Updated 2/17/21
When a business owner offers free sessions, there’s usually one of two results: crickets, meaning no one responds. Or, instead, people respond, free sessions are given, but no new clients come from it.
It’s hard to know which is worse. It’s great to have the validation when people do respond, but all of that time and energy wasted…
Free sessions remains one of those frustrating marketing strategies that seems like *such* a good idea, and yet often fails miserably.
On the flip side, free sessions *can* be incredibly, wonderfully, over-the-top successful. I’ve done it myself, and our clients have seen the same results.
Although some people are successful with them through manipulative, high-pressure sales tactics, I don’t call that “successful.” To be truly successful in a way that feels great, nourishes your heart, and has great clients signing up with you, you need to absolutely be not manipulative, and instead be more honest.
Let me explain.
Free sessions are offered often as also free of strings, no-commitment, just totally a gift of the heart. But that’s not true, is it? The generosity is there, absolutely. But what is also there is the desire to enroll new clients. It’s not strings-free, in the way that a donation to a charity, or a birthday gift, can be strings-free.
The string is that you’re actually wanting them to consider working with you beyond the free session.
Because you’re heart-centered, you know not everyone is going to enroll, and you’re fine with people making a decision that is right for them. But you want them to seriously consider that they might need you, and to hear any recommendations you have for further work together with open ears and an open heart.
One statement our clients and participants hear from me over and over is this: Over 90% of problems and challenges in sales and marketing can be solved with honesty. Just be honest.
To get free sessions to work, you have to be honest about the string, and present it from the outset.
There are four elements to free sessions that make them honest, and make them effective. Use them all. In fact, create a web page specifically for the free session that includes these explanations:
Element one: It’s not a full-on treatment session, it’s at least partially an assessment.
Make sure you are helping them see the big picture of what’s going on with them, so they understand what it will really take for them to achieve whatever it is they are facing that you can help them with.
Element two: Describe who you best work with and the folks you like to help.
Make it as easy as possible for folks to determine whether they are a good fit or not for you. Make your values really clear. Don’t push people away, just be yourself.
Element three: Let them know that part of your recommendation may include further work with you if appropriate.
You don’t want people to be surprised by this in the session. When you don’t make this clear at the outset, it’s a big piece of what makes the transition from free to paid so awkward. If someone knows it’s part of it, they can be prepared for it. In fact, it might get them thinking positively about it ahead of time, and if they have a good time with you, the transition from free client to paid client becomes much easier.
Element four: Hoops for jumping.
Don’t let just anyone book a free session simply by asking. Instead, make them jump through hoops first. Namely, some kind of form or application that they fill out ahead of time. Ask them some in-depth questions about themselves and their situation.
This will do two things. First, it will show you if they are serious. If they can’t fill out a form, then they just might not have shown up for the session. Second, it will help you determine if they are a good potential client for you. If someone fills out the form and is clearly not a good fit, you don’t have to give them a free session. You can refer them out to other resources.
There you go! Free sessions that actually work!
Of course there’s more to say about each of the elements, but you’ve got the basic gist of how it works. Go ye forth with your free sessions!
The bigger lesson? There are so many business strategies and tactics that, when done poorly or incompletely, absolutely don’t work. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t good strategies! With all business strategies, make sure you have thought them through, or learned them from someone with integrity who knows how to make them effective.
The Ones That Got Away
Tomorrow, Thursday, February 18, I’m holding a free webinar on The Ones That Got Away, that’s all about holding an effective sales conversation with heart and integrity.
If you are uncomfortable with the sales conversation, and/or losing people that you know you could help, who really would be great clients, please join me. If you can’t be there live, yes, there’s a recording.
The Ones That Got Away
Unsure what you need?
Get a free Readiness Assessment which includes a personal reply from us. You’ll learn which of the four stages of business development you’re in now, what you need to focus on, and what you can safely ignore.
21 Responses
Great article. Thank you Mark.
You’er welcome, Catherine!
“Trust your gut … If you’re experiencing those negative feelings, consider whether the salesperson is pushing those buttons to take advantage of your emotional state. …”
Absolutely!
If your gut says NO, stick with NO.
Indeed, Joely!
What a great gift this article is, Mark. Thank you 🙂
Dorothy- so glad this was so helpful for you!
This is just so on point and perfectly timed, thank you Mark! Through following the heart of your business this week, it became really apparent to me that the best next step for me after someone digested an online offering of mine was to offer a free mini-session with assessment of whether there was a fit for continuing the work. This is basically the template for the offer page/invitation. I love honesty and I really see how being clear can maximise the heartfulness of the sessions and make the transition obvious and smooth!
Charu- exactly! I’m glad it’s so perfectly timed for you. 🙂
Hey Mark! GREAT article and on point. I especially like the application form for free sessions. You can tell right away whether someone could be your potential client that way.
Kian- you are so welcome!
Qualifying your audience in this way is good for everyone involved. Thanks, Mark.
So helpful, isn’t it, Arlene?
I can hardly express how much relief I feel reading this article! I love the clarity of the 4 elements. When I read the 4th about the creating hoops I sighed out loud with relief that I don’t have to open myself/my time/my energy up to everyone and anyone! I can be selective – which I imagine will be a contribution to the folks that DON’T want the free session as well. They can just move on to another resource. Such efficiency and care. Thank you so much!
Carolyn- relief! I love it! And yes, you can be selective. Absolutely.
I second all the comments above. This article met my need for understanding why people weren’t responding to my free session offers. I can see that it’s not personal rejection, but a need for safety and clarity that’s keeping people away. It’s what I would need myself. I’m so grateful for this article: the content, the timing…everything. Thank you Mark.
Susan- so glad it was helpful in that discernment. You are so welcome.
This is such great and wise advice, Mark! A superb article, and so useful. It’s one that I will definitely come back to, as I reflect on my own initial consultation process. Thank you!
Lia- so glad it was helpful!
Mark,
Thanks for a very insightful article.
What do you think of outright offering to talk with someone to see if our coaching may help them? In other words, it’s clearly a sales conversation rather than a sample coaching session.
It doesn’t feel greedy to me. For instance, I do public speaking and I give almost unlimited advice to people who approach me after my presentation. Plus I have a reasonably priced book on Amazon, a free newsletter, and years of blog posts on my website. And I answer questions people email me for free.
I used to be on the list of a coach who wrote an article about how indignant she was that people were accepting free sessions without entertaining the concept of paid coaching. I felt bad for her readers; it had taken me quite awhile to realize that free sessions are intended to enroll people. Sales copy can be so “enlightened,” if that’s the right word, that the intent is not clear to newbies. So I like the 4 points you would include on the website.
My first conversation with you years ago was whether the program I was considering matched my needs. No pretense of “coaching.” I signed up for your program and I am glad I did.
-d
Hi Diana- yes, absolutely. That happens all the time, and is the most direct route. And I agree with you, sometimes inspiring language can be very indirect and muddy about what exactly is going on.
And no, no greed there. I don’t get where “greedy” would come in- if someone is interested in your services, you talk to them about it. 🙂
This is absolutely spot on to the way I choose to conduct myself at work. While not faking it, I believe it is a conscious choice to embrace your work, show your passion and work to solve problems, listen to others and interject when appropriate (sometimes people just need to be heard, without a need to solve the problem). In my office, I have products on display, so people actually know what an ‘Air Spring’ is, and it creates dialogue to educate my colleagues and further strengthen my own product knowledge BEFORE getting in front of a customer. It reminds me of a Branding class in Grad School at DePaul, where it was encouraged to create your own internal brand with your colleagues. As a result of my upbeat, positive, realistic and empathetic posture with my colleagues, they now know what I do, what markets I serve and how I go to market – all based on the strategy I developed! And finally, I would agree – if you don’t have passion for what you do – get out now! Find a new job first, though :-).