Have you ever choked when it came time to tell a potential new client your fees?It’s embarrassing. And it could be a factor in why they felt uncomfortable with your fees or didn’t hire you. But don’t worry. You can turn the tide on this “problem” with just a few shifts in your mindset and approach.

Most of us have learned beliefs about money and self worth that don’t serve us (or anyone else) even though they hold sway over decisions that involve money and how we value our time. As a coach and business owner, you have a grand opportunity to shift those outmoded beliefs and habits.

What if charging what you’re worth allowed your ideal clients to invest in your coaching services and to value themselves more highly as well? It will. Start by learning how to have powerful and effective “money conversations” and begin dissolving scarcity issues related to money for good!

These three tips below took me from fumbling to finessing the money conversation with clients.

#1 Take the pressure off

We are so good at pressuring ourselves. It’s as if every day we climb into a pressure cooker and turn up the heat. No wonder sometimes we sweat over even the smallest things.When you give a sample session or consult to a prospect and you feel ATTACHED TO OUTCOME, you’ve cranked that heat so high that there’s no way to breathe! And then the “what if” tapes start playing: “What if this client doesn’t hire me? What if they think my fee is too high? What if I can’t make a living at this?”

You’re not a roast so this kind of pressure is good for nothin’. It’s time to climb out of that pressure cooker! Life is good. All is well. Bless your prospects and feel blessed, no matter what happens. That is prosperity thinking.

Decide right now to go into every client attraction situation KNOWING that you will attract your ideal clients. Trust… and keep trusting no matter what the outcome is. When you manage your mind you will open the flow of prosperity and easily attract your clients without sweating over it.

#2 Flip your money mindset

If you’ve got any of these thoughts running in the background as you talk to prospects…

I’m not a good enough coach yet to charge very much.

What if they say no? I’d better lower my fee.

I’ve been coaching for free for so long — how can I charge for it now?

I doubt that they can afford my coaching.

… then you’ll find yourself attracting the same perceptions from potential clients.

Here’s the truth. If you show up powerfully and with integrity, your potential clients will be more likely to hire you than if you show up doubtful and uncertain of your value.

#3 Have the Money Conversation first.

This improved my ability to enroll clients from a 50/50 potential to 100%! I used to hold back telling my fee until asked. Not only was the money conversation last but I was rarely asking for the business. I was giving my time away in sample sessions without setting them up for success. I wasn’t valuing my time.

If you tell prospects your fees before you give your time away in a sample session or consult, it changes your prospects’ opinion of you in five ways:
1. They see that you value your time and so they will too.
2. They perceive you as a professional rather than an amateur.
3. They see that you value your services and they will too.
4. They feel that you’re not hiding anything from them which engenders trust.
5. They understand that you want them to make the best decision for themselves.With the money conversation out front, the consult is free to be magical. And it’s easy to finish enrolling with three powerful questions:
1. What are you taking away from our session?
2. Can you see how quickly and easily you’d achieve your goals if we had several dynamic conversations each month?
3. What questions do you have before we get started in our coaching relationship?

Take the next ninety days and apply these tips to your money conversations. Watch how you feel more powerful while more clients hire you!

Most coaches have a naturally enterprising spirit. In fact, many have endless creative ideas. What seems to be lacking for most coaches is FOCUS.

Have you ever felt that you’re all over the place with your coaching business?  Today, you’re speaking at a brown bag corporate meeting about team leadership. Yesterday you gave a talk at your church about relationships. Next week you’ve got a gig at Borders where you’re giving a career choice seminar.

All of these opportunities just came to you, right? And it feels good to be recognized. But what are you recognized for… and is it something you can leverage to become financially successful?

Are you morphing your message, your title and your specialty to fit any opportunity or potential client that comes your way?

Somewhere down the road, you’ll wake up and realize that’s not a sustainable way to do business as a coach. You’re exhausted. Your client pipeline is only trickling even though you’re putting in a lot of hard work. And when you do the math, most days you’re only making about $25 - 50/hr when you could be making at least 5 - 10 times that if your business had more focus.

That’s when a lot of coaches hire me to help them fix their coaching business. If these are some of the symptoms you’re experiencing, let me give you the four ingredients of a simple remedy which is 100% effective and will make your marketing fun for you:

1. Pick one narrow niche market that is easily accessible and that has some disposable income. Ideally, it’s a group you have some knowledge about. But you can do what I did and start building your knowledge from scratch.

2. Make it your business everyday to find out what your niche market cares about.

- What is keeping them up at night?
- What are the specific top challenges they continually face?
- What are their top desires?

Stop yourself from trying to figure out what you have to offer them at first. And resist the temptation to scrape at the surface and generalize their problems to what anyone may be challenged by. When it comes to marketing coaching services, narrow and specific wins every time over broad and general. Research your niche market, get into their heads, step into their shoes, read their publications… understand them. 

3. Stop trying to convince clients to hire you by trying to sell them on the idea of coaching. It doesn’t sell. When you learn to think like your niche market does, you’ll know what to sell.

4. Set success criteria to keep your focus on actions that will have the greatest impact on your LONG TERM success. Success Criteria are guidelines that will help you determine how to dedicate your valuable time. Say ‘yes’ only to ideal clients and ideal opportunities that meet your success criteria, rather than anyone who wants you for anything.

Within a few months of making these four changes in your approach to getting clients, you’ll see the results you want: 

Scattered becomes focused.

Muddled becomes clear.

Overwhelmed becomes purposeful.

Limping along financially becomes highly profitable.

And you’ll actually enjoy marketing because the struggle is over and you know exactly how to attract your ideal clients every time.