Should You Coach For Free?

So, should you coach for free? The short answer is NO. And if you're currently offering free coaching sessions, you must stop it immediately.

For coaches, practitioners or any professional service providers, if you're trying to build your business, people will tell you stuff like, "Just give some free sessions first, you'll get tonnes of experience and testimonials. Once they see the results, then they're bound to pay."

Not really. 

That only works if you're selling something like sausages. You cut off a little bit of sausage, eat it and then fully understand your entire offer immediately. And the next time I buy, I want exactly the same thing. Nothing new.

Something Valuable Vs. Free Sessions

Offering coaching or professional services isn't like offering sausages. People can't experience everything you have to offer in just one session.

And even if they could, they don't want to pay for the exact same thing every time.

So instead of offering them free sessions, you still need to offer them something of value; otherwise, they won't pay attention.

But that value you offer them is called The Path. People pay for the path.

Important point to remember: you need to show them a path that starts from their current problem all the way to their future desired result.

Typically, this is three, four or five steps. For example, if you want to experience more fulfilment in life and that's your niche you help people with, the steps could be—

Step 1: Discover your values.

Step 2: Find your purpose.

Step 3: Remove emotional blockages.

But now, if we pause for a second, not only have you given them value, you've explained purpose, values, blockages. 

You have also given them a future vision, a path, a reason to pay for your services.

An Alternative To Free Coaching

This entire session is what I call a client attraction presentation, which does two critical things.

Number one, it attracts a potential client because it has intrinsic value. Whether or not they decide to do your future program, it doesn't matter. They still got value.

Number two, it builds a desire in your client to attain a future vision. 

How?

By investing in your paid program, so they can implement the path that you've been teaching them the entire session.

You see, that's something that free sessions are completely missing. Free sessions don't build a future vision, and that's why they're three times less effective than a client attraction presentation.

Stop Hope Marketing

There are three types of client attraction presentations, and there's a whole system and methodology around them. 

That's why I'm running a FREE event called "How to Attract Coaching Clients Consistently". You'll learn how to find clients that are interested in the presentation, as well as the ultimate marketing blueprint that has helped over 1,800 coaches in 21+ countries. 

So if you want to stop doing the silly sausage method and the "hope marketing" like I did, and if you want to shortcut your success, all you have to do is learn the smartest way here today. 

Read more about: Coaching, Marketing

Cham Tang

Cham is the CEO and Head of Marketing at Authentic Education since co-founding it in 2009. He is passionate about productivity, empowering people, marketing and is creator of Digital Marketing Made Easy.

He has worked for Anthony Robbins, Chris Howard and Dr John Demartini from "The Secret" and has been featured in BRW magazine, News.com.au and newspapers such as Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.