How would you go about making a guest list for a really fun surprise birthday party?
Think with me out loud here. You might start with people who are easy going and who you love hanging out with. You might consider people you have known for a long time, friends with whom you have history. Family members might make the list. New neighbors or people you want to know better might be included as well.
Bottom line, you want to invite people who will come, who enjoy celebrating, who can make for a really wonderful event. Right?
Believe it or not, it’s the same for your coaching business. You want to spend time with people who give you energy, who make for a great client experience, who are ready to go, motivated and proactive, right?
So in order to fill your practice with people like that, you might need to ask qualifying questions.
Qualifying means creating the set of attributes you are looking for in your clients, so you can LOVE your work. Your questions will help you find those people who are a perfect fit for your coaching services.
Taking the time to think through the type of client you are looking for will make you a better coach and will make talking about your coaching practice much easier.
One way to qualify prospects is to have an complimentary conversation where you can ask questions to figure out if the client is right for you. In this session you can ask six-eight questions to help you decide.
Another way is to send the prospect the questions in advance and have them returned to you before you meet on the phone.
So, are you using qualifying questions as part of your marketing already? If so, please comment and let me know how it’s going for you.
Here are some qualifying questions I use from time to time.
- What prompted you to contact me about coaching?
- If you could change one thing about your life today that would make the most difference tomorrow, what would that be?
- What is most important issue on your mind right now?
- What do you hope to gain by investing in a coaching relationship?
- What range of investment for coaching is in your budget?
- What else should I know?
What are your qualifying questions?
Beth –
I just read your article in the NRWA Connection and followed your link to respond. Thank you for sharing your “piece of the wisdom” with us.
Excellent topic; excellent points. As a resume writer, I also try to pre-qualify my prospects. Our work as writers and coaches multiplies if the proper “fit” does not exist between us and our clients.
Again, thanks for sharing.
Beth, I am putting these ideas and questions to work asap! Thanks. What a wonderful way to weed out the lookie lous and get clients to sell themselves on the need to hire a career/interview coach.
Thanks for the information.