FAQs about Noomii's Referral Program
These are FAQs about our Referral Program. For more general questions, please see our FAQs for Coaches.
What is Noomii's Referral Program?
Noomii has two ways of helping coaches get new clients. The "basic" service, for which we charge an annual fee of $447, allows coaches to be listed on our high-traffic directory of coaches, and comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. All coaches who sign up for a 1 year plan on Noomii are listed in the directory; if a client contacts and hires you through this service, you pay no additional fees beyond your annual subscription. The second way we help coaches get clients is through our Referral Program. In this service, clients fill out a brief form telling Noomii what they would like to achieve through coaching, along with some personal details such as age, occupation, etc. With this information, Noomii finds and personally recommends a small number of coaches (often just one) who we believe are the best fit for the client.
How does Noomii match coaches and clients in the Referral Program?
When Noomii receives the client's request, we first attempt to contact the client to ask them more detailed questions about their goals, budget, and other details. We then search our network of coaches and recommend one to three coaches who we feel are a good fit. In addition, we also allow our member coaches to suggest themselves for recommendation. To suggest yourself, just go to the lead and click the "Recommend Yourself" button. You will then be asked to write a brief message telling the client why you are a particularly good fit. Please note that doing so does not guarantee that you will be approved, and that the majority of matches are made manually by our staff.
What do I need to do when I get referred to a prospective client?
When you get referred to a prospective client, we will automatically send an email notification to you. You may also receive a text message from one of our customer support team so that you can respond to the client in a timely manner. As soon as you get the notification (by email or text), you should reach out to the client as soon as possible. Remember, you may not be the only coach that we recommend and it is wise to get in touch with the client as soon as possible in order to schedule an appointment. If you are supplied with the client's phone number, call them, leave a voicemail, and then drop them an email. For best results, do all of the above, in that order.
What happens if I recommend myself and I'm not selected?
Due to the volume of leads we deal with on a daily basis, we don't do anything if you are not selected for a lead that you recommend yourself for. If you are selected, however, we will notify you so you can follow-up with the client.
Am I automatically included in the Referral Program when I sign up for Noomii?
No. In order to participate, you must first upgrade to a paid plan. Once you have upgraded you will need to schedule a conversation with our coach matching expert. This conversation is important so that we can get to know you and the kinds of clients you work best with. We want to get to know you as a coach so we can send you the best fitting client leads possible.
What does the Referral Program cost?
The referral fee is 30% of the coaching fees you charge the client. We base this on the risk and cost that we incur to run the program. In order to generate the leads that we do, we need to pay for marketing professionals, advertising dollars, and customer support staff to deliver the service to clients. All of these costs are incurred before we receive any revenue. If you have spent any time marketing your own coaching services, you'll quickly realize that you spend at least one hour marketing your services for every hour that you actually do coaching.
That sounds like a lot. Why so much?
Our referral fee is comparable to prices charged by other referral services, most of which charge between 30% and 50%.
Do I pay a referral fee for every client I get through Noomii?
No. You only pay a referral fee if we personally recommend you to a client. If the client finds you on the directory and contacts you directly, you pay nothing beyond your basic annual membership.
How are referral fees collected?
If you have questions about how we collect referral commissions, we have created a separate FAQ page for that. Check out the Submit Referral Commissions FAQs page
I am already paying Noomii to be on the directory. Why should I pay extra for referrals?
We charge extra for our personalized Referral Program because of the higher level of time, effort, and cost it requires on our part. Noomii incurs significant costs through paid advertising and the individualized attention given to each client. As a result, this aspect of our business is only viable if we are able to recover those costs through referral fees.
How many client referrals will I get?
On average, coaches in the Referral Program will receive 1 or 2 referrals in a given month. In some months it may be none, and in others it may be more. The quantity and type of referrals you get can vary substantially, and will depend on a number of factors such as your location, fees, and specialization.
How do I apply to join the Referral Program?
First, you must sign up for a one year membership on Noomii. Next, you can follow the instructions on the Getting Started page to schedule an Onboarding Call with a Noomii coach matching expert so we can understand who your ideal clients are and enrol you in the Referral Program. The last step is for you to agree to the Referral Program Terms of Service.
I've already done my interview. How do I join?
Some of our members don't realize that they have to apply for the Referral Program separately or joined Noomii before we separated our coach directory service from our Referral Program (generally anyone who joined before September 24, 2013). If you've recorded an interview with a Noomii Coach Matching Expert and wish to join the Referral Program, follow the instructions on the Getting Started page to schedule an Onboarding Call with a Noomii coach matching expert so we can understand who your ideal clients are and enrol you in the Referral Program.
Is it normal to receive leads that do not follow up? Whenever I receive leads from friends or family members I am always hired. Why is this different?
A personal referral from someone who knows and trusts you is as good a referral as you’ll get. Here at Noomii, we do our best to build a relationship with our coaches and clients but we also know leads fall within a spectrum. We have "window shoppers", people who are 100% committed to the process of hiring a coach, and everything in between. If you don’t immediately hear back from a referral client, there could be a number of factors influencing that:
- The client may be shopping around, looking for coaches in other places in addition to Noomii. They may email a friend, check out their LinkedIn network, or browse other coaching resources.
- The client may have hired someone else.
- Even if the client is committed to improving, they may not be convinced that coaching is right for them.
- Coaching can be similar to getting a gym membership. They may have good intentions but fail to follow through.
No matter what is going on for the client, we recommend that you follow-up quickly and frequently. Check out these useful articles on the topic:
Why do I have to have an Onboarding Call?
You must have an Onboarding Call in order to be approved for the Referral Program. This allows our Coach Matching Experts to provide you with a personalized service, delivering the best possible client matches to your inbox. The Onboarding Call is also a good time to mention to our experts any specializations and background information not included in your profile.
During the Onboarding Call, you will also have the opportunity to record an audio interview to post on your profile, as an added feature.
You may choose not to record an interview at this time, but please note that an audio interview is one of the eligibility requirements for our Money Back Guarantee.
How can I get more information?
Contact customer support if you have any other questions.