Potentially, the sample session not only brings you another ideal client but it also sets the tone of the ongoing work you’ll do together and establishes a healthy co-creative relationship.

Make It Worth Your While

Every sample session you do takes up valuable time. Think of it this way, if you charge $450 for three hour long sessions each month, an hour of your time is worth $150. Your free sample session is a tremendous gift! Make it worthwhile for both your potential client and you by setting every sample session up for success.

Favorite Mistakes

Can you relate to any of this? These are the mistakes I used to make around sample sessions:

- I offered sample sessions casually to anyone.

- I didn’t clearly articulate the benefits of my coaching services.

- I waited until the end of the session to share my fees and terms.

- I didn’t tell the prospect the purpose of the session.

- I desperately performed rather than co-creatively coaching.

- I failed to ask prospects to hire me at the end of the session.

- I’d adjust my fees and terms to accommodate the prospect.

- Sometimes, I’d take on a client who I knew was not the best fit.

- I would fret if they didn’t hire me, letting it fill me with doubt.

- I didn’t set up systems to funnel ideal clients to me.

The bottom line: My approach did not show that I valued myself, my time or my services – all big detractors to getting hired and being successful.

When I corrected my mistakes, my conversation rate went from 40% to 100%. Now every sample session ends with the prospect hiring me on the spot. Plus, clients stay longer, accomplish more, refer other clients, and are a complete joy to work with.

Ten Success Points

Show yourself and your prospects how valuable you are by setting up sample sessions this way:

1. Pre-qualify prospects – only offer sample sessions to your target market and prospects that fit your ideal client criteria.
2. Share 3 – 5 concrete benefits prospects will experience in ongoing coaching with you. Make it specific to their challenges and goals.
3. Always share your fees/terms before scheduling a session. “Let me tell you how I work and if that interests you we’ll set up a sample session.” Don’t waste your valuable time on a prospect that will not invest in your services.
4. Explain the purpose of the sample session – to test-drive your coaching. And add: “We’ll leave about 15 minutes at the end of the session to explore any questions you have so that you can decide if you’d like to hire me.”
5. Coach co-creatively rather than in performance mode. Set time boundaries for the sess
   Soft Skills - The New E2B (Employee to Business) Tool
   Soft skills are rapidly evolving as a key tool to enhance an individual's acceptability in an organisation.Research indicates that apart from academic background, qualification ratings, technical strength and suitable body language, soft skills are fast becoming strong contenders for gaining employer approval.Employees/prospective employees can be strong technically and probably extremely good wrt performance outcomes, but the ones who are rated the most amicable, usually win.This obviously does not mean that one should dump quality work and spend time improving their ratings on opinion poll
   onth, an hour of your time is worth $150. Your free sample session is a tremendous gift! Make it worthwhile for both your potential client and you by setting every sample session up for success.

   Favorite Mistakes

   Can you relate to any of this? These are the mistakes I used to make around sample sessions:

   - I offered sample sessions casually to anyone.

   - I didn’t clearly articulate the benefits of my coaching services.

   - I waited until the end of the session to share my fees and terms.

   - I didn’t tell the prospect the purpose of the session.

   - I desperately performed rather than co-creatively coaching.

   - I failed to ask prospects to hire me at the end of the session.

   - I’d adjust my fees and terms to accommodate the prospect.

   - Sometimes, I’d take on a client who I knew was not the best fit.

   - I would fret if they didn’t hire me, letting it fill me with doubt.

   - I didn’t set up systems to funnel ideal clients to me.

   The bottom line: My approach did not show that I valued myself, my time or my services – all big detractors to getting hired and being successful.

   When I corrected my mistakes, my conversation rate went from 40% to 100%. Now every sample session ends with the prospect hiring me on the spot. Plus, clients stay longer, accomplish more, refer other clients, and are a complete joy to work with.

   Ten Success Points

   Show yourself and your prospects how valuable you are by setting up sample sessions this way:

   1. Pre-qualify prospects – only offer sample sessions to your target market and prospects that fit your ideal client criteria.
   2. Share 3 – 5 concrete benefits prospects will experience in ongoing coaching with you. Make it specific to their challenges and goals.
   3. Always share your fees/terms before scheduling a session. “Let me tell you how I work and if that interests you we’ll set up a sample session.” Don’t waste your valuable time on a prospect that will not invest in your services.
   4. Explain the purpose of the sample session – to test-drive your coaching. And add: “We’ll leave about 15 minutes at the end of the session to explore any questions you have so that you can decide if you’d like to hire me.”
   5. Coach co-creatively rather than in performance mode. Set time boundaries for the ses
      Computer Consulting: Start With This Template
      Before you open your computer consulting business you need to have a plan. Don't just think you'll remember a plan in your head. You are much more likely to accomplish your goals if you write them down.Computer Consulting: The First StepThink of all the things you need to do before you start your computer consulting business, prioritize them and write them down. Some ideas might be choosing a name for your business, getting business cards printed, ordering another phone line, joining networking organizations etc.Using the computer consulting template below as a guide, write dow
      han co-creatively coaching.

      - I failed to ask prospects to hire me at the end of the session.

      - I’d adjust my fees and terms to accommodate the prospect.

      - Sometimes, I’d take on a client who I knew was not the best fit.

      - I would fret if they didn’t hire me, letting it fill me with doubt.

      - I didn’t set up systems to funnel ideal clients to me.

      The bottom line: My approach did not show that I valued myself, my time or my services – all big detractors to getting hired and being successful.

      When I corrected my mistakes, my conversation rate went from 40% to 100%. Now every sample session ends with the prospect hiring me on the spot. Plus, clients stay longer, accomplish more, refer other clients, and are a complete joy to work with.

      Ten Success Points

      Show yourself and your prospects how valuable you are by setting up sample sessions this way:

      1. Pre-qualify prospects – only offer sample sessions to your target market and prospects that fit your ideal client criteria.
      2. Share 3 – 5 concrete benefits prospects will experience in ongoing coaching with you. Make it specific to their challenges and goals.
      3. Always share your fees/terms before scheduling a session. “Let me tell you how I work and if that interests you we’ll set up a sample session.” Don’t waste your valuable time on a prospect that will not invest in your services.
      4. Explain the purpose of the sample session – to test-drive your coaching. And add: “We’ll leave about 15 minutes at the end of the session to explore any questions you have so that you can decide if you’d like to hire me.”
      5. Coach co-creatively rather than in performance mode. Set time boundaries for the ses
         PR Details That Make the Difference
         Press releases, broadcast plugs and brochures aside, the real public relations breakthrough for business, non-profit, public entity and association managers occurs when they plan for and create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives. And doing so by persuading those key outside folks to their way of thinking, then moving them to take actions that allow their department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.As the smoke of battle clears, what those managers have is a sound public relations strategy co
         g>. Now every sample session ends with the prospect hiring me on the spot. Plus, clients stay longer, accomplish more, refer other clients, and are a complete joy to work with.

         Ten Success Points

         Show yourself and your prospects how valuable you are by setting up sample sessions this way:

         1. Pre-qualify prospects – only offer sample sessions to your target market and prospects that fit your ideal client criteria.
         2. Share 3 – 5 concrete benefits prospects will experience in ongoing coaching with you. Make it specific to their challenges and goals.
         3. Always share your fees/terms before scheduling a session. “Let me tell you how I work and if that interests you we’ll set up a sample session.” Don’t waste your valuable time on a prospect that will not invest in your services.
         4. Explain the purpose of the sample session – to test-drive your coaching. And add: “We’ll leave about 15 minutes at the end of the session to explore any questions you have so that you can decide if you’d like to hire me.”
         5. Coach co-creatively rather than in performance mode. Set time boundaries for the ses
            How to let go of your EGO
            When does your ego get in the way?Let's go back to that networking meeting and scan the room again. Have you seen the person that never stops talking? He is the one that is talking about how great his business is and how great his services are. He even gets bold enough to take your card and to try and set an appointment with you to sell his services. This is the person that has placed their ego in front and even though they are enthusiastic about what they do, they are also enthusiastic about hearing themselves talk. They have not spent anytime listening to what others have to offer, nor hav
            and goals.
         6. Always share your fees/terms before scheduling a session. “Let me tell you how I work and if that interests you we’ll set up a sample session.” Don’t waste your valuable time on a prospect that will not invest in your services.
         7. Explain the purpose of the sample session – to test-drive your coaching. And add: “We’ll leave about 15 minutes at the end of the session to explore any questions you have so that you can decide if you’d like to hire me.”
         8. Coach co-creatively rather than in performance mode. Set time boundaries for the session and stick to them. Resist the impulse to over deliver by sending lots of materials in advance or trying to cover all the bases. Let them see that the real magic of coaching is in the partnership.
         9. Ask the prospect to hire you. When the session is done, ask the client what they are taking away. And then ask: “Would you like to continue coaching together?” Get right to the close. Coach through any obstacles.
         10. Stand firmly in the terms of your service. If you adjust fees or the number of sessions you offer, you’ll both lose in the long run. Remember, if you discount your services, your prospect will too. Value your time by getting the best clients and your highest return on investment.
         11. Assess fit with your integrity. Learn to read physical or emotional sensations within you that tell you what’s best for you. Only take on ideal clients. “I don’t think I’m the best fit for you. Would you like a referral?”
         12. Trust that all is well. If a client doesn’t hire you, let them go by blessing them and yourself. We can never know the path of another. Have faith that your ideal clients exist and make yourself visible to them.
         13. Intend to give at least one sample session every week. Unless your practice is full, set this goal and set up systems to funnel ideal prospects to you.

         You may find different methods work best for you. I believe it all comes down to what your soul most wants you to learn. For me, it’s about valuing myself, standing in my power and being detached from outcome. Blessings as you discover your success secrets!