One of “THE” most effective ways to enroll clients into your coaching programs is still the client enrollment conversation. It goes by many different names; free discovery sessions, free introductory sessions, free sample sessions – but they all mean the same thing, getting your potential clients on the phone.
Sometimes the toughest thing for new and aspiring coaches is to have the enrollment conversation with potential clients. In the beginning when I was building my business it was difficult for me too, so I understand. We spend most of the time worrying about asking for the money so it’s hard to focus and be effective during this call.
Here are the 5 biggest mistakes new coaches make during the client enrollment process and how to avoid them so you can sign up more clients and make more money.
- Coaching instead of probing.
When I first started coaching, I wanted to coach the world. I wanted to help everyone that I met. I remember setting up discovery sessions – lots of discovery sessions, and then coaching during the call. The problem with this is, I ended up helping and somewhat solving the problem they came to the call with, in which case I took away their biggest need to sign up for coaching.
Now, we know that their problem can’t really be solved in one 30 – 45-minute call. Coaching is about long term results. If someone came to you for help losing 40 pounds, no matter how great of a coach you are, it’s not going to happen in that one session.
Solution: Don’t turn enrollment conversations into coaching sessions.
- Making it ALL about you and your programs.
I’ve had this happen to me before. I was on a client enrollment call and the coach went on and on about how great she was, how many certifications she had, and where she got her certifications. Then she proceeded to tell me how great her program was and how her clients raved about their success. We spent very little time talking about why I contacted her, where I was currently in my business, and what my true needs were at the time. Needless to say, I did not sign up with this coach. The main reason; I didn’t feel as though she heard me or cared about my success.
Solution: This conversation is really a fact-finding tour. You want to understand why your potential client contacted you, where they currently are, what their struggles are and then help them visualize greater for their life or business. It’s ALL about them – NOT you!
- Worrying about asking for the money.
I mentioned this one earlier. When I was a new coach, I felt insecure about asking for the money. I didn’t feel like I had enough experience under my belt to ask for what I was worth. I would dance around asking for the sale and hope they would want to work with me. Then when I mustarded up enough courage to ask for the sale, I would almost always lower my rates. Because of this, my bank account was looking rather funny back then…you know, more going out than coming in. LOL.
Solution: Understand that it’s not about you, but rather about the value you provide. Believe in yourself!
- Focused more on the sale than the client.
If you’ve ever sat through a time share sales presentation you know what it feels like to be pressured. Nothing against time share salesmen/women. But, every time I’ve sat through one of these presentations I felt like the person on the other side of the desk wasn’t concerned about my travel needs as much as they were about their commission check.
If you make the enrollment conversation more about building your bank account than helping your potential client, they can feel that energy and it’s not good energy. It’s needy, pushy, aggressive and too attached.
Solution: Detach from the outcome. Delivery value and sincere help during the conversation and allow your potential client the space to make the best decision for him/her.
- Poor time management.
I used to schedule my discovery sessions for 15 minutes and allow only 15 minutes in between calls. The reason I did this was because I tried to emulate a few of the coaching gurus and I thought if the time was shorter more people would sign up for discovery sessions. Well, that clearly wasn’t enough time. I found myself feeling rushed and always on edge about the time.
When you don’t allow enough time for the call and in between calls, you inevitably try to rush through the process and it shows.
Solution: Schedule your enrollment conversations for at least 30 – 45 minutes and allow an hour in between calls. Time yourself and see how long it takes you to get through the process.
Comment below and let me know how these tips help you improve your client enrollment conversations.
Here’s to Designing Your Victory!
If you need help sharpen your sales skills and learning a proven strategy that converts your potential clients into paying clients, my New Coach Profit Launcher coaching program is for you. This is just one of the things I teach in this program. Get more details by visiting http://bit.ly/NewCoachProfitLauncherSpecial – I would love to have you in the program. Here’s what one of my clients had to say after only a few weeks in the program:
Passionate about helping others succeed drew me in, pushing them towards success kept me there.
Valerie Priester showed me how to structure my program in a way that would fulfill the needs of others and fit my lifestyle. I was struggling as a new coach trying to balance my work load, business and family. Although, I had the tools I didn’t understand how to use them. The wealth of knowledge she has made an impact on my income. I sealed my first paying client before my program launched by taking Valerie’s advice.
Persistent and attentive this coach helps you win! Join her team.
~Que Jackson
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