Sponsored by:

 

choice - the magazine of professional coaching


Part 3 of a four part series by Michele Schubnel

The Four Biggest Mistakes Coaches Make . . . and how to avoid them!


PART THREE - Mistake #3: Relying on The "Power of Coaching" to Enroll Clients

What does your client enrollment process currently look like? Do you offer a free or sample coaching session? Do you coach the person on whatever issue he or she brings and hope that you do such a spectacular job coaching the person during the session that he or she hires you to be their coach?

If so, you're not alone, you're probably struggling and you're in danger of making the third big business mistake: expecting the power of your coaching to sell itself.

Here's the problem with this approach: When you coach the person on whatever topic they want, they may experience a shift and enjoy the experience, but not necessarily see the value of engaging in a coaching relationship. The session lacks the necessary big picture perspective. It also puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on you.

As coaches, we do our best work when we partner with clients who are ready and willing to make big changes, maximize their potential and improve the quality of their personal and/or professional lives.

You'll be most successful at enrolling great clients when you focus on these things in your free session, which by the way, is ultimately a sales meeting.

As a professional coach, your sales meeting can be conducted in person or by phone and has five main components:
  1. Identify the primary goals and objectives the person wants to achieve.
  2. Provide value and give the person the experience of being coached.
  3. Determine if you want the person as a client. This is very important. Not every person is coachable or is a good fit for you.
  4. Explain how your coaching can help the person achieve his or her objectives.
  5. Ask for the business and coach the person around their decision-making.
Of course, it's not very compelling to invite a prospect to have a sales meeting, that's why so many coaches call it a Free Session or Sample Session. Personally, I like the term Complimentary Consultation. Another way to go is to give your sales meeting an enticing name that relates to your specialty, for example: Business Strategy Session, Career Kick Start Session or Health and Wellness Check-Up.

Unlike a regular coaching session where the client sets the agenda, you determine the focus of the Complimentary Consultation. The best way to do this is by sending the person a few questions to prepare for your meeting.

There are four key areas to address in your pre-consultation questions. Ideally, these questions are tailored to who you coach and what you coach on. This is also what you spend the majority of your time coaching the person on.
  1. What does the person really want to achieve or accomplish?
  2. How will the person feel when he or she achieves this thing and what impact will that have?
  3. What has been holding the person back?
  4. How will the person feel if nothing changes?
Action Items::
Evaluate your current client enrollment process. If you are not focusing on the five key areas outlined above, start doing that.

What do you call your sales meeting (ie: fee session, sample session)? If you like it, great. If not, change it.

Start assigning pre-consultation questions before your sales meetings. Customize the questions so they are relevant to your target market and niche.

About our expert:

Michelle Schubnel is a veteran coach, dynamic speaker and sales and marketing expert. A leader in the coaching field, Michelle regularly speaks at industry events and conferences in the U.S. and abroad. She is the President and owner of Coach & Grow R.I.C.H., a premier sales and marketing training company for professional coaches who want to develop a thriving, rewarding and profitable business. Since the year 2001, Michelle and the Coach & Grow R.I.C.H. team have helped thousands of coaches worldwide achieve greater business success. For more guidance on clarifying who you coach and what you coach on, download a free recording of Michelle's popular teleclass "Speak Confidently About Your Coaching and Attract More Clients" at www.coachandgrowrich.com/free/teleclasses.

Contact: michelle@coachandgrowrich.com

Feedback is welcome at ExpertSeries@choice-online.com

Visit choice, the magazine of professional coaching Website
choice Magazine
customer service phone: 310-941-7249
This email is sponsored by Copy for Coaches. Andy O'Bryan has been writing compelling, engaging web copy for the coaching industry for over 4 years. He'll personally work with you to deliver a website, sales letter or email campaign that brings you more clients while preserving your own unique voice. Discover all the ways Andy can help you grow in 2009 by visiting www.copyforcoaches.com.