How to Get Your Very First Client

One of the most dreaded questions that new coaches and consultants potentially face when just starting out is “How many clients do you have?”

What goes through your mind when you hear that? Fear. Doubt. Worry. Anxiety.  Maybe they will think I’m not good if I have no clients. Maybe they will think that my fee is too high if I’m just starting out. Maybe they will think I’m not experienced enough.

So maybe I’ll fudge the truth here. “I have a couple of clients.”

Bad idea. Perhaps the conversation moves on and you get the client. But what if they ask for references? Now you are in a deeper hole.

So how do you handle this question, when the true answer is zero?

You welcome it. Even better, you preempt it and turn the question to your advantage.

First of all, there is no shame in having zero customers when you are first starting out. Every new business starts out with zero customers. The focus is on getting the first customer. The first customer must come first – before the second or millionth customer. Somewhere out there is the first customer of the iPhone or the first person to place an order on Amazon. Pretty cool to be that person. So who will be your first client and how cool will that be for them?

In this post, I want to address several underlying MINDSET principles that you can use and then give an example of specific LANGUAGE that you could apply in this situation. (Please note: the timing of when to use this language depends on where you are in the process and needs to fit into the skeleton of the sales conversation.)

Here are the mindset principles at play here: flushing out objections early, turning perceived weaknesses into strengths, and the value of scarcity.

Let’s start with flushing out objections early. Most sales training teaches you to establish rapport, probe for problems and pain, demonstrate your solution, and then deal with objections during the close. The old-school approach is to avoid bringing up anything problematic and then hope that the customer doesn’t bring it up.  If they do, you use various techniques called “objection handling.” The major problem with this approach is that potential deal-killing objections surface very late in the sales process – and only after you’ve invested a lot of time and resources on both sides.

For example, let’s suppose that you’ve created a new software application but it only runs on the PC and not on the Mac. You wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time selling the application only to discover late in the game that the customer uses the Mac. Now you have an even bigger hurdle, which is getting them to switch platforms. So early on in the sales process, you’d want to ask a question to flush out this concern: “Just to save us both some time, I wanted to let you know that our offering currently only is available on the PC. Are you using a PC or a Mac?”  If they say PC, proceed. If they say Mac, then you can let them know when you’d expect the Mac version to be available and arrange to speak with them at that time. You could even ask them if they’d be interested in being a beta customer for the Mac version.  So even the seeming dead-end gets converted into an opportunity.

So as a new coach/consultant, how does this apply to you?

The deal-killing objection you fear is that they would absolutely not hire you if they knew that you do not have other clients – that they would not want to be your first customer.

Some clients may care. It is not your job to convince them otherwise. Just accept it and move on. But figure it out first.

Here’s what you could say: “I’m starting a new coaching/consulting practice and am working to find the ideal first client who I can really serve.  If we have a conversation and it turns out we are a great fit, would it concern you that you’d be my first client?” Listen to their concerns, if any. If they do have concerns, then ask “Would those concerns be a deal-killer or could we address them?” In other words, “Should we continue to talk?”

All you are trying to do is flush out the objection early.  Much better to find out now. You can use this principle to deal with any potential deal-killer that you are concerned about. For example, I once was coaching a consultant in the UK who was approaching large companies to help them with team-building and conflict resolution.  She was concerned that these large companies would not buy from an independent consultant – that they would have pre-established relationships with larger firms. When we explored the fear further, she was afraid that these clients might even have formal procurement policies that would prevent her from getting the business.

So I asked her “Suppose they do in fact have such a policy. Let’s take it even further to the absurd extreme. Let’s suppose they have a policy that specifically names your firm as an off-limits vendor, even though, as you say, they haven’t really ever heard of you.” She laughed. “When would you like to find out about such a policy if it existed?” Right away.

In my coaching session with her, we crafted a question that she could ask in her exploratory conversations with her prospective client. “Let’s suppose we get through our conversations and we are a good match. Is there any corporate policy that would prevent us from working together, since I’m a small firm?”

She asked this question on the next call. The answer? No. In fact, the client then said that he preferred small firms since he felt that he got better service and was dealing directly with the key people – not being sold a project that would then be staffed by newbies whom he never got to meet or approve.

Which leads to the next principle. Turn perceived weakness into strength. If you are just starting out and looking for your first client, make sure your new client knows that you are even more committed to their success because it will in fact be your first client. Your entire business depends on their success since you want a highly successful client who will be a great reference. You are going to do whatever it takes to make this client successful.  They won’t get lost or be just another account number on an invoice.

Which leads to the third principle: the value of scarcity. Focus on the value that they will create in their life and business by working with you – and that you only have one opening right now. This fact is especially true if you are working a full-time job and starting your practice on the side and you also have a family and outside interests. But it is also true if you are not working another job and are totally focused on getting your first client.  Your first client will have a very special place in your business, so choose wisely.  If you are making many invitations to have conversations, then you will not feel needy about any single one of them.

What about offering a lower fee for your first client?  You may fear that the client will think your fee is too high. They may ask for a discount or lower fee since you are just starting out.  Do not succumb to this pressure.  I advocate setting a fee that will secure the client’s commitment and will be profitable for you from day one. If you really get that the fee is only based on the value of the results to the client, then there is no reason to start out at the very bottom of the ladder and climb your way up. Pick a good strong fee and start from there.

Here’s an example of what you could say: “I’ve been doing this type of work for several years in my professional career and have completed extensive training as a coach. Now I am committed to building a full-time professional business to help people achieve these outcomes in their lives and businesses. (Make sure to insert the outcomes that you help clients achieve).  My first client is going to get a huge level of commitment from me, so I need to make sure that my first client is hugely committed to getting results.  Let’s talk about the results you’d like to create and how committed you are to getting these results. I know what I’m committed to. And if you are not, that’s ok, since I am really searching to find the right match for this one opening I have.“

Imagine if Steve Jobs had these fears when selling the first iPod. But he wouldn’t. He’d say – “If you don’t want to be the first one to get it, that’s fine. I’ll sell it to someone else. You can come back later.”  To your potential client, if they don’t want to be the first one to get something very exciting but not officially proven, fine. Go right on to your next conversation.