By Rhonda Hess
Have you ever felt like your potential clients are giving you a mixed message? They grab up all your free stuff — your irresistible offers, free discovery sessions, articles and other goodies — but too few hire you, buy your products, or enroll in your programs.
It’s clear they need help. They seem to be attracted to you and your message. So what’s missing?
They aren’t properly motivated to invest in what you’re offering. All 5 of these things must be aligned for your prospect to say YES to you!
1. They truly want the outcome you’ll help them reach.
Are you speaking clearly to exactly what they most want?This is easy if you’ve niched to a unique target audience. If you’re selling what you do — coaching — you’ve failed to provide a link to an outcome they want. Draw out of your prospects the specific tangible and emotional outcomes they most want, then speak to how your coaching or program helps them get there. A set of powerful questions asked during enrollment helps them tap into what they really want with all of their heart.
2. They believe that you are the right person to help them reach that outcome.
Who are you that aligns with who they are? This is about your personality, your style, your skills, your experience and maybe even your credentials. And it’s also about your story. People want to know that you’ve been in their shoes and thrived beyond where they are now. (You don’t need to be far ahead.) Show that you’re a vulnerable human being who courageously took the leap. Relate to them with compassion and curiosity. If they feel understood, they are more likely to listen to what you have to say.
3. They want that outcome right now!
Is the timing right? Think about the times when you’ve invested in support to get where you want to go. You had a fire in your belly and you were ready to take a leap. Help them identify closely with what they want as an immediate possibility. Then trust them to do what’s right for them, which may be not taking this step right now. It will be better for you to have clients who are truly ready for change.
4. They understand what you’re offering.
Is your process or system crystal clear? They want to know… what will it be like to work with you? How will they benefit in incremental ways? What will they be doing? Will it be difficult? They need to know that THEY CAN DO IT and that you’ll be with them every step of the way.
5. They believe they cannot afford NOT to hire you now.
Are the costs of status quo becoming intolerable to them? The double negative is necessary here. Help them see the costs of being where they are now, the immediate relief and long term rewards of moving forward in their lives. If possible, monetize the value of transformation so they can justify the investment of working with you financially as well.
If all five of these things are aligned in the mind of your potential client, they will get to YES!
Play around with this the next time you enroll clients. Often, small changes in your approach make a huge difference in your results.
Author Rhonda Hess co-authored the Coach Training AcceleratorTM and designed the CTA Certified Coach Program. She has a super power for helping coaches choose and champion a profitable niche they’ll love. Learn more at Prosperous Coach.