How to Get 10 Ongoing, Paying Coaching Clients from the Web
New coaches want to climb that first mountain of success in their businesses — proving they can do it!
That’s means steady supply of paying clients — 10 being is the magic number. The income can support their lifestyles, enable them to leave an undesirable job, and give them time and location flexibility.
Oh, and let’s not forget the biggest benefit of all — the satisfaction of helping others succeed. Celebrating big wins with clients is pure JOY!
V E R Y N I C E ! ! !
This was my dream when I left my corporate job to do my own thing. I wanted control over my time and location to see the world. I manage interesting trips to like Paris, Buenos Aires, Uruguay, Poland, Germany, Uruguay, Rome, and Puerto Vallarta.
Here’s an email from a past client, Mitzi, who was able to sustain her coaching business via the work we did on her website and content marketing.
Her website is LetYourDreamsBegin.com, which is still going over 10 years later.
If you were to get to a constant stream of clients from the Web, which paid you a good income and gave you flexibility, how would you change things in your life?
- Would you get more sleep, then add more fun projects to your schedule?
- Spend more time with family and friends?
- Visit places you’ve always wanted to see?
Whatever your dreams and goals are, to make that happen as a coach, you’ll need to bring in the clients and income, and do that remotely — using the Web.
Let’s talk about how to do that …
The 8 Steps to a Steady Supply of Coaching Clients from the Web …
Step 1. Sharpen Your Message
An experienced lumberjack spends a lot of time sharpening the blade AND carefully picks his contact point on the tree. He cuts down trees fast.
I, totally ignorant, would spend zero time sharpening and chopping all around the base of the tree. It’ll take me forever to bring it down. Ineffective.
This is because focusing has more impact.
The same goes for your coaching business.
Instead of wielding the statement, “Do you want coaching?” online, which is vague and weak, try honing it to a specific person with a tough challenge, and be selective where you swing it.
Kenn Schroder
I like crafting a persona (a single person with a specific, big challenge) and then positioning online materials (website, email, messages, everything) to speak to that person.
People can’t help but respond to what you say if it’s tailored directly to them.
Step 2. Find Places Where Clients “Hang Out”
With your ideal client in mind, your next job is to find ways to get your message in front of them.
There are ever-growing ways to do this: article writing, online networking, cold emails, ads, videos, webinars, social media, and more.
For example, if you’re working with massage therapists and new-age bodyworkers, a quick search in LinkedIn Groups revealed one with 14,000+ members, shown here:
On Facebook, I quickly found a group of 33000+ members, shown here:
I like to find ways to reach possible clients where they hang out “in mass.” Spend time in those groups for direct access to your market.
Online groups aren’t the only way. But they are quick and easy to get into. Sadly, though, many groups go bad because of too much spam.
Here are a few other quick ideas to find where clients put their attention:
- Write articles to an online magazine or publication
- Find others who serve the same kinds of clients as you but who don’t compete. And befriend them for possible cross mentioning/referring
- You could pay for sponsored space (ad) on a blog, a website, a podcast or newsletter
Hop online and start hunting.
Step 3. Make Some Noise to Get Visible
Now that you’ve found out where they hang out online or where they pay attention, your job is to put a message (ad, article, post, etc.) that will get their attention.
You’ve probably seen many ads on Facebook when you scrolled thru your news feed. They are from the marketers WHO CHOSE YOU based on the info from your profile.
They “made noise” where you “hang out” to get you to buy.
In essence, you’re doing similar to reach clients. Just do it smoothly, invitingly, as a good coach would.
If you provided business coaching to massage therapists, you could join those groups in the previous step and start discussions, share blogs, or even run an ad. You would check out the group rules and speak to the group leader to see how to go about it.
Step 4. Drive Them to Your Website
You’ll need to direct the attention you earn (article, ad, posts, etc.) to your website so they can learn about what you do — and then take steps eventually to buying from you.
Here are a few examples:
ONE.
Share a link to your blog post, 3 Mistakes Massage Therapists Make that Halt Business Growth in a group of Massage Therapists. When people click your link, they go from that group to your website. Be sure to review the group’s rules about when/where to post your links.
TWO.
Run an ad on Facebook and NARROWLY CHOOSE criteria (Facebook offers many ways to segment people) to see your ad. Then FB will let you choose where to send them, like your Facebook page. Your FB page should invite people to take a step — like contact you, click a link, or follow your page.
THREE.
If you have a Noomii.com profile (or other online coaching directory), then your profile will have a link to your website.
Your website is a great place to engage people and lead them toward a sale. You’ve got full control over the content. And if your site is done well, people will be “pre-sold” on working with you.
I wrote about the intricacies of a good website in The Coaching Website Guide. Don’t leave home go online without it!
Step 5. Engage Them
When they get to your website via an ad, article, link, or other, you’ll want your website to engage and excite them instantly. Get visitors reading, viewing, and clicking around to learn WHY you’d be the perfect coach for them.
Two powerful ways for instant immersion:
Craft headlines that hint at the value
Create headlines for your pages (homepage, blog articles, the About page, etc.) that make people want to read them, like:
- alluding to valuable learning in the copy below
- real stories that inspire your visitors
- insights that will lead to your client’s success
I have this Mystery-Value Technique that I use for blog titles. It works for all sorts of content too. And, if you lack ideas for content, here are 29 things clients LOVE to read about on a coach’s website.
Makes the layout welcoming
Your website and pages should have a logical, organized, easy-to-follow layout. If a page is chaotic and confusing, people run away.
Some tips for a good organization:
- Your logo should be at the top and not big.
- The menu should be at the top, consistent across pages, and short-n-sweet.
- Keep the hierarchy of content simple and intuitive — a big headline, smaller subheadline, and normal-size body copy are all you need.
- Have one logical purpose for each page.
Here are 8 Web Writing Tips to make content easy to read.
Whatever material you put together — success stories, infographics, free downloads, or videos — must deliver something useful to your visitor.
I teach how to design your website to attract and engage visitors and turn them into clients in my book, The Coaching Website Guide.
Step 6. Grow a Trusting Relationship
Clients with big struggles and strong referrals will contact you right away. Many visitors won’t be ready for coaching or will want to get to know you more.
This is where an email list (or social group, private membership, or other exclusive access) is great.
Over time, as your list grows and you serve them with handy info, you’ll have a pool of people who know, like, and trust you.
Then, at any time, you can invite them for that exploratory chat and turn them into active, paying clients. It’s like having a waiting list that keeps your practice full.
The Money Move
If you’re using content marketing to attract clients, here’s how to leverage one article in four ways …
(1) post them to your blog for credibility
(2) prep them to get search engine traffic
(3) tactfully share them in online groups for visibility
(4) send them to your list (social groups, networks, etc.)
One article pays off four times, even more, if you get clever about it.
That is savvy leveraging and great use of time.
Step 7. Call Visitors to Action
As your list grows, it will provide you with future clients and income.
Simply email your list with a juicy invitation to get on the phone with you.
In that invite, give folks a hoop to jump through by asking a few questions to:
- qualify themselves so you can avoid the time-wasters
- get them to invest in the process (they spend time and energy thinking).
- give you a heads-up about their situation so you can start the call powerfully
Signing up new clients from your list is SO MUCH EASIER than cold leads from unknown sources. The so-called know-like-trust factor is high with your email list “tribe.”
This can help, too, 5 Ways to Get More Free Session Requests From Your Website.
Step 8. WOW Potential Clients in the Call
By this point, you’ve got a potential client on a phone call. It’s time to help them see that working with you is a great idea.
I’ve found these two things most helpful:
ONE: LISTEN FULLY AND BRAVELY
Be fully present, and pay close attention to what they say — their struggles, goals, and everything in between. Invite, encourage, and help them go deeper.
Being there, letting them speak, and showing you’re listening is a massive trust builder. You don’t need to do much more than try to see what they are seeing.
Clients need this space to “figure stuff out,” and you bringing them there does the trick.
TWO: CLARIFY THEIR BIG PICTURE
Helping them get clear about their desired future state, where they truly want to be, will bring about a mystical energy that starts moving them there.
A similar look at an unwanted future state is powerful too. It’s where they fear they might end up. This scary place motivates them to do something about it now, like hire you.
Having support coaches after creating their websites, I couldn’t help but write about this free session call (aka discovery call, strategy session, complementary call — in The Coaching Website Guide.
CONCLUSION: For a steady supply of coaching clients via the Web, set up an exciting path to an easy decision to work with you.
Remember that:
- There are plenty of clients out there, and they are stuck, struggling, and frustrated.
- They are waiting for you to show up in their lives and are just around the corner.
- Get out there, tell them about your coaching, and invite them into a call with you.
Here are those steps again:
STEP 1. Sharpen the blade by focusing on a specific person and pain.
STEP 2. Find hangouts where these ideal clients put their attention.
STEP 3. Make some noise in those places so that clients can discover you.
STEP 4. Drive them to your website to be wowed.
STEP 5. Engage them right at the home page with content.
STEP 6. Grow the relationship and win their trust.
STEP 7. Call visitors to action like requesting a call with you.
STEP 8. WOW potential clients in the call by becoming their confidant for success.
Your brain is buzzing. What thoughts are coming to mind? Post them below.
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Thanks for posting! I am confident on that first meeting with clients, and most of them are over the phone now, which I have been developing my phone skills even further.
I have been struggling with getting the online clients to my website. I appreciate you posting this content and educating us on this! Very helpful!
Very welcome Jeff. You can do it!
Clients are out there, needing help.
Super valuable, thank you!
I don’t want to have to get a job as I started my LLC less then a year struggling to get attention and clients!
How can I get a high paying client within 2 weeks to avoid getting that w2 for 2021!
I’ve seen a few things work — they’ll require some muscles, training, good habits, and consistent effort.
Each coach is different, so there will be better action steps for you than someone else.
This is a great article, Kenn. You have laid out a path of focus, concentration, and a way to slowly build a list of clients to create a rewarding practice. I retired from coaching last year but wish that I had had this valuable information years ago.
Thank you so much for this post, very informative and helpful! I have a few areas I’d like to focus on and I hear everywhere that in order to be successful I’d need to pick one specific challenge and target all my attention to it. This doesn’t fell authentic to me and what I’d like to offer… what are your thoughts on picking several target personas of interest and targeting them separately? Thank you very much! 🙏
Hi Dasha.
Focusing is a good move. If you do so, make your content speak to that market’s pains.
It can be very tough to create a strong message if you have many targets.
If you do have multiple targets, is there and underlying struggle, pain or frustration? Like staying focused may be challenge for online workers and creative folks alike.
Dasha – it is possible to target different people in your marketing; however, the key is to find a connecting theme. Like Kenn mentioned, find an underlying pain point or frustration. I am a multi-passionate entrepreneur and I combine several of my passions under one over-arching theme. This is what I help my clients do too. It takes some work, but it is possible.
Why not coach both. I find their needs for coaching are often similar when you get past the job titles.
Thank you so much. I’m torn between wanting to work with executives or the rank-and-file-individual. I’ll look at your site when I’m wide awake tomorrow. Thanks so much for your input.
Lindsey
Hi Lindsey. I understand your dilemma. And congratulations on getting a lot of traffic.
Have a look at my personal coaching site (www.wendybuckingham.com) which these days being semi-retired I use as my only marketing tool. I publish my fees which saves the money conversation, which I also hate, and I offer a half hour Discovery Session. In the preparation for that session I ask if they have looked at the programs I offer. I never negotiate or discount (learned that the hard way). Rather I keep my rates reasonable and offer several programs. By the time I get to talk to a prospect they are usually already enrolled and have chosen a program. As Ken says, it’s about having a “juicy” content rich site so do follow his guidelines.
Also have a look at my page about setting fees on my Life Coaching Professionally site for coaches. It may help you.
Good luck. Wendy
Sorry for all the typos! I a syndicated columnist and I guess tired of always being perfect! Copy, that is!
I find that my ideas and thoughts come faster than I can type, and often means typos. But hey, that’s what editing is for.
Yes, this sucks => “I am so torn between writing and coaching, and I am tired of people negotiating fees.” Much better when people contact you, nearly ready to go and without fuss about paying your fees.
Without know much more about your situation, I’d take a closer look at (1) who would make a great client for you (2) what they deeply need, and (3) is your website speaking to that with calls to action that are prominent, juicy and visible.
I can see I get stuck on catching g people who visit my site. I get a lot of traffic, but I am not sure what to say to get them to try me. Strangers and friends have used me a their life coach since I was 17–no kidding. Then I went into focusing on the workplace, so I do both, but I have not gotten one contact from my site. I am so torn between writing and coaching, and I am tired of people negotiating fees. I won’t do it anymore. So what do I do from here?
When stones tumble, the earth moves? ;D
I remember a while back when I took a solid look at my sales process and chose to super simplify it.
I minimized back and forth, gave plenty of detail (email content, web page) while keeping things moving speedily with simple logical next steps. Was like this …
1. I got an email from possible client who filled out a lengthy form, which asked them for some times they could chat. The times had some guidelines as to when I was likely free.
2. Then I’d reply with an email with a link to detail on how I work with clients along with one suggested time to talk. This game them a chance to get more info, know my rates, how I did things and more juicy stuff to point out the value.
3. They would agree to the time, or suggest one, and we’d have a call.
4. Call was about an hour, just getting more detail, answer questions, having a few laughs, and then if I felt good about it (you know that feeling when things are jiving and they clearly need help) simply, “If no questions, we can get start by …” … and then if any hesitations or questions were still there, they’d ask.
And we’d be on our way …
A clear process, I felt, made them trust me, know that things will get done, a sense of professionalism.
Granted, I’ve got a content-rich, juicy website, nice emails to help me warm them up.
“Any delay in the offer kills the momentum (bad for both your income and their momentum) and other things in life will just derail your client securing efforts.” I’m experiencing this on my end…
Brainstorming resources I have to share as well as coaching options (ie 30, 60 90 min. calls, daily accountability, etc) is time worth taking. All in all I get the cold/warm conversations, joining groups, giving help making offers… the fine line between offering resources and making offers to get paid is delicate yet feels like cement.blocks..
…stones tumbling in my head
Thanks Kenn… Great tips for anyone wanting to grow their influence and get noticed in a low key way. Fear is what holds us back and patience is the key…..
I’d actually just got back from a long overseas trip, so only had a few clients and need to remove any at that time.;) By the way, love I can just post here without going through all the paraphernalia some sites have.
Nice one Ken. What I once did was prepare folders for the number of new clients I wanted and put them in my client drawer. With all the other tips, it adds just that little extra push. And it worked.
Oh great. I like that. Making space for them. Did you remove other folders to help create that intention? 😉