The Simple End-of-Session Habit That Fuels Client Momentum: What’s the plan?

At the end of a session with a coach I had been hiring for some time (someone who typically sells one-off sessions) I asked a simple but powerful question: “If we were to do another session together, what would we cover? What would be the agenda?”

It was probably my tenth or more session with him and while I wanted more support, I wasn’t clear on what the next step would look like. I found myself hesitating—wondering if or when I would actually book another session.

Like many clients, I would typically wait until something significant came up before booking again. Even worse is when I book “prematurely,” and during the call (that I paid good money for) I’d realize I’m not really sure what we are doing or why I scheduled it.

But once I asked that question, everything shifted.

When he shared his authentic answer to my question, I gained instant clarity on two things:

Firstly, I became clear on what our next session would focus on—a clear agenda that made sense and excited me.

And perhaps even more importantly, it became extremely clear what I needed to get done before that session to make it worth my while.

His response to my simple question lit a fire under my butt. I booked another session right away (good for his business), and I left with clear next steps, the motivation to take action, and a clear deadline to get it done (great for my results).

It was a win-win, and one that wouldn’t have happened without that one simple question.

If he had offered that clarity without me having to ask, it would have made booking the next session feel like a natural next step instead of something I had to figure out on my own.

I encourage every coach to make this simple practice part of your end-of-session habit. Before you wrap up, tell your client:

“Here’s what I see as the next step for you, and what we could focus on in our next session. How does that sound to you?”

Of course check in with them to make sure they are aligned, but don’t leave your clients guessing. Give them that clarity and momentum.  And once they confirm, you can then elicit what actions they need to take to make sure they are on track for your agreed upon agenda.

Not only will this one simple addition to your coaching session closure increase your rebooking rate, but even more importantly you’ll empower your clients to stay on target, in action, and maintain the momentum to achieve their desired results with greater purpose and efficiency.