High-Achieving Women's Blogazine

I received a call from someone who has been coaching (business coach) for about two years. She felt that she was under valuing her services since she did not have a true pricing and packaging strategy in place.  Here are the suggestions I gave her:

Your pricing not only determines your bottom line, it also impacts whether or not someone will become your client. While there are many factors that influence pricing, the bottom line is that you must pick a number.  If the number does not work, it’s easy to change that number if and when you need to do so.

There are three main ways that coaches typically charge for their services:

1. by the session (e.g. $125/session)
2. by the month (e.g. $500/month)
3. by the package (e.g. 6 month package for $2,500)

When I coach, I prefer coaching by the package.  It makes my income more stable and predictable; and the clients who sign up for a 3+ month package are willing to make an investment in their personal development.  These are the best clients to have.

When you are looking at packaging, there are three things to remember:

#1 – Decide how much individual coaching the client needs:
This decision is based on how much coaching is best to support the client in achieving h/her desired results, how much coaching you want to provide and how much coaching the clients sign up for.

#2 –  Determine what additional services the client’s needs:
This decision is based on any perks you include in your coaching package. A few examples might be: check-in calls, email access, assessments, etc.

#3 –  Price your coaching package based on you:
There are many many factors to consider when setting your fees, including your target market/niche, background and experience.  If you are a new coach, I recommend you choose a price that you feel good about and one that is in the
“more affordable” range. If you are an experienced coach with a proven track-record of helping your clients achieve results, then your fees will likely be much higher.

Like any other business model, you must have a defined method for obtaining the clients through your coaching program on a consistent basis.  The ‘sales funnel model’ can be adapted to your coaching program.

Finally consider offering group coaching as your ‘lower-priced’ option or a full-day coaching intensive as your ‘higher-priced’ option. When you have a well developed pricing and coaching process, it allows you to charge what you are worth.

If you want to accelerate your rate of achievement rapidly, you must search out and vigorously employ new behaviors.

If you would like to know more about developing a full coaching practice that impacts your bottom line, become a member of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women.  Membership does have its privileges.

Love, Success and Greatness

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

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© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. Elevations™ has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™, please provide your name and e-mail address below.

I received a call from a potential client who has been reading my blog and following me on Facebook and Twitter for several months.  She stated: I have read most of your articles and I subscribe to your blog; and the one thing you continuously talk about is “From Visioning Great to Successing Great™”.  What is this “visioning great to successing great?”

I responded to her as follows: Sandra Bullock once said:  “Always choose people that have achieved more than you. Always choose people that challenge you and are smarter than you.  Always be the student.  Once you find yourself to be the teacher, you’ve lost it”.

Sandra Bullock’s quote ties to my own personal mantra of: “Always Be: Always be Learning, Always be Improving, Always be Growing, Always be Giving and Always be Thankful.”

From Vision Great to Successing Great™ is about capturing a vision of who you are, what you are, when you are, where you are and why you are.  Once you know your vision for success and your blueprint has been developed, you start visioning what you want to be, where you want to be, why you want to be and when you want to be.  The root of who you are is constant but you will grow over time and you will see yourself changing directions… from just visioning great to successing great.

Here are a few tips for successing great:

1. Be an original and not a copy (Abraham Lincoln one said” every man is born an original but sadly most dies copies”.)
2. Define your VIC (Values, Integrity and Character) Factor and center on it at all times
3. Prepare for a life-time of learning; focus on self-promotion and growth… and know it is the key to success
4. Create a plan of action with completion dates and start  executing the plan
5. Be prepared for change, thrive on the change and overcome any obstacles as  a result of change
6. practice creative thinking; pursue your passion and prepare to excel with the change

When you are ‘always being’ you are always becoming and always successing great.

Love… Success… Greatness…

Dr. Laureen

© 2010

At some point in time, all of us have faced obstacles in our lives. It is the attitude we hold within and the measures we take to overcome obstacles that make us stand out from the rest of the crowd.

I have found that tremendous happiness occurs when you let go of what others expect of you.  It’s about trusting yourself so that you can overcome the obstacles to change in your personal and work life.  I would say that 90% the time, most people’s greatest enemy is the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, the fear of looking silly or sounding ridiculous and last but not least the fear of what others may say or think about you.

Here are seven tips for overcoming obstacles to change so that you can begin to use those creative juices to achieve your dreams:

1. Try not to be perfect.  Focus on what you are doing instead of what you are not doing.
2. Build a team of peers who support creative thinking and powerful alternatives.
3. Avoid those people who are labeled ‘idea busters”.
4. If it is not broken; don’t fix it.
5. Set aside time to brainstorm.
6. Dream big then dream bigger.
7. Last but certainly not least, never quit or give up.

Start by never expecting opportunities to come to you; you must look for opportunities, and know when to grab them. Develop and use your creativity, courage and determination and pretty soon you will see infinite opportunities and possibilities all around you.

Creativity happens when you expect the impossible to become the possible.  Start to fine tune what you are doing so it will be a springboard to more creative ideas. Whatever makes you stop… get rid of it and always remember that change opens new doors and infinite possibilities. Are you ready?

Love… Success… Greatness…

Dr. Laureen

© 2010

To succeed, one must be prepared for change.  High-achievers expect change all the time.  They are ready for it; they embrace it and then they run with it.  Below are 7 tips to prepare you for change in your organization.

The key is to be willing to take risks.  Limit the ‘play-it-safe’ attitude.  When you attempt new tasks and learn new skills, it will always bring success.

1. Take seriously the new way your organization does business; apply the new styles in your work.  Exceptional performers understand the company’s shifting objectives and they transform them into productivity.
2. Be flexible and spontaneous in your endeavors.  This means you may not know how to do new things all the time, but you can learn as you experience them and as you go.
3. Find ways to contribute what you enjoy doing to the process of change.  As your company changes, volunteer to do tasks you enjoy.  Understand how the flow of change may accelerate you toward your purpose and goals.
4. Be alert to new trends in your field.  Recognize the signs of new direction.  Resist hanging on to traditional thinking and the old ways.   Oppose saying: “We don’t do it that way” or “We have always done it this way”.
5. Be a ‘possible’ thinker.  The more certain you feel something is possible, the more strongly you can support what’s happening.  Believing is the key to success.
6. Solve problems by remembering how you handled similar situations in the past.  The more you draw on past experiences, the easier your new choices become.  Familiarity promotes confidence.

Always remember that change opens new doors and infinite possibilities. Are you ready?

Love… Success… Greatness…

Dr. Laureen

© 2010

Successful people aren’t born that way. They become successful by establishing the habit of doing things unsuccessful people don’t like to do. Successful people don’t always like these things themselves; they just do them.

Put simply, most of us see life from one of two perspectives: we either see life as fixed or we see it as fluid. Incredible things happen when we see life as fluid and we practice the principles of thriving on change.  It is like magically evolving from a caterpillar to a butterfly. 

The key is to welcome change rather than resist it.  Change is inevitable.  Here are seven tips for thriving on change when change comes:

1. Anticipate change every day.  This will help you stay flexible and ready to adapt.  Enjoy the challenge of doing things differently.
2. Search for ways to excel because of change.  Find new ways in which change can propel you forward and help you grow and succeed.
3. Take pride in being able to adapt quickly to new change.  True security comes from knowing you can adjust to whatever happens.
4. Look for what you can control, versus what is out of your control when change comes. By doing this, you will gain more satisfaction by making a difference and you  will have more input and impact on your future.
5. Try new things all the time. Learn as much as you can about your work and that of the people who work around you.  In this way, you will have more skills and know-how for future positions.  This makes you more valuable when change occurs.
6. Be direct and honest with people during change. This builds trust, respect and cooperation.
7. Understand what’s causing the change; pinpoint the ‘why’ behind it. Once you discover the factors and conditions that drive the change, it will be easier to participate actively in the change.

Just remember that change opens new doors and infinite possibilities.

Love… Success… Greatness…

Dr. Laureen

© 2010

The previous blog post entitled: 12.5 Tips: Just Getting Things Done – Part 4 was supposed to be the last post for the Getting It Done series. However, I couldn’t resist this topic of the 3 biggest reasons why things don’t get done.  So this is the last post for this series – I hope!

There are a variety of reasons why people don’t get things done and the three biggest reasons are procrastination, not allocating enough time (time management), and not preparing properly.  Below are some simple things you can do to eliminate procrastination, manage your time more effectively and be better prepared.

Procrastination

If you are putting off today what you can do tomorrow; do yourself (and everyone around you) a favor and start giving your procrastination habit the boot today by:
1. Developing a plan of action
2. Writing down ALL the things that you need to do
3. Assigning priority to the most difficult task first

Time Management

As you become more engrossed with your business, you will definitely realize that time becomes a precious “commodity”. No matter how organized we are, there are always only 24 hours in a day. Unfortunately, time doesn’t change. All we can actually manage is ourselves and what we do with the time that we have; so here are three tips that will make a difference in managing your time:

1.    Determine where you’re wasting time
2.    Create time management goals and follow them
3.    Implement a time management plan and follow it

Preparation

People waste time by failing to get organized before getting started.  Often times, people view getting organized as a waste of time.  Oh by the way, if you are always trying to put things together without reading the directions, you may be one of these individuals.  Here are some tips to help with preparation:

1.    Hire people based on where you want to be, not where you are
2.    Listen to the experts and do what they do to get prepared
3.    Get focused, stay focused and remain focused

I hope that you have enjoyed this blog series on Getting Things Done. If you enjoyed this post, take a moment to sign up for the Free Audio: 10.5 Secrets For Achieving Success and Greatness. Everyone deserves a competitive edge.

Love, Success and Greatness

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

IF YOU WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete statement: As a Career Success and Business Growth Expert, Dr. Laureen teaches high-achieving women around the world how to move up the corporate ladder, change careers, start a business, create multiple streams of income and vision their way to success. Get her FREE articles and advice at www.gahaw.com

This is the last post of the Getting It Done series. Here are 12.5 important tips  that will help you to just get things done.

 1. Use lists to keep track of all of the things you need to get done.
2. Maintain a calendar and get in the habit of referring to your calendar often.
3. Develop systems for repetitive tasks and delegate them to others.
4. Set short- and long-term goals and record them.
5. Build strong working relationships with others. Don’t wait until you need help; build it as you go along.
6. Find the things you dread doing the most and do them first.
7. Eliminate time-wasters.
8. Take control of your time.  Don’t let the amount of time you have control what you get done.  
9. Organize your home and office.  Disorganization is one of the biggest time-wasters.
10. Use the right equipment.  Let technology work for us not against you.
11. Say “no”.  Before saying “yes” consider how the request fits into your overall priorities.
12. Delegate.  There is no rule that says that you must do it all.
12.5. Just do it!

In order to accomplish the things you want in life, it is important to set goals, determine how they fit with your other priorities and develop a sound plan of action to accomplish them.  If you don’t do this, you will find that you are getting things done, but not necessarily the things that truly need to be accomplished to achieve your goals.

If you enjoyed this post, take a moment to sign up for the Free Audio: Are You Making a Cardboard Connection versus a Brand Connection?.  It takes just a minute to sign-up, and you will benefit from my secrets to making an exceptional card connection.

Love, Success and Greatness

Take breaks from being “always on”. No internet, no TV, no cell phone, no video games. It does wonders for helping you reconnect with your life.

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

IF YOU WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete statement: As a Career Success and Business Growth Expert, Dr. Laureen teaches high-achieving women around the world how to move up the corporate ladder, change careers, start a business, create multiple streams of income and vision their way to success. Get her FREE articles and advice at www.gahaw.com 

We all do it… wait until the lasts minute to start on a project and then panic because we don’t have enough time to finish it. So when you find yourself under the gun, here are some tips to help you get through your immediate crisis.

1. Get focused: Spend a few minutes to clear your mind of distractions, worries, anxieties (about the deadline) and other mental clutter.
2. Get through the clutter: Consider everything on your desk that does not relate to your project as a distraction. Clear off your desk as you clear your mind.  Nothing should go on your desk but the task at hand.
3. Understand your priorities: Remember you have a limited period of time to complete the project, so it is your top priority.  If you have two conflicting priorities, you need to decide right now how you are going to divide your time or delegate the work to get them both completed.
4. Avoid interruptions:  That means no phone calls unless project related, no opening of emails unless project related, no appointments unless project related.
5. Do It: Budget at least one or two hours of uninterrupted time to organize what you need to do and another two hours to start working.

5.5.      To Don’t List: A list of things not to do — this is useful for keeping track of habits that lead  you to be unproductive, like playing online flash games when you are under the gun.

Well there is just one more major step that you must do and that is GET STARTED.  I have developed a few strategies that will help you get started but they will be in the next blog post entitled: Getting Started to Get it Done When You’re Under the Gun – Part 3. See you then.

 If you enjoyed this post, take a moment to sign up for the Free Audio: Are You Making a Cardboard Connection versus a Brand Connection? It will give you a competitive edge.

 Love, Success and Greatness

“If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done inspire seemingly odds.  

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

IF YOU WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete statement: As a Career Success and Business Growth Expert, Dr. Laureen teaches high-achieving women around the world how to move up the corporate ladder, change careers, start a business, create multiple streams of income and vision their way to success. Get her FREE articles and advice at www.gahaw.com 

If you worked in a vacuum, it might be possible to have total control of your time.  When you are part of a team, in order to get things done, you are often dependent upon others.  Whatever the project, someone must be in charge.  If you are that person, here are some tips to help you work with your team to get things done.

1. Explain what needs to be done.  Be specific using simple but direct terms. 

2. Tell each team member where h/she fits into the overall picture. It is much easier to get the team on board when they understand the big picture and where they fit.

3. Provide a completion date and a guesstimate of the number of hours needed. It is important for each team member to know how much time to allocate and how to prioritize their time.   

4. Be considerate.  When you have a project pending, don’t sit on it until the last minute.  Give as much advance notice as possible.

5. Remember the “golden rule”. Treat others the way you want to be treated.  You will get a lot further saying, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ than by simply ordering someone to help you.

6. Tell each team member what’s in it for them. If there is some special incentive involved, be sure to let your team members know.

7. Foster a spirit of cooperation. If there are several people working together on the project, stress team spirit.  Comments like: “There’s no way I could get this project completed without everyone’s help” will go a long way to build team spirit.

7.5.   Remember: Top achievers are great at time management even if they have to pay someone else to manage their time.

Keep an eye out for my next post, “5.5 Tips: Getting it Done When You’re Under the Gun – Part 2

If you enjoyed this post, take a moment to sign up for the Free Audio: 10.5 Secrets For Achieving Success and Greatness.  Everyone deserves a competitive edge.

Love, Success and Greatness

Successful people aren’t born that way. They become successful by establishing the habit of doing things unsuccessful people don’t like to do. Successful people don’t always like these things themselves; they just do them.

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

IF YOU WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete statement: As a Career Success and Business Growth Expert, Dr. Laureen teaches high-achieving women around the world how to move up the corporate ladder, change careers, start a business, create multiple streams of income and vision their way to success. Get her FREE articles and advice at www.gahaw.com 

If you plan to succeed in today’s marketplace, there are three types of people you must have in your professional life. These people will help you reach your professional goals, climb the corporate ladder, obtain professional success and grow in all areas of your life.

The Mentor will help you reach goals much quicker than expected and with fewer headaches. You should always strive to surpass your Mentor’s current professional level. Don’t seek a Mentor for what he/she has earned (i.e., house, car, degrees, clothes, etc.) but seek a Mentor for what he/she has learned (i.e., insight, wisdom, life’s lessons, character, knowledge and integrity). Remember, a Mentor is a learning curve cutter and is also a person who shares h/her experiences, knowledge and wisdom. —– This is your time to receive.

The Mate is a person who will be your Co-Partner. The Mate is someone who is close to your age and there is a similarity in your careers, life and business. The Mate is a person who you will bounce ideas off of and who will provide you with feedback. The Mate will also experience similar successes and failures as you do. Both of you should climb the ladder of success together. —– This is your time to share.

 The Mentee (the correct word is protégé) is a person who you pour your knowledge into. The Mentee learns from your experiences and knowledge. A Mentee is great to have because h/she will compel you to review your life, your accomplishments and will cause you to squeeze out some nuggets of truth that will help the Mentee avoid some of the mistakes and pitfalls that you may have encountered. —– This is your time to give.

The Mentor, Mate and Mentee makes a powerful team. Did you know that the richest man in the world, Bill H. Gates, is mentored by the second richest man in the world, Warren E. Buffett?