The Emails You Need to Sell Coaching

Are you starting to sell coaching services?

In the last few weeks I've spoken to a couple of folks that are looking to sell coaching services. Additionally, I've discovered folks in the WordPress ecosystem that are adding coaching to what they do (that I didn't know about).

All of that is great. I believe there's still a ton of room for product companies and digital agencies to improve what they're doing. (If I didn't, I wouldn't write about it.)

But there's one thing that has surprised me…

Selling coaching services is just another launch

The thing that's surprised me is how often these new coaches are treating coaching like a web project. There's an inquiry form that collects information (much like, “tell me about your website,” only this time it's “tell me about your business”).

I suppose that's fine if you're selling to customers who know you, trust you, and the form is simply a sign up form.

But if you're selling a coaching program for people who don't know you, then you're selling to strangers. And if you're selling to strangers, the only thing you have is words. So you better use them.

That's why I suggest you think about selling a coaching program similar to a product launch.

And if you think about it that way, you know what's next, right?

You need to develop an email sequence to help you sell coaching.

An email sequence to help you sell coaching

I believe you need a five-email sequence to help you sell coaching. As with every post on this site, this is just my opinion. But I've been coaching entrepreneurs for twenty years. So I know a little something about converting strangers into coaching clients.

Here is my recommendation.

Program Details & Price

If someone lands on your coaching inquiry form and gives you their email, this is your first email you can send to make sure that you're both in the same ballpark. Maybe they're looking to solve a specific problem and you have a long-term program – that's going to be a miss.

Also, prices are all over the place. Prospects can show up expecting just about any price under the sun. Some people will tell you to present your pricing after you've done everything else. Convince them of your value before showing your price.

I don't agree.

I rather highlight my pricing up front. If it's not right, that's fine. No harm. No foul. And no one is wasting anyone's time.

Social Proof & Testimonials

The second email I recommend is to leverage those testimonials early and often. I've already told you how to ask for them. And the power of video.

If you've already showed folks your price, and they're on the fence, this second email highlights why someone might pay that price. Results speak volumes and quick testimonials are a great way to get that social proof going.

A Personal Story & Setting Expectations

The third email for me is often more personal.

• Here's why I do this.
• This is what motivates me.
• Why I don't have a prescribed program.

That kind of stuff.

It's also a great time to share some of my “rules” and “expectations,” like:

• I will never work harder than you on your business.
• You don't have to do what I recommend.
• This won't be forever. At some point, I won't be able to help you any longer.

All of this is sandwiched between emails about results. Email two was testimonials. Email four is our case study.

A Customer Success Story

A testimonial is often short. One or two minutes saying something nice or powerful about you. But that's not a case study.

When you write up what it looked like when your customer followed your advice and added $400,000 to their business in a single year – that's a story that people pay attention to.

The trick to a case study is explaining your role. What exactly did you do? Because as a coach, having tons of ideas doesn't immediately translate to results. This is normally when I highlight my 50+ frameworks that help customers think about things differently.

Frequently Asked Questions

The last email is there to help someone cross the line from hesitant to excited. Your job is to know as many of the questions they may have, and then address them. The better you do this, the easier it is to get on a call and close the deal.

Here it is Visually

Can I give you one last bit of advice?

There are two ways to sell coaching. The first is to stand on your own experiences and talk about what you can do, and what you've already done.

The second is to compare yourself to another coach – trying to raise yourself up by pulling them down. It's a weak version of differentiation, but I see it often.

Don't do it. Instead, focus on developing your own story of how you can help. You'll have a stronger business if your differentiation doesn't require a foil.