Writing Skills for Coaches
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One important concept to understand for anyone running a coaching business is that everything you do is part of your marketing. Each time you are in touch with someone in person, by telephone, by recording or in writing, you are making an impression on them about who you are and what you and your business are like. Once this is fully understood, it becomes imperative that your writing be as clear and informative as possible. Coaches take time to practice and learn ways of communicating verbally, but very few spend much time improving their writing skills.
Writing matters for other reasons besides pure marketing. As a coaching entrepreneur, you need to establish yourself as an expert in a certain area. Writing with clarity, force and appeal on subjects that are timely and informative goes a long way towards establishing your expertise. A coach who writes poorly and cannot communicate his/her thoughts well does little to increase credibility. Writing well boosts your confidence, increases your visibility and gives you more connection with the world. All very postive benefits.
I have always been deeply indebted to my high school English teachers. No, wait, I was not that pleased with them while I was in high school. Later, I discovered that I had exceptional training as a writer and was fortunate to be able to easily construct all types of written material. You may not have been so fortunate or feel as secure in your writing skills as I do in mine. This morning I found an interesting resource that may help solve this for you.
The Customizable Style Guide for Coaches Who Write sounds just like what is needed for those of you who want some writing assistance. This is an interesting manual by a Canadian coach, Linda Dessau, who has compiled a book talking about writing in general and also offering specific tips for the types of writing that coaches do. You could use the information to improve your website, articles and even your emails to your clients. Although I have not read the book, at a price of $19.95, it would be hard not to find value in a purchase like this if you want to improve your writing skills.
