One of the best freebies you can offer is a free consultation. Free consultation offers work particularly well if you have a relatively expensive item to sell. For example coaching, training or consultancy.
A free consultation allows you to build a one -to- one connection with the person on the other end of the phone. It allows you to prove that you really know what you’re saying before asking them to sign up. It allows you to deliver value first, before you begin selling.
Here’s how to use a free consultation giveaway to really boost your business.
Making the offer the right way
Your free consultation call cannot seem like a sales call. Let the caller know what your time is normally valued at (e.g. a consultation would normally cost £150). Tell them what kinds of problems you can help solve on the call. If possible, come up with a valid reason why you’re giving away a valuable call.
Plan your call
You don’t want to ‘just wing it’ with these calls. One of the most important things people want to sense in both a coach and a sales person is the ability to lead. You should know where you want to take the listener every step of the process.
Write out a rough outline of how you want the call to go. Of course you can go with the flow once you’re actually on the call, but it really helps to have something pre-planned before your begin.
Deliver value first
Your call shouldn’t be about pressuring people to buy. The moment people get a whiff of sales pressure, they’re usually gone.
Instead, first try to demonstrate that you really know what you’re talking about by delivering value.
Solve one of their problems or give a unique perspective. If you have a 45 minute call, spend at least the first 30 minutes delivering value.
Question Based Selling
Finally, sell. But rather than selling in a direct ‘buy me’ way, use questions to discover what the pain points really are. For instance, if you’re offering a business consultation product, ask questions about their current business processes and problems.
Ask enough questions to get a crystal clear sense of what the problems are and what their pain points are. Then let them know what you can offer and ask if they see a match between what you offer and what their problems are.
The goal is to find a natural fit between your product and their needs, without having to use pressure.
That’s how you can use a free consultation to boost sales. A free consultation is a fantastic way to bring in new customers, provided you have an expensive enough service to make it worth the effort.
Would you like a copy of my latest workbook, Make That Decision! Your ultimate procrastination-busting guide to what to do next? Just click the link!