February 28, 2017 by Sharla Jacobs

The 3 Ways Clients Say Yes

When most Coaches and Holistic Practitioners think about creating a Marketing Plan, they get really uncomfortable, because they have NO idea where to begin.

On today’s video, I reveal the 3 Ways Clients Say Yes to working with you. And when you decide which (or how many) of these ways you’ll get the Yes, it’s super easy to figure out how to get more clients.

Watch the video, 3 Ways Clients Say Yes, now:

No time to watch this short video? Read the transcript below:

Hi. This is Sharla Jacobs from Thrive Academy welcoming you from my home office in Santa Cruz, California. (And shhh my kids are asleep but I wanted to make this video for you because I got so excited about what we were teaching at our live event today. I just can’t wait.)

Alright on today’s video I’m talking about the three main ways that people will say yes to you so you can get crystal clear about your marketing and you don’t have to be distracted or confused or wondering what to do. My intention is that after you watch this video you will be so clear about what you need to do and what you don’t need to do, that you’ll be able to simply be in action.

In order for your business to thrive or for you to have all the clients you want, you’ve got to have a way that people say, ‘Yes” to working with you. Right? And if you haven’t figured this out then you might be kind of feeling like you’re aimless, shooting in the dark when you’re trying to figure out how to get clients. So I want to make it really really simple for you because once you figure this out it allows you to have that focus and that clarity to be really clear about what to do next.

When you think about that moment when somebody goes from – they weren’t yet ready to hire you but now they are -- there’s this point of transformation really that they went from a “Not sure”, “Not ready”, “Not clear”, maybe all of the places that they could be and they finally became a “Yes” to themselves and “Yes” to working with you. We call that moment the point of conversion. This is a really really exciting moment whether you have had just a few of those you’ve had a lot of them. You know that until you get that “Yes” and somebody’s willing to pay you money to work with you, you really don’t have a business. You have a hobby.

Now on the last couple of videos and articles we talked about first having a big vision and being really ready to play. And when you have an exciting vision often your inner “gremlins” or the inner voices in your head that tell you you’re not good enough, you’re not ready or you can’t do that. They really start getting riled up and so we gave you some tips for how to neutralize those gremlins. And hopefully you’ll neutralize those gremlins and you’re pretty clear about what it is that you want to accomplish.

Now you want to get clear about your Point of Conversion. The place you want to focus on getting as many people as you need to that point so they can make that tipping point – that turning point to say yes.

There really are 3 possible Points of Conversion if you’re a coach or holistic practitioner. And when I share this with you it’s going to seem so simple and yet I want you to consider that if you aren’t clear about this it makes it very, very difficult to create a marketing plan that’s something simple so that you know exactly what to do.

Alright so the first way is in a private one-on-one conversation. Just you and this person heart to heart. We call this Heartselling™ conversations. It’s when you’re having a conversation with a potential client. It’s an inspiring conversation. It leads to action and if you’re really good at this and you’re masterful at the Five Elements of Heartselling™ which we talked about in some other videos, your potential clients will practically talk themselves into working with you if it’s a good match.

So that’s the first thing that you want to master. And if you know that, this is your business model. That conversation is the point of conversion that you want to get as many people to and then you just get crystal clear about “Okay, how am I going to get more people to these conversations? Is it going to be through networking ? Is it going to be through speaking? Is it going to be through asking for referrals and being intentional about that (which I talked about in another video)?”

Once you have that it’s very, very easy to get crystal clear on your marketing plan.

The second way that people might say yes to you is during some kind of a virtual event like a free teleseminar or free webinar. And one of my best recommendations when you’re first starting is to offer some kind of a strategy session or free consultation so that you can have a one-on-one conversation and discover about what people are looking for to see if it’s a good match.

Once you get more skilled at that and you feel more confident leading teleseminars and webinars then you can move on to making a straight offer on your teleseminar or webinar.

(Now for a lot of people that sounds really scary but don’t worry ... you can get there eventually.)

It does take some time to master this but as long as you’re good at those one-on-one conversations you will still be golden here. This is a great way to get clients. Even just the teleseminar or webinar to a free consultation that can be a powerful way to get to six figures very quickly.

So the third way that someone might say yes is when you are speaking in front of a group of people. Now when I say speaking in front of a group of people most people get a little nervous and start thinking about talking to hundreds of people. But you can start with ten people at your local Rotary Clubs or Kiwanis or something like that.

When you’re speaking you have the opportunity to make an offer. An offer for somebody to continue to work with you and if you wanted to go ahead and do a paid offer you can. Most people start doing something free. Again the free consultation is a really great way to get started.

Alright so if you decide that this third way is how you are going to find that Point of Conversion and find enough people to say yes then you just have to get crystal clear about how many people do you need to speak to every month so that you get enough free consultations and people saying yes to your program to make your business work.

Now this seems simple, I understand, and yet once you make this decision it’s so clear about what actions you need to take. Now if you are not sure yet or you’re not quite sure what those steps are then we want to invite you to be our guest at an upcoming Client Attraction Summit.

Tell us what you think

August 12, 2015 by Sharla Jacobs

How to Raise Your Rates (And Feel Good About It)

Have you ever wanted to raise your rates, but the voices of fear keep you from actually doing it?

These internal voices say things like:

Who are you to think you can charge more?
Is it even spiritual to accept money at all?
If you were really spiritual you would do this work for free!
No one will sign up because they won’t be able to afford it. People will think you’re greedy or in it just for the money.
Other _____________ (coaches, practitioners, massage therapists, nutrition counselors, etc.) charge ________. How can you even consider charging more?

How do we know about these voices?

Many years ago, we raised our hourly coaching rate (to a rate that sounds like a smokin’ deal now, LOL)…

I (Sharla) stood on stage in front of some of our best clients, offering VIP days (which we rarely offer because our time is so limited for private clients). And although I looked confident on the outside, I was trembling inside.

I KNEW that working with Jesse and me privately would help these clients position themselves like rock stars, attract the exact right clients, create a clear path to get from where they were stuck in their business to exactly how much income they wanted to make…while working less.

But suddenly I had the same feelings of insecurity and discomfort that I experienced the first time I raised my fees…and the second and the third.

No matter how many times you raise your fees, it’s common to “not feel ready” or to know you’re ready but still feel uncomfortable, especially when you start actually telling your potential clients about it.

But there comes a time when what you’re charging doesn’t feel balanced with the value you’re providing and you’ve got to do it in order to stay in integrity with yourself and in alignment with your values.

Here are 3 Tips to help you raise your rates:

Tip #1: Avoid looking to other coaches and holistic practitioners to figure out what you should charge.

Many of our members initially say, “Other [therapists, coaches, etc.] charge this much; so how can I charge more?”

Instead, look for how you can INCREASE the value you offer to your clients rather than be just like everyone else in your industry.

When I was pregnant with our first son, Jacob (now 7), my belly got too big to lie face down on the massage table and I noticed I was having a difficult time enjoying a satisfying massage. So, I sought out a therapist with an ergonomically designed cushion for expecting moms like me and was happy to pay the extra dollars for the added value.

Ask yourself, “How can I increase the value of what I’m offering? What do I offer that’s unique?”

Tip #2: “Feel Into” Your New Rate

If you’re charging too little, you’ll likely feel resentful and overworked. If you’re charging too much, you might feel greedy. There is a perfect balance that lies somewhere in between.

Unless you feel like you can truly own your new rates, you’ll stumble and feel awkward when sharing these new rates with potential clients.

To figure out what rate you can confidently own, here’s a short exercise:

Imagine you’re talking with a potential client.
And say the price you want out loud.
Then check in with your body to find out how it feels.

If it feels GREAT, you just might have your new price.

If it feels anything other than GREAT, you’re not there yet.

If you don’t feel anything in your body, don’t worry.

Sometimes the new rate just doesn’t have much juice.

Also, not everyone gets information from checking in with how their body feels. Some people just have a voice of clarity or inner knowing that it’s right or not right. Others need to imagine publishing this new rate on your website (although we don’t recommend this for reasons we can share in the future).

Just use the best way of discovering what’s right for you when you’re making a decision.

Still confused about it?

At the Client Attraction Summit, we will guide you through an exercise to find your perfect fees. Chances are you’ll give yourself a raise because at least 95% of our past participants have done so.

Tip #3: Be Willing to Feel Uncomfortable for a Short Time After You Raise Your Rates

I have always found that whenever I have raised my private coaching rates, I go through an “adjustment” period.

At first, it’s difficult to say (like in the story I shared earlier in the article). Then I justify this increase to myself by thinking about how my clients will get more value at this new rate and how I deserve to be paid well for the great work I do. Eventually, I settle into it as perfect and right.

What usually happens after I get the first big “Yes!” is I’m able to “own” my new fee and it fits perfectly. I have found that this is when the real shift happens.

After having a difficult time at that event sharing our new VIP day rates for the first time (with not one single client saying “Yes” by the way), I could have decided that I’d made a huge mistake and I should drop my rates back down.

Instead, I knew that going through the discomfort of the “adjustment period” was part of my process and if I hung in there long enough, I would eventually feel comfortable and confident.

A few weeks later we got our first client at our new rate. I felt a little nervous just before the initial consultation call, but I showed up with 100% of my energy, now fully aligned with the new fee. And because I owned my value, our client got tons more out of it than if we were charging our lower fee.

We haven’t raised our rates for private coaching for years because we feel so aligned with our rates for private work. (It’s all about alignment.)

When you feel great about your rates, you don’t question them….

But when something is niggling at you that it’s time to raise them, it’s common to experience this adjustment period and then eventual success.

If you’re willing to deal with the discomfort for a short time, knowing that it is part of the process of raising your fees (and not a sign you should shrink back), then you’re on the road to attracting more appreciative clients who will see the value in what you have to offer.

And the good news is:

Over time, you’ll become less intimidated by the prospect of raising your rates. You’ll just know when the time is right and become aligned with it more quickly. The adjustment period shrinks and you’re on your way to serving your clients in a deeper way, because you’re aligned with what your clients are investing to transform their lives by working with you.

Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.

January 8, 2015 by Sharla Jacobs

How to Tame the Most Intense Business Challenge

Most coaches and holistic practitioners start their business because they want to do meaningful work. Can you relate?

But they often don’t realize how challenging running their own business can be. When it gets challenging, especially so challenging that it shakes you at your core, who are you going to be in the face of adversity?

What if there were two questions you could ask yourself that would allow you to tame even your biggest challenge?

Question #1:

WHY are you doing this “business thing” in the first place?

For most coaches and holistic practitioners, you do what you do because you received tremendous (even life-changing support) from someone who did what you are now trained to do. This is a great why!

However, if you really want to tame your challenge, we suggest you look at a higher level. Ask yourself, “How will the world become a better place because of the work I’m doing?”

This allows you to come up with a “why” that is bigger than your own well-being.
When you come up with the answer, you’ve got a powerful mission to fulfill. The bigger your mission, the bigger you become. And when you energetically become bigger, your challenge pales in comparison to your strength.

A few years ago, we realized that what we do best is turn local coaches and holistic practitioners into extraordinary Transformational Leaders who are making $10,000+ per month and impacting hundreds and even thousands of people with their work. Through helping our clients, we get to positively impact the lives of millions of people. This is a BIG GAME that inspires us, so much that the many challenges that have come our way have seemed small in the face of who we’ve had to become to win this game.

And the great news is that our well-being increases by fulfilling on this mission.

Now it’s your turn: How will the world become a better place because of the work you do?

When you have an answer that inspires you and lights you up, write it down and place it on your wall. Look at this every morning before you start your work.

Question #2:

There is a second question to ask yourself. This one is an edgy question because it’s easy to think you’ll be able to answer this question AFTER you are making six or seven figures in your business.

The question is: “How can your business be a force for good for the entire planet?”

When things get tough, it’s important that you’re not just in business for something bigger than yourself... you’re also in business for something bigger than your clients.

In asking yourself how your business can be a force for good for the entire planet, ask yourself: “How can my business be a vehicle for philanthropy?”

When your business success means you’ll be contributing to something greater than to yourself and your clients, your tough times will feel small in comparison to the people you are supporting through philanthropy.

Several years ago I was at an event with our dear friend, Cynthia Kersey. She shared her vision to have every child in the world get an education. I was so moved by her photos of the mamas and babies. And disturbed by the conditions these families endure, just to get a drink of water, for example.

I was moved by the idea that every child would not only get an education, but also get access to clean water (where the mamas didn’t need to spend their entire day to get water) and desperately needed medical care.

She also shared that the parents would learn how to earn a sustainable income, and that the community would be taught organic farming, to make sure that everyone in the village would be clothed, fed and educated in a self-sustaining way.

The thought of children starving and having no hope to get out of their circumstances is heartbreaking to me. It’s an instant guarantee of tears and a pit in my throat. By the end of that event, I stood up and declared that we would sponsor an African Village before the end of the year. I had committed to donating $25,000 without even asking Jesse!

Jesse, of course, agreed and this commitment fueled us in ways we could have never imagined. And when the middle of December came, we sent Cynthia’s organization, the Unstoppable Foundation, a check for $25,000.

At the time, it was a HUGE stretch to send that check. But now, when we see pictures of the new school building they built and the well, it inspires us to keep doing our business at higher and higher levels.

When our boys are older, we plan to take them to this village in Kenya, so they can see the good that came from our commitment.

(If you’re interested in learning more about the Unstoppable Foundation, here is a link to the website.)

We also have built philanthropy into our business model at the Client Attraction Summit.

We recently passed the $100,000 mark in our contributions through Kiva.org. We’re just getting started.

We encourage you to include philanthropy as part of your business model. When you make a commitment to have an impact in an area that is bigger than yourself, you will walk differently and talk differently and your problems will seem small in comparison with your soul-filled commitment. And when you look in the mirror, you will love who you see.

Let us know what you think!

December 23, 2014 by Jesse Koren

How to Make the Internal Shifts Necessary to Achieve Your Vision

We hope you've enjoyed this mini-course on how to make sure 2015 is the best year yet.

We want to end this series with some serious inspiration. This will be especially powerful for you if you're feeling stuck in your business or your life.

Jacob and Zach meet Santa on the train to Christmas Town

Here is a story from my own life on the external shifts I made to achieve my 2003 Vision to have a full coaching practice...and how you can do the same:

It was February of 2003...I (Jesse) was stuck in a dead end job I hated. I knew that I was supposed to help LOTS of people (just as an acorn is meant to become an oak tree).

I just didn't know HOW to do it. In fact, I had tried to get coaching clients for an entire year, but I couldn't get one private client to pay me a dime. And that's why I was stuck at this dead end job.
Eating a lot of cake and cookies and pizza to try to stuff down this gnawing emptiness.

Until I had an awakening. It came in the unlikeliest of places... from my girlfriend (now wife) Sharla. I had watched Sharla struggle to get clients, and wasn't surprised because I knew how hard it was.

But then she hired a business coach. Within three months, she filled her practice to the brim with clients. My awakening came when I realized there was nothing wrong with me... I just never learned the skill of attracting clients.

In that moment, I went from feeling sorry for myself and jealous of Sharla's success to... competitive! I told myself, "If Sharla can be successful, I can too." Three months later, I got five new clients.

How did I go from seriously depressed to five coaching clients and on fire?

In order to go from zero to 5 new clients in my first month of business, I changed four things:

1) I Became a Student of How to Attract Clients.

I realized that I was not the first person in the world who had ever struggled to get clients, so I started to look for a mentor. I discovered that I could do it gracefully and with heart (which was SO different than what my mind told me about sales and marketing).

I watched Sharla and how she attracted clients with ease. I modeled the questions she was asking potential clients. And I breathed into her confidence. And I invested in an expensive business training program. I wasn't used to paying thousands of dollars for a seminar, but I knew that I wasn't going to get results until I learned how to become a master of attracting clients.

2) I Created a Physical Reminder to Keep Me Motivated.

This is a little strange, but I hung 15 postcards with pictures of animals and people all over my office. The postcards told a secret story of who I had to become and what I wanted to accomplish in one month. I looked at the postcards constantly and smiled to myself as I envisioned telling my boss that I was going to quit. I didn't tell anyone what the postcards meant to me. It was my little secret that kept me inspired and excited.

3) I Let My Dead-End Job Fuel My Hunger to Be Free.

Instead of continuing to get drained by my dead-end job, I let my pain and emptiness inspire me to get out...F-A-S-T. I breathed in to my pain and allowed my pain to make me bigger, stronger, and a better coach. I got HUNGRY for change.

4) I Offered a Free Coaching Session to Nearly Everyone I Talked To.

Armed with my business training and my newfound passion, I was public about my enthusiasm. In one month I did at least 10 free sessions. Not everyone wanted to continue working with me, but five did. (We now know that Free Consultations are much more effective than free sessions, but we'll save this for another post.)

I gave notice in August of 2003. Several months later, Sharla and I joined forces and attracted 16 new clients in one month. That's when we knew that we had mastered this thing we now call Heartselling™

That was over 10 years ago. Since then we've taught our Heartselling**™ System to over 25,000 people.

I hope you're inspired by this story. But inspiration, by itself is not enough. Inspiration fades. Commitment stays. I invite you to take this a step further than inspiration and actually write up a story about all the amazing things that are going to happen to you in 2015.

Yes, that's right, write about your success before it happens. Because your mind hates change, even positive change. By writing the story of your future success, you are preparing your mind for the change that is coming next year.

Here's to an epic 2015!

Let us know what you think!

December 10, 2014 by Sharla Jacobs

Achieve Your Business Vision in 2015 (Part II in a 4-part series)

In last week's blog post, you discovered why it's important to start Visioning now for 2015 and the 3 different ways to increase your impact and income.

But many coaches and holistic practitioners stop there, because they have no idea HOW to achieve their Vision to either raise their rates, attract more clients or have clients stay with them longer.

In today’s article, we’ll focus on the middle strategy of attracting more clients. You're going to discover the 3 vehicles you can use to get more clients...and how to decide which one is best for you to focus on.

This article can help you easily create your marketing plan so you can achieve your business Vision in 2015.

Here is a question I am always asked when I am interviewed on how to get joint venture partners to promote you: "What is the most important question you should ask yourself before you approach any potential JV Partners?"

The answer to this question will not only support you in being successful with JV's; it will also support you to get clear about what to focus on.

(Coincidentally, we’re leading our annual JV Retreat right now, where over 100 industry leaders, many who were once our clients and are now rocking their own communities, come together to connect, mastermind and support each other. If you want to follow this event and see photos of some of your favorite mentors hanging out together, look for the photos on our Facebook page.)

My simple answer is: Get clear on your strategic objective.

Ack! Did that just sound like someone with an MBA?

I know, it sounds a little intimidating, but let's go deeper into this...

By your "strategic objective," I mean that one action you want someone to take that will give them the opportunity to say YES to working with you.

Another way of asking yourself this question is, "What is the ONE action I want someone to take… whenever I have a conversation, get interviewed, speak to a group, etc.?"

In a recent video, I shared the 3 points of conversion, which are the 3 different vehicles where a potential client might say yes to you.

As a coach or holistic practitioner, people will say yes to you during one of these 3 vehicles:

1. Free (or paid) consultation

2. Free teleseminar/webinar

3. Free (or paid) live event, speaking gig or workshop.

When you understand that you need to choose one of these vehicles as your main one, then you just need to consider how to get more people to join you in this vehicle you've chosen.

But how do you choose which one will be your main vehicle where people say YES to you?

We have a simple process for choosing your vehicle. You need to consider these three levels of impact before you decide:

1. The Impact on Your Potential Client

When considering which of these vehicles to focus on, think about the experience your potential client has with you where they get the most transformation.

Where do you feel confident that they will have a turning point moment, where they will mark this moment as a before and after in their life? Where do you feel confident you can shift their paradigm, so they go from believing they can't have what they want, to believing they can?

This is the first step in their healing and empowerment and it should happen while they’re with you during this vehicle you're choosing.

For example, we know that when people attend our Client Attraction Summit, they have a huge shift in believing they can have the success they want in their business.

Some of this paradigm shift comes from the skills they learn during the Summit. And much of it comes from the life-changing experiential exercises.

So we focus on offering the Client Attraction Summit in all of our marketing, because we know this is where that turning point moment happens for so many of our clients.

The vehicle most coaches and holistic practitioners choose is the free consultation. Because they are able to provide massive value, and offer their potential clients an opportunity to have that turning point moment, where they say YES to themselves in a big way.

Now it’s your turn: Which of these is where you have the opportunity to create that turning point moment for your potential clients? Choose one.

1. Free (or paid) consultation

2. Free teleseminar/webinar

3. Free (or paid) live event, speaking gig or workshop.

Now let’s look at the second thing to consider when choosing your vehicle…

2. Impact on You

The second thing to consider when deciding which of these vehicles is to choose the vehicle that has the most impact on you. You want to make sure that the vehicle you choose fits into your personality, your lifestyle and is exciting to you.

You can ask yourself these questions:

What do I love doing the most?

What excites me and lights me up?

Where am I most fulfilled in my interactions with clients?

When you answer these questions, you can look at each of the 3 vehicles and see which one fits most into your answers.

For example, Jesse and I LOVE to dance. We love to be in community. We love speaking, teaching and mentoring. And we love developing transformational exercises that people never forget. It is because of these things we love to do that our vehicle is a live event.

For many coaches and holistic practitioners, they LOVE connecting deeply with one person at a time, so they might choose the vehicle of the free consultation. Others love being in front of groups, so they choose speaking or workshops. And some others prefer to stay at home in their yoga pants, and choose teleseminars or webinars.

Now it’s your turn. Which of the 3 vehicles fit into what you most love to do.

3. Impact on your bank account

The next thing to consider when choosing your vehicle is which one will have the most positive impact on your bank account.

So you want to consider where you are most effective (or can learn how to become highly effective) when it comes to having potential clients saying YES to working with you and are ready to invest and pay you money.

Is this most likely to happen in a one-on-one consultation? A teleseminar or webinar? Or a live event where you're speaking?

We know that for many coaches and holistic practitioners, the idea of asking someone to start working with you is uncomfortable.

Can we offer a paradigm shift here?

It may be surprising for you to know that people actually LIKE to say Yes and LIKE to invest in themselves!

It’s true. At a recent Client Attraction Summit, one of our new members said that signing up for Thrive Academy Platinum was the biggest act of self-love she has ever done as she was smiling from ear to ear.

This is how it feels to people when they commit to go on the journey with you!

So where is this big act of self-love your new clients make (that has a positive impact on your bank account) most likely to happen?

During a consultation with you? A teleseminar or webinar? Or some type of in-person speaking event?

For most coaches and holistic practitioners, it's during the free (or paid) consultation that they will have a huge transformation and say YES to themselves (and to you.)

Many of our $10,000 Month Club Members focus on getting free consultations and offer a package of high-end coaching sessions during the consultations.

After going through these three different levels of impact, it’s probably pretty obvious which of the 3 vehicles is going to be best for you and your business.

Stay tuned for next week’s blog post from Jesse where you’ll discover “How to Make the Internal Shifts Necessary to Achieve Your Vision.”