Many clients ask me if they should be offering FREE consultations. They feel torn between not wanting to offer their services for free and wanting a way to bring on new clients. They don’t want to waste their time and energy on talking to people who may never hire them (which is what’s happening most of the time).
I understand this — none of us want to waste our time.
The first tip I want to offer is this: It is imperative that you are clear about your message and your offerings BEFORE you offer a free consultation.
Without 100 percent clarity on what you are offering, it will make enrolling a client very difficult for you. So please make sure you know what you are offering, before you offer the free consultation.
The second tip I want to offer is this: There is a way to avoid giving away your expertise for FREE to people who will never hire you by setting up a system to talk to only the most qualified leads.
For my own business I have set up an application process for my free sessions, which involves a comprehensive questionnaire. This way I can pick and choose the people I really want to talk to. When I work with my clients, I help them set this up for their business.
The third tip I want to offer is this: Your mindset during your free consultation can make or break whether you enroll the potential client.
Let’s explore this mindset and the strategies that will guide you…
There is a saying that I really love:
“People don’t care about what you know until they know that you care!”
1. So the first thing I focus on during a free consultation with a new potential client is to convey that I care about them. My entire attention is on them, and not on me. I promise you that the more you place your attention on your potential client, the easier the process of enrolling them is going to be for you.
2. The next thing that is important to put into practice during a free call or consult is that your conversation is not about getting the sale. Rather, it’s about exploring whether there’s a match between your potential client’s current needs and what you are offering. If there is a match then, and only then, can you use an enrollment strategy (when I work with people more closely, I help them set this up). Tip: The less pressure you put on yourself and on your prospect for there to be a match, the more likely the exploration during the consultation will result in a match.
3. In your conversation, you want to put an emphasis on keeping a strong connection with your prospective client. Be aware that a connection is often broken when the person feels sold to, or they feel they like they are being convinced or manipulated. Tip: If you feel a loss of connection, it’s important to do what you can to reconnect with your prospect. One thing you can do is “name it.” For example, you can say something like: “I notice that you aren’t as present as you were when we started this call. So what’s happening for you?” What usually happens for me when I do that is that the person I’m speaking to shares something that is bothering or triggering them. This in itself can be a moment of reconnection.
4. As you have your conversation, I recommend that you acknowledge the person you are speaking to as much as possible. Mirror back as much as you can. Let the person you are speaking to really know you are hearing them. When you are excited for them, let them know it. When you are connected with their frustration, let them know it. When you are connected with their dreams and desires, let them know it.
5. When there is a match, it is “magical”. If there is not a match, don’t worry about it. Keep in mind that one reason the match may not be happening is that your offering is not what your client truly wants and needs. It’s important however that you point them in the right direction so they can find what they need.
A few months ago I offered a FREE coaching session over the phone to prospective clients. I had eight people sign up for the free session, and then six of them signed up for my Business Bootcamp. That’s a 75 percent enrollment rate!
Now that I have mastered this, I have created a system so that people can book their complimentary sessions with me while I sleep and my only goal when I network is to see if people are a match and if I should invite them to talk with me one-on-one.
By putting a few simple practices in place, you can have that too.
Try this the next time you offer a FREE consultation:
Think less about yourself and what’s in it for you (like landing a client for example) and place much more attention on your prospective client and what’s in it for them.
Love & respect,
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“Christine Lewicki is a Certified Business Coach, Speaker,Trainer, Published BestSelling Author and MasterMind Group Facilitator. She is committed to help Entrepreneurs claim their expertise and live extraordinary lives. Subscribe to the O Coaching Newsletter published Monthly filled with tools, tips, and advice to help you feel like a Ferrari on the Entrepreneurial Dirt Road. To sign up for your subscription visit O Coaching Inc.
Tags: business, Business Strategies, Enrolling Clients, FREE Consultations, Prospective Clients, Tips & Strategies
