Build a recommendation network: 6 errors to avoid

Everyone needs a team.

As a health coach, you can become an expert in multiple fields: nutrition, behavioral change psychology, fitness and athletic performance, stress management and recovery, and more.

However, no matter how many certifications you get, you will always encounter clients who don’t have the progress issues with skills, training, expertise or legal solutions.

What’s this……

you Maybe not an expert in solving marriage, treating GERD, or counseling people with eating disorders, but others are.

This is a healthy recommended network to enter.

By connecting your clients with someone like this, you can stay within the scope of your practice to provide a welcome business to respected colleagues, and Help your customers solve their problems.

(Total Super Serrac. Move.)

All of our certification programs include sections dedicated to coaching how to build a strong recommendation network for professionals who are skilled in solving common client problems.

In this article, we will explore the top discussion on how to do this mistake We saw what the coach did. Avoid them and you will be able to mention them with confidence.

First of all, what is a recommended network?

Recommendation Network is a complementary list of professionals, businesses and resources that benefit customers.

Your network may include local or virtual:

• Doctors, psychologists, registered dietitians, and other professionals conduct training and certificates to help clients who have problems outside of the scope of practice. (For in-depth review, see our practice worksheet scope.)
• Health coaches and personal trainers have profound knowledge in a field outside of your experience. (For example, maybe the client is interested in learning yoga, but your idea of ​​how to pay tribute to the sun is not the slightest.)
• Workshops, fitness groups, webinars, food services and other resources to support customers during the behavior change journey.

To confidently recommend customers to skilled practitioners with a great reputation, you need to do some leg work. This puts us in the biggest mistake.

Error 1: You build a network forward Start your business.

For recently certified health coaches, the task of “creating a recommendation network” can double as a procrastination tool, said Kate Solovieva, director of community engagement at PN.

Rather than hosting clients, these coaches look for an increasing number of professionals, and instead try to prepare for each potential referral situation. But, while they continue to work on it, their list will never be “completed”.

That’s because…

“We can’t prepare for everything,” Soloviva said.

Solution

Once certified, please accept customers immediately.

Yes! This may sound scary, but the best way to find out the “gap” is to start your practice and see what the client actually needs more than you can provide.

Add people to your recommendation network over time as you go:

• Contact professionals on LinkedIn and other virtual sites
• Positive peer networks (such as the Precision Nutrition Facebook Community)
• Reach with members of your local chamber of commerce
• Chat with family, friends and clients their favorite professionals and resources
• Participate in health conventions and other local activities, and various health professionals tend to gather
• Search (and try!) providers based on your own health needs

Error 2: You assume your recommendation list will overwrite all Customers need it.

As we mentioned above, you will never be able to predict every referral or customer issue in advance, and that doesn’t matter.

This is especially true if you are actually guiding your clients around the world.

(You might know three great massage therapists you live in Toronto, Canada, but if your client is located in Wellington, New Zealand, then the knowledge won’t help.)

Likewise, certain professionals or resources may be effective for some clients, not others.

(For example, you may be aware of several dining options, but are not suitable for plant customers on a strict gluten-free diet.)

Solution

Learn how to help clients find the professionals and resources they need.

You may:

• Ask the client to describe their preferences. (Do they like to work with a specific gender? Do they want to meet in person or online? Do they like the desire and creativity of newer professionals, or do they have the “I’ve seen everything” of “I’ve seen it all” more experienced professionals?)
• Take coaching sessions online together to search for potential professionals and services.
• Clients are encouraged to contact three practitioners, ask questions, and use what they have learned to choose winners.

Error #3: Your derailing opportunity for society to embarrass the network.

It takes some heroism to reach strangers. You have to put yourself there, explain who you are, what your motivation is, and risk being ignored or rejected.

That’s where many coaches are trapped, says Toni Bauer, director of coaching and education business at PN.

As a result, many coaches may postpone conversations.

Solution

Turn the network into a challenge. Coach Soloviva called it “Operation 100”.

• Set a goal to contact 100 professionals within 12 months.
• Work about 20 minutes a week towards your goals.
• Follow up on each non-responder once or twice.
• Rather than expecting you to get close to everyone’s “yes”, it’s better to say that only about 10% of people will be back to you.

Ball suggested that to alleviate your own challenges, draft the elevator.

Don’t overthink. Your tone doesn’t have to be a multi-page persuasive paper. It also doesn’t have to contain magical topics. Be yourself.

Error #4: You use an outdated persuasion strategy.

If you use LinkedIn, you may have been on the receiving end of the old-fashioned cold sales strategy. We are talking about direct information about strangers who obviously don’t read anything on your profile and know nothing about you.

These spam messages are as popular as a stranger who stays with you in the bar and says, “So, want to go back to my home?”

We are not here to stop you from using cold outreach. It has a place. However, to improve your response rate, we want to introduce you to techniques that are rarely used.

Solution

Get to know someone before asking onlineCoach Soloviva is recommended.

Follow them, read their content, download and consume their free resources, comment on their posts, congratulate them on their career victory, and be a part of their online life.

Do That, People will remember you. More of them will also reply to your message. Plus, Intel collected by building relationships will help you avoid…

Error 5: You do not review the recommendations in person.

How do you make sure you recommend your clients to compassionate professionals who really know what they are doing?

It not only involves checking someone’s website or social media profiles.

If you only look at someone’s website or social media posts, “you’re just censoring their confidence and copywriting skills,” Solovieva said. “If we’re lucky, confidence and copywriting go hand in hand with ability, but it’s not always.”

Solution

Try their services. Take someone’s yoga or Zumba class. Book a massage. Ask a medical expert to take a look at your squeaking knees.

This way, you can see the actions of professionals.

If you are thinking, “I don’t need some service my customers need!” you have a few options:

• Provide payment professionals with a 30-60-minute chance to meet you so you can ask questions, learn about their treatment philosophy, and chat about clients.
• Interact with people in local social networking communities like NextDoor.com. Ask the group members if they have met a practitioner and if so, if they would recommend the person.

Error #6: You are trying too hard to sell your customers when it comes to referrals.

It is natural to expect your clients to take action when you suggest professionals you review in person.

But, despite your hard work, some clients won’t make an appointment with the professionals involved, and that’s OK.

“Let your clients become adults,” Coach Ball said.

The customer has his own reasons. Maybe their insurance will not cover the services. Or maybe they decided to meet someone else.

“It is not your responsibility to be perfect or thriving in relationships,” Ball said.

Support cycle

Some coaches are afraid of recommendations because they think they are “donate business.”

But, in reality, when you recommend customers to solid professionals, your customers just feel like they have their support. (This means They will More likely to recommend friends and family to you)

Plus, it also says when you send your business to another respected colleague you Cross-recommendation on their radar.

This is good for your customers, good for your business, and good for your entire community of health experts.

If you are a coach, or you want to be…

You can help people build Sustainable Nutrition and lifestyle habits will greatly improve their physical and mental health, and you have a happy life in your life doing what you love. We’ll show you how.

If you want to know more, consider PN Level 1 Nutrition Coach Certification. (You can now sign up at a big discount.)