How to Attract Clients for a Holistic Online Business
Beginning a holistic practice online can be very discouraging and intimidating. From learning all the social media practices, to building a website and email list and learning all the ins and outs of the world wide web, it’s like getting lost in a labyrinth. It can feel obscure and seem impossible to convey in the same ways that you do in person. How do you attract consistent clients when the market seems so saturated and you know nothing or very little about marketing?
I remember when I was beginning I felt I couldn’t figure out how to have my voice heard authentically or even at all over the chatter and it seemed impossible for people to really “get me” off of my writing, posts, and short videos. Everything I shared seems disjointed and impersonal. I focused more on what I did than whom I could help. I got caught up in my long list of skills and certificates and forgot that people don’t care about that. People that I can help just want me to talk about what I can help them with and show them that it is possible and attainable. Why would they care about my certificates? My certificates don’t help them, but my solutions offer a way out of their torment.
After a while, I discovered a clear strategy and consistent practice that helped me bring in clients consistently. What was even better was this practice followed the same principles of my lifestyle practice and abled me to be a happier person overall in my life as well as my business grew exponentially.
3 Elements of Attracting Clients
1. Believing that you’re special and have something magical to bring to your clients. Understand and clarify the “what” that you are bringing to your clients. What is that transformation that you have?
Believing in yourself is more powerful than any other tool you have. This is the first step of all my coaching programs is making sure there is nothing in the way of you succeeding that you are creating. Self-doubt and limitations are overwhelming when we are stepping into a new skill. Even though you know how to be amazing at your practice, doing all this stuff online is new and unfamiliar to you. It will drop you out of your element and can start a chain of self-sabotaging and doubt that will crush your business before it even begins to unfold.
Remembering what you love about your business/products, doing something that makes you feel good about yourself every day, and keeping a self-gratitude journal during these times is crucial in how you present yourself to your untapped future clients.
When you carry self-doubt you stop attracting anyone. No one wants to work with someone who is desperate. They want to work with someone who fully believes in their skills being transformational and needed. They want to hear an assurance from you. They want to hear a clear tone of confidence in everything that you write and that you stand-by your services/products.
2. Knowing and understanding your personal journey and being able to articulate your story/learning curve. Understanding the problems and struggles that your clients go through.
What got you to do what you want to do? Where were you ten or five years ago and how have you changed? Your clients are going through similar struggles and want to hear empathy and understanding from you. They want to see that it is possible for someone like them to get out of the pain that they are currently having in their life. Your story is your expression of your authentic voice.
Your story is their story - your clients serve to be a reflection of yourself.
You do not even have to become vague or general writing or speaking of your past, as there is an abundance of people who are currently suffering as you have before in your life. When you better understand your challenges you start to know how to connect with your soulmate clients. This not only helps gain consistent clients but also helps you avoid any red-flag clients.
3. Connecting with people/via the Internet or in person from an authentic space
When I was going from an in-person practice to an online format this part was the hardest one to figure out. I knew how to have heart-centered conversations in real life but I had no idea how to translate that to social media or blogging. I am so happy now there is less ambiguity.
Each social media platform has different ways of doing this, but for now, I will focus on Facebook and how this is possible to do just like in person client meeting. It will feel organic and perfect.
Personally, I look for groups that follow the struggles of my clients. I look for people stating problems or asking for help that maybe I once used to say or my clients currently say now. Now, here is where it gets crazy … you then respond to their post authentically and from your heart, writing advice that you would give to a friend or your favorite client! IT IS THAT SIMPLE! Do not think about money, or your career, or anything but really sharing from your heart real advice from a space of compassion and understanding. Nine times out of ten when I come from a space of love I am giving pure gold advice and people want to connect deeper with me. When they do, I can then talk about my services/products and then poof, the client!
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Each social media channel has a different way of doing this exact strategy. Whether it’s talking about your story and giving advice on YouTube, blogging, etc.… sharing is exactly that! How can I share myself and share who I am and what I offer without it being salesy?! Well, take sales out of the picture for a moment and speak from the heart!
If you want a heart-centered business, then be heart-centered about everything. I truthfully give away a bunch of my program for free because people still want to work with me! It is not about the information as much as it is someone helping you on your path towards your success. I, myself, hire a coach all the time for different parts of my life because I know a little hand-holding goes a long way with my success.
So… then, what’s next?
How to attract clients consistently?! Well, this is a practice.
Much like meditation, it only works when you are consistent. Your clients will be consistent when you are regularly connecting to people from a heart-centered place of giving, continuing your personal belief in self and confidence, and journaling to remember and understand your ever changing journey and the gifts/skills you have to share.
As you continue in whatever practice/business you are choosing, you will gain new skills and writing about the struggles to be able to connect to your clients and their own struggles is imperative to keep your connection with your audience and market alive and honest.
For example, as I have grown as a coach I have had a number of snake-like skin-shedding career shifts. I have gone from being an empowerment coach for people struggling with pains in their body to helping other service providers like me succeed on their path of healing and business. Even in that transition there has been minor shifts that seemed major to even get me to switch to both healing and business coaching. My progression in my business was as organic as the progress I was making in my life. This is the essence of having a holistic business model. It is so that our lives can mirror our business and as we grow as humans we can offer more services effortless to our clients.
If the work you do becomes effortless and flows, then your clients are receiving the best version of you. They are then getting you at 100% energy and integrity. This is how referrals become just as abundant as your clients really start having the transformations that you are capable of bringing to the table.
When I first started as an empowerment coach and was able to help someone go from not being able to walk to walking within two sessions, I felt amazing. It was in that moment I had validation for the personal practice of self-care and self-love that I received that transparency that allotted me to keep moving and learning and growing. Writing and remembering my gifts I can offer and the struggles of my own health abled the path to health approachable and easy for my client’s success story.
So, keep a success story journal. Remember what makes you awesome. It is easy to get tripped up on our mistakes and forget how amazing we are at our passions.
I hope this has been both enlightening and helpful.
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The Snarky Spiritualist and Mindful Modern Nomad
Brook Woolf