You’re not going to get very far as a coach if you can’t first persuade people to hire you. Then, once you do get people to hire you, you have to persuade them to take action even when they couldn’t before.
Some people seem to be more persuasive than others. What’s their secret? The first “secret” is that you can fairly easily become more persuasive— both to convince people to hire you in the first place and convince them to take action after they hire you.
Many of your clients will be very familiar with the coaching process already. Some of them will have hired coaches in the past with varying results. Your goal, of course, is to stand out as the best of the best. That means being able to motivate and persuade people to take action in new and exciting ways.
The Timing of Persuasion
You’re going to do some work upfront to make sure your client is ready to be persuaded. You can’t jump right in and try to persuade them to work harder or to try a totally new strategy if they aren’t ready to hear that yet. You have to find the right timing… and learn how to encourage that timing along.
They Need to Trust You
If you’re going to persuade people to action, they need to trust you first. They have to know that you have their best interests at heart. That’s why it’s so important to get to know them first and to share of yourself. Let them feel like you’ve been through everything they’ve been through.
Stay Consistent
As a coach, you need to stay consistent. They have to know what to expect from you. If they know they can get away with not checking in with you, not following through, and not doing anything at all, they will. Stay true to your message that daily action leads to results.
You’ll be more persuasive if you’re consistent. Stay on top of your message. Better yet, stay true to it yourself. It’s easier to tell someone else to do something than it is to do it yourself. Practice what you preach and you’ll be much more persuasive as a result.
Don’t Assume Anything
This is especially true when you’re trying to get coaching clients in the first place. Don’t assume that they can’t afford you or don’t want you. Don’t assume that you have to charge a really small amount for your services. Don’t assume anything. Research your market and present your offer— persuade people based on what you’re worth and the fact that no one else can offer what you can.
Remember, you are not your market, you do not make the purchasing decisions for someone else. Maybe you wouldn’t pay top dollar for a top coach (or maybe you would), your concern should be giving enough value to your clients so that those who truly need and appreciate you will consider your rates to be money well spent.
Pay Attention to Your Energy
Have you ever noticed that being around certain people seems to drain you of energy? You can’t stand to be around them after a while because it just takes everything out of you. These people tend to be the complainers.
If you have bad energy, you’re going to have a hard time persuading people. You can’t be negative and down in the dumps and expect people to hire you. Even if they do hire you, you can’t then expect them to follow through with what you say.
You’re going to have good days and bad days. But, you have to be in a good enough place in your own business and energy that you can pass that good energy on to others. They can sense when you’re down and when you’re “on.” You’ll be much more persuasive if you have good energy.
Pay Attention to What’s Important To Your Client
If you follow through with nothing else in this section, follow through with this one. You have to pay attention to what’s important to your client. What really drives them? Figure that out and you’ll be much more persuasive.
There are many reasons to become better at persuading clients and potential clients. Put some of your energy and resources into mastering this so you can be more effective.
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