3 Secret Reasons Why Clients Say “I Can’t Afford It”

So there you are, on the phone with your latest potential client. You’ve had a transformative conversation. You both know that working with you is the best next step for them, so you make the offer of your services. And then it comes… “I’d love to, but… I just don’t have the finances right now.”

Uh oh – the door of possibility has been slammed shut by the money concern. Or has it?

Many spirit-led coaches, mentors and practitioners hear concerns like “I can’t afford it” and take them at face value. And of course you don’t want to be pushy or try to get your client to do something against their best interest. But here’s the problem… most of the time (think 80-90%), the words

“I can’t afford it…”

“I don’t have time…”

“I have to think about it…”

… are a smokescreen. An excuse. (Yes, let’s call a spade a spade, here.)

So there’s something else going on, and it’s one of 3 things.

1. It’s not a fit. They truly don’t need what you have right now. This one is pretty unlikely, especially if you’ve gotten to the point in the conversation where you’re making an invitation. (Indeed, you wouldn’t be making it in the first place if it wasn’t a fit, right?) But it happens.

2. They haven’t seen the value – yet. In other words, they don’t really know why they need it, or why they should invest with you. That doesn’t mean that they don’t need you, just that they don’t understand how what you do will help relieve pain or solve a pressing challenge – yet.
(Closely related: they don’t know why they should invest with you right now.)

3. Some form of fear. Now this is the biggie. Stepping up, going out on a limb, making a powerful shift – even when your client sincerely wants to change her life, it’s still going to trigger fear. That part of her that wants the safety of the status quo will kick in – you can count on it.

And then there are other fears: fear of turning you down, fear that they can’t get the results, fear of not being liked, fear of being judged… the fears go on and on.

So how do you uncover the REAL issue… without being pushy? The answer is to get curious, stay detached, and ask questions.

When your client is standing at the threshold of changing their life, their “squishymind” is doing everything in its power to sabotage them. They need you to take a strong stand for their truth.

And this is soooo important, because when people give into their fear, they miss out getting your help to get what they really want. And you miss out on – literally – thousands and thousands of dollars in income over time… not to mention living your purpose.

The Next Time You Hear “I Can’t Afford It,” Try This Script…

“I hear that [finances, time, etc] is a concern for you. May I ask you a question about that?”

People are rarely challenged when they bring up the money concern. You’re going into uncomfortable territory when you bypass the socially acceptable move – i.e., when you DON’T let them off the hook. So before going there,
you want to be respectful. Otherwise, you may lose your potential client’s trust (and the sale).

At this point, you want to find out if it’s really about the money. If it’s about value, back up in the conversation and return to their problem and the cost of not getting it solved. If it’s truly about the money, you can refer them to someone else, or help them find the money.

It’s easy to take “I can’t afford it” personally, break the tension or otherwise let ‘em off the hook. But remember, this conversation is about your client’s decision to truly change their life. By not buying into their excuses, you take a strong stand for them and empower them to make a different choice, the next step along their journey to health, wealth and happiness.

Divine Feminine Entrepreneur Spotlight: Paith MacQueen

“A 12k launch in my first month in business!”

“I bought and applied the tools in your Client Enrollment Secrets Program and had a 12k launch in my first month in business!

I am so excited and grateful for how the tools you provided guided me through the process to unleashing the beginning of my true potential.

I am serving clients at a level where they are getting incredible results, because I have stepped up to my full-power as a practitioner, through offering my body of work in a VIP day format.

No more trading dollars for hours and feeling depleted at the end of each week, not to mention feeling disappointed to see my clients not getting the results I knew they could have!

Also, your program helped me to expertly identify my Core offer, my Signature system, and the ‘results language’ that my clients needed to hear to get inspired and invest in my program.

Your tips on how to have a sacred conversation to enroll clients in my program were brilliant, and I was able to enroll 90% of the clients who had free strategy sessions with me in my VIP program as a result of speaking to their hearts, and creating value for them.

All of this was done without a big list, as I am just getting into business at this new level, and I simply reached out to my community of contact, past clients, friends and family. And I was amazed to find out how many people seemed to be waiting for me step into my brilliance at this level, and whole-heartedly jumped into my program!

I am now seeing the incredible impact my work is having in people’s lives, and it is building my confidence in leaps and bounds, I know I will be having a profoundly positive and Soul-satisfying impact in the world this year through my authentic gifts.

I am so grateful and happy to be living my purpose AND providing for my family!

Thank you again!”

Paith MacQueen
PaithMacQueen.com

Divine Feminine Entrepreneur Spotlight: Shannon Presson

“Over $23k in new business!”

"One the biggest challenges for us creative types is having a million ideas in our heads but no real system for getting them organized and out into the world. I was constantly coming up with more thoughts about how to take my work out into the world, but without a definite plan, nothing was really coming together.

But after booking a VIP day with Elizabeth, I immediately began to get different results. She helped me fine tune my message, plan out a marketing strategy, draft my offerings with appropriate price points and craft my signature story so that I could immediately begin booking speaking engagements to attract new clients.

Within two months, I had four speaking engagements! After each one, over 90% of the audience opted into my list and I received numerous requests for strategy sessions. All of that, as well as using the techniques that Elizabeth teaches on how to have a successful selling conversation, helped me create over $23k in new business!

If you are full of good ideas but totally overwhelmed with how to take them out into the world in a powerful and profitable way, then working with Elizabeth is absolutely the answer to your prayers! She is pure genius when it comes to authentic marketing from the heart and I know of no quicker way to become a wealthy goddess than to study and learn everything she has to offer."

Shannon Presson
TrueSelfWorth.com

How To Create “A Goddess State Of Mind” To Attract High-End Clients

When I mentor my clients on how to create, launch and fill their own “Platinum style” programs, one of the very first things we work on is mindset.

Truth is, it isn’t a lack of skill, capability or experience that holds most heart-centered coaches and practitioners back from launching their first high-end program. It’s their emotional mindset – what I like to call a Goddess State Of Mind.

So what’s a Goddess State Of Mind?

It’s the to-the-core-of-you belief that YOU are worth it, and what you do is worth it because of the power it has to transform the lives of your clients. (You can see there’s one more belief in there – that your clients are worth it, too!)

Creating a Goddess State Of Mind just might be my favorite part of the whole Platinum model. Why? Because of who it calls you forth to become. Let’s face it – there is simply no way you can hide out, play small, stay scared to expand and doubt whether people will pay you what you’re worth (and more) when you honor and truly embody the goddess you are.

Pretty yummy, yes? Oh YES.

So how do you develop this Goddess State Of Mind?

First, you make the decision. Then you authentically uplevel in key areas of your life and business – so that everything supports this awesome, empowered way of thinking. Here are 3 ways to start.

1. “Goddess-ize” your ENVIRONMENT.

Your environment either pulls you forward, or slows you down. What’s your personal style? Do your office and home surroundings reflect your personal style? “Stuff” has a habit of creeping up (and around) and clutter takes a major toll on your energy. You may not notice it, but believe me, it’s there.

I will never forget the space clearing that mirrored my first massive upleveling a few years ago. It felt so good to let go of things that were no longer me. Now, clearing out the clutter is one of my secret strategies to moving forward with lightning speed.

Your environment has a huge impact on your success and you feel about yourself. Surrounding yourself with beauty and luxury doesn’t have to be expensive (case in point: the roses in my office cost all of $10 at the grocery store). A little bit of self-care in this way will have a BIG impact on your bottom line.

2. “Goddess-ize” your SELF-TALK.

What are you telling yourself, day in and day out? Most women are playing a loop in their heads of criticizing, judging, comparing, and despairing. None of that negative crap is “good enough” (ha!) for the goddess YOU are. It’s time to break the pattern!

Here’s a simple, empowering action step to uncover some of the self-sabotaging messages you’re not even noticing right now. For one day this week, have a notebook on your desk and just notice what goes on in your head throughout the day. No judgments, just observations – like a journalist would do.

Then notice – what are the key disempowering thoughts or phrases or beliefs that come up again and again? (Examples: “I can’t afford it,” “they won’t pay for it” and any version of “not enough.”) Pick ONE message to shift, starting right now. You’re going to feel sooo much lighter energetically, right away.

3. “Goddess-ize” how you handle MONEY.

I’m not talking about affirmations, visualizations, or all that good stuff. (And it is good stuff, no matter what the haters say; it’s just that too many spiritual entrepreneurs stop there.) I’m talking about practical and energetic STEPS to honor your money, every day.

Here’s the deal, Goddess – creating Platinum programs means that greater and greater amounts of money will be coming to you. How you HANDLE that money will absolutely have an influence on the clients you get and the fees you attract.

Cleaning up your “money stuff” can be overwhelming, so here’s a simple place to start. Track EVERY bit of income that comes to you, every day, to the penny. Your motto here is “it all counts” – including your partner’s money, lucky pennies you find in the street, and money from Grandma. Taking this stand of “it all counts” will help you begin to stop the discounting, separation and compartmentalizing that can sabotage your ability to attract and keep more.

How You Treat Yourself Has EVERYTHING To Do With Receiving Higher Fees

You can’t attract clients who value you until you do the work, and value yourself. Then your programs become a powerful container of possibility for your clients to step INTO. Instead of matching whatever fear or resistance they have and lowering your energy, you hold a powerful NEW space for them to step up.

When you value yourself first, others will follow. It’s a beautiful thing!

How To Grow Your Business By Attending Live Events

No question, attending live events is one of THE best ways to build your business quickly. There is nothing like in-person connection to create rich relationships and as an entrepreneur, you MUST be around people “of like mind” and often the only place to access this consciousness in others is attending live events, especially if you live in a small town.

I know there are a lot of reasons why you may struggle to get to events…

You’re an introvert.
You hate to travel.
Money is a challenge.

I get it! And “back in the day” a lot of gurus were out there saying that if I just went to events, I would easily find $10,000 clients and everything would be golden.

Uh huh. I made TONS of mistakes and wasted a lot of money.

Then I figured out that by taking a few simple steps, I could turn each event from an expense into income, every time. Now, I get a phenomenal return on the events I attend. Here’s how I do it:

1. Bottom line: what’s the outcome you want to create?

This is a manifestation power question.

If you’re going to an event with a vague & fuzzy intention… or worse, no intention, then yes, there’s an excellent chance that you’ll waste your time and money. Too expensive! Instead, make a clear decision as to exactly what you want to walk away with. Possibilities:

• Learning a specific skill
• Meeting new JV partners
• Meeting new colleagues
• To be noticed by the host and get “on their radar” (this is an excellent reason to attend events live, especially if you want to align yourself with the host someday)
• To check out the host as a possible mentor for you (ditto)
• Connecting with potential clients

NOTE: Respect the host and DON’T solicit for business inappropriately. Don’t leave stacks of flyers or business cards on tables, and make sure all enrollment conversations take place after the event.

2. Have high standards for content.

Attending the wrong event can costly. How do you know which ones to choose? In a word: content.

I won’t attend an event or live training unless I know the content is going to be high-quality, and I’ve identified at least one “juicy nugget” that will help me grow my business immediately. My recommendation? Choose events where you’ll learn a new skill plus get the materials to implement fast.

3. Connect with as many people as you can.

I know this can be challenging if you’re an introvert. But don’t let it take you out! Pretend that it’s YOUR party (this includes how you talk to yourself!) and remember that the best networking happens outside of the seminar room. Tip: take care of yourself and recharge in your room when you need it.

4. Make a list, check it twice.

One of the biggest challenges of attending events is overwhelm. How many times have you left an event with your heart on fire and your head swimming with a zillion new ideas – only to get pulled back into the “same old, same old” as soon as you get home?

That used to happen to me, too, until I created this super-simple system to sort through all those ideas. Throughout the event, keep a piece of notebook paper handy. When you find yourself thinking, “I should really do that,” write it down.

On the plane ride home, go through the list again. Circle the things that you need to take action on, and put a checkmark next to the things for your assistant or team to implement. (Hint: the second list should be a lot longer than the first! ) Hand the list to your team and voila! Taking action just got a whole lot easier.

5. Rest and follow up.

After an event, schedule a day or two on your calendar to rest BEFORE jumping back in after you get home. That way you can integrate what you’ve learned, and follow up with all of your new contacts. And always follow up! Power tip: Never rely on them to follow up with you. Instead, always get their card and take the initiative.

Having A System Turns Events Into Income And Opportunities To Reach More People

One of my mentors often says, “If you let travel stop you from living your dream, the wind will knock you over.” So true! The key is to ditch the excuses, manifest the money you need to get there and have a plan for making the most out of every event you attend. See you at the next event!

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