In our last Holistic Business blog post, you learned “How to attract more clients using Discovery Sessions”. If you missed part 1, you can read it here.
In part 1, you learned how to get more people to your discovery sessions, because discovery sessions, if done correctly, are one of the fastest ways to generate more clients if you’re a coach or holistic practitioner. Today we’re diving in deeper to step three: Follow my Discovery Session Secrets. In this step, you’ll learn what to do and ask during a session that will support your potential client to become a paying client if its a good match.
I want to stress that how you conduct your Discovery Sessions is super-important. The set-up of the session dictates whether or not the potential client will become a paying client. Done correctly, if the person is a good match for whom you want to work with, your discovery sessions can bring you a limitless number of ideal clients.
On the other hand, done incorrectly, you’ll wind up spending hours of time and energy, and wonder why no one is interested in working with you. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen!
Follow these important tips for conducting a successful and client-generating Discovery Session now.
1. Find a space that is quiet and private. It’s important to be fully present and engaged with your potential client. You don’t want to be interrupted, finding yourself taking calls from others, or asking your potential client to hold on while you conduct other business. It’s important to remain present. It’s important to keep in mind that people can sense when you are present and when you are not. Having a quiet space also exudes a professional environment, which puts your client at ease in investing in your service.
2. Really listen. Discovery Sessions are a time to really listen to what your potential client is saying. The more you listen, the more you’ll uncover about what is going on for him or her and be able to develop a sound support system. Avoid over-talking or filling up space with your advice. This can be a turn-off to your potential client but can also cause you to lose control of the flow of the session.
3. Take charge of the session. Most Wellness Coaches let their client start asking questions and begin to feel out of control. If this has ever happened to you, you’ll know it because it feels like the client is leading the session, not you. There’s an art to allowing the client to share while you ask the questions, while at the same time holding the energy of the session and maintaining the flow.
When we allow people to talk without structure and ask questions without direction, they find themselves all over the place which leads to overwhelm. This is why it’s important for you to take charge of the Discovery Session and inform your client up front what the format is.
Let them know up front the goal of the session, how long you have together, that you will be asking them some questions to learn more about them and that they can ask you any questions at the end. This sets the stage for a successful session.
4. Ask the right questions. Asking the right types of questions will get your potential client to open up and keep them on track during your time together. Questions can be powerful if you are asking the “right” ones. As a coach, your goal is to uncover what’s really going on for someone, and that can only be done through questions that get to a deeper level.
At the IAWP, we teach our Wellness Coach students our proprietary coaching model, The Core Coaching Method, which includes the skill of asking powerful questions to get to the core of your client’s challenge. Want a few powerful questions to sample:
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- What have you tried so far that isn’t working?
- Why do you want to (insert client’s goal)?
- If you had more ____ or less _______ (insert their goal), how would that impact your life?
These questions can not be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. They are open-ended questions that allow the client to begin reflecting on their pain, the past and what they don’t want as well as what the future could look like for them.
5. Put a hold on giving advice. It’s important that during your Discovery Sessions you refrain from giving out recommendations and advice. By doing this you will automatically change the atmosphere of the Discovery Session and you will find yourself off track.
Most importantly, you will not be able to solve someone’s problem in such a short period of time, so they will be left feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. Finally, advice-giving without coaching usually leaves a person frustrated and unsure how to achieve their goals. Most coaches start giving advice or adding in personal feedback way too soon.
It’s usually your attempt to sound knowledgeable and be seen as an expert. But this is not what your client wants or needs at this point….and it doesn’t set you up for success. Instead of giving advice or adding in your personal feedback, focus on listening and asking the right questions.
6. Increase your confidence. It makes sense that you want to come off confidently to your client. But where does confidence come from? How can you get more of it? It doesn’t just magically show up just because you’re in business for yourself as a coach. It comes from using tried and proven systems that give you results, you see it working and you gain confidence.
The most important ”system” you can learn is how to coach your clients, from the very first time you meet and they decide to work with you, all the way through their sessions as you support them to achieve their results. If you don’t know how to get to the deeper issues that are holding your client back from achieving their goals (this is real coaching), you won’t have confidence that you’re able to help them.
Here what our students are saying about the Discovery Session process we teach during the IAWP Wellness Coach Certification program:
“I lacked confidence, had poor time management and had no system in place to attract clients for my programs. That all changed when I became a student at the IAWP.”
In my business, results were dramatic. I began practicing the discovery session process taught at the IAWP. It’s just one of over 150+ business tools they provide. It was a simple tool so I put it to use right away.
I followed the exact steps as they were outlined and signed up my first client on my first try! I couldn’t believe it was that easy, but it is. I was shocked because this was the first time I practiced the discovery process taught to me at the IAWP and it just simply works. I’m now using this simple business tool over and over again to grow my coaching business with amazing results.
“Even though I was already Certified, I was missing the pieces I needed to actually turn my passion into a career and be a successful Health & Wellness Coach.”
“Before I found the IAWP, I was a sales rep for an organic whole food supplement company for 10 years. After leaving that job, I decided to follow my dream and become a health and wellness coach. I got certified through another program and after it was over, began working feverishly to figure out how to get my business going.
While I had gained the wellness knowledge and knew that I could help people, I was struggling to get clients and get my business off the ground and running. I had no idea that I even needed business training! I was missing the pieces I needed to actually turn my passion into a career and be a successful coach. Worse yet, I wasn’t able to help people with my education.
When I found the IAWP Wellness Coach Certification program, everything started to change. I have learned more from the IAWP Wellness Coach Certification program than I could have ever imagined. I’m now getting the full training I really need to be successful in this field and am learning so much about wellness, coaching, and business. What I love about the IAWP is that everything they teach you works. I’ve followed the exact systems they provide and immediately signed up my first client! It’s true, you really can “get five clients fast” if you follow the program.
The IAWP training has transformed my business and given me the tools I need to be confident, professional and successful. I am so excited I can now help people get to the root of their health issues and watch them transform into being healthier, happier and more fulfilled!”
Karina Hammer, Certified Health Coach, IAWP Wellness Coach
Love, Health, and Success,
