When I was about 13 I got a huge crush on a boy. I thought about him – like ALL the time. I didn’t have a clue how to get him to notice me. So I asked my Mum.
“Well, you could just make sure you’re around whenever he is”, she suggested in true Crazy Ex Girlfriend style. “Hang around the postbox so when he’s next posting a letter” (like this was what ALL the cool kids did!), “he’ll have chance to see you”.
I love my Mum obviously but her advice on boys wasn’t the best!
I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise to you that her strategy didn’t work with this boy.
I tried lots of cherry lipgloss, tousling my hair – even my very own pre-pubescent version of the bend and snap*.
And it won’t work with your clients.
A few years ago I was still caught up in the idea of sharing my own experiences on my blog as a way to attract clients. I thought that if I blogged regularly and shared it, I’d build an audience who would then all hire me as their coach.
I was half right.
I built an audience. But very few people hired me.
Why?
Because they had no idea WHY they should or what was in it for them.
What the bend and snap taught me about building a coaching business
Thankfully a lot has changed since then but I see this happen time and time again with new and emerging coaches. Wonderful blog posts without a single call to action. Websites that don’t explain the benefits of working with you. Social media updates that create likes and comments but don’t explain why your clients NEED you and HOW you can help them.
Maybe you do it too and wonder why the clients aren’t knocking down your door. Building a coaching business was meant to be easy, right?
You need to make it clear how you can help people and what you help them with. Every blog post, article, Facebook update, and podcast needs to have a clear CALL TO ACTION and an applicable lesson for your potential clients to see how much they need you and how you can help them.
What’s a Call To Action?
Put simply, as Call To Action is a direction for your readers to DO SOMETHING as the result of your content. Ideally, it calls them to take a step closer towards working with you. The good news is it doesn’t take a lot of extra time to do this. You can share your stories and your experiences and then explain why you’re sharing this and how understanding your point, learning from your experience or seeing the lesson can help them. Then ask them to take one action – be it sign up for your newsletter, share on social media or even better, sign up for a strategy session with you.
Let your potential clients know how to LEARN more, how to GET more and HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM!
Stop hiding your light under that bushel.
Stop worrying about whether people will think you’re pushy or ‘salesy’ – you’ve got to get over that.
Without clients, you have no business and without sales, you have no clients. Selling doesn’t have to be vomit inducing. Nor does it require you to become shady or manipulative.
Be visible. Be rooted in the work you do in all its integrity.
*If you don’t know what the bend & snap is, go and watch Legally Blonde immediately!
photo credit: Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer Legally Blonde The Musical via photopin (license)