It's two minutes to twelve, and you're sitting at your computer checking yourself out in the zoom meeting video. At the same time, you await your potential new client. You check your hair, make sure there is nothing in your teeth, wipe the sweat from your brow, and thank god this is virtual, so they don't notice the pit stains. You're anxiously awaiting your first free consultation to join the zoom, and two minutes seems like twenty.
You recently graduated with your Bachelors in Exercise Science and took the NSCA's CSCS passing with flying colors but here you are, nervous as ever to do your first consultation, trying to land a new client. You learned all about the theory of exercise prescription and physiology in school. You worked with fellow students in labs, had 1-3 internships at some fancy gyms, and have always enjoyed teaching your friends how to exercise. Still, no one ever taught you how to sell coaching or personal training without coming across as a local car salesman.
One of our online coaching certification students recently messaged me to tell me he just signed on his 3rd coaching client since starting our courses. But he asked me a rhetorical question that was funny but very accurate, and it inspired me to write this article:
"Why are consultations as awkward as first dates?"
It's true. Here's the first paragraph rewritten with words related to dating:
It's two minutes to seven, and you're in the bar's bathroom checking yourself out while you await your date for the evening. You check your hair, make sure there is nothing in your teeth, wipe the sweat from your brow, and thank god you don't have pit stains. You're anxiously awaiting your blind date, who should arrive shortly, and two minutes seems like twenty.
So what is it about these two scenarios (a first date and a free client consultation) that make them so similar?
As a new or seasoned coach, the purpose of a free consultation call is for you and the potential new client to learn about each other and see if you're the right fit.
For this to be a match made in heaven, you'll need to know how to engage in conversation to lead BOTH of you to the right conclusions...
Do you jive
Can you offer the person what they are looking for
Are they ready to commit
You want to show off that you have the knowledge and skills to help them reach their goals, but you don't want to come off as cocky or overbearing. You want to figure out if the client is ready to commit to the coaching relationship by leading them to come to their own conclusions about the next step instead of tricking them into buying something from you.
Why is it so important to have a "first date" or a free consultation call? Well, the free consultation call is your "sales" call that works much better than a sales pitch. At PRS, we always offer free consultations to potential new clients before discussing prices because it allows for a few things:
Collectively, as a team, the coach and potential new client figure out if their personalities mesh and if we have the appropriate services to help them reach their goals.
Figuring this out in advance leads to higher retention and less turnover.
This also allows the coach to help the client choose the best service for their needs instead of leaving it in the client's hands, which leads them to spend their money wisely.
Below I'm going to discuss some of the main points to help you conduct a foolproof "first date" consultation call without coming across as “salesy”.
Before the Consultation:
Learn A Little Bit About Them In Advance: Utilize a free online form maker like Google Forms to collect basic information about the person. This should include things like personal demographics, exercise history, and goals. Actually read it before you go into the consultation! You can also check them out on social media. I know that can come across as sounding like a stalker, but it actually works really well. I find when I refer to something on their social media like their puppy, or a PR they hit last week, they feel like you made an effort to learn about them, and it makes them feel special. They are special :)
Write down questions you have for them based on their intake form and social media. This will help you have some things to talk about if you're nervous and your mind goes blank.
While In The Consultation:
They Are The Center Of Attention: Ask leading questions about why they booked a consultation with you and what they've done in the past to address their goals.
Don't talk about yourself.
Take notes while you're listening to them and use their words to recap their fears, struggles, and concerns about working with you.
Discuss how you can help them, what services are right for them, and even give them something they can implement right now, even before signing up with you, that will help them.
Ask them what they think the next best step is, and then ask them how they'd like to proceed.
I hope the above information helps you develop a foolproof system to perform free consultations that lead to sales. For more information on this style of consultation, look into motivational interviewing OR get on the waiting list for our online coaching courses (that include a full business course) to help you develop all the tools you need to successfully build your client base.
Have questions? Join our Facebook group, The Secret Society of Barbell Mastery, where we have Q&As weekly and live coaching calls once per month!