How To Get Ready For A Powerful Sample Session

New coaches often ask me, how do I get ready for a strategy session so I can convert more of them into paying clients.

Let’s approach this from three angles. This blog post is about getting ready to do a strategy session (free mini session) as opposed to what to do during the mini session.

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I know you’ve probably got a lot of anticipation going in and you're really hoping that you're going to meet somebody who's the right kind of client for you. You want to make an offer to help them and you would love it if they said yes to work with you.

Today what we're going to talk about is getting ready, getting prepared for a strategy session, and I've broken it down into three aspects.

Physical: What do you need to do physically to be well-prepared?

Mental: What do you need to do mentally in your preparation, in your approach around your thinking

Emotional: What feelings, what intentions do you want to hold while you're getting ready for a strategy session? And how do you want to feel as you walk in the door?

1. Physical

I know getting ready for a free strategy session with a potential new client is super exciting. And the best way when you're doing the strategy session is to be completely present with that client, and to really add value. You will focus on how to really help them so that they experience some new clarity, a transformation or real understanding about what coaching is.

You also want them to have a “light bulb” moment where they think, “Oh, I get it. I understand how coaching with you could help me and how amazing it would be”.

So that's your goal.

Physically, you want to feel clean, you want to feel clear.

A few tips:

I highly recommend that you drink an extra glass of water beforehand. You want to make sure that you're well-hydrated since this will improve make your brain function at its best

Be well-rested. If possible, get a good night's sleep the night before.

Alternatively, take a couple of minutes before the strategy session and close your eyes. Relax for a minute and practice what I like to call “The Sound Of Music” approach. Remember the song from the musical “Here Are A Few Of My Favorite Things”?

Well, think of some of your favourite things to get into that feeling of abundance. You want to evoke the feeling of appreciation. Put a little smile on your face as you're thinking about, all these neat things that are happening and all of these things that you're thankful for. You'll be surprised how your energy rises by moving into that space physically of rested and grateful.

                                    Another idea, take a five-minute walk or dance to your favourite song just before the call starts to get your blood moving.

 If you’re hungry have a small healthy snack to maintain your blood sugar level before you jump onto that call or before you go to that meeting.

2. Mental

Prepare a format that you will follow. I’m not talking about a really rigid structure, but know how you're going to approach it.

You don’t want to be winging it in your approach. This will allow your potential client to feel way more comfortable. They will understand that you know what you’re doing this isn’t random. This coach has a plan about how to help me. This forms the beginning of trust.

Know what your offer is. What are you selling? You're going to be selling coaching services, but what exactly does that mean. What are the benefits that you are selling? Create a clear signature coaching program (including duration and payment options). So that when you describe it to the client they can say, “I can see exactly how that might help me”.

Mentally prepare that you will decide during the strategy session that some of the people you would love to work with, and you know you could really help them. Others are not a good match for you, they are not your type, or you don’t believe they are ready to work with a coach. Give yourself permission that you will only make an offer to people you can really help. People that resemble your ideal client.               

In advance consider, what does it mean if somebody says no to your offer? Does it mean anything about you? How do you want to approach it? If they say no, maybe they're not actually saying no. Maybe they're saying, “not right now, thank you”. Or perhaps they are really saying “tell me more. I don't quite understand everything in every way that you can help me”. And what does it mean when they say yes? Remember, their decision to work with you or not to work with you right now has nothing to do with what an amazing coach you are. It reflects their mindset and situation.

3. Emotional

You want to start a strategy session feeling good. You definitely want to go in feeling like

“I am an amazing coach” and knowing there are lots of people who need your help. “I wonder if this is one of the people that I can help”.  

Allow yourself to feel good, excited, inspired, and at the same time, unattached to what they say is really important.

How do you get those feelings, those good feelings?

Well, lots of those feelings start with what you say to yourself.

For example, you could remind yourself

 I am an amazing coach and I really helped people with my coaching.

There are lots of people who are looking for help, and some of them are looking for me right now.

I'm curious, is this person that I'm meeting, are they the right person for me?

When you say these 3 sentences how do you feel? Do you have an emotion of openness and a feeling of acceptance?

You want to start the sample session with a ‘service first’ mindset, and coach them with no holds barred.

You want this individual to experience your coaching and take away some real value. Maybe they’ll have more clarity or a new perspective on some of their challenges. Maybe they will feel deeply seen and heard, that somebody really listened to them and that they matter and that they're acknowledged.

Personally, I want to make it the best coaching session possible. Many have never tried coaching before, and I bet that some of them will come away with their mind blown (in a good way).

What else do you want people to feel when they have had a strategy session with you?

When you go into a strategy session feeling inspired and that you are really there to serve this person, you're going to sign up way more clients. People can feel your intent.

Leave a comment below - I'm always interested to hear from you and if you have always thought of becoming a life coach and you're just not quite sure yet, I've got a download that I created called The Ultimate Guide To Becoming A Professional Life Coach. It's a great free overview of all the things for you to consider when you're early in the journey and want to become successful quickly.

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>>> HERE <<<