How to Re-Use Old Coaching Sessions

In a previous blog post I mentioned that you should record your calls with your clients (get their permission first, of course), and transcribe those calls. Here’s what you should do with those recordings and transcriptions:

1.    Send the recordings and transcriptions to your clients as a free, value-added service so they can refer to them again and again. If you’re really conscientious, you’ll make notes on them yourself so you can refer back to them again. Use them as tools to follow up with the client.
2.    Pull out anything from the transcription that could be used to identify a specific client and repost the edited content as a blog. Post these from time to time as “my best advice for… [situation]” so people can see what you think. If you’re concerned that people will read your free blog instead of paying you then don’t post the whole call and add the disclaimer that each situation is different and what works for one client might not work for another client.
3.   Pull out anything from the transcription that could be used to identify a specific client and provide a copy of that edited transcript to someone who is thinking about becoming a client and wants to know how you work.
4.    Or, collect it together with transcriptions of calls from other clients with similar situations and turn it into an ebook. There are many times I’ve seen this as both a free bonus for an digital download product… or even as the product itself.

And here’s a bonus idea, inspired from #3: Sometimes you get prospective clients who want to know how you work before they hire you. That’s fine; perfectly understandable. Giving them a recorded call to listen to is a helpful way to do that (without taking up a lot of your time with a free call or whatever). However, not many clients want you to share their information publicly if they are coming to you for coaching. So, to get around that, try some of these ideas:

• Ask your client first if you can record the call for these purposes and tell them that you are not going to use their name. Give them the option to review the call first and highlight anything they are not comfortable with. Perhaps even give them the coaching hour for free or for a discount. (It will be worth it to you in how successful you’ll be at winning new clients).

• Ask a friend (one who could be a client if they weren’t a friend) to be the “client” on the call. Choose someone who really can use your help or else the call will sound made-up. This is sometimes an easier thing to do than to ask your clients if you can record a call with them.

Once you’ve recorded (and possibly edited) this call, either keep it handy to send to prospective clients or post it on your website so people can listen to it there.

Your calls are valuable and you should use them as much as possible (without compromising client confidentiality). Does anyone have any other suggestions or ideas to reuse calls? Post them in the comments!

Related posts:

1. The 7 Things Coaches MUST Do In Their Business Today
2. “What Should I Do?” – Teaching
3. Customer-to-Client: How to Make the Transition