Closing new coaching engagements is rewarding but can be challenging, too. When executive coaches, after several meetings and calls with prospective clients, still hear a “no,” they’re left wondering: What do clients want?
To answer this question, we first need to consider what clients don’t value as much as many coaches might think: the coaching methodology, the service offering, and the fees.
Master Your Next Client Meeting
We’ve distilled the three main factors that really matter to successful executives and leaders so that you can be more successful in your next client meetings. If you can speak to these needs, you’ll be one step ahead of your competition.
1. Leaders care about their results
Many coaches try to differentiate themselves through the methodologies, philosophies, and tools they use. However, clients care much more about the results that you can bring them with those tools. When you focus your initial client conversations on how you’re planning to achieve measurable and guaranteed results, you will have their attention.
2. Leaders care about their experience
Why do people relentlessly return to big brands, like Starbucks or Apple? Because they provide a reliable experience that people trust. You can use this in your favor by aligning yourself with a brand that is widely known and trusted by executives and leaders worldwide. This can instill instant credibility and legitimacy.
3. Leaders care about their return on investment
Executives and leaders have been trained throughout their careers to make business decisions with one metric in mind: return on investment. With this ingrained, they will evaluate the engagement of a coach the same way. By speaking the executive language of performance, impact, and return on investment, you will immediately differentiate yourself from coaches who focus solely on competencies.
When you understand what leaders care about, you can subsequently address those needs in your conversations with potential clients. As a result, you will distinguish yourself more easily in a crowded marketplace and ultimately close more sales.