Sales Skills 101

• Knowing how to coach is not the same as knowing how to get hired as a coach.

If you do not know how to sell yourself, you can’t help clients or earn a living.  

1. Get training in this area if you struggle with the sales end of the work.
2. Practice your skills with friends or family members.
3. Learn how to talk about the benefits of your work to potential clients.
4. Realize that the service you offer has value and you deserve to make money.

• Change your thinking.

The idea of sales often brings up negative thoughts. The fact of the matter is that without the sale, you have no client.  It is an essential interaction that is necessary for your success. 

1. Change your outlook by challenging negative thoughts and beliefs.
2. See yourself as offering to help someone, rather than taking away their money.
3.  Think of how you have benefitted from other helping relationships.
4. Recognize the benefits of what you have to offer.
5. Change your thinking from one of sales to one of serving others.
6. Stop pitching your sale and simply talk about your work.
7. Don’t promise things you can’t deliver – this makes it easier to sell your services.

• Free is good, but your expertise has a monetary value.

There is a time and a place for freebies and incentives, but when it comes to a full service, don’t sell yourself short. You exchange your experience, training, knowledge and insight for  monetary rewards. Think of your services as and yourself as a product available for purchase. 

• Show your potential client why they need you.

Learn how to interact with a potential client so that they realize you can help them. This means  showing them, rather than telling them about your skills and knowledge.  Focus on demonstrating your skill set in a way that your prospective clients come to their own conclusions about your capabilities. As a coach, you are the product and your interactions a taste of things to come.

• Believe in yourself.  SELL yourself.

Acknowledge your personal strengths and demonstrate them to your potential clients.  Help clients-to-be recognize your passion and interest in helping. Once you believe that you are are worth the price and capable of delivering the goods, it shines through to others.