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

September 9, 2015 by Sharla Jacobs

How to Go From Lost Client to Loyal Client

It was 2003, when I first started my coaching and acupuncture practice...before Jesse and I started Thrive Academy.

I'm at a local networking event and I’m feeling pretty anxious about getting some new clients because the amount of money I was making wasn't even covering my bills.

I start talking to a woman who asks me what I do. I tell her I’m a licensed acupuncturist and she starts “leaning in." (You know that feeling when someone seems genuinely interested?)

Then she asks me, “How much do you charge?”

And everything comes to a screeching halt...

I sort of stand there like a deer caught in the headlights and then blurt out, “$60/session.”

I can tell she senses my awkwardness and just like that, it's all over...

No more leaning in and the connection we had begun to build is instantly gone.

She asks for my business card and hands me hers and then she walks away and, of course, I never hear from her again.

If you’re a coach or holistic practitioner and you’ve ever gone to a networking event, I bet this has happened to you at least once or twice.

After so many years of trial and error in our own businesses, Jesse and I have since taught over 25,000 coaches and practitioners how to gracefully transition from the potential of a lost client into an opportunity for a loyal client.

First of all, you should know that when this happens it’s actually a REALLY good sign. It’s likely they’re a good potential new client and interested in what you have to offer them. But if you handle the conversation poorly, you’ll lose them.

What’s the solution?

#1 Look for the Match

At the Client Attraction Summit we teach our signature system called, Heartselling™, which allows you to have an authentic conversation with a potential client that has them asking to work with you, rather than “hard-selling” them into a “yes”.

Taking the time to find out what they’re looking for is key to this successful approach. But when they ask, “How much do you charge?” before you’ve had the chance to see if you’re really a match, it can be awkward.

They don’t have all the information they need to make a decision…and you don’t want them making their decision solely on price.

The problem is that if you answer the question right away there isn’t any context for them to hear an answer that makes sense to their needs.

This is especially true for businesses that provide several offers or options for their services.

You have no basis for an answer and the potential client has no basis to make a decision.

If the person is just bargain shopping they’re not going to be a good client for you anyway, right?

However, this doesn’t mean the person CAN’T be a good client.

But if you answer their question about price right away, you may never know.

#2 Here’s how to go from lost client to loyal client

When you get this question too early in the conversation, here is what you can say: “It depends. I find that different people require different levels of support, so I’d like to discover a little bit more about what you’re looking for, so I can make the best recommendation.”

And then you schedule a free or low-cost consultation with them in which you can talk with them more deeply about what they’re looking for, where they are now and what’s missing for them in their life (or business or whatever is relevant to the service you provide).

You then share with them how you can help them, and make a recommendation based on your experience.

This is where the graceful transition from lost client to loyal client comes in.

With this approach you are able to find out if it’s a match for you and this potential client to work together. You’ll have ample time (and their full attention because they’ve committed to a session with you) to explain how you can help them, so that once they hear the price they can make an informed decision – one that is much more likely to be a “YES.”

#3 Now it’s your turn...

Can you see yourself answering a potential client in this way? How does it feel when you say these words?

It might feel awkward or evasive at first, but remember, you are simply opening the door for a more in depth conversation so that you can truly discover whether or not you can help this person.

Here are a few recommended action steps if you’re ready to give this a try...

1. Pick an upcoming networking event and circle it on your calendar

2. Practice saying the answer I’ve provided above out loud until you are completely comfortable with it

3. Role play this scenario with a mentor, buddy coach, or friend

4. As you’re getting ready to attend the event, release any attachment to the outcome. You don’t want to feel anxious or needy before you even walk in the door!

5. Relax and have the intention of being of service

Post a question or comment below to stay in community and share your experiences.

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.

August 5, 2015 by Sharla Jacobs

How to Get Great Testimonials

Way back when we were planning for our wedding, we checked out an endless amount of photographers, videographers, florists, caterers, and every other possible type of vendor associated with “The Big Day”.

What really helped me (Sharla) make decisions and often took some vendors out of the running, was testimonials. If a vendor didn’t have them, I almost always eliminated them in my mind.

This was such an important event and I didn’t want to take the risk of using a photographer who couldn’t even show me samples of her work or testimonials from happy clients.

The same is probably true for many of your potential clients. Yet, most coaches and holistic practitioners don’t know how to get great testimonials that make selling your products and programs and enrolling clients a breeze.

Testimonials are an essential part of your promotional materials. Without them, your potential clients are just ‘taking your word for it’ and taking a risk with their time and money.

Testimonials provide “Social Proof” to your potential clients by letting them know that other people have benefited from working with you; so they might benefit too.

The great thing about testimonials is: they can do the selling for you.

Maybe due to the legal constraints of your industry (check with your state board to be sure about legal limitations) you can’t make a bold claim like “I can cure your allergies” or “I’ll eliminate your back pain in just 10 visits.” For example, as an acupuncturist, you can’t claim that you can cure pain. But one of your clients can say “After my first visit, my pain was reduced by 50% and after 10 sessions I am completely pain-free.”

And, if you feel shy at all about tooting your own horn, you can share stories (aka testimonials) of what your clients have received and make a great impression.

Most coaches and holistic practitioners don’t know how to get great testimonials that make selling easy. I decided to share 5 of my favorite tips with you here:

1. Ask

My first tip is: “Ask.” It’s that simple.

When your clients sing your praises after a great appointment, do you ask them for their permission to use their comments as a testimonial? How about after they worked with you for a period of time?

It can be this simple: “I’m working on some new marketing materials about this work we’ve been doing together. Would you be willing to share about the benefits you’ve received from our work together to help other people who are thinking about it discover what they can get from it?”

2. Make it Easy For Them

Recently, I was revamping our program brochure so I used Tip #1 and started asking our clients for updated testimonials. Instead of just asking, I made it easy for each of them by creating a sample for them to edit.

Here is an example of a testimonial I wrote for one of our star clients, PJ Van Hulle, for our Six Figure Speaker Program. Because I know PJ well, I created it using language I thought would fit her and then invited her to edit so it fit her voice.

“I had dreamed of being a trainer for 5 years, but I had no idea how to do it as a business successfully. Then I met Jesse and Sharla and a huge door opened for me. In just 6 months I have created a successful training company AND repaid my investment in the Six Figure Speaker program...earning $52,000 in one weekend seminar. And more importantly, I am showing up for my students and creating miracles in their lives.!" -PJ Van Hulle

She sent it back to me within hours and I added it to the new brochure. Had I asked PJ to write it for me, it might have taken weeks for her to get to it.

3. Use 2 Levels

If your potential clients hear only from your superstar clients, they might feel a little skeptical. But if they also hear from someone who got good or decent results, it makes it much more believable.

For example, we’ve gotten several testimonials from attendees of our Client Attraction Summit whose income quickly surged to 6-figures AND we have testimonials of clients who were thrilled to have made more than $1,000 in one hour.

Do you see how the smaller number makes the results more believable? If all of your testimonials say “In one session, I got X, Y and Z and my life has changed forever,” your potential clients might feel skeptical. Ask yourself, “What seems realistic?” And then ask those clients for testimonials too.

4. Use “Before and After”

Diet products have been using “Before and After” testimonials forever. It gives us a clear picture that “This Stuff Works!”

Here’s a template for you to use:

Before I worked with (YOUR NAME) I had ____ and ____ for ___ years. After ___ sessions/treatments/weeks I no longer have ______ and I feel _________(great/fabulous/better than ever.)

Read before and after examples here.

5. Tell a Great Story

Everyone loves a great story. It’s why we go to the movies, read books and participate in the drama of our own lives. We learn by storytelling in a subtle, yet very effective way. So let your clients’ testimonials tell a story. It creates connection and makes it easy for potential clients to relate.

What can your potential client do now that they couldn’t do before working with you? Pick up their grandchildren? Spend time gardening? Enjoy the sunshine? This emotional connection in your testimonials sells for you PLUS it’s fun to share stories.

Lastly, make sure to get explicit permission from your clients who provide testimonials and I recommend acknowledging them with a thank you card for taking the time to share their story so others may benefit from your work, just like they have.

Now it’s your turn to ask your clients for great testimonials!

Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.

July 21, 2015 by Jesse Koren

3 Secrets for Moving Forward Even When You Don’t Feel Ready...

Do you ever feel like you’re just not ready?

To get your first client. To lead your first workshop. To write your book or Home Study Course. To fill a High End Group Program. To have your first $10,000 month...

If you don’t feel ready, you’re not alone. Whenever you are considering growing to the next level, it’s so easy to feel like you’re not ready.

Because if you were ready, wouldn’t you already be where you wanted to be?

Over the last 13 years Sharla and I (Jesse) have often struggled with feelings of “I’m not ready” or “I’m not prepared.”

Fortunately we didn’t let that feeling stop us from reaching our people. Along the way we’ve discovered some strategies that have helped us when we didn’t feel ready.

Strategies that have allowed us to continue to up our game and help over 50,000 people worldwide.

After working with thousands of gifted Coaches and Holistic Practitioners, we’ve discovered that two things are almost universally true:

You want to help more people and make more money.
Even though you want this badly, you don’t feel totally, 100% ready.

Everyone has ways of coping with their feelings of not being ready. But some strategies work better than others.

Here are some strategies that don’t work so well:

Raiding the refrigerator (substitute your addiction of choice)
Zoning out in front of your computer or tv
Getting a ton of certifications to prove that you are ready. (Sometimes, our clients with the highest credentials have felt the least ready.)

What can you do instead? Here are my 3 secrets for moving forward even when you don’t feel ready...

Secret #1: Commit Now (and trust you’ll be ready when the time comes)

We are about to set our schedule for our 2016 events. Am I ready for next year’s events? Hell, no. But, I do know that once I commit to the dates, the Universe then goes to work to prepare me for each event. I will get the magical blend of support and challenge that will help me be of the greatest service to the people who attend each event.

Let’s take this premise a step further. Recently, the night before a big Client Attraction Summit, one of our team members asked me if I was ready for the event. “No, I’m not ready,” I said. She looked a little concerned. “But I will be ready tomorrow morning at 9am.” As soon as I said that, I felt a rush of excitement shoot through me, as I mentally prepared to greet a couple hundred people from all over the US (and some from other countries) who were coming to take their life and business to the next level.

And ready I was.

This has happened enough times that I have come to realize that if I commit to something, I will be ready by the time it happens.

So, expect to NOT be ready at the time you commit... but expect to be ready by the time you get there. And, if what you’re committed to feels like a BIG leap, get ready for a powerful, growth-filled ride that will perfectly prepare you for what you’re leaping into.

Secret #2: Use breath and mantras to get ready

About 7 years ago, I was asked to be a guest speaker at a very large seminar, by far the largest group of people I had ever spoken in front of. I did not feel ready. No matter how much I practiced what I was going to say, I still didn’t feel ready. But, I had to show up and trust that I would be ready by the time I walked on stage, right?

The problem was that I wasn’t speaking until right before lunch, so I had to sit in the audience and wait for my turn to speak. Sweat is pouring out of every pore in my body and all I can think is: “I’m not ready for this. What if this time I really f*#% it up?”

So, I started saying to myself: “I love you no matter how this goes. I love you no matter how this goes. I love you no matter how this goes.” As my time for speaking approached, I was starting to feel a bit safer and a bit calmer.

But then, I discovered that my speaking slot had been moved until after lunch. My gremlins came back even louder than before. “You are definitely going to f&*% this up!”

So, I started another mantra: “Thy Will be Done.” I love this mantra, because it reminds me that there is an Intelligence in this Universe that goes WAY beyond my intelligence and the way I think things should go. After all, my heart beats, my breath goes in and out, flowers bloom, forests grow, and the Earth orbits around the sun... all, without my managing any of it.

By repeating the mantra “Thy Will Be Done,” I handed over control of how the event went to this benevolent intelligence.

Obviously, this Benevolent Intelligence wanted me to stew in my thoughts some more, because my speaking slot got moved AGAIN. So, I started another mantra. And another.

By the time, I finally spoke at about 5:30 in the evening, I had worked through my biggest fears. Without my fears sabotaging me, I delivered an incredible 20-minute talk and was mobbed by people afterward who wanted to get into the Client Attraction Summit. So that happened.

Secret #3: Find Someone Who Believes in You (and let them support you)

There was a time when I really didn’t believe in myself. I was 23. I had flown out to North Carolina to interview for a Wilderness Therapy Counselor position for at risk teens. The interview was a 24-hour interview, where I joined a group of 10 teenagers and their two counselors to experience life at camp. I envisioned a bunch of teens happily working together in the woods and sharing meals together.

Instead, it was the longest 24 hours of my life.

At 10pm, the group was still yelling swear words that echoed across the forest. So, the group counselors took the boys on a walk through the dark woods to settle them down. At 11pm, the boys were still hooting and hollering and saying some of the most disrespectful things I had ever heard. Eventually, Patrick physically restrained one of the boys who was out of control, and held him on the ground until he calmed down. Eventually the group calmed down enough to walk back to their tents and go to sleep.

As I lay awake that night, I knew I wasn’t ready for anything this. I was totally out of my league.

The next morning, I met with the Camp Director, Rhonda, for my final interview. “Everyone loves you here,” she said. I’d like to offer you the position.”

I was stunned. Exhausted. Constipated. And I felt like a deer in the headlights.

“Do you really think I can do this?” I asked.

“Yes, I do,” she said. “And we’re here to support you.”

I looked in her eyes and I knew that she meant it.

I knew that if I said “Yes” it was going to be really, really hard. And I knew that if I said “no” I would be selling out on the leader I so badly wanted to grow into.

I said “yes.”

Over those two years, I doubted myself a ton. There were days when swerving into oncoming traffic seemed easier than showing up for work. But, when it got really rough, I often thought about that day, sitting in Rhonda’s office where she told me that she believed in me. And I leaned into her support and the support of my co-counselors.

When I finally “graduated”, after the 2 years, I had an unshakable confidence in myself. I knew that if I could survive 2 years at that camp, that I could do anything.

This confidence has fueled our success at Thrive. Because I know that there is nothing that Sharla and I can’t fulfill on in our business and with the help of our team. And, I also know that you too, can do anything.

It takes having a community of people supporting you and believing in you, to have the success you want.

Hopefully, you have a LOT of people who believe in you, who are supporting your business and who are rooting for your success.

And, this is one of the biggest gifts we offer at our Client Attraction Summit. Our belief that you can have a successful business where you get paid well to support clients you love.

And, we would love to give you 3 Full Days of our undivided attention and support, to help you get there. This is why we occasionally open Full Scholarships to the Client Attraction Summit.

If you haven’t applied for yours, we invite you to do so now.

Click here to apply for Your Full Scholarship.

We’d love to support you.

Love and Prosperity,

Jesse

Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.