls
- Private Facebook group or forums
- Voxer
- Text messaging
- Mastermind group calls
- In-person, VIP days
In addition to determining how your clients will connect with you, you also need to decide how much contact will be allowed. Again, the details are completely up to you. You can offer:
- Weekly phone calls
- Monthly phone calls and daily email
- Emergency phone calls only with daily emails
- A limited number of “Urgent,” on-demand Skype chats
- Monthly mastermind group calls + private calls
- Monthly Skype calls with text messaging for emergencies
And here's a tip: Daily access via email is a highly valuable benefits.
Few people will actually use it.
Making yourself available to clients in this way shows that you value your customer.
The Bottom Line
What will make your customers feel supported without causing you to burn out?
Aim for that contact frequency and format.
Also, consider how your clients will contact you.
- Find online the conference line that I use... UberConference.com is free and easy to use. The Zoom app has allowed me also to talk with persons around the world without charge.
- Email access is easy, but keep client work organized. One better idea is to establish a dedicated email address that you use just for coaching clients. It will be particularly useful if you offer something like daily email questions with a promise of a 24-hour response time. That way your important client emails won't get lost among store coupons and pictures from your cousin's wedding.
- Higher-touch coaching packages might offer in-person or virtual VIP days or even group retreats.
- VIP days can take place entirely online via Skype or Zoom, or your clients can visit you in your location.
- Typically, a long-term coaching program might offer one or two VIP days per year for the opportunity to work together--hands on, side-by-side-- in her business or life plan. Without the distractions of home and kids, you and your client will accomplish a lot during a single VIP session.
Exercise: Decide Your Access & Availability
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