What are you selling?
I work as a coach. When I tell people what I do, I often offer a sample coaching session if they have not heard of nor experienced coaching. It's a taste test for the eyes, ears and consciousness, a come and see experience. Sample sessions may or may not result in conversion. In other words, I may or may not have a new client as a result of the sampling. If at the end of the initial session I ask "would you like to work together", I am attempting to close on the deal. This is the point of honesty, where I admit that I am a sales person and I remain one until I am hired. Once there is agreement, that yes we will become client and coach, it is then that I assume my role.
A conversation about arrangements is now possible and this is the agreement, the contract that states services rendered will be paid. What about a no, you ask? Well that is when next comes into play. I go back into sales with new people I meet or old acquaintances I run into.
There is a money monster that says sales are egregious and slick, that to be in sales is a statement about your character or lack there of. Lies. We are all in sales. Look at a receptionist for a dental office, making outbound calls to patients to sell them a spot in a chair for dental care. Or the greeter at the front door of your gym, selling you on having a good workout on the way in and a good day on the way out and more subtly, depending on the gym, selling you on the good looks you will be surrounded by and have hopes of achieving once you join.
You can't do your job, your work if you have no one in front of you, no one to serve. Sales, then service. Service without payment is a freebie, a give away. Keep it up and you have become a volunteer doing charity work and lets not make the mistake of you calling yourself a professional. Thats when another huge money monster will rear its ugly head and tell you you will never make it, your services are not worth payment and why don't you just get a day job instead of pretending?
So, what are you selling? How much is your time worth? Are you willing to ask for the sale, close the deal so that you can provide the best service possible to clients? Go get 'em tiger, your work is waiting for you.
