Feel the Fear Do It Anyway!
One of the surprises that came out of the review of my business in 2022 was how little new business I generated from existing clients.
As every text I have seen about selling successfully concludes the best source of new business is by referral from existing clients.
As a result, I stopped to reflect on why my existing clients are not a major source of new clients. I concluded I was not asking existing clients for referrals. I was anticipating the client would reject my request for a referral. This was borne out from my fear that such a response was a rejection of my coaching and that any rejection would fatally damage the relationship with the client. It was easier not to ask for help than risk rejection!
The irony is that not doing something out of fear of a rejection regularly comes up in conversations with clients. My advice to clients who feel that way is to stop making assumptions about the response…the only way you will truly know is to feel the fear and do it anyway!
As a result, my commitment in 2023 is that at the end of a coaching conversation, I will lean into my fear by saying the following script:
“Before we go do you have 5 more mins.
I am building my business through word-of-mouth referrals.
After such an amazing conversation today, I wanted to check-in with you as to whether there is anyone you know who is facing struggles like you in business + life that you think might really benefit from having a conversation with me.
Can you think of one person like that right now?
If there is, let’s have a quick discussion as to how I can connect with that person.”