On the outside Chris Kyle was this badass soldier. He killed hundreds of terrorists and insurgents during the war in Iraq, and probably saved hundreds of Americans’ lives.
But not on the inside.
Last week I was reading Chris Kyle’s autobiography, American Sniper. My big impression was that the dude didn’t think for himself.
He never asked himself whether the war in Iraq was justified or not. He never asked himself whether his wife and infant son might need him more than his country. And he never tried to get a promotion. He just did his job.
He wanted someone to tell them what to do, where to go, and who to shoot. He didn’t want to give orders. He just wanted to follow them.
Most people are like that.
Human beings are a herd animal. We evolved to follow the leader.
I know because I’m basically the least “follow the leader” type of guy you can imagine. I hate being told what to do. I got into digital marketing because I don’t want to have a boss breathing down my neck.
Still, part of me misses having a “real job” — because life is a lot easier when somebody else is telling you what to do.
You don’t have to answer the hard questions yourself. Someone else is doing that for you. It’s comforting.
I think that’s a big reason why a lot of people sign up for coaching. Starting your own business, finding a romantic partner, getting in shape, and most of the other things people get coaching for are solo journeys.
And solo journeys are uncomfortable. We’re just not built to do risky things on our own. So it’s nice to have a coach.
(I hate to admit this, because it’s really embarrassing. But for me a big part of the value of hiring a coach is just having someone telling me what to do. Sometimes I already know what to do — I just need to hear somebody else say it to get my butt in gear.)
As a coach, keep that in mind. Because sure, you’re selling personalized advice, and you’re selling expertise.
But you’re also selling leadership. People want someone to tell them what to do, so they don’t feel lost.
And you’re also selling friendship. People want to have someone in their corner, so they don’t feel all alone.
P.S. This applies before the sale, too. In order to get coaching clients, you have to show people that you can be a good friend.
In my opinion, the best way to do that is to send regular content emails, just like this one.
That way, people see your name pop up in their inbox. They get to know how you think. They get to know who you are. And they start seeing you as a friend.
Then when you launch, they buy from you.
If you want my help with that, shoot me a reply.
Comments