A valuable tip to remember is that your discovery calls as a coach should not take place. The tendency for a call to go on too long can lead to an actual training session, which is not the purpose of the call. Most health counselors offer a free discovery call for new customers. Why? Because working together is an investment for both parties, and you must determine if you are a good fit for each other.
You're getting to know your potential customer as much as they know you. If it's your first discovery coaching call, it's natural to feel a little overwhelmed and even nervous. As much as you can offer your clients, there's nothing better than feedback to help you and your coaching business grow. And your job as a coach is to bring these fears to light so that people can say, “I'm not ready yet” OR realize that they have what it takes and, happily, they can sign up to work with you (and get the result they want).
In the questionnaire, you can ask them about their income (if your training is an expensive investment, they should be able to afford it without breaking the bank) or what their expectations are. You can read more about sales funnels here and here, but they're basically a way to foster your relationships with potential customers through an email marketing campaign, so that when they're ready to hire a health coach, you're the one they call. I will never use tactics that pressure people to buy from me, and that's especially true when it comes to offers such as training and consulting. In reality, it's about assuming your role as a coach and guiding people to take the next step that's right for them.
Coaching is an intimate experience and I want to make sure that the person I'm talking to understands it because otherwise it will be difficult to work together. The reason you want to do this is to get them involved both emotionally and financially when they buy you a session or a health counseling package. When a client doesn't hire you, as a coach, that's when you have to leave behind your ego and put the needs of your clients first. Stephanie has a seven-step process that she recommends to all her coaching clients so that they can take advantage of their discovery calls and book more clients.
And if you're wondering how coaching clients pay after a discovery call, I usually recommend Stripe or PayPal as a payment tool. To be at the top of your coaching call, always prepare yourself with objectives and be honest with your clients. But you also ask them this so you can see how committed they are and they don't expect you to do the work for them (which you shouldn't do because they're hiring you as a coach, not as a freelancer). Sales calls can be fun if you see yourself as the expert who advises someone who WANTS the results with which you can help them make that investment or not.
