Business plan: calling on all life/business/EFT/NLP/intuitive coaches for input! :)

[ssandra]

Hi all,

I have a new business plan and would like your input on the feasiblity on it and if you (as a life/business/EFT/NLP/intuitive coach) theoretically could be interested.

The plan is for 6 - 10 persons follow a 3 - 5 day course with a life/business/EFT/NLP/intuitive coach.

It would be a different coach every time, I would just be the facilitator. I could help with the program and marketing, but mainly it would be up to the person doing the course.

I will also handle the booking and collection of the fee, which will be discussed with the coach in advance.

As an example: A 4 day course in getting to know your higher self and spirit guides. Activities can include meditation, guided meditation, group discussion on results, etc.

The small group will allow for personal attention and ability to go into great detail. It also allows for safety and a secure feeling to grow.

The remote location (Cuernavaca, Mexico) will get people really to focus only on what they are there to do. Their normal day-to-day lifes are being left at the airport so to speak. The location is very peaceful and has a wonderful large garden.

Included would be:
transport from and to the airport in Mexico City
rooms (depending on how many participants, max 3 persons per room)
3 meals a day (vegetarian and raw possible, excluding alcohol)
every day cleaning
my help and interpretation with the spanish speaking staff
Use of internet
Use of TV for presentations (seperate room, signal for tv would be extra)

Cost would be between 300 - 750 US dollars per person + costs for the coach (which I assume will be different per coach, depending on their value).

Alternatively the place could simply be rented, but that would exclude completely my involvement.

What do you guys think? If you are a coach, do you think you would be interested? If you are interested in Personal development or Psychic development, would you attent if a coach you trust would be there?
Is the price something you would be willing to pay?

Thanks everybody for your input!

[annie]

It doesn't seem too feasible to me. You quote $300-$750 but of course didn't factor into it airline cost & the cost of the coaching program (which could be very high).

You said" I would facilitate and help with the event.

What does that look like? Specifically what do you mean? As a trainer, that doesn't interest me that much because you don't know what I do and my assistants etc would be much better at it.

There's too much going on in my mind right here:

Are you a marketer?
Are you a promoter?
Are you just a physical location that I can come to and do my own thing?

Decide what you really are and then market it.

You could bring lots of amazing coaches together, host it and market it for them and that makes sense. (BIG JOB)

You could rent just the facility (Best Idea)

Get clear on your expertise and then ask again. This isn't that appealing in the form that it's in right now.

If I were to use your current model, the additional cost of airline tickets would probably be around $500+ and then if I were to do a 4 day workshop I'd charge $2000 a person. So get clear on this. Would someone pay $3000 to do it?

Are you going to take a %?

You have a good start, but research the business a bit more as you decide if you're a "facility" or a promoter.

[spirit4711]

@ssandra, why would a coach use your services instead of marketing themselves? And how would you know if such a coach is trustworthy (your reputation is also based on theirs, also when things go wrong)?

[ssandra]

Thank you for your replies.

@Annie: You are right. I always try to be too involved, simply because I want to have a hand in everything. This might not be the best thing...

Essentially it would be just the renting of the place with extra services if required. Renting of the place would come with transportation from the airport and back and meals if required. Cooking yourself would be another option.

I would not take a percentage (the renting of the place would be "my" fee).

@Spirit: I would not use my own name to market their brand. Initially I was just thinking that a coach might not have their own assistants and stuff and would need an extra hand to arrange everything. This might have been a wrong assumption of mine.

Basically, the place is there, I can use it if and when I want to.

I always feel very peaceful there. We already rent it out (or; my family-in-law does so) to families on holiday and stuff. Therefor I was thinking about this.

The price.. maybe it would be better to settle on a price per 4 or 6 days instead of per person? Then it would be up to the coach to make the desision on what to charge.

[spirit4711]

@Ssandra, I recommend that you examine and quantify what value you can bring to a coach. If not clear, they might as well just 'rent a place'.

[Rabbit]

Were I you, I'd find a coach/mentor and bring them in as a partner - preferably multiple ones. Also, I'd stay in the US.

Your role, as it sounds, is marketing and management- so get some existing coaching talent out there on board by selling them the idea that they will have more clients (and more work = more money), possibly up to full time, in addition to whatever side jobs they pull independently.



You can also break it down into this analysis: what value am I adding/creating?

To the consumer, the real value they desire is mentoring/coaching. Accommodations are supplemental goods - and tie in nicely with the primary value that consumers are seeking. Thus, you are creating value there for the consumer by providing supplemental goods/services.
I would expand further into that aspect, going so far as to sell additional books and materials (on everything- diets, coaching, etc) and even signing customers up on a 'membership' to have deals available and mailed to them.

To the producer, the real value they desire is increased demand and increased sales - and you are providing a new channel for output, thus increasing their sales (producers being the coaches you hire). In business with them, this would be a primary good/service - you are engaging in marketing and sales for them. That is very straightforward, especially if you can show skillful coaches out there that you have the capability to increase their demand.


Essentially, you're acting as a management intermediary between the consumer and the producer. You could derive all of your profits off of the supplemental goods/services you tie into this (which sounds like the best idea to me), and you could additionally take a commission from the coaches (I wouldn't recommend though).

I'd say, let the coaches set their own price, which you will pay from the contract money you receive from the client. Then you facilitate the acquisition of clients for them. On your contracts, charge a standard percentage of whatever the coach wants as your 'accommodations fee' - so that if you have a really big-time mentor come in, you can take advantage of the inelastic demand and raise the price according to the program. This is pure economics at work here - the more impressive (e.g. the higher the demand) the primary service is, and the higher the price this primary service is, consumers will be induced to pay higher prices for everything else. Especially if it's all part of the package.

Then, pure profit comes with all the extra supplemental things you can possibly think of. Merchandising is mad money.

[rei]

ssandra, i think your idea to use that facility is good (note: i am the type to focus on the potential of a concept, not the nitty gritty stuff). i think the transportation to/from the airport, light daily cleaning and the option to provide cooked meals are also good. i am not as sure about the other ideas, but the sort of location things seem useful.

BUT i think the peacefulness of the location, etc., is better suited to being offered for a spiritual retreat, not so much for coaching. like your example of contacting one's guide team, i do think that is often something that requires a quiet setting until people get used to the connection. maybe this is splitting hairs, but i am not sure a person who facilitates/teaches that connection would be called a coach (? - totally open to being wrong on this!). and depending on the topic, peaceful surroundings may not be necessary. so that's my take on this, for what it's worth.

you could also offer it as a meditation retreat... where people are self-directed or perhaps have a teacher. this would depend on whether there is a room large enough for a group to meditate if the weather is uncooperative, but it's an idea. you could advertise in magazines like Tricycle and spiritual websites. might be a nice option for folks who think places like Sedona are too popular or touristy. you could offer packages based on the number of days, with a sliding discount. or provide the space for a writer's/artist's retreat as well.

i hope you don't mind that i offered another way to use the facility. that seems to be your main focus to me.

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by rei

BUT i think the peacefulness of the location, etc., is better suited to being offered for a spiritual retreat, not so much for coaching. like your example of contacting one's guide team, i do think that is often something that requires a quiet setting until people get used to the connection. maybe this is splitting hairs, but i am not sure a person who facilitates/teaches that connection would be called a coach (? - totally open to being wrong on this!). and depending on the topic, peaceful surroundings may not be necessary. so that's my take on this, for what it's worth.

Thank you.

This was part of what I meant. I know that probably they are not called coaches, yet I could not find another word for them.. but yes, spiritual leaders would be more my market I guess than coaches.

A spiritual retreat sounds very good...

I am going to research that.

@Rabbit: I am currently living in Europe, within one month moving to Mexico.. also the property is already there, in Mexico (no extra investment needed there..) "staying" in the US is therefor not an option.

Thank you for your other comments. I will certainly think about them.