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:
photo by Tony Fischer