Kathy Mallary | Business development and marketing solutions for self-employed coaches

How long have you been doing what you do and how did you become a signature coaching program expert?

I've been coaching professionally since 1997. I helped to establish one of the first ICF-accredited coach certification programs in North America (The Academy for Coach Training), where I served as VP of Operations and Senior Trainer.

During my seven years at ACT, I was also responsible for training the faculty and creating curriculum and materials for the coach certification training programs.

Prior to that, I worked for 15 years in the Human Resources field, first as an HR generalist and later as a corporate training specialist.

I love teaching and facilitating (that's what led me to coaching), but I have a particular passion for program design and development. I love every aspect of it, from the initial concept, to packaging (I studied graphic design in college) and marketing.

I've spent the last five years studying and developing successful coaching programs, with an emphasis on e-commerce and internet marketing.

Get With the Program (GWTP) is the 21-point system I developed to help my coaching clients succeed with their own signature coaching programs. Over the course of my coaching career, I've helped hundreds of coaches find lucrative niches, grow their businesses and become expert coaches.

You'll find more info about my background and credentials here.

Who do you work with?

I work exclusively with self-employed professional coaches who want to learn how to build a sustainable, profitable business with a signature coaching program.

The typical client has usually been self-employed for a couple of years and has had some success as a coach--but things just haven't quite come together. They're busier than they want to be, but not as profitable as they'd like.

In most cases, this is because they haven't got a complete system in place for getting and keeping customers. As a result, they find themselves working harder than they really need to for each new client, and enjoying the process less and less.

I help them build a complete marketing system so that they can get back to loving their coaching business (and make a good living at it).

I also help newer coaches skip that 'almost burned out' stage completely, so that they can establish a healthy business faster.

How are you different from other marketing coaches?

My approach is heart-centered and spiritual, which resonates with many in the coaching profession. Other factors that set me apart include:

1) A unique combination of expertise and training in marketing, program design and facilitation, plus over ten years of experience as a coach mentor/trainer and coaching curriculum developer. My clients say that after working with me, they feel like they finally "get" marketing and can work with it purposefully for the first time, rather than just going through the motions and hoping for the best.

2) Get With the Program, my innovative 21-point marketing system for creating a profitable, sustainable business with a niche-focused signature coaching program.

3) I'm not just 100% committed to your success -- I'm 100% committed to your CLIENT's success. I want you and all of the people you work with to fulfill the highest potential you carry in your hearts.

Where did the name "SpiritSpring" come from? And what does "Inspired Market-her" mean?

What can I say? Making up new words is my favorite hobby!

SpiritSpring is the legal name of my business. I was mulling over a number of potential names, but just couldn't decide on one. So I went to bed that night with the intention that my business name would be clear by morning--and sure enough, the next morning SpiritSpring literally sprang to life!

"Inspired" refers to the spiritual side of me; as any of my clients will tell you, my coaching has a strong spiritual foundation.

I see the work that I do as an important part of my personal spiritual path. Remembering to turn inward for inspiration and guidance before I try to help others is one way that I keep myself on the path and pointed in the right direction.

"Market-her" refers to a subtle but important distinction about my particular marketing approach, because I'm a woman who works mostly with other women. My marketing is designed with women in mind.

This is important to me--and, I think, to my clients, who also tend to target women in their marketing--because there are significant gender differences when it comes to marketing.

For example, women are more likely to seek information and input from others when they're making a big decision like whether or not to hire a coach. This tendency has a direct influence on my marketing strategies--I try do do everything I can to encourage connection and communication within my target market, and to show up as a positive, helpful resource.

(For those who are interested in the subject of gender differences in marketing, I highly recommend Martha Barletta's book, Marketing to Women.)

Who is Get With the Program for?

This 21-point marketing system works for:

New coaches who want to get launched quickly.
Established coaches who are struggling to create consistent cash flow.
Coaches who want to find a niche that suits them better.
Life or business coaches who want to create multiple streams of income with coaching products.
Coaches who have an idea for a coaching program that they want to turn into a profit system.
Author-coaches who want to turn their book or e-book into a line of signature coaching products and programs.
Coaches who like the idea of having a niche or a signature coaching program, but don't know where to begin.
Coaches who want to license others to use their signature coaching program and products.
Any coach who wants to be able to promise consistent, specific results to their clients.

Get With the Program is for you if:

You're a self-starter who has great plans for your business
You want to learn proven principles and strategies for growing a sustainable coaching business
You're looking for inspiration, fresh perspectives and creative synergy
You're on a limited budget but you're willing to roll up your sleeves and work hard to succeed
You see your coaching business as a spiritual path of service

What do you mean by "expert coach"? I was taught that a coach didn't have to know anything about the client's issue in order to coach them.

Well, that may be true in the classroom, but in the real world it helps to know as much as possible about your target market so that you can find and connect with them!

However, I don't mean "expert" in the sense that you need to know all the answers; that's one of the biggest differences between coaching and consulting. A consultant uses their expertise to give the right answers; an expert coach gains expertise in order to ask the right questions.

The benefit of being an expert coach is that it gives you a clear advantage when it comes to credibility. If you're looking for help with a specific problem and could choose between one coach who has little or no experience with that issue, and another coach who has a proven track record helping others with that exact problem, who would you choose?

What is Get With the Program and how does it work?

Get With the Program is a complete system for creating a thriving coaching business. It's broken down into three main phases (each phase has 7 main topic points):

Click the diagram for pdf

Phase 1: Coaching Niche and Business Model R&D
A thriving business requires a strong foundation to support business development and sustainable marketing. In Phase 1, you will:

Identify your passions and expertise so that you can build on your strengths

Research and select a viable target market to ensure that you're attracting people who are in the best possible position to benefit from working with you

Create a unique positioning strategy so that you stand out from the crowd

Create a client profile to help you recognize and qualify prospective customers

Identify your target market's coachable goals and benefits so that you can tailor your coaching program to fit the customer

Develop objectives for your coaching program that are based on your client's needs and wants

Tie the coaching program objectives to your business model so that your whole business is aligned with your client's success

Building a strong business foundation also requires introspection and personal growth. You can count on me to help you uncover hidden challenges and blind spots that might sabotage your success.

Phase 2: Developing a Signature Coaching Program
This phase of Get With the Program will help you stand out as an expert coach so that you can attract better qualified customers with less struggle and effort.

When potential customers discover that you have a unique approach that produces consistent results, your coaching essentially sells itself. In this module you will:

Research sources of content for your program

Develop a step-by-step coaching program overview

Identify the key principles and concepts that ensure your client's ultimate success

Create activities and exercises to facilitate your client's progress and learning

Gather resources that add value for your clients

Develop program content and materials

Select the format and packaging for your signature coaching program

Phase 3: Marketing and Ongoing Product Development
In the final phase of Get With the Program, you'll launch your signature coaching program and create essential marketing systems for generating leads, converting prospects to customers and building relationships that lead to life-long customer loyalty and high-quality referrals:

Create your launch strategy and introductory offer

Write your marketing copy

Build a prospect marketing system

Create and launch a front-end product that converts prospects to customers

Create and launch a back-end product to keep customers engaged

Research and plan further product development to grow the value of your customers

Develop an ongoing marketing action plan

By the end of the program, you'll be an expert coach with a unique niche-based coaching program and a complete marketing system.

How does the coaching work and what's included?

I'll walk with you step-by-step through claiming your niche, developing your signature coaching program and creating your marketing system.

We'll schedule telephone coaching sessions each month. During the coaching sessions, we'll discuss marketing strategies and tactics that will help you reach your business objectives quickly and effectively. Together, we'll create a weekly action plan for you.

Between sessions, you'll use my worksheets, samples, templates and other resources to help you stay focused and on track.

The private marketing coaching packages include:

A 45-minute strategy session to clarify your objectives and create your action plan.

Pre-scheduled coaching sessions with to help you stay focused and in action.

A complimentary copy of the Get With the Program Jump Start Workbook, which walks you step-by-step through claiming your niche, developing a signature coaching program and planning your coaching products.

MP3 recordings from each coaching session plus my notes captured during your coaching sessions to clarify your insights and move you into action.

Access to a private online resource center which is stocked with templates, samples, worksheets, links, tools and resources to help you with every step of the program.

Review and evaluation of your marketing materials (website, marketing plan, newsletter, blog, free offer, etc.)

Short calls between scheduled sessions when necessary.

Priority email access to your coach.

You'll find details and pricing for my 1-1 coaching packages here.

What kind of results can I expect?

With a niche-focused signature coaching program, you can expect to:

1. Get more clients – People prefer products and services that they can get their arms around, both literally and figuratively. Because a signature program can be packaged as a step-by-step process or a variety of tangible products, it’s easier for the customer to understand and buy.

2. Differentiate yourself from other coaches – With a signature program, you don’t look like all the other coaches; people are more likely to notice and remember you. Even if they don’t hire you right away, you’ve made it easier for them to refer business to you.

3. Establish yourself as a credible expert – Credibility is almost as good as cash to a solo-professional; without it, you have little chance of gaining a foothold in the market. A niche-focused signature program is one of the best ways to position yourself as an expert coach.

4. Shorten your sales cycle – How long does it take the average prospect to make their first purchase from you? Most coaches measure this cycle in months or even years if the only thing they have to offer is an expensive, intangible, hard-to-describe service. You shorten the sales cycle significantly when you have a unique program with tangible materials. And you can accelerate it even more by offering a selection of price points and formats (e-books, audio programs, workbooks, etc.).

5. Improve client results – Your clients deserve the best possible results, right? A proven, structured process enhances their success and helps them overcome obstacles faster and more easily, because the right tools and guidelines are at their fingertips.

6. Increase retention & the lifetime value of clients – Happy clients tend to stick around longer; they also spend more and refer more business to you over time.

7. Save time & effort – Having a signature coaching program means you don’t have to create a custom-designed package for a each new client. Create your program once and then use the materials and structures over and over again.

8. Create multiple streams of revenue – Repackage and repurpose the content of your signature program in different formats, creating e-books, audio programs, special reports, workbooks, teleclasses, etc. Even the folks who aren’t ready or able to buy the full package can become customers.

9. Expand your reach and make a bigger difference – A coaching program helps you break out of the ‘one-to-one’ coaching model, either through do-it-yourself formats like workbooks and audio programs, or by creating group coaching, teleclasses and workshops based on your signature program. You can help even more people (and increase your profits exponentially!) by having an affiliate program and/or licensing other facilitators to use your program with their clients.

10. Make your business more profitable – Instead of selling your time by the hour (or the month), now you can offer your expertise in the form of a complete package or system. This automatically raises the perceived value, which opens up your pricing options. And because you use the same structure and materials every time, a signature coaching program costs less to produce and deliver, which means a higher return on your investment of time and energy.

What can I do to make sure I get the results I want?

First of all, get clear about the results that you're going for. What do you really want for your business, your clients, your quality of life? The more specific you can be, the better.
Show up for the coaching and take full advantage of all the resources and tools available to you. Give it your very best effort.
Complete the assignments, do the worksheets and be diligent about your market research. Don't skip any steps.
Stay focused on your priorities. Don't let yourself get distracted.
Set yourself up to succeed with an accountability buddy-- someone who's also working through the GWTP process. (I can help you find someone if you like!)
If you need something, ask. I'll do my very best to help you get the support and information that you need to build a thriving coaching business.

I know which package I want--how do we get started?

That's great! Give me a call at 425-821-9150 or email me and let me know which coaching package you're interested in, and we'll set up a time to talk about getting started.

We'll set up a day and time for your initial strategy session and you'll receive a welcome packet via email. In it, you'll find links for all the program materials, including the GWTP Jump Start Workbook, the online resource center and any bonuses that come with your packet. I'll also process your first payment, which can be made via credit or debit card. Subsequent payments will automatically be processed every 30 days for the duration of your program.

At your strategy session, we'll go over all the program materials, and I'll help you clarify your goals and create an action plan for moving forward. You'll have homework assignments between each coaching session.

To review the details and pricing for the different coaching packages, click here.