All right! I want to continue this series that I’ve been talking about for the last several days.

What prompted this was the initial experience. It wasn’t the first time it happened, but one of the people in our community had talked about how they had made up their clients mind for them, there their prospects mind, before the person ever showed up to the sample session. This coach had decided that that person couldn’t afford their services. And it’s something that I see all the time and I’m sure you’ve done it, even though you may not be raising your hand or admitting to it. I bet that the villains inside have come up and said: “You know what? They just… I don’t even know why I’m doing this. They can’t even afford my services…” And you are deciding things for them. No, no, no! That is not done in business! You cannot do that!

So I’ve given you several things over the last three trainings, and today I want to give you how to actually overcome the money objection. Now, in order to do this it means you have to make it to the sample session with an open mind, and being open to possibilities, and being prepared for the “yes”. Ee talked about that in the last training. But this is how to overcome it. It’s the number one objection from everybody wanting to hiring you. I don’t care if you’re a coach, an entrepreneur, a salesperson, you’re in business of some sort, someway, somehow, whenever you present something, “I can’t afford it” is usually the knee-jerk reaction that people have. So I want to tell you what’s really going on and how to overcome it, so that this… you won’t be… like a lot of times when you hear this, you’re like: “Oh God! It’s coming, they’re gonna say “I can’t afford it”. And you’re expecting it. And instead, I want you to be able to open your heart, breathe deeply and have fun with this! Cuz’ this is totally fun, this is where coaching comes in at its best.

So you’re sitting in a sample session and they have said: “You know what? That sounds great! I really would love to work with you, but I just can’t afford it right now…” And they will probably give you some great excuses like: “I’ve got kids in college, I’ve got a summer vacation coming up, I’ve got the house repair.” All these things are gonna be legitimate sounding reasons why they can’t afford it. But whenever somebody says “I can’t afford it” it’s what their lips are saying “I can’t afford it”, but what’s really going on and what they’re really saying is this: “I don’t yet see the value for me, so I’m not gonna do this and I’m just gonna use money because it’s hard to argue against that. I’m just gonna use money as the reason.” Nine times out of ten when somebody says “I can’t afford it” they just have not yet seen the value of what coaching will do for them in their life. It’s simply a conversation issue. It’s not a money issue.

So I want you to know that, first and foremost, going into this you must (Melinda) must always sit on your shoulder forevermore, and whenever you hear “I can’t afford it” I’m gonna whisper into your ear: “That’s not what they’re really saying. What they’re really saying is: I don’t yet see the value. So keep conveying the value until they get it”. Once they understand that value, then they can decide if they want to make the investment.

Now, I’m gonna be harsh for a second. This is how I know it’s not about the money (and bear with me as I give this brutal example). I actually did this with one of my clients, only because she was a really good friend of mine and I really did know her situation. But I’ll give you this scenario: the reason I know it’s not about money is this: let’s say you’re talking to a prospect and let’s just say, for this example , that that prospect has a couple of young children. They just said “I can’t afford the transformation you’re gonna give me in my life” and then later that afternoon they get a phone call from the emergency room and something has happened to one or both of their kids – God forbid! That’s not what we want to have happen. I’m just using this as a scenario, so hang with me – and the emergency room, let’s say it’s gonna be 10, 15, 20 thousand dollar bill for whatever has just happened to their kids. Is that person that same person that just says “I can’t afford your services”? Are they gonna say: “You know what? Don’t do anything! I’ll be right there. I’m gonna pick them up cuz’ I can’t afford this”? No, that is not what they’re going to say! They’re gonna be like: “Oh my gosh! I’ll be right there! Do whatever you have to!” Right? And guess what? They will figure it out.

Now it might be difficult, it may not be easy. They may not have that $10,000 sitting on that shelf that they can pull out and give to the ER right away, but they will figure it out. Why is that? Because the value that they see is significant and they’ll do whatever it takes to make their kids safe. That’s the value: keep my kids safe, right? So they see the value. So the same person who just said “I can’t afford your services” later that afternoon has come up with $10,000, because I saw the value and they needed it, right? Right! That’s why it’s not about the mone0y, it’s about the value.

And so, your job in the sample session, and that enrollment conversation, and that discovery consultation, your job, your business is to present why coaching is so powerful. Why working with you is so powerful. The journey of transformation that they will experience with you, when they hire you and invest in your services. And when they go through that journey, the results that they’re going to walk away with, and how those results will positively impact their life. When somebody can understand the journey that they’re gonna be on, that it’s possible and doable, that they can do it, and you’re the guide for them, and when they understand the results waiting for them on the other side – we call that Pleasure Island – when they reach and those results and the positive impact it has on their life, now that person can make a conscious decision to say “yes, to themselves because that’s what they really want.

So the next time you hear “I can’t afford it” just say to yourself: “Oh, okay! Melinda said what they’re really saying is “I don’t you see the value” so let me take a step back, let me regroup, let me ask for a do-over and let me try again. Let me convey the journey of transformation that they’ll experience through coaching. When they’re done with coaching, what are the results that they’re going to have? And how will that impact positively impact their life? And not only do I want to make sure I can convey it to them, but I want to make sure they can repeat it to me. And then from there they can make a decision: yes or no.

So that’s the secret to overcoming the number one objection. Remember that, and you’ll have way more fun. Because now you can bring in coachingb asking questionsb being curiousb relatingb reframing to themb just great coaching skills until they can see the value. Once they can, now their “yes” is a solid “yes”. Or they’re “no” a solid “no”. And you’ll know it and they’ll know it. In the next training, to wrap up this whole series, I just want to give you kind of an overview, an outline if you will, of how to construct your sample session. Because it’s not just coaching. Coaching is woven through it, but if you’re just coaching, and people aren’t hiring you, there’s a reason. I’m going to give you that outline in the next training. I will see you there!