I just hired a weight loss coach and wanted to share my decision-making process to help understand what might be going through a coaching prospect’s mind.
First of all, I hired her off Thumbtack because I started out by searching for a nutritionist. When I saw there was an actual weight-loss coach who was also a trained nutritionist, I changed my intention to hire a coach – not just a nutritionist.
Then, when I saw 75 five-star ratings, I contacted her, texted back and forth, asked about the cost and the process, and hired her by making the 1st-month payment.
All of this happened within 30 minutes. Gasp!
5 Lessons Learned:
- I wasn’t looking for a weight-loss coach – I simply wanted to drop 25 pounds after watching a show on this topic.
- Social proof and customer ratings removed all trust barriers and a need for a strategy session, if the price was right, I was ready to hire and did so before ever speaking with her. It’s the equivalent of being referred by someone you trust.
- I came looking for what I believed was the answer to my problem – nutrition planning. What I found was that and more (overall better digestive health and better life habits).
- I wasn’t simply aware of my problem – I made a decision and a commitment to do something about it and I was ready to invest into a solution.
- Finally, and this is a big one, what pushed me towards making this decision is being inspired by watching someone else’s success story, the struggles she faced and overcame along the way, and how her life transformed after she lost weight.
Relationship building is important, but it takes time. Social proof cuts that time massively, as you can see. Just wanted to share in case it helps you in any way as you grow your coaching business.
As a Sales Psychologist(TM), I use my knowledge of human behavior to help coaches and consultants understand how people make buying decisions, so they can attract and get more business. There are actually 4 different buying styles and the one you described is a combination between the safe, conventional buyer and the smart, thoughtful buyer. Be aware that there are two other styles that may be more powerful in reaching a decision than the ones you described. In those cases, connecting with the coach and forming a relationship is required before individuals can make up their minds.
That’s true, thank you for bringing this into the conversation Nancy. I am usually a fast decision maker, but I needed to see proof of success and the possibility to experience success for myself.