How much of your time is spent sitting at your desk?

No, really. Be honest with yourself. How much of your time do you spend just sitting at your desk?

Often when clients start working with me, they share that they’re really “working hard!” But after asking a few questions, I discover that what they’re doing mostly consists of sitting in their office trying to figure out things to do to attract clients.

While there are things you can do from your computer to grow your business – write a newsletter or blog post, share on social media, launch a website – the easiest way to start, and grow, your coaching business is get out there in your community and start talking to people and make some connections.

Almost every coach I know has a value around connection and community.Plus, people hire coaches they know, trust and like. So, you can fill your own connection bucket and potentially grow your business at the same time by making “connection” a strategic part of your business.

This doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming:

• Join a co-working space
• Attend some networking events
• Work at a local coffee shop
• Volunteer for a cause you believe in
• Reach out to have coffee with people in your network.

And yes, it can feel overwhelming or icky if you take a very sales-y approach to this process, which is why it’s important to ask yourself: How can I connect deeply with people? And come from that place.

When it comes down to it, the key to attracting clients is finding ways to pull people toward you. Part of that is showing up in the world as a great listener who asks thoughtful questions and engages people. Ask the questions that you want to be asked: What are you passionate about? What do you do for a living? What are you working on right now that is exciting to you?

When you ask people these questions, you will often find yourself in really interesting conversations about what is important to people. It’s likely that the other person will ask you the same questions back (and if they don’t, that says something about who they are and you’ll know they aren’t likely going to be a good match for your business). Being curious about others is a great strategy to get people to be curious about what you do without pushing yourself on them.

The key is to get out there, talk to people, get them to lean in and pull them toward you. Be grounded in the work that you do. Make sure that you can clearly explain your unique value proposition in a way that rolls off your tongue, expresses your passion, and has them be curious. When you do this successfully, it will open up the opportunity to invite them for a breakthrough session and have that feel like a pull, not a push.

Make it a goal to get out into your community at least once a week. Make a habit of talking to strangers. So much of our world has gotten head-down into our devices, and real, heartfelt connections are rare. At the very least when you engage with someone new and generously ask them your powerful questions, you will brighten their day because someone listened to them deeply and was curious about them. It’s a way to sprinkle your fairy dust into the world.

How do you create powerful connection with others? What can you do to get away from the computer and more rooted in your community?

With appreciation,

Tara Butler Floch