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Coaching 100 Full Practice GAME Blog

Why Giving Away Coaching is the Best Way to Sell It

 

complimentary coaching session

Here's a question I call one of the Big Ones that leaves many a coach stuck at the starting post. I hear it over and over from new coaches:

"Doesn't giving away my coaching under-value what I do?"

I guess the thinking behind this questions goes something like, "Why would anyone buy the cow if he can get the milk for free?"

Aside from equating women with cows, this question makes a fatal mistake: it assumes there's only one thing of value that a cow-woman has to offer and (this really blows my cork) that thing is always the same and will always be the same.

If you, as a coach, only have one tool to offer and it's exactly like every other coach's tool and you will only use this tool once, then no, giving away this tool for free isn't a good idea if you ever want to sell it.

If this is true for you, then work on your coaching tools, because it's too soon for you to work on your coaching business.

If on the other hand, you have a deep tool kit full of valuable tools that can be used in a variety of ways to help your client reach any number of goals over a period of months, what better way to show your client the value of what you do, than to give them an experience of it?

Think of all the professionals you've hired over the years. Did they give you free consultations? And the really good ones, didn't they provide value in their consultations? And while they were at it, didn't they also politely size you up and decide if you would be a good client for them?

Good selling is a service. That's why successful coaches give away their coaching. 

But if you're limited in what you have to offer, you just can't afford to give it way.

Got plenty of coaching tools? Time to play the GAME:

Download the Coach 100 Full Practice GAME Tracker

 

photo by Tony Fischer

Topics: become a coach, Coach 100, coaching clients, Coaching 100, coaching success, Servant Entrepreneur, successful business

More on Secret #1 to Making a Living as a Life or Business Coach

#1 Secret to making a living as a life coach

I introduced the Top Ten Secrets to Making a Living as a Life Coach last week, along with the new Coach 100 Full Practice GAME. Click here to Join the GAME and get your Tracker (Or get the Elite version by joining Coach 100 Premium).

Our next webinar goes deep with Secret #1: You know yourself very well and you really, Really, REALLY want a full coaching practice. This secret has two parts: self awareness and intense desire. 

Here's the hard part: if you don't have the first, it's easy to kid yourself about the second. Without both, making a living as a life coach is a lot harder than it has to be. Many people who embark on the coaching journey think they are passionate about coaching, but they aren't as passionate as they think. And it takes more self awareness than they imagine to really know the difference.

Symptoms that you're not that passionate about a full coaching practice:

  • You hate to market or sell
  • You let discomfort stop you
  • You're afraid to invest money in coaching
  • You spend lots of money but don't make full use of what you buy
  • You put security ahead of having what you want
  • You'd rather coach for free
  • You love coaching classes but aren't working on your business
  • You're more interested in money than in coaching clients
  • You let others tell you what you should be doing
  • Etc.
Symptoms that you have plenty of passion to fill your coaching practice:
  • You don't mind getting out of your comfort zone if it's for coaching
  • You're willing to take risks
  • You offer coaching to lots of people every week
  • You have pro-bono clients and a plan to attract paying clients
  • You're becoming the best coach you can be
  • You're exploring marketing and sales for coaches
  • You've put together your business materials
  • You have coaching appointment hours marked off on your calendar in anticipation of real coaching clients
  • You're working hard and having fun
  • Etc.
How to you get from the first set of bullet points to the second?
  • Meditate daily on the question, "Is coaching my calling?" and notice what comes up
  • Eliminate confusion: get the training you need, get the mentoring you need, learn about business, talk to successful coaches
  • Get your Needs met, your Values expressed, and use your Strengths daily
  • Get a coach who transforms your world
  • Become a coach who transforms others
  • Etc.
In the Secret #1 to Making a Living as a Life or Business Coach class, we'll talk more specifically about strategies for increasing awareness and tapping into your true passion. I'll even coach someone (maybe you!) on this topic. Elite members get to interact via audio. Everyone gets to interact via chat. Non-elite members get in for just $20.
The class video will be posted in SCM's resource center for all members of our coach training.
We meet Tuesday, September 2nd, 3-4 PM EDT (View in your Time Zone).

 

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Topics: coaching business, coach training, become a life coach, become a coach, coaching class, Coach 100, become a business coach, coaching clients

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