How many options should you give?
Last week we discussed how long your private coaching programs should be and ideas on how to structure those programs.
Because there are countless ways to structure your private coaching programs, you may find yourself creating a number of different offerings that you can present to potential clients.
And I bet, like me, you get excited about creating new offerings.
If you’re a people pleaser, you probably feel drawn to create several options so you can meet everyone’s needs – in terms of their budget and how much support they want or need.
Before you know it, you have three, four, or five different options you are presenting to potential clients.
How many options should you present to potential clients?
Choice is an interesting thing. We think that it’s better to have more choice, but research actually indicates the reverse.
When we have too many options, we get overwhelmed by evaluating all of the choices and are then less likely to purchase.
Wanting to please people can be a wonderful thing, but, it can get you into trouble when it comes to creating your offerings.
You can have multiple offerings, but when it comes to presenting options to a client, I recommend you only share one or two of those choices.
Here’s how this works…
During an initial health history/strategy session with a client, determine which of your offerings will make the most sense for this person. Base the decision on how much support you feel this client needs in order to be successful.
When you get to the point in the conversation where you share how they can work with you, simply share the one option you feel makes the most sense. Don’t mention the other options.
In many cases, it can be helpful to have a second option to present. It gives the client some choice without being overwhelming.
Here’s a great way to present a second option…
As you discuss the first option, you can casually say “there is another option we can discuss.” Then, wait to see if they ask to hear more about the second option.
You ideally want the two options to be very different from each other. For example, one option might be a high-end 4-month program and your other option may be a one-day Intensive (also called a VIP Day).
What I learned when I was a health coach
When I was a health coach, I had three different coaching programs:
- High-end 6- month program
- Basic 6-month program
- Accelerated 3-month program
In the five years I spent health coaching, all but one client chose the high-end 6-month option. (The other one chose the accelerated 3-month program.)
In the majority of cases, you will find that clients prefer the higher-end option. People want to know they will be taken care of.
As you experiment with different offerings, zero in on which ones are most popular. As this becomes clear, remove the unpopular options from the “menu.” When you do this, you’ll find that you have an easier time closing the deal.
I’d love to hear from you.
How many different coaching options do you have right now? How is this working for you and what changes would you like to experiment with? Share below so I can support you.
