How to Ask for the Sale

April 12, 2012

As a client-based business owner, in order to grow your business, you MUST be comfortable selling your services. Selling is difficult when you’re coming from a place of feeling as though you are pushing yourself on people, rather than allowing them to know what it is you offer and being authentic about it.

Try to be as comfortable with the process as you can. Remember that no one wants to be sold any more than we want to “SELL” but people do want services and solutions that will solve their problems.

The key to your success is identifying the struggle or problem that your client or potential client is having. I do that by asking questions about them:

  • What are their goals?
  • What are they doing to try to reach them?
  • What’s getting in the way of reaching them?

Once you know the answers to these questions, you can provide the solutions in a totally authentic way.  For example, the I find that many of my potential clients are struggling with their time. They are working full-time, trying to run a business, and taking care of a family. They want to know how to be extremely efficient with the time they have so that they can build their business. The problems they’re struggling with are exactly what I know I can help them with.

Here’s another example of how a Health Coach may help to solve a problem for someone. Imagine if you were a health coach who specializes in working with people who have gluten allergies. Then imagine that a potential client walked up to you and said that they’ve been struggling with losing weight and they think they might have some sensitivity to gluten. Now, you know you have the solution to their problem and so you can easily offer your support. The next most logical step is to tell them that you actually may have some ways to support them with what you do so it would be perfectly natural that you would share with them what you do in a high-level way and invite them to have a discovery or get acquainted session with you, right?

That’s just what I do in my business, and it’s what you should consider doing in yours. Don’t go through your whole process…just offer them the high level information. And if this short session goes well and it seems like you are a good fit to work together then ask for the sale. You won’t feel like you are selling, and your client won’t feel “sold” instead she’ll feel listened to and like she’s found the person who can really help her.

If during your conversation or at another time you find are not the right fit for them, absolutely recommend him or her to someone who is. They will remember you treating them well and will be that much more likely to refer people to you when it seems right.

Assignment:

At your next networking event or the next time someone who you know presents a problem to you that you know you can solve simply open up the conversation to ask them more about their struggle. Ask them the questions I mentioned above and see how they respond. Then let them know that you may have the solution for them or can refer them to someone who does. Be service and not sales minded when you’re doing this. Your goal is to offer them a solution and by doing so it’s the beginning of a mutually agreed upon sales process.

Your Turn:

How do you do closing the sale? Do you find it difficult to ask for business?

Jeannie Spiro: Business Coach & Strategist

Hey there!

I’m Jeannie Spiro, business coach and strategist for woman coaches and service-providers. Want to make more money in your business? Here’s how I can help.

Download the Ultimate Speaking Lead Generation Starter Guide

Discover how to get your most ideal leads from speaking

Jeannie Spiro

Ready to attract more clients and make more money in your business?

- Here’s how I can help -

Monetize the Stage™: an Intensive for coaches and experts wanting to turn their talks into clients

Want more leads and clients for your programs? In this private intensive we'll work together to create your signature talk and speaking lead generation system to drive more ideal clients to your programs.

Learn more about this Private Intensive Experience with Jeannie Spiro below.

High-Ticket Impact™: a Hybrid Incubator Program for coaches and experts ready to expand beyond serving one-to-one

Ready to go beyond serving clients one-to-one and create the business model and programs that allow you to make more and serve many? 
Learn more about this Hybrid Coaching Program Experience below.

 

Launch Strategy Intensive: work one-to-one with Jeannie to design your launch and sales funnel

Want to dig into my expertise in sales funnels, sales systems and launches that have generated $250,000+ $500,000+? 

Learn more abut this Private Intensive Experience with Jeannie Spiro below.