Four life lessons from a big business success
I recently marketed the September round of my Coaching with Tarot programme, which sold out (and then some…) within a couple of weeks.
I realise this is a very unsubtle humblebrag, but my intention here is not to offer any advice on marketing online group coaching programmes. I have a VERY ambivalent relationship with the whole industry of coaches teaching other coaches to sell coaching.
My intention with this post is to share four life lessons I was reminded off, from the success of this business endeavour.
Now, these lessons probably fly in the face of conventional capitalist maxims for ‘success’, and yet I believe they are relevant to so many choices we make everyday about how to live our lives and careers.
So here they are:
1/ Don’t underestimate the importance of timing.
This is the 5th time I’ve run Coaching with Tarot and honestly, I didn’t do much differently this time round. If anything, I did LESS marketing than the last time I launched in 2022, but got 3x as many sign-ups. Sometimes, it’s just the right time, and I felt this very strongly when I decided to launch again.
Yes, of course there’s a role for sales funnels and clear messaging and the power of referrals. And yes, I’m a few years more established in my business than I was in 2022. But I think we underestimate the role of timing (and luck, tbh) in whether things do or don’t work out how we’d like them to in life.
2/ Be intentional about what you want, then let it go.
When I launched the programme, I took a piece of A4 paper and did a spider diagram of all the people I would love to welcome into the group. I kept it on my desk with two crystals on it (one for intuition, one for abundance, in case you care) and reached out to everyone I had put on that piece of paper. Then, I moved on with the process. As people signed up, I circled their name or added them in if they were new into my ecosystem. Not EVERYONE I’d written down joined, but a significant portion certainly did.
3/ Let it be easy, and follow the energy.
I genuinely enjoyed the process of selling this programme. I loved integrating stuff I’m learning on my MSc into the course, and I had fun creating content for social media. When something was easeful (writing newsletters to people already on the waitlist), I did more of it. And when it felt like a closed door or an uphill struggle (seeking out new ‘warm’ communities such as coach networking groups), I didn’t give it any attention.
4/ Invite people in.
I love the saying “it’s not my job to convince people to work with me”. I appreciate that it’s easier to say this when you run your own business and are not beholden to an organisation’s sales targets.
And yet I wholeheartedly believe that ANY relationship is more fruitful and long-lasting when no one feels coerced or pressured into the relationship. My approach with marketing Coaching with Tarot (this time even more than previous launches) was to invite people to experience Tarot the way I experience it. And if that was exciting and intriguing for someone, they joined the programme.
Incidentally, we’re taking a similar approach as we share the Leading Deeply business with corporates; we’re inviting people to see the world the way we see it. If that feels valuable to them, wonderful. If not, then it probably won’t be a fulfilling relationship for any of us.