Integrity, Accountability and Gratitude…Oh My

I was supposed to be launching my new product right about now. A home-study course on everything I cover in my coaching program. But I ditched the project. Here’s why.

I’ve coached dozens upon dozens of awesome, amazing people since opening the doors here at Up Your Impact Factor. Each one of these people has a strong desire to make the world a better place by offering her unique gift or message.

To work with my clients is to know true bliss. They are my perfect people. They are my tribe. They are people who inspire and encourage, heal and teach. And many, if not most, are struggling to make ends meet right now.

If you were ever one of my coaching clients, you might recognize the contradiction in that last statement. I’ve always preached there are only two things that all of our perfect people have in common:

1. They can benefit from what we have to offer.

2. They can afford our services.

In keeping with this assertion, I tried to keep my prices very reasonable (by industry standards, mind you) and always offered flexible payment plans when needed. I thought I could do it better. I thought I could do it differently.

I can’t. Truth is, no one can.

By lowering my prices to keep them affordable, all I ended up doing was putting undue pressure on people to “take advantage of this amazing offer” when they barely had two dimes to rub together.

Not my intention! And a shitty way to do business, quite frankly.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Given everything I’ve learned, if I am to be brutally honest, and if any “online marketing coach” is to be brutally honest, the best advice I can offer someone who wants to start a business on a limited budget is to not spend ONE FUCKING DOLLAR on coaching. Not one!

(Shhh. If you listen carefully you might hear the sound of an adversary or two being made here.)

Spend your money hiring talented people who can do what you cannot. Invest in a web designer to spruce up your site. Invest in a graphic artist to create a new logo. Invest in a copy writer to spice up your shite. THIS is money well-spent.

Then spend your time reading and devouring free content about your business and marketing.

Almost everything you need, you already have in your heart.

For the rest of it, I promise you, there is a blog post out there somewhere that’ll teach you how.

Everything I know about marketing and copy writing will be revealed on this blog. I will write about each of the techniques I developed to conjure sumptuous clarity for my clients’ businesses. If you follow my posts, there is no longer any reason to hire me as a coach.

I’m completely fed up with the regurgitated products and questionable tactics coming from so many of my respected peers. I’m tired of hearing phrases like “low hanging fruit.” I’m sick of watching people proclaim to be one thing, then go after the very people they know are struggling most because that’s where the easy money is.

Please note, I am speaking specifically to the “make money online” niche. I am not referring to life coaches (I value my own life coach more than words can say!) I am not referring to energy healers or spiritual coaches, goddess knows the world needs more of them. I am not referring to organizational coaches, time management coaches or sexual liberation coaches.

I. Am. Only. Referring to the “make money online” coaching niche. I understand the value of marketing consultation for established businesses. But I bring into strong question the application of that type of service to people wanting to start a micro-business online as a cash-poor solopreneur.

Now that I’ve come to this realization, it is time for me to redesign my coaching services. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to see anyone in our community here suffer over whether or not they can afford to work with me.

My business’ focus will shift to copy writing. This is the best way for me to be of service to you while maintaining an income I can survive on.

But I love the personal connection coaching offers. I love spending even just a short time sharing someone else’s exciting adventure. I also know that what I offer is valuable. Magical things happen when we work together!

I do not want to remove coaching completely from my repertoire.

Gratitude Sessions

So, I will be offering 2 one-hour sessions each week pro bono (that’s right, for free) to two members of the community who submit a request. These one-time sessions are for people who cannot afford my new rate (wait for it…) but have a pressing issue with their marketing or writing that needs attention.

By “pro bono” I mean it. There will be no up-sell on the call. There will be nothing offered you at the end of our conversation. You get a solid 60 minutes of my time dedicated only to you and your questions.

This is my way of giving back to our growing community. My way of letting you know how grateful I am that you are walking this path with me, if even for a short time.

Plus, I get to be in service to people I sincerely love for eight hours each month. That makes me feel all warm honey ‘n butter with a sprinkle of cinnamon inside.

Cinnamon FTW!

Now, how can I make sure that only people who can easily afford my coaching will buy it? By drastically increasing my price, of course.

If you do not have time to follow the blog carefully, and do not qualify for pro bono work, but would like to get the marketing magic straight from the unicorn’s mouth…my new coaching rate is $750 per hour.

No flexi-pay. No multi-payment options. $750 cash-money up-front for one hour of my time.

Don’t get me wrong…this is a *very* scary leap for me. With this one post, I will be decimating a lucrative income stream from my business. But it’s more important that I sleep well at night.

My own personal evolution and the direction I see others taking in this niche (both in and out of alignment with my beliefs) has led me to this conclusion.

I need to trust my heart. I need to have faith that where one stream dries up, another will begin to flow. Because if we are following our Right Path and doing our Great Work, we cannot go wrong.

What are your thoughts on all this? I want to hear from everyone, and am especially hoping some of my beloved coaching clients might chime in. Please leave a comment below and let us know!