How to Create an Automated Webinar to Attract High-Paying Coaching Clients, Part 2: Telling Your Story
Tuesday July 19, 2016
"‹When you're creating a webinar to attract more coaching clients, one of the key ingredients is telling your story in a way that builds connection and trust.
As I mentioned in last week's blog post, telling your story is usually the second segment in a webinar. First, you explain what your audience is about to learn. Then, you explain why you're the right person to learn it from.
Here's a simple formula for telling your story, as well as some guidelines for making your storytelling gripping and effective:
The formula for your story:
The beginning:
Think of a time before you started your current career, when you or someone you know had the problem that you help your clients solve. (If this didn't happen to you, don't worry; I'll share some alternatives later in this blog post.)
Start with the time when you or they first noticed the problem, describe the scenario in which it happened, and share how it made you or the other person feel.
For example, maybe you're a wealth coach whose house was foreclosed on in the past, and who subsequently put a concentrated effort into learning how to make and keep money.
In that case, you'd describe the situation where your house was in foreclosure, and you'd tell your audience about the emotional and tangible consequences that that event had for you.
Don't be afraid to be vulnerable and real. For some people, it feels embarrassing to share what they perceive as their moments of weakness or failure. But by doing this, you inspire your audience and give them hope.
By showing them the obstacles you overcame, you give them evidence that their own obstacles can be overcome. And by showing that you're flawed and human, you demonstrate that you don't have to be perfect in order to get the results you promise.
The quest:
Next, tell the audience about your quest for answers.
What did you try that didn't work?
How did you find the solution that brought you the results you desired?
And what were some of the things that held you back from success?
This is a good opportunity to educate your audience about why their previous attempts to create transformation didn't work, and why they need your specific solution to solve the problems that these other solutions couldn't fix.
Don't diverge from your story at this point to go on a spiel about your product; just say something along the lines of, "I tried X, Y and Z, but they didn't work because they relied on _ or they were missing _."
The breakthrough:
How did you or the person you were helping find the solution to the problem?
How did you or they feel in that moment?
And how was that solution different from the ones you'd previously tried?
The results:
How did your day-to-day life change as a result of your breakthrough?
Use specifics like, "I was finally sleeping through the night, and waking up energized", or "within three months, I was making $10,000 a month", or "within five weeks, I'd lost eight pounds".
When your audience can mentally see, hear, smell, taste or feel the results you describe, and connect those results to specific experiences they want to have in their own lives, it paints a more vivid and emotionally compelling picture.
Speaking of emotions, how did yours change when you finally got your solution? Did you feel happier? More confident? Sexier? More relaxed and at peace?
Sharing your success:
What led you to decide to help other people with the problem you faced?
What specific results have the people you helped gotten? As with your own results, paint a sensory picture of the changes in their day-to-day lives.
And if even more people get those results, what kind of ripple effect will that create?
For example, if a hundred people create successful businesses by doing what they love, they can provide valuable services, hire teammates, create jobs, and set an example for other people who want to follow their passion.
Guidelines for using this formula:
While telling your story, let your emotions show. Let the audience feel the things you went through: the pain, the fear, the frustration, and the triumph.
Don't get too stuck on being formulaic. For example, if your breakthrough happened right away, but it took an emotional journey on your part to process that breakthrough and make it a part of your life, you aren't obligated to talk about the journey before you talk about the breakthrough.
Don't try to make your story so generic that everyone can identify it. The specifics are what help people to get into the story, and the more they can get immersed in the story, envision the scenario, and feel your emotions, the more they'll connect with you.
Also highlight the character traits or best practices that your experience taught you. Maybe you learned perseverance, or maybe you discovered a mistake or missing piece in other solutions that you've subsequently fixed or added in your own practice.
What if you didn't have the same problem your clients did?
If you didn't go through the exact challenges your clients did, or get into your current line of work by helping someone else to solve that problem, here are a few alternatives you can use as the basis for your story:
Alternative 1:
Talk about how the solution you use helped you to solve a problem that's similar to what your clients are going through. It doesn't have to be the EXACT same problem, but you do want to demonstrate that the solution you use fixes problems and gets results.
Alternative 2:
"‹If you're just starting out, and you haven't personally created a transformation in yourself or others with your coaching, talk about how your mentors have used the system you're using to transform lives.
Describe how you discovered this mentor and solution, why you chose to use it, and what effect it's had for the people who applied it to their lives.
Alternative 3:
Discuss the journey that led you to the system or solution you use, why you felt it was important to impact people's lives the way you do, and what character traits or skills you developed in the process.
For example, maybe you never had relationship problems because you were raised with great relationship skills, but you noticed that a lot of people in your life and on the internet struggle in that area, so you decided to share the wisdom you were raised with so that others can experience the same kind of wonderful marriage you're enjoying.
When you're telling your story, the important bottom line is, you want to demonstrate that you're qualified to give the information you're giving, and to show your audience that the transformation they desire is possible.
"‹
As I mentioned in last week's blog post, telling your story is usually the second segment in a webinar. First, you explain what your audience is about to learn. Then, you explain why you're the right person to learn it from.
Here's a simple formula for telling your story, as well as some guidelines for making your storytelling gripping and effective:
The formula for your story:
The beginning:
Think of a time before you started your current career, when you or someone you know had the problem that you help your clients solve. (If this didn't happen to you, don't worry; I'll share some alternatives later in this blog post.)
Start with the time when you or they first noticed the problem, describe the scenario in which it happened, and share how it made you or the other person feel.
For example, maybe you're a wealth coach whose house was foreclosed on in the past, and who subsequently put a concentrated effort into learning how to make and keep money.
In that case, you'd describe the situation where your house was in foreclosure, and you'd tell your audience about the emotional and tangible consequences that that event had for you.
Don't be afraid to be vulnerable and real. For some people, it feels embarrassing to share what they perceive as their moments of weakness or failure. But by doing this, you inspire your audience and give them hope.
By showing them the obstacles you overcame, you give them evidence that their own obstacles can be overcome. And by showing that you're flawed and human, you demonstrate that you don't have to be perfect in order to get the results you promise.
The quest:
Next, tell the audience about your quest for answers.
What did you try that didn't work?
How did you find the solution that brought you the results you desired?
And what were some of the things that held you back from success?
This is a good opportunity to educate your audience about why their previous attempts to create transformation didn't work, and why they need your specific solution to solve the problems that these other solutions couldn't fix.
Don't diverge from your story at this point to go on a spiel about your product; just say something along the lines of, "I tried X, Y and Z, but they didn't work because they relied on _ or they were missing _."
The breakthrough:
How did you or the person you were helping find the solution to the problem?
How did you or they feel in that moment?
And how was that solution different from the ones you'd previously tried?
The results:
How did your day-to-day life change as a result of your breakthrough?
Use specifics like, "I was finally sleeping through the night, and waking up energized", or "within three months, I was making $10,000 a month", or "within five weeks, I'd lost eight pounds".
When your audience can mentally see, hear, smell, taste or feel the results you describe, and connect those results to specific experiences they want to have in their own lives, it paints a more vivid and emotionally compelling picture.
Speaking of emotions, how did yours change when you finally got your solution? Did you feel happier? More confident? Sexier? More relaxed and at peace?
Sharing your success:
What led you to decide to help other people with the problem you faced?
What specific results have the people you helped gotten? As with your own results, paint a sensory picture of the changes in their day-to-day lives.
And if even more people get those results, what kind of ripple effect will that create?
For example, if a hundred people create successful businesses by doing what they love, they can provide valuable services, hire teammates, create jobs, and set an example for other people who want to follow their passion.
Guidelines for using this formula:
While telling your story, let your emotions show. Let the audience feel the things you went through: the pain, the fear, the frustration, and the triumph.
Don't get too stuck on being formulaic. For example, if your breakthrough happened right away, but it took an emotional journey on your part to process that breakthrough and make it a part of your life, you aren't obligated to talk about the journey before you talk about the breakthrough.
Don't try to make your story so generic that everyone can identify it. The specifics are what help people to get into the story, and the more they can get immersed in the story, envision the scenario, and feel your emotions, the more they'll connect with you.
Also highlight the character traits or best practices that your experience taught you. Maybe you learned perseverance, or maybe you discovered a mistake or missing piece in other solutions that you've subsequently fixed or added in your own practice.
What if you didn't have the same problem your clients did?
If you didn't go through the exact challenges your clients did, or get into your current line of work by helping someone else to solve that problem, here are a few alternatives you can use as the basis for your story:
Alternative 1:
Talk about how the solution you use helped you to solve a problem that's similar to what your clients are going through. It doesn't have to be the EXACT same problem, but you do want to demonstrate that the solution you use fixes problems and gets results.
Alternative 2:
"‹If you're just starting out, and you haven't personally created a transformation in yourself or others with your coaching, talk about how your mentors have used the system you're using to transform lives.
Describe how you discovered this mentor and solution, why you chose to use it, and what effect it's had for the people who applied it to their lives.
Alternative 3:
Discuss the journey that led you to the system or solution you use, why you felt it was important to impact people's lives the way you do, and what character traits or skills you developed in the process.
For example, maybe you never had relationship problems because you were raised with great relationship skills, but you noticed that a lot of people in your life and on the internet struggle in that area, so you decided to share the wisdom you were raised with so that others can experience the same kind of wonderful marriage you're enjoying.
When you're telling your story, the important bottom line is, you want to demonstrate that you're qualified to give the information you're giving, and to show your audience that the transformation they desire is possible.
"‹
Do you want personalized guidance and help in
"‹telling your story and putting your webinar together?
"‹I'd be happy to help you out. Just send me an email at [email protected], and I'll get in touch so we can discuss your goals and see if we're a good fit.
Stephanie
Stephanie is a writer and coaching program design specialist. She helps coaches to create and sell life-changing coaching programs, so they can help more people, make more money, and have more time freedom.
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