What to do when you hear “No”

We’ve all gone through it.

And as long as you coach, you’ll probably go through it in one way or another.

Truth is, we’ve all heard a “No” at some point in our coaching journeys — especially when it comes to making an offer.

This isn’t the entirety of Michelle’s message, and she does go on to acknowledge that you should have fun on your coaching journey — which I love!

But I’m sharing her story because hearing a No is totally normal. In fact, it’s even okay.

A No can come in the form of your prospect actually saying the word “No” once you put the offer on the table, or simply saying something like “I’ll think about it” — which often acts as another form of saying No, but just a little softer.

Maybe you’ve even had potential clients say they’ll get back to you for payment after accepting your offer, but in the end they simply don’t.

Any way you put it, getting a No when you make your coaching offer can be seen as a negative thing, but I like to look at things differently.

Because I believe a No can mean so many things, I prefer to analyze things a little deeper to see what’s really going on with my prospect.

Often what happens is clients might say No on the surface, but underneath they’re really telling you something else.

So here are 3 really simple ways to handle a potential rejection, and turn them into more clients for your business.

3 Simple Ways to Turn a “No” Into a New Paying Client

#1: Ask More Questions

When someone doesn’t take you up on your offer, there’s usually something specific behind it. Here’s why I say that…

They took the time to meet with you, you already know they have a challenge, and they’re showing interest in a solution by engaging with you.

All these signs point to someone that WANTS coaching, so when they say “No”, it’ll benefit you to dig a little deeper.

The key is to ask questions to get a better idea of what’s on their mind at that moment. And that leads to the next point.

#2: Help The Client Get Over The Fence

Here you want to lay out options that make it easy for your client to say Yes to your coaching.

Perhaps a monthly payment plan would work better for your potential client.

Or you could consider giving options that make accepting your offer on the spot more valuable. Things such as special bonuses or favorable pricing are things you could offer.

One of my favorite ways is to let the client know they can think about accepting your offer as long as they want to (which takes off the pressure) but if they do take you up on your offer on the spot you can give them special bonuses or something extra.

You can experiment here to see what works until you find the sweet spot, but the key is to create a pressure free environment that also rewards taking action.

#3: Take It As A Learning Experience

Sometimes the timing just isn’t right.

Or the prospect just wasn’t ready to jump into the coaching. It’s totally okay, and you can simply take it as a learning experience.

Keeping in mind that you can’t control everything, you can use these coaching sessions as a way to measure your delivery of the coaching offer.

The truth is that sometimes prospects just aren't ready and it’s really on them to do the heavy lifting when it comes to solving their issues. As a coach you are there to guide them, but you don’t have to put all the pressure on yourself.

So the next time you hear a “No” when you present your coaching offer, don’t panic.

Simply zoom out and see what’s possible, then help your prospect as best you can.

If you want more tips, a place to ask your questions, and a great community of coaches who are supportive and fun to interact with, be sure to join my free Coach Club Facebook group if you haven’t already. Click on this link to join.

I look forward to connecting with you soon.

With all the love in my heart,?

Christian