Using “Risk Reversal” to Get More Clients & Become A Better Coach
Eben Pagan teaches coaches how to use risk reversal guarantees to attract more clients and build confidence in their services. He explains why most coaches resist offering guarantees and provides specific frameworks for implementing money-back guarantees that reduce client risk while improving coach performance.
Teachings 8
Use risk reversal guarantees to overcome client hesitation by guaranteeing specific results with clear conditions
J Abraham's risk reversal concept applied to coaching - guarantee the dog stops barking, client loses 20 pounds, finds romantic partner, or launches business with specific conditions like showing up to sessions and taking weekly action
Coaches resist guarantees because they focus on absolutist thinking rather than client perspective and risk management
Common coach objection: 'I can't guarantee someone will lose 20 pounds because I don't know what will happen' or 'what if they don't show up for coaching appointments' - coaches do risk assessment focusing on why it's a bad idea
Guarantees are conditional agreements for refunds, not absolute promises carved in stone
Example: 'Launch your business in 3 months guaranteed - conditions: show up for coaching sessions, take one action per week, implement what we discuss. If you don't launch, you can ask for refund or work together another 30 days'
Structure guarantees from the client's perspective who is spending $2,000 and feeling insecure about the investment
Client with barking dog is 'freaking out because the dog's barking all the time' and doesn't realize the coach can guarantee '10 minutes a day training for 90 days, dog stops barking at mailman, or continue working until success or 100% money back'
Two payment guarantee models: pay upfront with money-back guarantee vs. bill after service with pay-only-if-satisfied
Eben's method: 'Give me money up front, if not satisfied I'll keep working or give money back.' Annie's method: 'I'll bill you at month end, if you don't feel you got value, you don't have to pay'
Guarantees comfort insecure prospects and reduce perceived risk rather than create legal obligations
The point is 'comforting the person who's insecure and doesn't know how this works and doesn't know you very well and just wants to feel like they're dealing with a professional and their risk is lower'
Occasional refund requests are compensated by increased business from offering risk reversal guarantees
Most people using risk reversal techniques 'get more business as a result of doing it so the refunds they have to actually give are more than compensated for'
Guarantees improve coach performance by creating accountability pressure to deliver results
It 'causes you to show up better when you know that you got to perform, it makes you show up and be like all right I got to get this done I got to do a good job'
Perspectives 1
Success comes from avoiding failure while taking action, but constant failure avoidance leads to paralysis in business building
Airplane safety analogy - flying from New York to Los Angeles requires navigation AND avoiding crashes. Every checklist item exists because a plane crashed 30 years ago, but this approach paralyzes new coaching businesses with 100 imaginary reasons things will go wrong
Quotable Moments 4
“the guarantee isn't signing your name somewhere in stone in reality saying this thing is going to happen”
— Eben Pagan“the point with a guarantee is not it's not about the guarantee it's about comforting the person who they're insecure and they don't know how all this works”
— Eben Pagan“if you're always looking around at what could go wrong you're going to just be paralyzed you will literally be stopped at every possible step”
— Eben Pagan“it causes you to show up better when you know that you got to perform it makes you show up and be like all right I got to get this done”
— Eben Pagan
How to Structure a Risk Reversal Guarantee for Coaches
A framework for creating guarantees that reduce client risk while protecting the coach
- 1
Define the specific result
Guarantee a concrete outcome like launching a business, losing 20 pounds, or stopping a dog's barking behavior
- 2
Set clear conditions
Specify client requirements like showing up for sessions, taking one action per week, and implementing discussed strategies
- 3
Create the guarantee structure
Offer either continued coaching until success or money-back refund if conditions are met but results aren't achieved
- 4
Choose payment model
Either charge upfront with refund guarantee or bill after service with pay-only-if-satisfied terms
Questions Answered
How do coaches use guarantees to get more clients
“guarantee that your client will get their dog to stop barking or guarantee that they'll lose the 20 pounds or guarantee that they'll find a ROM partner or guarantee that they'll launch their business”
— Eben Pagan
Coaches can offer risk reversal guarantees by promising specific results with clear conditions, like guaranteeing a client will launch their business in 3 months if they show up for sessions and take weekly action, with a money-back guarantee if conditions are met but results aren't achieved.
Why do coaches resist offering guarantees to clients
“I can't guarantee that someone will lose 20 pounds because we don't know what's going to happen... what if they don't show up for their coaching appointment”
— Eben Pagan▶ 0:31
Coaches resist guarantees because they think in absolute terms and focus on what could go wrong rather than client perspective. They worry about factors outside their control like client attendance or effort, doing risk assessment that leads to paralysis.
What are the two main guarantee payment models for coaches
“my way is saying give me the money up front if you're not satisfied... I'll give you your money back... Annie's... I will bill you at the end of the month and if you don't feel that you've gotten the value you don't have to pay”
— Eben Pagan▶ 7:47
The first model is charging upfront with a money-back guarantee if clients aren't satisfied. The second model is billing after service delivery, where clients only pay if they feel they received value.
How do guarantees improve coach performance and accountability
“it causes you to show up better when you know that you got to perform it makes you show up and be like all right I you know I got to get this done I got to do a good job”
— Eben Pagan▶ 9:21
Guarantees force coaches to perform better because they have skin in the game and must deliver results to avoid refunds. The accountability pressure makes coaches show up with higher standards and focus on getting clients results.
Do guarantee refund requests hurt coaching business profits
“for most people though that use use one of these techniques of doing a risk reversal they get more business as a result of doing it so the refunds that they have to actually give are more than compensated for”
— Eben Pagan▶ 9:09
No, occasional refund requests are more than compensated by the increased business generated from offering risk reversal guarantees. The additional clients gained outweigh the occasional refunds given.
Summary
Understanding Risk Reversal Guarantees for Coaches
Eben introduces the concept of risk reversal guarantees as a way for coaches to attract more clients by reducing perceived risk. He explains that coaches can guarantee specific results like business launches or weight loss, but most coaches resist this approach due to concerns about client behavior and external factors.
Why Coaches Avoid Guarantees and How This Hurts Their Business
Many coaches think in absolute terms and focus on failure scenarios rather than client perspective. This leads to paralysis where coaches avoid taking calculated risks, similar to airplane safety protocols that prevent crashes but can hinder business growth when applied excessively.
How to Structure Effective Coaching Guarantees
Guarantees should be conditional agreements with clear requirements for clients, not absolute promises. Examples include guaranteeing business launches with conditions like session attendance and weekly action-taking, offering refunds or continued coaching if results aren't achieved despite meeting conditions.
The Business Benefits of Offering Guarantees
Risk reversal guarantees comfort insecure prospects and reduce perceived risk, leading to increased sales that more than compensate for occasional refunds. Additionally, guarantees create accountability pressure that improves coach performance and client results.
Counterpoint
Claim: “Coaches can't guarantee results because outcomes depend on client behavior and external factors”
Reframe: Guarantees are conditional refund agreements that reduce client risk while improving coach accountability, not absolute promises
Example framework: guarantee business launch in 3 months with conditions of showing up, taking weekly action, and implementing advice - if client meets conditions but doesn't get result, they get refund or continued coaching
Claim: “Business success comes from avoiding all possible failures and risks”
Reframe: Constant failure avoidance creates paralysis - you need to take calculated risks while learning from mistakes
Airplane analogy: every safety checklist item exists because of past crashes, but applying this 'avoid all failure' mindset to new coaching businesses creates 100 imaginary reasons not to act
Claim: “Guarantees create legal liability and absolute responsibility for client outcomes”
Reframe: Guarantees are marketing tools to comfort insecure prospects, not binding contracts for specific results
The purpose is 'comforting the person who's insecure and doesn't know you very well' rather than creating legal obligations - it's about reducing perceived risk
Key Points 9
Use risk reversal guarantees to overcome client hesitation by guaranteeing specific results with clear conditions
Coaches resist guarantees because they focus on absolutist thinking rather than client perspective and risk management
▶ 0:31Success comes from avoiding failure while taking action, but constant failure avoidance leads to paralysis in business building
▶ 2:12Guarantees are conditional agreements for refunds, not absolute promises carved in stone
▶ 4:43Structure guarantees from the client's perspective who is spending $2,000 and feeling insecure about the investment
▶ 6:47Two payment guarantee models: pay upfront with money-back guarantee vs. bill after service with pay-only-if-satisfied
▶ 7:47Guarantees comfort insecure prospects and reduce perceived risk rather than create legal obligations
▶ 8:18Occasional refund requests are compensated by increased business from offering risk reversal guarantees
▶ 9:09Guarantees improve coach performance by creating accountability pressure to deliver results
▶ 9:21Related Content
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Topics
Coaching Strategies
Business Frameworks
Common Mistakes