I used to suck at enrolling coaching clients. I felt I had to perform. Well, that was not a great approach, was it?
Is there a way to enroll coaching clients that doesn’t require you to push, convince or perform?
Yes, and it is a lot easier and more effective than giving a sample coaching session! Is anyone still doing that? Unless you’re just practicing coaching skills, I recommend that you stop giving sample coaching sessions.
Instead, seamlessly move through a set of powerful questions to inspire your prospect to hire you.
When I shifted to this approach, it dramatically improved my enrollment success rate. More importantly, I can be myself and attract clients who are the best fit for me.
I’ve taught this approach to every coach in my VIP mentoring program. It takes practice and a few other critical pieces plugged into it. But now you can get the step-by-step enrollment approach in a free download.
You probably know this about me. I’m all for finding the best way — the smoothest, easiest, less anxiety ridden approach to doing everything for a coaching business.
Probably THE most difficult things for coaches, after they have Nailed Their Niche, is to become good at enrolling clients. Once you know how to do that and how to attract your audience to Discovery Calls you can always earn well as a coach.
In episode #241, I talked about 3 ways to BE and show up that help you to enroll ideal coaching clients. Check that out soon if you haven’t heard it yet.
I want you to also have the mechanics — what exactly you can say and do to enroll clients who will fit you best. Those are the clients who will love working with you, give you great feedback, a wonderful testimonial and refer other ideal clients.
Get your free copy of my cheat sheet that walks you through 10 Steps to Enroll More Clients Fast! Find it prosperouscoach.com/242
This free downloadable guide includes ways to ace the money conversation. Have you ever choked when it came time to tell a potential client your fees? You are not alone in that.
This is where Discovery Calls often go astray because you’re shifting from asking questions to sharing how you work, what you charge and why it’s worth it.
This guide also helps you to make 3 shifts:
Shift from: Over delivering in introductory or sample session
To having more effective enrollment conversations
Shift from: Stumbling into your pitch at the end of the session
To being transparent from the get go that you are enrolling
Shift from: Timidly asking for the sale
To confidently owning your worth
Something clicks internally and externally when you believe in yourself. It seems hard to do I know, but it is mindset — something you can control if you pay attention to it.
And, in addition to the the actual questions to ask in your Discovery Call, I cover 3 ways to ace the call.
#1 How to Seed Co-Creativity in Your Potential Coaching Clients
When you have a Discovery Call, your goal is to empower your prospect while you detach from outcome.
Start by simply enjoying the human being on the call. I feel so honored that I get to meet amazing human beings in my Discovery Calls. When you put your focus on enjoying them, the spotlight comes off of you and you relax.
And it’s critical that you have set fees that pay you well and then stand firm in them. Are you doing this yet? If not, you’ve unwittingly set yourself up for short-term failure, which can delay long-term success.
Think about it this way … if you make concessions in your fees just to enroll a client, you disempower yourself and your prospect.
Take that in. If your potential coaching client hires you because you discounted a fee for them, then your professional relationship begins out of balance and unhealthy.
Your client ends up becoming a burden because you are carrying them at your own expense. Then, you will resent the relationship and how hard you have worked for so little.
Have you ever felt that a client has become a burden? It’s not a good feeling, right? And it’s counter to good coaching.
Smart coaching fees are not determined based on how experienced a coach you are and its important not to pander to your money issues — everyone has money issues. Setting smart coaching fees is really about the health and well being of your relationship with your clients and being serious about your own success.
How can you coach others to their success if you aren’t willing to do things to ensure your own? Trust that your IDEAL clients will afford your fees and don’t worry about those who won’t.
#2 How to Detach from Unhealthy Longing to Enroll This Coaching Client
You long for a steady flow of paying clients. I get that. That longing, if you are not mindful about it, can create attachment. Attachment stops flow.
If you feel attached to whether someone hires you or not, your expectation builds. And then if you don’t reach that outcome, your disappointment becomes toxic within you. It will hold you back from attracting potential clients.
Do set intentions to achieve the things that you want. While you’re enrolling a potential client, if you feel they are a good fit, think to yourself: “For the highest good of all, I want to work with this client.” Then, let it go.
Literally, open your hands and let go of attachment. Let the negative energy dissipate. Acknowledge what went well and aim for continuous improvement in your enrollment.
Whether a potential client says ‘yes’ or ‘no’ neither diminishes nor elevates you.
Bless that they did what was best for them, bless yourself and move on.
#3 How to Hold Back Coaching While You Enroll Clients
It’s tempting, but do not coach or problem solve during Discovery Calls.
Coaching during an enrollment call confuses the purpose of the call, which is get to know each other and explore whether this partnership is right for you both. Only deliver coaching after they enroll and invest.
Sample coaching sessions, which are great for learning, don’t work well for enrolling because:
- They don’t uncover what prospects want that would inspire deeper investment for real value.
- They focus in on one bite size issue, leaving prospects feeling complete without the desire for more. Your Signature Program should have a longer arc and more outcomes you can help them achieve and therefore be worth a higher price.
- Lastly, giving free sample sessions keeps you in the newbie frame of mind.
You are a professional now, not a student, so enroll as a professional would.
Now, what do you ask and say in a Discovery Call to enroll a coaching client? That’s where my free cheat sheet comes in … 10 Steps to Enroll More Coaching Clients Fast! Grab your copy now.
And let me know how it works for you. I think you’ll be amazed how effective and easy it is.