5 Critical Mistakes Most Consultants and Coaches Make

5 Critical Mistakes Most Consultants and Coaches Make
By Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero

Think you have what it takes to be an consultant or a coach? I wasnt so sure I knew when I first started in 1999. All I knew was I desperately wanted to work from home to raise my two sons after my divorce. It took a lot of trial and error to get to the stabile and profitable business I am running now in 2006. There are some things I learned along the way I wish I knew much earlier in the game.

One thing I learned is that writing is a very small part of being a successful entrepreneur. Dont get me wrong. You DO need to know how to write. But your success depends largely on your savvy as a businessperson. How do I know? Because Ive played it from both sides of the street. And I didnt begin to enjoy success until I started doing some very distinct things in my business.

Please let me share with you some of the mistakes I made starting out so you can avoid those pitfalls yourselfand catapult to success much faster than it took me.

Mistake #1: Dont attract new clients

When I first started out in 1999 I had exactly one client. He kept me very busyfor awhile. Then, without warning, he suddenly shifted his business to 100% offline and began using a copywriter with more experience in that area. I floundered for 10 months before I got back on my feet again from that blow.

Solution: NEVER stop marketing yourself. Even if you have a full practice, dont stop getting the word out. Write articles and press releases. Do interviews whenever possible. Start an ezine and/or a blog so your name is always out there. Dont get caught flat-footed.

Mistake #2: Dont effectively manage your clients

At first I was so grateful to have any clients I let them call all the shots regardless of what was in my best interest. It took me a long time to realize every client is not a match for me. Sometimes they were unreasonable in deadlines. Other times they would call me at all hoursincluding 6 a.m. and even on the weekends. (Until I learned to communicate better there were even a few clients I had to fire!) Bottom line is you can never have enough communication.

Solution: Have the client fill out a detailed questionnaire to open up lines of communication or have a long phone interview (which you record). Get a feel for his or her expectations. Add an extra cushion to your deadline. If possible, get a gatekeeper (assistant) to set up schedule so you can focus on what you do best writing.

Mistake #3: Poor time management

Eager to please, I often did not give myself enough lead time for an assignment. Id say, Ill do it! before I looked at the reality of my schedule. So Id have to pull all nighters or miss important family events. I was incredibly stressed and not a lot of fun to be around.

Solution: Schedule your daily schedule BEFORE you go to bed at night. Turn off email until youve made some headway with your copy. And use a kitchen timer to work in increments of 35 minutes (studies show after that frame your mind craves distraction). When the ding goes off, get up, stretch and clear your head.

Mistake #4: Not getting paid enough

Face itin your business you do a lot more work than most people realize. You have to do deep research in your industry, around your competition, and with your own target market. You have to attract leads. Then you have to write powerful copy that crawls inside the head of the prospect and leads them to a specific action. You should get paid what you are really worth no exceptions.

Solution: Value yourself enough to get paid what youre worth.

Mistake #5: Dont invest in yourself

I have read the classic Think and Grow Rich 16 times. Every time I read it, I learn something new. I have watched the motivational movie The Secret 6 times to date. I go to seminars (even when Ive heard the speakers before). Because I learn something new every time. I have a huge marketing library of books, binders, home study courses, CDs, DVDs, MP3s and I listen to them over and over. Again, every time I take in material, whether its new or old, I learn something new.

Successful people in all walks of life invest in themselves. Its one of the keys that separates them from the less successful. (Trust me, at times it hurt to part with the massive amounts of cash Ive laid out for this education. But the payoff happens every time. Just do it.)

Solution: If youre looking to attract more money into your business, start by investing in yourself. Think LONG TERM. As the old adage says, If youre not growing, youre dying.

Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero, President of Red Hot Communications, Inc. is among a handful of the most highly sought after copywriters in the industry. Having studied with the leading gurus like Dan Kennedy, John Carlton, and Gary Halbert, Lorries passion is teaching both entrepreneurs and copywriters how to master their own marketing through powerful copy. Her award-winning home study course, Red Hot Copy to Woo Your Target Market is a staple in marketing libraries. Annually she conducts an international online copywriting school, (Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp), teaches a live workshop (The Speed Copywriting Workshop), and is a frequent guest speaker for other events. Lorries ezine, Copywriting TNT, reaches over 15,000 subscribers in 74 countries worldwide. Learn more at http://www.redhotcopy.com

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