Why free diagnosis sabotages your conversion
↪ Read also : Appel réussi, signature manquée : les 3 fuites invisibles
A free diagnosis is a meeting with no stakes. The prospect arrives, you ask questions, they leave with notes, and you wait for their follow-up email that will never come.
Why? Because they risked nothing. There's no skin in the game.
When you charge £300 for a diagnosis, two things shift:
- The prospect arrives prepared. They've thought through their questions, validated the budget with their manager, and they're in "I'm buying" mode.
- You change roles. You're no longer a free coach handing out advice—you become an expert selling a solution.
Consultants who switch to paid diagnosis see their conversion rate jump from 15–20% to 60–70%. Not because you change your approach, but because you filter out the curious and keep the buyers.
The exact structure: 4 steps, 1 price, 1 script
Step 1: The trigger (before the call)
Before you even offer the diagnosis, you must qualify. Send a short email:
"I offer a paid diagnosis (£300, 60 minutes) where we identify your 3 major blockers and the exact plan to remove them. Interested?"
Those who say yes are hot. The rest, you forget.
Step 2: The diagnosis itself (60 min, structured)
- 0–5 min: Welcome, recap what they're paying for (£300) and what they'll get (written diagnosis + recommendations).
- 5–40 min: Structured questions. No waffle. Three zones: current situation, objective, obstacles. Write everything down.
- 40–55 min: Synthesis. "Here are your 3 blockers. Here's how to remove them. Here's the detailed plan." No vagueness.
- 55–60 min: Transition to the offer. "This will cost you X to fix in Y months. Shall we talk about it?"
Step 3: The price
Diagnosis = £200–500 depending on your niche. Not less, not more.
Why? Because it needs to be expensive enough to filter out the tire-kickers, but cheap enough that the prospect signs without internal debate.
The trick: credit the diagnosis against the future contract. If the prospect signs a £5,000 contract, the diagnosis is free. Otherwise, they pay.
This creates tension: "If I sign the contract, I get the £300 back." It boosts your signature rate by 30–40%.
Step 4: Post-diagnosis follow-up
The diagnosis ends. You say: "I'll send you the written report in 24 hours. We'll talk again tomorrow to discuss the offer."
No 7-day delay. No "think about it and get back to me." Tomorrow. While it's hot.
The 3 errors that kill your conversion
Error 1: Giving too many answers during the diagnosis. You arrive with ready-made solutions, the prospect thinks "okay, I'll try that" and leaves without paying you. Ask questions, don't give answers.
Error 2: Forgetting to pitch the offer during the diagnosis. You need to end by saying "Here's what this will cost, shall we talk about it?" Not after. During.
Error 3: Accepting reflection periods. "I'll get back to you in a week." No. "Shall we talk again tomorrow at 10am?" Yes or no, right now.
These three errors drop your conversion from 70% to 20%.
The result
Paid diagnosis = qualification + tension + conversion. You handle fewer prospects, but you close more. Your margin rises, your time drops, your mental health improves.
It's not more complicated. It's just a mindset shift: you sell, you don't give.
Ready to implement this structure? Book a call and we'll set up your paid diagnosis together.
FAQ
How much should I charge for a diagnosis?
£200–500 depending on your niche and hourly rate. The price must be high enough to filter out the curious (minimum £200), but low enough that the prospect signs without internal debate (maximum £500). Tip: credit the diagnosis against the future contract to boost your signature rate by 30–40%.
Should I really give recommendations during the diagnosis?
Yes, but structured and concise. No waffle. Identify the 3 major blockers and propose a clear plan to remove them. The goal: show you know, not give everything away for free. This creates the tension needed for the prospect to sign the offer.
What if the prospect asks for time to think?
Offer a follow-up call tomorrow, not in a week. "I'll send you the report tonight, we'll talk again tomorrow at 10am to discuss the offer, does that work?" No delay = no momentum loss = conversion stays at 70%.
