Episode 2
How to Make a Promise and Deliver Every Time
Let’s be honest, making promises in your coaching business can feel risky. What if you can’t deliver? What if it backfires and hurts your reputation? In this episode of The Solo Coach Podcast, we’re breaking down how to make promises that feel good to say and are easy to deliver on.
If you’ve ever felt nervous about making big claims or struggled to explain why your coaching is the perfect fit, this episode is for you. We’ll cover:
- Why being specific in your promises attracts the right clients.
- How to make offers that feel aligned and doable.
- Simple ways to confidently communicate what makes your coaching powerful.
As coaches (especially if you're over 50), we have life experience and wisdom that can set us apart. This episode will help you lean into that and make promises you know you can keep.
What You’ll Learn:
- How clear promises build trust and connection with potential clients.
- Ways to align your promise with results you’re confident delivering.
- Tips for tapping into the energy of your promise.
Resources Mentioned:
- Read the article that inspired this episode: How to Make a Promise as a Coach (That You Can Deliver On)
- Visit my website: TheElevatedMind.com
- Subscribe to my free newsletter: Find Coaching Clients
Support the Show:
Enjoying the podcast? I’d love for you to leave a review! It helps other solo coaches find the show and build their businesses with more ease.
Transcript
This is the Solo Coach podcast, where it's all about everything you need
Speaker:to build your business solo.
Speaker:Look, building a business alone can feel almost impossible.
Speaker:There's just so much to get done.
Speaker:That's just your DAO talking.
Speaker:I'm Michelle Sara, and I'm here to talk you through building a one-woman
Speaker:coaching business from the ground up.
Speaker:I'm talking marketing, time-saving systems, AI shortcuts, client attraction,
Speaker:energy, and belief, all to help you find your way, no matter your age,
Speaker:stage, or starting point. Ready?
Speaker:Let's get going.
Speaker:All right, I have my cup of tea, and I'm ready to sit down and have a conversation
Speaker:with you about how to make a promise as a coach that you can deliver on.
Speaker:I have seen so many, many times seeing experience talked about with coaches
Speaker:around messaging, because I am a copywriter, they get hung up on
Speaker:this idea of making a promise.
Speaker:And so they end up dancing around anything concrete because they're afraid to commit
Speaker:to a promise that they can't deliver on.
Speaker:So we're going to talk about that and how you actually need to understand what
Speaker:making a promise is and approach it so that you can make a promise
Speaker:that you can deliver on.
Speaker:Now, you're pouring your heart into this coaching thing, right?
Speaker:You're learning, creating, and showing up even when it It feels like
Speaker:no one's really noticing.
Speaker:This is the case often in the first one to three years.
Speaker:But something about how you're talking about your work is wishy-washy.
Speaker:It doesn't feel compelling because it's missing a tangible outcome.
Speaker:And when you think about committing to one specific result, fear creeps in.
Speaker:This is what I was talking about.
Speaker:You have these doubts that pop in your head, what
Speaker:if I can't deliver on this promise?
Speaker:What if someone misinterprets it as a guarantee?
Speaker:Or maybe it will box me in, making it impossible to share everything I offer.
Speaker:Now, the whole I'm talking about misinterpreting as a guarantee.
Speaker:I have had this conversation with many coaches of that immediate foot
Speaker:on the break, uncertain, I don't want to make a promise.
Speaker:I can't guarantee that for them.
Speaker:I can't guarantee guaranteed XYZ for my client.
Speaker:And you immediately freeze up.
Speaker:So what happens then when you go through this
Speaker:thought loop around trying to create a promise or trying to
Speaker:say that you can help your client achieve something specific.
Speaker:Instead, you just avoid it.
Speaker:It's safe.
Speaker:But avoiding the promise gives your audience nothing to
Speaker:latch on to, nothing to hold onto.
Speaker:And if they see that you're committed to a specific result, one that they really
Speaker:want, they're going to zero in on that.
Speaker:But if you don't have that, they're not zeroing in on anything.
Speaker:So now you become the way to get the thing they want.
Speaker:So if you're able to make this specific promise, this thing that they want,
Speaker:and they zero in on that, now you are the way that they're going to get to that.
Speaker:But if there's nothing tangible, as I said, it creates hesitation.
Speaker:And that hesitation can mean the difference between someone
Speaker:clicking away or signing up.
Speaker:So the truth, you don't need to promise everything.
Speaker:You just need to promise the one thing you know you can deliver on that is
Speaker:something your client needs and wants.
Speaker:It can be the first step toward the bigger outcome, but it needs to be
Speaker:tangible, solid, and well-defined.
Speaker:So remember I made the comment above about the thought loop and one of the thought
Speaker:being like, what if they misinterpreted as a guarantee?
Speaker:Well, let's look at guarantee versus promise.
Speaker:Guarantee is the thing on the page that says, if you purchase this, you have a 30
Speaker:day guarantee to get your money back, right?
Speaker:That thing.
Speaker:And you could certainly make a promise that you in turn guarantee if
Speaker:that's how you want to approach it and you can guarantee it.
Speaker:But for most coaches, especially in the first one to three
Speaker:years, they're nowhere near that.
Speaker:Nowhere near that.
Speaker:And so what I am sharing with you through this article and this extra
Speaker:conversation and commentary is that you don't have to, but you can still
Speaker:create something that's just as effective if you understand the difference.
Speaker:So making a promise in your messaging feels like stepping onto shaky ground.
Speaker:You're putting yourself out there, and the fear of getting it wrong
Speaker:is very, very real.
Speaker:Maybe you've also thought, what if I over promise and let someone down?
Speaker:What if I get called out for it and a client wants their money back?
Speaker:That's a real fear and concern.
Speaker:What if I damage my reputation as a coach?
Speaker:Another very real and valid concern.
Speaker:And you know, I've been in that place, second-guessing every word, stuck in the
Speaker:loop of wanting to provide something distinct and tangible clients can walk
Speaker:away with, but also terrified of saying something that I can't live up to.
Speaker:So here's what I figured out.
Speaker:Now, one, the promise doesn't need to be everything.
Speaker:It just needs to be something specific that matters to your
Speaker:client and you know you can do.
Speaker:A promise is less about perfection and more about connection
Speaker:that triggers action.
Speaker:When you commit to one clear outcome, your audience knows exactly what to expect,
Speaker:and they feel that their decision to work with you is a sound one.
Speaker:And when a promise is too big, you can feel it.
Speaker:It might be enticing, but some part of you says, That's not
Speaker:possible, or, That's a bunch of bull, and you'll distrust it,
Speaker:whether it's true or not.
Speaker:So keep your promise believable.
Speaker:What's real to your client?
Speaker:What can your client feel to be real and possible?
Speaker:They may have this desired outcome that's this really, really big goal,
Speaker:and If you know for certain 100% that you can deliver on that really
Speaker:big goal, go for it.
Speaker:But if you don't know and you don't feel absolutely
Speaker:certain, or you simply don't want to make that promise because there's too many
Speaker:variables that we don't control, then simply make a promise on something
Speaker:like the first step towards that really big goal.
Speaker:Once I stopped overthinking and learned how to create promises that aligned with
Speaker:what I knew I could deliver, how I talked about my work became
Speaker:sharper, simpler, and way more effective.
Speaker:When your promise is clear, believable, and specific,
Speaker:it's like flipping a switch in your business, and it feels so much better.
Speaker:And backing up a second there, when I said when a promise is too big, because you've
Speaker:certainly come across this before in someone else's work, right?
Speaker:When a promise is too big, you can feel it.
Speaker:That's the energy of it.
Speaker:Energy is everything.
Speaker:Or let me correct that.
Speaker:Everything is energy.
Speaker:So when a promise is too big, you can feel it.
Speaker:That's the energy.
Speaker:So that's another part of this in that when you determine your promise,
Speaker:you want it to feel So very real for your client, very possible, very believable.
Speaker:And you want it to feel really good to you because that's the energy of it.
Speaker:That's the energy that you're bringing.
Speaker:That's the energy that you're putting into that promise.
Speaker:That's important.
Speaker:So as I said, when it's clear and believable and specific,
Speaker:it's like flipping a switch.
Speaker:And suddenly your audience doesn't have to guess what they'll get when they work with
Speaker:you because, well, by the way, they would just move on.
Speaker:They wouldn't to work with you, they see it.
Speaker:It's tangible, doable, and exactly what they've been searching for.
Speaker:Because even if it's a promise for a very small step towards,
Speaker:there's something there that makes them feel like they are
Speaker:taking a step in the right direction.
Speaker:They're stepping on the path, they're starting the journey, and that
Speaker:they will reach that goal.
Speaker:Imagine putting yourself out there talking about your work with clarity and
Speaker:confidence, and Instead of feeling like you're rambling and hoping the right words
Speaker:will magically appear, people start nodding along thinking,
Speaker:Finally, someone who gets it.
Speaker:Wow, I want more information on that. Tell me more.
Speaker:How amazing would it feel to know potential clients are reading your promise
Speaker:and instantly feeling a sense of relief.
Speaker:Like, this is it.
Speaker:This is the coach who's going to help me.
Speaker:What if instead of stressing over every word, you had a promise so solid, it
Speaker:became the foundation for everything you say.
Speaker:Social media posts, emails, even those what do you do questions.
Speaker:They just flow easier, sharper, more naturally.
Speaker:Now, here's the best part.
Speaker:A clear promise doesn't mean you're over-promising or claiming the impossible.
Speaker:You don't have to promise seven-figure results in 30 days
Speaker:unless, of course, you can.
Speaker:It just means you're giving your audience something concrete to trust in.
Speaker:Remember I said it's something that makes them feel like they
Speaker:are stepping onto the path.
Speaker:They are beginning the journey.
Speaker:They can trust that this process, this work with you, is going to lead
Speaker:them to their desired outcome.
Speaker:Don't worry, I'm going to share some examples really soon, so stick with me.
Speaker:Let's talk a little bit more about this key to this promise, about making
Speaker:your work feel tangible, trustworthy, and even compelling, depending on the promise.
Speaker:We're always going for compelling in our messaging.
Speaker:It's tricky to get compelling right because we want compelling to be, well,
Speaker:compelling, but we don't want it to be not true or overhyped, overinflated.
Speaker:You're not promising the moon.
Speaker:You're not promising world peace.
Speaker:When you commit to a clear specific outcome that aligns with what your clients
Speaker:deeply want, not necessarily the ultimate desired outcome, and you know that you
Speaker:can deliver it, this changes everything.
Speaker:Really, everything It shifts your energy too, because how confident do you feel
Speaker:when you know with 100% certainty that you can do a thing?
Speaker:So when you're talking with potential clients and you are sharing your promise
Speaker:and it is something that you have spent some time on and to know with 100%
Speaker:certainty that you can deliver that, you are going to feel way more confident
Speaker:saying it and you're not going to have any difficulty with it.
Speaker:Here's what creating the right promise will give you.
Speaker:Confidence, as I just said, talking about your work feels like second nature when
Speaker:you're not stuck in the loop of vague statements or trying to
Speaker:cover all the things. You know what I mean.
Speaker:I've certainly been there.
Speaker:Connection.
Speaker:Your audience feels like you're speaking directly to their struggles and dreams.
Speaker:And trust me, that's attractive.
Speaker:Tangible clarity.
Speaker:Your audience immediately knows what they walk away with or at
Speaker:least where they'll start.
Speaker:No more getting lost in vagueness.
Speaker:And truly, I mean, if everything is vague, you're not going to grab their attention
Speaker:enough to lean in and listen for more, you're going to quickly lose When
Speaker:your promise is believable, aligned, and actionable, it becomes the
Speaker:heartbeat of your messaging.
Speaker:Everything else from your social media emails to that bio you've been
Speaker:procrastinating on flows from it.
Speaker:Now, start small.
Speaker:Pick the one thing you're 100% confident you can deliver.
Speaker:Think about the first step that gets your clients closer to the bigger
Speaker:transformation they're craving.
Speaker:It's often the smallest steps that pack the biggest punch.
Speaker:I mean, think about it like I was just a conversation with a really
Speaker:good friend earlier this morning about exercise.
Speaker:God, I think that should be shrouded in dark, gloomy clouds because it is the one
Speaker:thing that I struggle to do consistently.
Speaker:I was going back and forth with her on it because she's been doing really well at
Speaker:working out consistently, and it shows, right?
Speaker:She just looks great.
Speaker:I was lamenting my difficulty with it.
Speaker:It's Unless there's this bigger goal that I have in relation to exercise.
Speaker:But my goodness, that very first step of getting started
Speaker:and then the next step of being consistent, That's 99% of it, right?
Speaker:Not necessarily the weight loss or the muscle tone or the better flexibility,
Speaker:all those things are things I want, yes.
Speaker:But just right now, getting started and becoming consistent?
Speaker:That's huge.
Speaker:Do you get what I'm saying?
Speaker:It's often the smallest steps pack the biggest punch.
Speaker:So right now, no matter if you're brand new in coaching, you're just starting your
Speaker:business or you've been in it for a little while, but you've been struggling
Speaker:with this vagueness, right?
Speaker:And struggling with the confidence to make a promise.
Speaker:Can you make a promise for a small step that packs a big punch?
Speaker:Let's look at some examples.
Speaker:I'm going to take a sip of tea here.
Speaker:Okay. Message.
Speaker:I help coaches build a successful business without the overwhelm or energy drain.
Speaker:Promise.
Speaker:In your first 30 days, you'll nail down messaging that actually speaks to your
Speaker:clients, a marketing plan that feels doable, and the confidence to
Speaker:finally move your business forward.
Speaker:See that?
Speaker:Or example two.
Speaker:I help women over 50 rediscover they are and create a life that
Speaker:feels deeply fulfilling.
Speaker:Promise, in just eight weeks, you'll gain clarity on what you truly want.
Speaker:Identify what's holding you back and take the first steps toward living a
Speaker:life that feels like yours again.
Speaker:Notice some things here.
Speaker:There's usually some number involved.
Speaker:So 30 days, eight weeks.
Speaker:And in this last one, it even says, take the first steps toward.
Speaker:Message, I help busy moms lose weight in a way that fits their life without giving up
Speaker:their favorite foods or spending hours in the gym.
Speaker:Promise, over the next 12 weeks, you'll lose up to 10 pounds while eating foods
Speaker:you love, moving your body in ways that feel good, and building habits that stick.
Speaker:Now, here you can see it says, Over the next 12 weeks, you'll
Speaker:lose up to 10 pounds.
Speaker:This is getting a little bit bolder.
Speaker:So for someone who is a fitness coach or in the health and wellness, and they feel
Speaker:confident that their client can lose up to 10 pounds in the next twelve weeks.
Speaker:That's a solid promise.
Speaker:Message, I help people connect to their inner wisdom so they can create a life
Speaker:that feels aligned and meaningful.
Speaker:Promise, in just six weeks, you'll uncover what's been holding you back,
Speaker:strengthen your intuition, and start making decisions with confidence and ease.
Speaker:Again, it's just those first steps sometimes.
Speaker:See how the promise gives the message depth.
Speaker:It tells your audience exactly what they can expect and makes Does your work feel
Speaker:tangible, real, and also compelling.
Speaker:Your promise should feel empowering, like you're stepping into your zone of
Speaker:genius and confidently saying, This is what I can do for you.
Speaker:Remember, it's not about trying to solve everything.
Speaker:It's about finding that sweet spot between what your audience craves and
Speaker:what you know you can deliver.
Speaker:And trust me, you already know it's just waiting to be uncovered.
Speaker:Here's how to get started.
Speaker:Reflect on your strengths.
Speaker:So what's the one thing you're absolutely confident you can help someone achieve?
Speaker:I don't care how small it is, teeny tiny. I don't care.
Speaker:Just start brainstorming the list.
Speaker:I can help someone gain clarity on who they help in their coaching business.
Speaker:I can help someone gain clarity on the digital products they can create
Speaker:for their coaching business.
Speaker:I can help someone get clarity on their energy, where it is right now, and
Speaker:how they can amplify their vibration and begin to attract more of the
Speaker:things they want into their life.
Speaker:So it could be the first step toward a bigger transformation, like building
Speaker:a foundation before the house.
Speaker:No one's moving into a house without floors.
Speaker:You're just focusing on the most tangible outcome you can provide.
Speaker:As I gave that example, if we're promising the whole big thing, sometimes problems,
Speaker:especially in the first one to three years, if we're jumping on that bandwagon
Speaker:of so much of what we see in marketing, trying to promise that really big thing,
Speaker:and we don't have all the floors in the house built yet, then it isn't
Speaker:going to feel safe to move forward.
Speaker:It isn't going to feel logical, and people won't take you up on it.
Speaker:So listen to your audience.
Speaker:Pay attention to the words your potential client to use.
Speaker:What outcomes are they dreaming of?
Speaker:What struggles keep them awake at night?
Speaker:Maybe they're craving financial freedom, so your promise could be, launch your
Speaker:financial freedom plan in just 20 days.
Speaker:Do you know how much relief a person can have from simply putting a plan in place?
Speaker:That's huge.
Speaker:Or perhaps they're overwhelmed by clutter, so your promise becomes, create a
Speaker:stress-free, organized home in eight weeks.
Speaker:Their language is your goldmine.
Speaker:Don't overcomplicate it.
Speaker:Next, make it believable.
Speaker:As I said earlier on, it's really important that
Speaker:it feel real to your client.
Speaker:If your promise makes you think, Wow, even I don't believe that,
Speaker:your clients won't Neither.
Speaker:Instead, aim for something grounded, realistic, and solid.
Speaker:A believable promise builds trust and helps your audience feel safe saying yes.
Speaker:Keep it specific.
Speaker:Feel better is vague, wake up with more energy and focus in 30 days is clear,
Speaker:tangible, and speaks directly to their desires.
Speaker:We might want to put start waking up at the beginning.
Speaker:Otherwise, people might think that they're not going to wake up for 30
Speaker:days, and that wouldn't be good.
Speaker:Specialize Classificity creates trust.
Speaker:It's like saying, Here's what's possible for you, and leaving no room for doubt.
Speaker:The goal isn't to be perfect right away.
Speaker:Spoiler, perfect doesn't exist.
Speaker:But with time, you'll refine and hone your promise until it feels easy and certain.
Speaker:Your promise is going to evolve over time, just as you will.
Speaker:As your business grows, you gain more experience, maybe even
Speaker:your focus shifts, right?
Speaker:Your promise will change, too.
Speaker:So just know that the promise you identify right now is for right now.
Speaker:It's going to change.
Speaker:When your promise is clear and compelling, it's like handing your audience proof that
Speaker:they'll succeed, even if it's just the first,
Speaker:often hardest step toward their goal.
Speaker:Suddenly, they know where they're going, and it's crystal clear that you're
Speaker:the person to help them get there.
Speaker:Hey, thanks so much for joining me for the Solo Coach podcast.
Speaker:It means so much to me that someone out there is listening.
Speaker:Now, if you know it's time to do something different about your business, and you
Speaker:know if it is, consider joining me for my happy and successful business mastermind,
Speaker:where you can get clarity, support, and a plan.
Speaker:I'll leave details in the notes below.
Speaker:I also want to share a free resource for you.
Speaker:If you haven't already subscribed to my newsletter, Find Coaching
Speaker:Clients, I encourage you to do so.
Speaker:I'll deliver to your inbox tips and strategies that make finding coaching
Speaker:clients for your business much easier.
Speaker:I'll see you next time.
