This episode is about how to focus your mind and prioritize your time in your coaching business so you can attract a constant stream of new clients and earn well.
Don’t forget download my free guide to help you ace your enrollment conversations.
When you’re in your first few years of your coaching business you are learning so many things. There’s the coaching process with clients, basics of running a business and all the marketing pieces plus client management.
It is challenging to keep your focus on the most effective things to bring the results you want. That’s often why results come slowly for anyone in startup.
Once you begin to get comfortable with most tasks – creating content, social posts, finding your audience and connecting in a more high-touch way – it’s time to turn your attention to the most strategic things you can do to earn well as a coach.
Do Everything in Your Coaching Business with the Desired End in Mind
For too many years in my own business, I simply focused on crossing tasks off the list – doing what I thought I should be doing day to day and week to week. I was just hoping I would get some traction!
Then, a more experienced coach and business owner told me to do everything with the end in mind.
That was a big AHA and I felt a bit foolish that I hadn’t been thinking that way all along. The desired end goal for me was attracting a steady stream of ideal clients that would pay me well. Isn’t that a goal for you as well?
So, I thought … what’s the metric that I should be paying attention to now that will help me most?
When you’re in a service business every enrolled client requires an enrollment opportunity. So, getting prospects into Discovery Calls is the metric to focus the most on. And not just a Discovery Call with anyone but someone who is ready for it.
2 Mistakes Related to Discovery Calls That Coaches Make
There’s an ineffective and a much more effective way to have a free call with prospects. Most coaches I meet are doing what I did – the wrong approach and way too soon. These are the 2 mistakes:
#1 Putting a button or link on your website for visitors to sign up for a free Discovery Session.
Have you done this? Look, I get the impulse. You think “Time with me is my valuable free offer!”
That’s too much too soon! Timing your offers is important. And who besides coaches will know what a Discovery Call is or that they want it? So it’s not a good idea to wave that phrase around at this point.
A strategic lead magnet is a better free offer. Check out episode 124 called Does a Coach Need a Lead Magnet?
The reason why it’s not wise to put up a button or link on your website offering a private call for free is because your audience is NOT ready for that yet!
You’ve heard this analogy. It’s like inviting a first date to your house. It’s too much too soon. That can backfire.
When you date, if you’re wise, you take it a little slow. First date, you go for coffee. Get that ground of health between you. Next date you go for lunch – a bit more romantic. The 3rd date may be a longer experience. Reserve inviting them to your home until the right time. Build the relationship up to that point.
It’s critical to make your offer for that free call when your prospect is most likely primed for that moment. They already feel they know you, like you and trust you. They’ve experienced enough of your content – podcast episodes, videos, articles and social posts – to have a connection with you and perceive your value.
They recognize your brand, your name and face. They see you as credible and they are curious. That’s the moment!
What I just described is part of a customer journey that’s strategically planned out for the steps your audience will take to find you and follow you.
#2 The other mistake coaches make is they call this a Discovery SESSION. It should be called a Discovery CALL.
Offering a session implies that you’ll coach them or some other work will be done in that call. Believe me, if you coach prospects in these free calls, you’ll enroll fewer clients.
The rule is coach people only after your fees are paid. The co-creative relationship is a professional relationship. Without the fee, your prospect will not take it seriously. They won’t get enough value and they’ll leave the session disappointed. And you will too.
But I’m not suggesting you charge for the Discovery Call!
Make it clear to prospects from the get go that this is not a working session but rather a get-to-know-you call. This is where you can:
- Ask questions about each other and assess their fit for your Signature Program.
- Tell them the specific milestones you’ll work on together during that program.
- Share your high-ticket price and what they’ll get.
- Invite them to enroll.
- If they say yes, set up their first session and discuss their next steps to fully enroll.
When I shifted to offering a Discovery Call my enrollment doubled. Now, it’s very rare for me that a Discovery Call with a prospect doesn’t translate into a new client. That should shift for you too.
This means you won’t waste time with people who aren’t truly serious about working with you. And you’ll have better clients because they were truly ready for this big step. You don’t have to push anyone into this!
It also means you can earn more for each client you do enroll because when you do business like a professional instead of a coach who is desperate for any client you can charge higher fees. It’s true!
Now … back to a new focus and priorities …
If you have 2 Discovery Calls every week there’s no way you that you won’t be financially successful in your coaching business.
So what exactly will you do to attract your ideal clients AT THE RIGHT MOMENT to have a Discovery Call with you?
