SOCIAL vs RELATIONSHIPS

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How to recognize the difference, get out there, have fun and be seen! 
Here at the-Coaching Blog-run by Gerard O’Donovan, our aim is to constantly bring value to those seeking to improve their lives. Therefore we have a policy of publishing articles and materials by guest authors whom we value and appreciate. Today’s guest author is Jen Gash (United Kingdom).
There is so much great advice for coaches out there: get a website, be active on social media, write articles, develop expertise, develop online products, but if you are not careful, this can result in a life spent on the phone, mobile and computer… or like me, all three. It can also lead to isolation, an achy back, and grumpiness!  I could spend 8 hours a day, chained to the computer: headset and phone to the left, mobile to the right: Twitter – tick, Linked In – tick, Facebook – tick, emails – tick, type new blog – tick, tinker with website and upload blog – tick, work on virtual product – tick, shout at hosting company – tick, eat a banana – tick, calls with coaching client – tick, back to the computer –tick, Twitter again – tick, end of day – tick. Repeat.
The virtual world is here to stay – that’s for sure, but did you know that there are real people out there people who walk, chat with friends, go out, belong to clubs, groups and have real hobbies. Not all of them are on the Internet and spend their lives online! Perhaps as you read this you might be thinking” yes and I go to networking events to meet them – that’s how I meet real people”. But guess what – most people you meet at networking do’s are just there to meet potential clients and develop their own business. That may sound cynical and I am not saying do not network at all, as you can develop all sorts of helpful collaborations, but if you are a life coach, well-being coach or coach with a particular niche, then you need to meet regular people, people who are real potential clients, not just other business owners who want to sell you their stuff. And if you want a working life outside of a digital existence, you need to step away from the computer regularly.
Having experienced “online burn out” several times since becoming a coach, I decided to get into the community more, embrace my strengths, interests, and values and really “meet” the people I wanted to work with. For me, these values and strengths include fun, community, co-creation, social intelligence, and creativity. Embracing all of these, especially the fun and creative elements resulted in the development of coaching “style” parties for home, school and work. Yes, I now play coaching games with grown-ups over a bottle of wine, teams at work, who wish there was wine and sometimes with school kids, minus the wine
It has opened so many doors, ones that previously remained shut. As well as earning money from running the parties, it has led to paid speaking opportunities, invitations to run team away days and to run business networking sessions and, more importantly, enabled me to build a tribe of interested, engaged, “real” people around me!
Marketing is all about relationships with people. There is huge power in providing a low pressure, personal experience of coaching to people in a way that they find easy to access and fun. Even better if it provides a chance for people to catch up with friends, learn something new and refreshing in a way which can be incorporated into busy schedules.  After all the parties, I am always staggered by the shifts people make just in 2 hours and often people email me months later and say “you know that party you ran, well, you wouldn’t believe what has happened since…”
From that initial idea of running parties involving coaching activities, I spent several years developing a range of completely unique tools and approaches, all embedded in best practice, all based on repeatable methods.  Discovery Party in its current form was born–a business for coaches, which helps them build a tribe of real people about them, whilst they get paid to market themselves. An ethical business based on collaboration, co-creation and a community of coaches working together.
I still do online stuff, but it’s mostly about building Discovery Party for others to use – it’s now a licensed product for coaches.  I will not deny that I still sometimes get fed up working on the computer, but knowing that I have regular events to run which are fun, spreading the word about coaching, marketing what I do and bringing in money and opportunity, more than makes up for it.
It’s also been really, really helpful to have a novel identity when I do network: “I run Discovery Parties”, “Oh what’s that then?”  A great conversation has started and it’s much easier to frame what I do and generate interest. I also find it easier to write content and after each party, I naturally have lovely photos and testimonials which are vibrant and alive! People really like the playful and creative approach but are also surprised by the deep, meaty stuff that also seems to come out effortlessly as they relax and play.  I now get to play whilst I work– it’s completely changed my working life.
 
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About the Author
As a Creativity Coach, Artist and Occupational Therapist, Jenn brings humor, diversity, and creativity to all she does. Jenn weaves her background in Occupational Science with Creativity Coaching to produce a unique approach to coaching and business. Unlocking her own creativity, led to the development of Discovery Party – a highly unique business for coaches.
Through Discovery Party and its unique system and tools, coaches can build a tribe of interested engaged people, meet real coaching clients and find new opportunities so that coaches can have fun and get paid along the way!
You can find out more at www.buildacoachingtribe.com and www.mydiscoveryparty.com
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