When I was first launching my natural health practice to the world, my biggest wish at the time was that I could find someone who would just “tell me what to do”. The struggle of having to figure everything out on my own and taking almost two years to create a program and get clients took a lot out of me. I made mistakes that cost me time and money before I finally knew that I had something that was going to work.
Now, over a decade later, I talk to struggling practitioners and coaches every day who are still making the exact same mistakes that I made when I was first starting out. What I have learned after working with thousands of people looking to take their practice online is that most of the strategies I implemented to get to the level of success that I now enjoy run counter to what most people THINK they should be doing.
Building a successful virtual practice comes down to three things:
1. Being able to communicate what problem you solve
2. Creating a method that solves that specific problem (ie a Signature Program)
3. Having a consistent way to bring in new leads so that you can grow and nurture your audience
The first mistake practitioners and coaches make is that they don’t know what problem they solve. Most people are taught that they need to help everyone and anyone who crosses their path and that the more certifications they have, the more successful they will be. This makes sense initially because you would think that having a larger demographic to draw from would lead to more sales, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
I was recently talking with a very qualified coach, who told me how they were struggling to get clients despite their six different certifications and their proven ability to help people. When I asked them what problem they solved, they stared at me blankly before answering “I do a little bit of everything…nutrition…NLP… hypnotherapy…I even have a yoga teacher certification.”
All these qualifications and all this passion to help people, yet even when I asked them a direct question they could not tell me what problem they solved. They were trying to sell themselves to me (and their clients) with their qualifications…it was all about THEM.
This approach will never work because nothing they said will connect with any pain points or health struggles or mindset issues that someone might have. Remember: People don’t invest in “health coaches” or “health programs”.They invest in things that will solve the specific problem that they have that is negatively affecting their life and relationships.
When you solve a specific problem, that then becomes the anchor you build your business from. Once the problem you solve is identified, you then build your solution, your marketing, and your reputation as a “problem-solving expert” all around this specific problem.
The second mistake that I see being made all the time is that the practitioner or coach does not clearly communicate the process of transformation their clients can expect while working with them. They sell one-off appointments that typically lead to the client or patient canceling after the first couple of sessions because the practitioner hasn’t connected the dots for them or shown them what their long-term outcome will be if they stick with the set protocols.
These 1:1 sessions also put a lot of pressure on the coach to “provide results” in a short amount of time. The balance of power, knowledge, accountability, and support is left in the hands of the “expert” rather than being transferred to the client so that they can take ownership of their own results. This leads to frustration on the part of the client and feelings of overwhelm on the part of the practitioner who has made themselves 100% responsible for their client’s success.
The way out of this dilemma is through the creation of a Signature Program that empowers the client to take responsibility for their own transformation by working through a series of teaching modules and action steps, while the coach provides support, accountability, and community through group coaching and interaction. Creating a Signature Program is a WIN-WIN for both patient and practitioner.
The third mistake that I see with practitioners and coaches who are building out their online business is they are completely focused on the wrong things when it comes to growing their audience and client base.
They spend too much time and energy creating a great logo, fancy website, and beautiful downloadables. They might also take an SEO course and start a blog. While all of these are good things to do once you have some steady income coming in, they should not be the immediate focus of a new business. These things take time and financial resources away from the most important thing which is having a way to consistently grow an audience of people who are listening to you.
The best method to consistently generate new leads and grow your audience is through the use of a lead magnet. A lead magnet is a free resource you offer potential clients in exchange for their email. Growing your email list is even more important than having a great social media following because YOU own your list and you are not bound by the ever-changing rules and algorithms that could leave your social media presence at the mercy of other people. My email list remains my top source for new and repeat revenue, even after 12 years in business and all the changes we have seen on social media over that time.
The final tip that I will add about growing and nurturing your audience is that you must SHOW UP every day. This means getting over your fear or hesitation to do lives, send emails, or otherwise get in front of your audience.
Successful practitioners and coaches are consistent in their efforts to talk to their audience and start meaningful conversations. If you are shy or think that you are “bothering” people by reminding them over and over again that you have the solution to their problem, it will be difficult for you to build a successful business. Never let the ‘busy’ work (read: distractions) take precedence over the necessary work.
These are the three most important factors to creating a successful online business and are the backbone of what I teach in Zero To Clients. I have helped thousands of practitioners figure out what problem they want to solve and then create a fully automated signature program and lead generation system that allows them to grow their online business to 10K per month and beyond.
If you are in the same position now that I was in over a decade ago, wishing there was someone who would just “tell you what to do” to get your online business up and running, you are in luck. You don’t need to fail for two years like I did. This is your opportunity to learn not only from all my mistakes but also all the wisdom I have gained after helping thousands of practitioners and coaches just like you launch their online programs over the past 12 years. If you want to know more about this one-of-a-kind business development program and how you can have a fully functioning online business in as little as 3-6 months (yes we build out all the tech for you) you can connect with my team of specialists by Clicking HERE.
