Becoming a deal maker

It’s not much of a surprise that sales is typically one of the biggest roadblocks for coaches and rehab professionals when they go out on their own. 

From a technical skill standpoint, by the time this decision is made, most people already see themselves as having the client management to get good outcomes, thus the drive to start their business. And “marketing” skills can be masked easier than sales through both reputation and simply getting clients good outcomes who then refer more clients to you. This is a recipe for being good, but there’s more if you want to be GREAT. 

One concept that I have leaned into as I’ve gained more experience with sales and worked with some great mentors in the space is the concept of becoming a “Deal Maker.” It’s really not a complicated concept, as the ultimate goal is figuring out the logistics around payment to help the person commit to change… but there are a few caveats which I am going to share here.

1. Logistical concerns do NOT remedy fear based-objections. You have to know how to spot these and help the client overcome their FEAR of change, before money can even get involved. 
2. Commitment to CHANGE needs to be confirmed when navigating logistics. This is building up point number 1, but it’s commonly something that we see avoided in the process. 

Now, I’m going to share the steps and framework that will give you more freedom and flexibility when you get hit with a financial objection:

1. Clarify what they mean when they say, “It’s expensive” or “I have to check the budget”. You’d be surprised at how much insight you gain into their decision-making process around money. 
2. Confirm value: “Money aside, would you do it?” - you NEED to get a “yes” here, or you don’t really have a financial objection, you have a value objection (that’s a different change in the process”
3. Ask THEM if there’s a payment arrangement THEY would feel comfortable moving forward with. It is always preferred to move forward on the client’s terms as this will decrease the opportunity for any “buyers remorse.”
4. If they get stuck here, make a suggestion to YOUR preferred terms (maybe 50% now, 50% in 30 days).
5. Work to a deal you BOTH feel comfortable with, this is not meant to put you or your business in a bad spot. If it is, you’re doing it wrong.
6. If navigating the logistics here feels like you are going in circles, this is where you’ll absolutely need to confirm the Commitment to Change piece! Don’t forget this one. 

Here are some examples:

Let’s say your package of 10 sessions that you’ll use over 3-4 months is $1500 (assume your single session is anchored at $200 for a $50 savings per session for commitment to the plan), here are some ways to break this down:

1. $1000 now, $500 in 30 days. More commitment up front, more buy-in, less risk to bail on your plan of action
2. 50% now, 50% in 30 days. This is an excellent option! It both helps get client buy-in AND gets you another $750 in revenue to expect next month (underrated concept)
3. $500 for the next 3 months. Now, the longer you spread out payments, the more you need to track. You also, as a general rule of thumb, need to keep enough visits as collateral so you don’t get the short end of the stick. 
4. $250 a week for 6 weeks. Weekly payments? SAY WHAT! But you’d be surprised at how valuable this split would be. Notice the trend that we are always trying to collect in FULL before the package is complete. Again, maximizing completion of the plan and buy-in to the entire process. 

At the end of the day, the goal is commitment to the plan,  NOT simply collecting a payment in full amount for the best pricing option. If we can change our mindset that clients can access the paid in full price for COMMITMENT, I guarantee you will remove much of the resistance on both yourself and the client. Ultimately, that will result in the ability to serve more people in your ecosystem. 

Now, get out there and go make some deals.