Hey healthy lady!
In this blog post I’m going to walk you through — top to bottom — how to sell your health coaching services, and convert coaching prospects into paying clients with more confidence, heart and soul (and not an ounce of sleaziness or ‘ickiness’ in sight).
Because I know for a FACT that most of us - OK, all of us! - didn’t get into coaching because we’re passionate about sales. We got into coaching because we’re passionate about helping others, creating something meaningful, and doing work we love.
But the fact is, without clients, you do not have a business.
And without clients, you are helping nobody.
None of us became Health Coaches to get into Sales — but without a sale, there is no client, and therefore no business.
So it is essential that we learn effective, doable strategies for selling our services if we are to succeed.
In this blog post, I’m going to talk through the exact sales process I teach my clients.
We’ll look at the psychology of selling, then reframe your mindset so that it’s something you embrace instead of dread — and something you feel GOOD about doing.
We’re going to talk about Discovery Sessions, and how they differ from the more traditional Health Histories (which your health coaching certification may have taught you variations of).
Then we’ll look at what you can do before and after your Discovery Sessions to maximise the results — plus we’ll touch on how to overcome the most common objections you will encounter on a call.
PLUS I will give you my ‘7 Step Simple Sales Script’ which is an exact step-by-step guide to powerful Discovery Sessions that convert!
So… let’s dive in!
PART 1: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SELLING
Is fear holding you back from making sales and getting clients?
One of the biggest reasons that I see new coaches not getting clients is that they are fearful of being salesy or slimy — and they are scared of asking people to work with them.
The truth is: You absolutely have to ask someone if they would like to book a Discovery Session and explore working with you. Understanding this is critical — you HAVE to “ask for the dance”.
(People oftentimes don’t even know how to ask or approach you).
But the good news is that when you do start to ask… when you put yourself out there and ask consistently… you will get people wanting to do Discovery Sessions with you.
I think as new coaches it's very normal to be fearful — we can be shy, or we can be a little bit embarrassed or fearful to ask for money. Not many of us are used to working for ourselves before we get into a profession like this!!
Selling your program as a health coach is scary to start with because the honest truth is you're actually now selling yourself!
You're not necessarily swapping money for a product, or you're not necessarily getting a salary anymore — which are the ways that we're used to exchanging money.
Yes, we have a health coaching program, but we realise as we step out to sell ourselves and our coaching services that really we're selling us. That's scary.
But you need to overcome that fear — and changing your mindset around sales is one way to do that.
How to shift your mindset around selling and promotion
Over the years, I've learnt to view promotion or sales calls as a healing conversation — and see selling as helping.
If you can really grasp that you're offering someone a healing conversation — and a potential for them to change their life if they explore the opportunity with you — you'll be confidently asking for the dance in no time, and your fear of rejection will dissipate (or even disappear!).
Remember that nobody can be helped by your coaching program if you don't tell them about it.
Nobody can be helped by your coaching if they don't even know you exist!! You DO have to speak up, and be seen, and be heard, in order to be of service.
And remember too people are in pain, and they do want your help.
Having that at the back of your mind when you're “asking for the dance” — or asking if people would like to work with you — can really, really help.
Know that what you have to offer is of the highest value to someone who's in pain in an area of their health.
Know that by holding back from mentioning your program, someone may remain in pain unnecessarily.
The beauty of a soulful sales conversation is the possibility that opens up when a client is presented with an opportunity for change, for healing, and an opportunity for transformation.
If I was struggling with an area of my health and a friend had a solution, I would certainly want to hear about it. Wouldn't you?
Most people do not have the education and knowledge that you do. So in a sense, it is almost selfish of us to not speak up, not share that knowledge, and not ask for the dance.
Don’t take ‘no’ personally
Part of mastering soulful selling is being okay with getting a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ — and not taking it personally!
Just because ONE person says no, doesn't mean that everybody's going to say no.
You’ve just gotta find the right people who value your offering — and the only way you're going to find your people is to get out there! There is no other way.
To get four clients in a month, you probably need to do ten discovery sessions, at least — which means that we can expect around four out of ten people to say yes. With that in mind, I suggest getting in the habit of looking at every ‘no’ as a sign you're getting closer to your ‘yes’. :)
“Ask for the dance” everywhere!
Share the benefits of your program, and then confidently ask people if they would like to meet for a complimentary discovery session to explore whether your program is the right fit for them.
Really challenge yourself, here, and do not hide anymore…
You are sitting on a wonderful health coaching program which can truly create transformation in someone else's life, but you need to ask for the dance in order to help them.
It doesn't happen the other way around.
Start offline first and tell EVERYONE what you do!
There is a perception that it's going to be really easy to get clients online — but I highly recommend mastering the art of getting clients offline first.
For example, by asking for the dance in your inner circles and people you know.
Because it is these foundational sales skills which are going to translate online. It's near impossible to get clients online if you don't first master the art of getting clients offline.
This is why some people can go online and their businesses will take off immediately. It's not just luck, or that they put a Facebook ad up. It's because they understand what they're doing.
Plus, we don't always see that work and time that's gone on behind the scenes!
PART 2: THE BASICS OF DISCOVERY SESSIONS
What is a Discovery Session?
A Discovery Session is the term that I use for the call that comes before someone signed up into your program. It’s a sales call. But it’s a soulful one.
This call is the “gateway” to selling your coaching program(s) — and it is the stepping stone between someone expressing interest in working with you, to actually signing up for your program.
A Discovery Session is also just that…discovery! It's an opportunity to discover whether you and your potential client are the right fit for each other.
How is it different from what I learned in my Health Coaching School?
A lot of coaching schools teach you to give ‘Health Histories’ — or variations of that.
While some of the scripts that you might have learned for these sessions include useful questions to get to know more about your clients — I have found that those scripts aren’t set up to help a potential client make a life-changing decision or significant investment.
It's really not that helpful — when someone is looking to invest their time, money, energy and trust — to be talking about things like “What was your mum's health?” or “What did you eat for breakfast?”
These questions are not going to help someone discover if your coaching program is the solution to their pain-point.
What happens in a Discovery Session?
A Discovery Session is a healing session.
It is not a coaching session, per se, but a sacred space to allow someone to discover (and invite them to see) if they would like to take action on an area of their life that they are in pain on.
If someone is in pain and you have a solution, then who are you not to offer that solution to them? You have these tools ladies. You have the power to help these people. And a Discovery Session is for you to hold that space energetically for them to discover if they would like to make strides towards getting the outcome they desire, through your coaching program.
How long is a Discovery Session?
A Discovery Call will be around 30 - 60 minutes.
I personally always allow an hour — and I schedule at least 30 minutes between Discovery Sessions — because these can become quite deep calls, and sometimes you're going to need to stay with the client and help her discover what is true for her.
There's nothing worse than having to dash off, or run out of time, or hurry the client. You are here on this call to be of service, number one, no matter what.
Detach from the outcome + let go of the lack mentality:
There should be no attachment, no thought about whether you're making money from this client or not, in a Discovery Session.
Turn up in a place of surrender and a place of complete service, willing to discover if you’re right for this person and if your client is ready to take that step forwards.
“There is no lack of clients in this world + there is no lack of money.” These two lines almost need to be tattooed on the arm of every coach!!
Say this mantra a hundred times before your Discovery Sessions to make sure that you are detached before a session. There are plenty of clients. You don’t have to win this one.
No matter how much you might want the client, trust that the universe has your back and the universe will send you the perfect clients for you that you are meant to work with.
If this is not one of them, the others will come.
Don’t coach in a Discovery Session
We're going to go through the process of the discovery session later in this post, but you will see that it is — at its heart — about helping someone get honest.
Not many of us stop and get honest about where we're at, and what is going on in our life — and that's what we want to do with a client. Help them discover their truth.
If you ‘coach’ during a discovery session, a client is more likely to say, "Well, you know what, I'm actually feeling good. Let me take away what you told me today and I'll get back to you."
By filling their cup with tools, connection, joy and support in your Discovery Session — it is very unlikely that they're going to say, "I'd like to sign up for a package… " because, in that moment, they would feel wonderful! They would feel healed.
Two weeks later, when the shine wears off and they fall back down (because of course, one session was never going to be enough coaching to really create transformation) they'll fall back down low, beating themselves up — and you will be the last person they think to call.
Not because there was anything wrong with your session, but because they feel they've done that now — and look where they are again. So, they'll start looking for someone else. Another coach, and another solution.
By coaching during a Discovery Call, you’re essentially robbing prospective clients of their results.
PART 3: USE YOUR SIMPLE SALES SCRIPT FOR SOULFUL SALES
Once you’ve read this blog post, be sure to download my ’Simple Sales Script’ for Health Coaches, which you can download here.
Inside this document is the exact step-by-step process that you are going to go through for each Discovery Session.
Every conversation between a Health Coach and her perspective client is sacred and unique…
Therefore there is no one magical script that is going to convert every single person you talk to into a paying client!
But when you’re first starting out, worrying about what to say on a Sales Call can be one of the biggest barriers and stressors for coaches. For that reason I pulled together this structure.
Over time, I encourage you to follow the “essence“ of each step rather than worrying about saying the exact right words or phrases. It’s the journey you’re taking a client on that matters.
Tip: Practice makes perfect!
The key to mastering this simple sales script is to practice, practice, practice.
Practice with family, with friends — even start to look at your first Discovery Sessions as practice. Don't put too much pressure on them being perfect.
The real and only way that you'll master the script is to really get familiar with it, and to understand the anatomy of it and the different pieces and why you're doing it.
PART 4: HOW TO PREPARE FOR A DISCOVERY SESSION
A Discovery Session is allll about the client, so you don't want to bring any “baggage” to the call. For example, if you've just had an argument with your husband, or the kids have been stressing you out, that's not really the energy you want to come to the call carrying.
Instead, you want to come clean, clear, relaxed and ready to serve. With no attachment to the outcome. Your business needs at this stage should not enter the call in any way.
It's not that in business your needs don't come in, of course — but when you're actually present on the call that should not be part of the equation.
What is most important is that you are really present and ready to listen to what the client brings to the call — so that together, the two of you can make a clear decision on whether your program is right for them.
Make it a sacred meeting.
Surrender, know and trust that if this is the right client that's been sent to you — they will convert to a client. And if they're not meant to be a client, know and trust that you would get a really good indication of that on this call.
Have a great call. Be of service. Enjoy connecting with a potential client, but come to the call with no attachment. :)
Pre-session questionnaires:
You can do a pre-call questionnaire if you so choose. (And you could send similar questions to those you will ask in the Discovery Session — get these from the Simple Sales Script — so that they are already starting to think about their responses.)
However, it is 100% optional, and I would NOT encourage you to do a pre-call questionnaire if you're just starting out — not until you get to the stage where you are so full with Discovery Sessions that you might need to start looking at applications for calls.
It's not a detail that I want anyone to get bogged down in!! And in general, it's just not needed.
Practical Preparations Before a Discovery Session:
These are the key ‘business’ pieces — the ‘nitty-gritty’ things to prep for your Discovery Session.
Take time before the call to study your Sales Script.
Review your ideal client checklist before the call. (To create this just answer the question: Who is my ideal client? Journal on it and take some notes). If they're not a great client for you — or you can't help them — then you shouldn't be taking them on. You can't always know that before taking on a client, but having that checklist with you is going to really help! :)
Make sure you've got your program details with you before the call — so you can share it with the prospective client smoothly and easily. eg: "I offer a 6-month health coaching program. We have 2 calls a month. The calls are 45 minutes. You also get email support."
Pre-Discovery Session Checklist:
Confirm the Discovery Session time ahead of the call
Make sure the client has your Skype details or telephone number
Make sure the client knows whether you’re calling them, or they’re calling you
Ensure that you have a quiet space to do the call
Have a pen and paper with you to take notes
Have your ‘Simple Sales Script’ in front of you
Have a glass of water on hand
Have your ‘ideal client checklist’ beside you (to create this, simply jot down some qualities and features of the kind of client you would love to work with).
Have your program info in front of you
Energetic Preparations Before a Discovery Session:
We’ve talked about the practical preparation, but what about you as the coach?
There’s a quote that springs to mind here: “The wellness of you is what creates the wellness of your business.“
Your energy, your self-care, your inner-beliefs, all of these things create your success — and if there's ever a really, really important time to really get into a calm, grounded, open state — it is before a Discovery Session.
Find a ritual that works for you. That might be for some of you putting on your favourite song and dancing it out to get rid of any expectations, attachment to the outcome, and drop it all.
It might be meditation, taking a shower, or going for a run…
Getting to know yourself as a coach is so important in this way. What is that gets you in your highest self? What is it that gets you in your 5K a month woman? Do whatever it takes for you to fully neutralise your energy and come into your heart before the call.
Summary:
It is important to prepare physically, mentally and energetically for a Discovery Session.
We've covered both elements here. The masculine pieces: questionnaires, emails, being prepared, practising, your ideal client checklist, studying the scripts…
And then the feminine pieces: the ritual, the clearing of energy, remembering you don't have to be perfect to turn up to these calls, just really opening and surrendering.
Do what you need to prepare and then let go and trust, you've already done the preparation. It might be even lighting a candle for example. These are great things to do before a coaching call as well.
From that beautifully prepared place before every Discovery Session — you can then step up into the professional coach that you are, onto the call, and discover with the client if your program is right for them.
PART 5: HOW TO OVERCOME COMMON OBJECTIONS
Not all Discovery Sessions end with an easy ‘yes!' — and we do go over this in more detail in my paid programs — but I want to touch on how to overcome the key objections that might come up during your call so that you know how to handle them… )
The top 3 objections tend to be:
I can't afford it.
I need to speak to my husband.
I need to think about it.
Here are my TOP TIPS to overcome each:
I can’t afford it:
“I can't afford it” is generally code for “I haven't been convinced”...
So start asking: “Can I ask you is it that you don't have the money at all — or that you don't' have the money for this?”
In general, I would remember that they probably haven't been convinced of the value — and some people genuinely think they don’t have money, but they actually do when you ask them.
Most people, for example, do have a credit card and when you say to them, "Are you open to exploring the money?" They will say sometimes say yes…
And then you say, "Okay, do you have any money anywhere?"
Nine times out of ten people will say, "Well I do have it in savings." Or, "I do have a credit card." Which then brings out their “BUT”…
"I do have it. But I'm not convinced. But I'm scared that I won't take action. But…”
Sometimes it just requires you to be confident enough (and this is where your own wealth consciousness will help you be more at ease in talking about money) to ask someone, "Do you want to explore that piece around your money?"
If you do this, you can often get the true objection, and it's not normally about money.
I need to talk to my husband:
Similarly with ‘I can’t afford it’ — often that's just an ‘out’.
In this situation, I tend to say: "Great, I totally agree. I always run everything past my husband too. The key with talking to a husband (and this my truth because I've done it so many times) is that as the woman, we need to be clear first in ourselves what we want — and take what we would like to do our husband."
You normally get a bit of a feel if someone is using that as an “out” or if it's genuine truth — and just asking this question sometimes takes them deeper, and then you might get the “ BUT”…
"Well I'm going to ask him, but I haven't decided myself."
In which case you can remind them that the point of the discovery session is for you to help them get clear on a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’, and ask them…
“So is there anything more that I can help you with before talking to your husband?”
I need to think about it:
Again, if someone says they just need to think about it / sleep on it / meditate on it / journal on it (working in the health and wellness world that’s something I often hear)…
It sometimes means they still have questions, and if you ask them a little bit more about that, you'll often find that they didn't want to take up more of your time, or they're well aware they've gone over the half-hour!
Gently let them know: "I'm here for you today — is there anything else I can help with because I would much rather you go away and think about where can the money come from because it's a definite yes — than you going away to think over whether it is a yes at all."
Remember: Your job as the coach is to help them get to a firm ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the phone.
Those are just some objections you may encounter.
The through-line of what I'm saying is to ask a little more about their objection, to dig a little deeper — and normally there's a different “BUT” underneath.
Mastering the art of objection-handling takes practice, practice, practice.
Even practice with friends, and have them make it hard for you, so that you can get comfortable talking through them if/when they arise.
PART 6: WHAT TO DO AFTER A DISCOVERY SESSION
Aaaand, last but certainly not least, let’s talk about what you would do after a Discovery Call.
If they do sign up on the call, Instantly send out any welcome packs or payment details when you make the sale. If you can, get them to pay… schedule your first session… and sign contracts on the call.
But what about after a Discovery Call that didn't convert on the phone?
Follow up!
In the marketing world, one of my favourite phrases — which I have certainly found to be true more times than not — is:
The fortune is in the follow-up!
If the sale is not closed on the call then some experts would say that it's unlikely they'll convert. Yes, that is often true — so you definitely do what you can to get someone to say ‘yes’ on the call.
But despite the fact that, generally, you want the objections to be overcome ON the call rather than AFTER it, as we just looked at — in some cases those objections might be true!
You know this for yourself, I’m sure.
Sometimes you do genuinely have to go talk to your husband about spending money…or you do genuinely process things when you take to mull them over and ‘sleep on it’.
It doesn't mean that the client isn't going to come back, but what's super important here is that you need to make sure that you follow up.
Don't be put off if a client has said they need to sleep on it or talk to their husband.
Although those are common objections — and often someone will make an objection if they actually haven't seen the value, and it's a way of getting out of the sale…
Other times those are complete truths, and what they'll be looking for is you to show up and keep supporting them in the following days.
The moral of the story?
Always follow up with potential clients promptly, and professionally.
So there you have it!
My step-by-step process for soulful sales.
**
Other blog posts that may interest you, and would be great ‘next steps’ are:
And before you go, be sure to download the FREE 7 Step Simple Sales Script — my signature discovery session structure to help you convert prospects into clients — with confidence, heart and soul.
Love, Amanda xx
Did you find this post helpful? Please share it with your friends by pinning the image below!
