by Jesse Koren and Sharla Jacobs
A lot of coaches, practitioners and entrepreneurs give free sessions with the hope of getting clients. That's what I (Sharla) did when I first started building my life coaching practice. (But this is such a big mistake!)
This was my process:
- Offer a free session (so that they could experience my work)
- Dazzle them with how much value they could get
- Invite them to sign up for a package with me
At one point, I gave 20 free sessions in a row without getting one client. Everyone raved about how much value they got from my sessions. I just couldn't understand why they weren't signing up for more!
So I invested more in my own business education (through teleseminars, CD-sets, and seminars) and discovered why free sessions don't work. I also learned a whole bunch of strategies that do work - some of which we share here so you can stop wasting time and start gaining clients!
Why Free Sessions DON'T work...
When you provide a FREE SESSION, and most likely, end up giving away too much, your clients need to digest what they've been given, and are no longer hungry to do further work with you.
Making an offer to continue working with you AFTER a free session is kind of like the server who comes over to your table after you've just had a HUGE meal and asks, "Would you care for dessert?" The response? "Sorry, I'm full!"
So, if Free Sessions DON'T work, how do you get lots of clients fast?
If you want a lot of clients fast, you still want to be generous. But instead of giving away free sessions, give away free consultations.
What's the difference between a Free Session and a Free Consultation?
In a free session you may ask them what their biggest problem or challenge is and you actually begin to help them solve or relieve it.
In a free consultation, you do not solve their problem! You ask them a series of questions that are designed to help them see their problem clearly and discover what they want instead.
Then you can share how you can help them solve or relieve their problem over the course of a 3 or 6 month package.
And, if you do your free consultation right, about half of the people will sign up for a package of your services.
So how do you do your Free Consultation "right?"
Check in with us next month and we'll tell you more about this!
Meanwhile, let us know if you commit to stop doing free sessions and start offering free consultations:
