$1,500 — CHA-CHING JUST BOUGHT MY NUTRITIONIST CERTIFICATION
$2,000 — YIPPEE! ANOTHER NUTRITION CERTIFICATION
$500 — FANCY LOGO #NECESSARY
$500 — WEBSITE, I’M LEGIT!
SAHWEET, NOW MY DOORS ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, CLIENTS ARE GOING TO COME BUSTING THROUGH…RIGHT?
This was my thought process 5 years ago when I first opened the doors to my health coaching business. You see, I thought that this was all I needed — a certification, a logo, and a website — what more could there be?
The answer is… a lot.
Many health coaches believe that getting a certification, creating a website, and purchasing a logo are the pivotal steps they need to take in order to reach sweet wellness business success. However, the reality is that getting certified (if you decide to get certified, which isn’t necessary to be a health coach… I digress), is just the first step in starting up your health coaching business.
Below are the 5 steps you need to take in order to create a profitable online wellness business!
1. Figure out your speciality.
Consider this. The health and wellness industry is a $400 billion industry with millions of independent contractors (think: coaches, personal trainers, network marketers). You definitely want a bite of this apple! From this, we can observe two things:
- There are a lot of people doing the same thing.
- There is money to be made in the health and wellness industry (yahoo!).
So, rather than identifying as a standard “health coach”, I recommend niching down to a specific area of focus. Whether it’s digestion, skin health, gut health, energy, plant based nutrition, or fitness for busy moms on the go, it is important to get extremely specific with who you help and how you help them. By doing so, you will stand out from the crowd, attract clients (rather than chase them), and achieve expert level much quicker!
2. Put yourself out there.
The truth is that in the beginning, clients are not going to flock to you straight away. You have to create a strong presence, share what you’re all about, and really put yourself out there.
In the beginning of your business, being visible is way more important than making money. (Funny how that works, because when you become very visible and provide value, you do end up making $$$!).
As Jim Rohn says,
“You don’t get paid for the hour, you get paid for the value you bring to the hour.”
The more visible you become, the more free value you give, the more clients you will attract. Here are some channels you can use to start getting visible right away:
- Post on social media
- Start an email list
- Run free workshops and classes
- Create videos
- Start a blog
- Partner up with another coach and do an event or workshop together!
BTW, when you’re getting visible, make sure you avoid these 5 crucial mistakes that could end up costing you a lot of missed opportunity! (Click here to grab the free guide!)
3. Create an irresistible offer!
Over the lifespan of your business, you will be creating many different types of offers ranging from 1:1 coaching, to group programs, to courses, and ebooks. However, when you are starting out, it is crucial to start with ONE amazing offer, build it out, and then move on to create another.
Consider what type of program you want to create for your audience. I recommend my clients start out with 1:1 coaching, and then expand to other types of offers. Whatever offer you decide to go with (even if you are selling a network marketing product), make sure that the outcome is CLEAR. Remember, most people don’t actually care about the tools that you have. All they care about is the RESULT. If your offer will get them the results they desire, then your offer is what they’ll take their credit card out for. Always craft your messaging around outcomes and benefits (sellable), rather than features (not sellable) ! 🙂
4. Start generating leads and pitching your services!
In order to have a business, you need to be making money. If you’re not making money (or at least trying to), it’s not a business (it’s a hobby). With that being said, please understand that it takes TIME and patience to make money. Most coaches start making money within 90 days to 1 year of being in business. However, it is never too early to start generating sales leads, booking discovery calls (sales calls), and pitching your services! Sales are solutions, and you’re here to change people’s lives after all! Here are some simple ways to generate leads.
- Create a lead magnet (or freebie) for your audience! This could be a checklist, a cheat sheet, a video series, a workbook, or a training. A lead magnet is a create way to build your email list and bring your audience into your ecosystem.
- Start offering free coaching sessions!
- Write a blog post
- Ask for referrals using your existing network.
- LinkedIn Groups
- Join Facebook Groups
- Create your own Facebook Group
- Make Youtube videos
- Advertise at local yoga studios, natural foods stores, or other relevant locations
- Sign up to be a guest on a podcast or blog
- Leverage someone else’s audience by partnering up with them for an event (example: free online workshop)
5. Focus on the money making activities.
It is extremely easy to get caught up in tasks that might make you feel like you’re working, but are ultimately busy work. OR you might get caught up constantly reading and learning, and not IMPLEMENTING. This happens often when people are afraid to put themselves out there! However, it is an EXTREMELY dangerous trap and a recipe for burnout as you might find yourself working all the time, spinning your wheels, taking time away from your friends and family, and not getting anywhere. When you’re planning out your schedule/activities for the week, ask yourself “Will this move my business forward? Will this help me give more value? Will this help me generate leads?” If not, SCRATCH IT and replace it with a money making activities like some of the ones listed above ! 🙂
“Set your goals, and become the person it takes to achieve them.” — Anonymous
P.S. WANT TO KNOW THE TOP 5 MISTAKES THAT HEALTH COACHES MAKE THAT END UP COSTING THEM THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN SALES?
80% of my clients made at least 4 of these mistakes, that left thousands of dollars on the table. Grab my FREE guide telling you these 5 mistakes and how you can avoid them so you stop spinning your wheels (and spending time away from your family with nothing to show for it) and start working with clients!
Originally published at yuli.rocks on December 31, 2016.
Originally published at medium.com