My office, and happy honeysuckle
One of the pilot program coaches sent me this email today:
I am corresponding with a new potential client. Do you have any good advice on handling complimentary coaching sessions and getting them to buy? Please let me know. Thanks!
Here’s the reply I sent to her:
- Don’t try to accomplish too much
- Don’t give advice
- interact as a professional, not as a friend
- have an approach that you can describe – not just “we meet and play it by ear, whatever comes up”. People feel more secure and hopeful knowing that the coach has a plan.
- Don’t be afraid of offending the potential client – if you hear or sense something that you think might be a blind spot for them, point it out in a neutral manner. That will provide huge value to them and differentiate you from “talking with a friend”
- Have a couple of frameworks (ways of looking at the world) or quotations “in your back pocket” to pull out and offer where appropriate. For example, if someone is talking about wanting to do something but being afraid of the risks, I’ll present the framework “risk is always reducible”. If the client seems intrigued by that idea, I’ll coach them on ways to reduce the risk of the venture.
- Before the session, practice out loud the language you will use for asking for their business. Something like, “Susan, what has been of most value to you from our session today?” … “Great, I’m glad to hear that OR Yes, I heard you make that shift too. That’s the type of progress that my clients typically make every session. Would you like to sign up for coaching now?” Be proactive, don’t wait for the client to bring it up. It’s your job to do that, not theirs.
- If the client wants to think about it, that’s fine. I usually say “That’s a good idea. Getting started with coaching is a big decision. When would you like me to contact you to follow up?”
- Don’t try to accomplish too much (I know I’ve already said this, but it is deliberately repeated). Keep it clean and simple for the client. There will be a lot of buzz going on in their head. If they can experience three things from your complimentary session — 1) feeling heard, 2) getting one new way of looking at their situation, and 3) getting a sense of hope – then they will hire you.
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