Why Aren’t You Selling Your Coaching Services?
Selling your coaching or training services is not something that just comes to you once you set up your website and make a few inspirational TikToks or Instagram posts. You have to actually do something to get them. Your marketing may be one of the biggest reasons you aren’t bringing in new clients, but there are at least a handful of other reasons you may be struggling to get those new clients. Here are 7 reasons why you might not be selling your coaching services:
1. You’re disorganized and have too much clutter in your life.
We’ve all been there. If you have a pile of papers on your desk and haven’t seen the bottom of the pile in weeks, you have a problem. You might also be disorganized in terms of your personal life, family life, in your car, or even that “catch-all” drawer in the kitchen. Yes, it all matters. Let go of the clutter. Give up excess. Streamline. If anything is currently done in five steps, do your best to reduce it to three. Eliminate. Automate. Delegate. You will be shocked at how much this helps your business organization.
2. You don’t know where to find great leads/prospects, or how to start the conversation.
Is it the local networking group? Maybe. Is it at the gym? Could be. It’s more likely to be found by belonging to groups that are like-minded such as people who share hobbies, a particular faith, or a specific sport., You can also become a person who provides support for those going through a big life change such as a wedding, funeral, divorce, weight loss, or recovery from addiction. Facebook is filled with groups of people going through specific life transitions. You can even start a group like this and be the leader. When the time is right, you can offer your coaching services.
3. When you have good leads, you don’t know exactly what questions to ask that inspire them to act and enroll in your coaching program.
You cannot be aggressive. You will never want to start with a sales pitch. You always must build rapport. It’s vital to add value first. It’s good to ask permission. It’s vital to pace the person’s current reality (how they are perceiving things). You cannot come into a conversation without first understanding the “energy” of the room, the “vibe” of the conversations taking place, and the overall “feel” of what’s going on. That’s a very “holistic” way of saying, “Pay attention and move or speak with purpose.” Always listen far more than you speak. When you do speak, be thoughtful and stay engaged. A good question to ask (in general) is this,“What is most important to you?” Why ask this question? It’s about them, and not you. It shows you care. You will learn their values. People like talking about themselves. And, always remember this… SMILE. Smile more than you think you should. A big, sincere, engaging smile that conveys true happiness and even “calm” is very powerful.
4. You aren’t always completely confident in what you’re offering.
If you lack confidence in your own offer, that energy and inflection are conveyed to your prospect. Think about it for a moment. You can tell if someone really doesn’t believe in what they are selling, and they just want the sale. It doesn’t feel very good. There may be a good reason for your doubt. Maybe you didn’t design your coaching program as well as you could. Maybe you need a new certification to improve your skills. Maybe you just lack confidence, and your program is incredible. To determine the cause, you need to take a moment of quiet reflection, ask self-discovery questions and be honest with yourself. In some cases, you will need to improve your skills. In other cases, you need to refine your messaging to your prospect and show the true value. Still, in other cases, it’s just your lack of belief in yourself. The good news is that you know how to solve each of these challenges.
5. Your niche is not really a niche.
This is a common error. You want to appeal to everyone (or almost everyone). You want to help everyone. You know you can make a positive difference for everyone. “I’m a coach” is not a niche. “I’m a coach for men in their 40s who want to increase energy, power, and performance” is a niche. “I’m a coach for women who are recently divorced and want their life and body back” is a niche. If you appeal to everyone, you may appeal to nobody who is willing to pay you. The old saying is to drill down twice to create a niche. Some would say three times.
EXAMPLE: A coach for men is drilling down once. A coach for men with low testosterone is drilling down twice. A coach for men with low testosterone who want to get back in the dating scene is drilling down three times. Why does this matter? It lets you have a very specific conversation. You eliminate the “noise” of things that don’t matter. You can use specific language that wouldn’t apply to other groups or individuals. You can focus on your education, certifications, CEUs, and additional reading. It’s also easier to stand out as a true leader in a narrow niche. You can become “THE COACH” in that space more quickly. This is a huge strategic advantage.
6. You don’t yet know how to effectively handle objections and concerns when they come up.
As a result, you may avoid asking the right questions that help coaching prospects make a clear and concise decision. There are a few reasons why people have objections to a sales pitch or “offer” of any kind. First, the offer itself may be confusing. Does your prospect have a clear understanding of what they are getting? When does it begin? How can they pay? What are the deliverables and when they can expect the promised result? Are there too maybe payment options? This may sound counterintuitive. Your prospects may use Zelle, credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, or Venmo. And then you may offer different payment options such as pay-in-full, 3 easy-pays, or monthly installments, etc. It can all get a little confusing, thus creating internal conflict and “non-spoken” internal objections. Keep payment options as simple as possible. When people have objections about the program itself, you will want to have simple, honest, and well-thought-out responses. Common objections to a coaching program could include any of the following: I cannot afford it, I’m not sure I have time, I’ve failed in the past, and my significant other may not approve. You will need to pre-plan for any of these and others. Your confidence in your program and your abilities as a coach will lead the way. Show you care. Show you understand. Then offer additional perspectives that give them an opportunity to reevaluate their objections. This is a time when client testimonials, reviews, and case studies can be very helpful to close the deal.
7. You don’t yet have a clear vision of what you’ll do with the money once you earn it.
Because of this, there isn’t a compelling reason to do whatever it takes to ensure you get the sale and increase your monthly income. This may sound odd at first. Yet, we think you will see what we mean in a moment. As a coach, you know that people need a big enough “WHY” to move them into action for their goals: weight loss, less stress, romance, better sleep, strength, etc. You may also be lacking a big enough “WHY” to be committed to getting the business and the revenue. When is the last time you set a lofty financial goal? When is the last time you decided you need X amount of money for a particular goal such as a vacation, an investment, or a home? You need to create a goal with a very specific amount of money per day, week, or month. And, you must also give yourself a very compelling reason for those numbers. Always remember the rules that work for your client regarding setting important goals also directly apply to you when it comes to selling your coaching services.
Where Can You Learn More?
Be on the lookout for future articles about more ways to get an endless stream of clients for your training or coaching business. You will also want to search through the archives of our blog because there are many other articles that go into great depth about dozens of other ways to get clients. Here are a few for you to checkout now:
- How to Break into Corporate Wellness & Create Impactful Programs
- How Can You Provide Better Service for Current and Future Clients?
- How to make more than $80,000 per year with a Personal Fitness Chef and Meal Prep Business
Believe in yourself.
Be honest with yourself.
We are here to be your partner in custom designing your highly successful coaching career.
NESTA and Spencer Institute coaching programs are open to anyone with a desire to learn and help others. There are no prerequisites.
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