PDF Summary:The Prosperous Coach, by Steve Chandler and Rich Litvin

Many coaches spend time honing their coaching skills through hard work and training—but find this isn’t enough to bring in clients. In The Prosperous Coach, coaching experts Steve Chandler and Rich Litvin argue that coaches struggle because they overlook building a necessary skill: acquiring clients. The authors challenge conventional means of acquiring clients such as using manipulative sales tactics or waiting for clients to come to you. Instead, they say that a thriving coaching business comes from making genuine connections through deep, meaningful coaching conversations with potential clients.

In our guide, we’ll explain Chandler and Litvin’s recommendations for taking on the mindset of a successful coach and marketing yourself to potential clients. Then we’ll describe their process for building a client base for a thriving coaching business through deep, meaningful conversations that showcase your coaching abilities. In our commentary, we’ll include research to support the authors’ ideas, as well as complementary concepts from other authors.

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(Shortform note: The authors’ recommendation for a lengthy “showcase” meeting with potential clients finds strong support in research on experiential marketing and product sampling. Studies in these fields have consistently shown that allowing consumers to directly experience a product or service can significantly influence their decision-making process and increase conversion rates. This approach leverages the psychological principle of the “mere exposure effect,” which suggests that familiarity tends to increase liking. By providing an extended sample of your coaching style, you give potential clients a chance to become familiar with and appreciate your services.)

During this meeting, say the authors, make sure that you’re the one directing the conversation. This conversation isn’t only about your client’s needs—it’s largely about whether you want to coach them, and it should give the impression that your services are a limited commodity that your potential client should be seeking.

(Shortform note: Research on luxury marketing strategies supports the authors’ recommendation to direct the conversation and present your services as a limited commodity. This research demonstrates that creating an aura of exclusivity around a service can significantly enhance its appeal to consumers. By framing the coaching relationship as selective, with the coach also evaluating the client, you can tap into this principle, potentially increasing the perceived value of your services and the client’s motivation to engage you.)

Chandler and Litvin share several guidelines for driving these conversations: 1) Meet in a professional place, 2) be honest with the client, 3) uncover the client’s true goal, and 4) showcase your work.

Guideline #1: Meet in a Professional Environment

According to the authors, your preliminary meeting is not a social engagement, so have it in a professional—not social—environment. You should talk in a space that’s conducive to clear communication and free from distractions—for example, your office or a quiet public space. Don’t take them to an extravagant restaurant or bustling coffee shop, or they’ll leave with the impression that your services are about socializing and not actually coaching.

(Shortform note: The authors’ advice to conduct initial meetings in a professional setting rather than a social one is well-supported by research in environmental psychology and related fields. Studies have shown that physical settings can significantly influence behavior, perception, and decision-making processes, suggesting that a professional environment can improve your standing in the client’s eyes. Furthermore, cognitive psychology research on attention and distraction supports the recommendation for a quiet, distraction-free environment, as such settings have been shown to enhance focus and information retention.)

Guideline #2: Be Honest With the Client

Start by being completely honest with the potential client about their current situation, advise the authors. Don’t beat around the bush or understate their problems to try to endear yourself to them; you need to paint them a clear picture of what they’re facing. This will make them feel seen and heard because you’re showing them you understand where they’re coming from and what they need—a taste of what they’ll get from you in future coaching sessions.

(Shortform note: The emphasis on being honest with clients about their situation aligns with the concepts that Kim Scott explores in Radical Candor. Scott argues that effective leadership is caring personally while challenging directly. For coaches, this means balancing empathy with straightforward communication about the client’s challenges. Scott suggests specific techniques for delivering difficult messages honestly: For example, she recommends that you be as precise as possible and make it clear that your intention is to be helpful, not hurtful. By adopting this approach, you can build trust with clients, demonstrate your value, and set the stage for meaningful change, even when discussing uncomfortable truths.)

Guideline #3: Uncover the Client’s True Goal

Within those two hours, explain Chandler and Litvin, you need to find what the client’s true goal is. This may not be obvious at first, and the client themself may not even know it until you uncover it together. It must be something they’re excited about, but it shouldn’t be something they’ll easily accomplish without your help. If their goal is to become CEO of a business and they’re already well on track to doing that, they don’t need your services.

Finding a client’s true goal happens in two steps: First, ask them what their goal is. Then, ask them why they want to achieve that goal or how it will improve their life. The life improvement they’re seeking is their true goal. And once you know it, you can assess whether their current plan is the best way to reach that goal. If they want to become CEO, your questioning might reveal that their true goal is to earn their colleagues’ respect. Together, you examine their current path to see if it’s the best way to earn that respect. For example, you might determine that they’ll have more success more quickly by maximizing their performance in their current position or by being more willing to admit their shortcomings and mistakes.

(Shortform note: The process of uncovering a client’s true goal relates to the concept of laddering in consumer psychology, where researchers use a series of “why” questions to uncover deeper motivations behind consumer preferences. Similarly, motivational interviewing techniques in psychology emphasize the importance of eliciting and exploring a client’s own reasons for change, rather than imposing external goals. By uncovering a client’s true, often unconscious motivations, you can help them find effective ways to adjust their behavior to meet their goals.)

Guideline #4: Highlight Your Successes

Once you’ve found your client’s goal, show them what you can offer by discussing your success stories, giving them a sense of what you can accomplish for them. Chandler and Litvin explain that this isn’t the time to be modest: Be clear and confident in showing off your work because that’s what they’ll be paying for.

(Shortform note: The advice to highlight successes when showcasing work aligns with another of the principles described in Cialdini’s Influence: the Social Proof Principle. Cialdini argues that people often look to others’ actions to determine their own behavior, especially in uncertain situations. For coaches, sharing success stories provides potential clients with evidence of effectiveness. Cialdini also suggests that social proof is most powerful when it comes from people similar to the target audience. Therefore, you should focus on highlighting successes with clients who are similar to your prospects, increasing the likelihood of new clients seeing the relevance and potential of the coaching relationship.)

Part 4: Offer the Opportunity to Commit

After you’ve engaged in this initial conversation, the next step is to gauge the potential client’s interest in your services. To do this, once your conversation reveals what your client’s true goal is and what they need to achieve it, ask them if they need help.

Chandler and Litvin emphasize the importance of pausing here to let them think. This might be uncomfortable, but it’s important to let them process so they can make the right decision. You also don’t want to seem needy by immediately pressing them for an answer.

(Shortform note: The authors’ advice to allow potential clients a pause for reflection after presenting your services is well-supported by established psychological principles. The elaboration likelihood model in persuasion psychology emphasizes that for significant attitude changes, such as committing to a coaching relationship, individuals need time for cognitive processing. By allowing this pause, you enable potential clients to engage in deeper consideration of the proposition, potentially leading to more committed decisions.)

If They Say No

Even if you have a great “showcase” meeting, it’s possible that your potential client will decide they don’t need your help at this time. Accept the rejection gracefully, and end the conversation on a positive note—and, Chandler and Litvin stress, don’t bring up cost as a possible reason for their “no.” The client should leave the interaction thinking about what they could achieve if they worked with you, not how much it would cost to work with you.

Additionally, keep the door open: Let them know you’re open to a future relationship if their needs change, and ask them if they have anyone they’d like to refer to you.

(Shortform note: Ending your meeting on a positive note can help you tap into the psychological concept of the “peak-end rule,” proposed by psychologist Daniel Kahneman. This rule suggests that people’s overall evaluation of an experience is disproportionately influenced by its peak (most intense point) and its end. If you end your conversation by discussing price (especially if your price is too high for them to sign on with you), then one of the main things they’ll remember about your interaction is the price discussion. However, by ensuring a positive conclusion to the interaction, coaches can leverage the peak-end to leave a favorable lasting impression, potentially influencing future decisions.)

If They Say Yes

According to Chandler and Litvin, there are four things to keep in mind once a potential client expresses that they’d like to work with you. First, don’t immediately dive into formal coaching. You may be tempted to start giving them advice right away, but you need to wait until your first official session to do this. Second, set up a time and date for that first real session. Third, don’t discuss price just yet. Instead, when they ask how much it will cost, explain that your services are customized for every client and that your focus will be on results, not cost. The fee will depend on what specific plan the two of you work out together based on their needs, which you’ll decide in the final stage: closing the deal.

Fourth, even after they’ve expressed interest, continue to convey that your services are in high demand. The authors recommend giving a specific time and date for the first official session, instead of offering wide windows of availability. If the client asks you to schedule a time based on their availability, let them know that this won’t work for you. This shows them that your time is valuable and limited, reinforcing the idea that there’s high demand for your coaching.

(Shortform note: The authors’ advice to maintain an air of exclusivity and high demand relates to another of the persuasive principles discussed in Cialdini’s Influence: the Scarcity Principle. This principle suggests that people value things more when they’re perceived as rare or difficult to obtain. By conveying limited availability and not immediately accommodating the client’s schedule, you can leverage this principle to enhance the perceived value of your services.)

Limitations to Delaying Coaching and Pricing Discussions

Chandler and Litvin’s recommendation to delay formal coaching and price discussions may have some limitations. Postponing price discussions may create uncertainty or anxiety for some clients who prefer clear financial information upfront. This could lead to misaligned expectations or even lost opportunities if clients are deterred by the lack of immediate pricing.

Additionally, the strategy of customizing services for every client, while valuable for tailoring experiences, may not be scalable for coaches managing a high volume of clients. This could limit a coach’s ability to grow their practice efficiently.

Furthermore, the advice to avoid immediate coaching might miss opportunities for instant engagement with clients who are seeking immediate solutions or guidance. These limitations suggest that while Chandler and Litvin’s approach has merits, you may need to balance these strategies with transparency, efficiency, and responsiveness to diverse client needs.

Part 5: Close the Deal

The final step in transforming your “potential client” into your “client,” is making a firm offer for your services, explain Chandler and Litvin.

This is where you’ll give them a roadmap for what your relationship would look like. Based on the needs they’ve expressed to you, you’ll explain how often you’ll meet and for how long, what the cost will be, and what exactly they can expect from you. And importantly, tell them what you’ll need from them: namely, that they need to be willing to make daring moves, get out of their comfort zone, be completely honest with you, and make all the agreed payments.

Once your client commits to your offer, you can both courageously move forward in making their goals a reality.

(Shortform note: The authors’ advice for finalizing the coaching agreement by outlining expectations and commitments from both parties aligns with another persuasion principle from Cialdini’s Influence: the Consistency Principle. This principle suggests that people are more likely to follow through on actions that align with their previous commitments. By explicitly stating what is expected from the client, including their willingness to make daring moves and be honest, you set the stage for consistent behavior which will help the client adhere to the commitment they’ve made in the coaching relationship.)

Practical Tips to Maximize Your Coaching Abilities

Chandler and Litvin also offer some more actionable tips to improve and maximize your skills and what you offer to your clients. Here, we’ll explore six tips: taking joy in the process, devoting yourself to one client at a time, taking a client-centered approach to your work, getting your own coach, constantly building your client base, and reframing rejections positively.

Tip #1: Take Joy in the Whole Process

The authors explain that many coaches adore the coaching aspect of their job, but they dread the client-building aspect. A good coach takes equal joy in both of these activities because they’re both essential to their job. After all, you can’t coach if you don’t have clients, and there’s no reason someone would want to be your client if you’re not an effective coach.

(Shortform note: The idea of taking joy in the entire coaching process, including client acquisition, relates to the concept of intrinsic motivation. In Drive, Daniel Pink argues that true motivation comes from autonomy, mastery, and purpose. He suggests that when people are intrinsically motivated, they perform better and experience greater satisfaction. For coaches, finding joy in all aspects of their work can enhance their intrinsic motivation. By reframing client acquisition as an opportunity for growth and connection rather than a necessary chore, you can tap into this intrinsic motivation, which could lead to greater success and fulfillment in your practice.)

Tip #2: Devote Yourself to One Client at a Time

Chandler and Litvin also recommend that you focus on one client at a time. Don’t set a goal of getting a certain number of clients; instead, think about acquiring clients as a one-at-a-time process. Your goal is to wholly devote yourself to one client, sharing in that person’s every desire, until your work with them is done. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should only have one client at any given time, but in the moments when you’re working with them, they should be the only thing that matters.

(Shortform note: Being fully present with each client aligns with the concept of mindfulness, which involves maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. One study of mental healthcare professionals shows that practicing mindfulness can reduce emotional reactivity, enabling professionals to listen to clients more attentively and think rationally and enhancing the quality of professional interactions. By practicing mindfulness, you may be able to give your clients more clear-headed advice and support.)

Tip #3: Take a Client-Centered Approach

Remember that coaching is about your client, not about you. Chandler and Litvin explain that everything you do should be centered on helping your client and drastically improving their life. What matters is what the client wants and how they’re going to get there. What doesn’t matter is what you want or need. In fact, clients shouldn’t feel like you need them at all; they should feel like they need you.

Giving Your Client What They Need According to Coaching Type

Taking a client-centered approach also means assessing your progress based on what your client’s feeling rather than how you’re feeling. Experts emphasize that you should give your client what they need in the current moment—and what they need isn’t always mind-blowing insights. If you spend the whole session discussing things that aren’t directly related to the main problem they’re seeking coaching help for, don’t assume the session was wasted. It could be that your client just needed someone to vent to in that moment, and providing them with that can help them be ready to dive back into the hard work in the next session.

However, this advice somewhat clashes with Chandler and Litvin’s assertion that you shouldn’t spend your session commiserating with your client. Finding the balance between these two pieces of advice may depend on the type of coaching you do, so consider whether venting is an appropriate use of your and your client’s time in the context of what they’re looking for in your coaching relationship. As explained earlier, the authors focus on executive coaching and career coaching, which may not be as appropriate for venting. However, if you’re a mental health coach or a creativity coach for example, venting may be a productive use of your coaching session.

Tip #4: Get Your Own Coach

Additionally, Chandler and Litvin recommend that you invest in coaching services for yourself. As a coach, you already know how valuable and important the work is. And since your coaching is devoted wholly to your clients, you can’t coach yourself. This means you need to work with someone else who will devote all of their attention to drastically improving your life. This will not only bring you greater success as a coach, but it will improve your coaching skills as well.

(Shortform note: The authors’ recommendation for coaches to invest in coaching services for themselves is supported by the principle of reflective practice. Widely recognized in professional development literature, this principle emphasizes the importance of ongoing self-reflection and continuous learning for practitioners. Additionally, this approach aligns with the concept of experiential learning, which posits that direct, personal experience is a powerful tool for enhancing understanding and skill development. By engaging in the coaching process as a client, you can deepen your understanding of the coaching dynamic, improving your coaching skills and effectiveness.)

Tip #5: Constantly Build Your Client Base

Chandler and Litvin explain that many coaches fall into the trap of vacillating between a full client list and a nearly empty one. Such coaches build a strong client base, but then over the course of a few months they complete their contracts with those clients and return to having no clients. This can make you fearful of your job security and reduce your income. To counter this, the authors say that once you find yourself with a full client list, you shouldn’t get complacent. Continue to look for potential clients everywhere you go so you always have new ones coming in.

(Shortform note: Business research supports the authors’ advice to continuously seek new clients. Pipeline management, a concept widely used in sales and business development, emphasizes the importance of maintaining a constant flow of potential clients at various stages of engagement. Studies have shown that businesses that consistently manage their sales pipeline tend to experience more stable growth and higher overall performance. Additionally, psychological studies have shown that a lack of job security can negatively impact work performance, further supporting the authors’ emphasis on maintaining a consistent client base to ensure job security and steady income.)

Tip #6: Reframe Rejections Positively

Finally, Chandler and Litvin explain that you need to get comfortable with rejection. While it can be discouraging when a potential client passes on your services, failure is a necessary part of success. Failing a lot shows that you’ve made many attempts—and many attempts will also lead to many successes. Additionally, even if someone says no to you at first, your interactions with them may open the door to a future professional relationship or lead to a referral.

(Shortform note: Embracing and reframing failure is an essential part of a growth mindset, a theory pioneered by psychologist Carol Dweck. In Mindset, Dweck argues that individuals who believe in their ability to develop their talents tend to achieve more. Instead of viewing failure as evidence that you’re not good enough, take it as a learning opportunity to refine your skills. This will not only make it easier for you to stomach rejection, but it will also help you be more aware of your strengths and weaknesses and will help you turn short-term failures into eventual successes.)