Learn how to get coaching clients without social media by leveraging your network, running ads or beefing up your website’s SEO.
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On Jan 4, 2022, it happened to me.
I woke up to this email:
Followed by this email:
Followed by this:
And then came weeks and weeks of headaches while I scrambled to get my accounts back.
And I was a lucky one.
Long before January 2022, I had begun to implement SEO. And I had begun to grow my email list.
And during the months while my account was down, I still got new leads. I still retained new clients.
Look, every platform is problematic.
Algorithms change and visibility can be turbulent.
But the only platform that can get taken away from you?
That’s the socials. And it’s a big reason why I invest more of my energy into my email list, my website, PR, and networking.
When I began coaching online, I thought social media was the only way to get coaching clients.
Several years later? I’ve been blow away by the diversity and creativity of approaches that folks use to fill their client rosters.
If you haven’t yet diversified beyond the socials, or if you’d like to divest from them entirely, read on for 3 ways (that complement each other beautifully!) to grow your audience and your client roster.
1) Get In Front Of Other People's Audiences
You’ve probably heard of the “know, like and trust” factor. As in, people buy from people they know, like and trust.
So when you present yourself to a fresh audience, you’re working uphill.
You’re starting from scratch in the trust department.
But when you’re invited into someone else’s community?
You get to short-cut that process. Because you have the privilege of leveraging the trust your host has already built with their people.
You gain trust by association.
And it’s an AMAZING gift.
👉🏼 To make the most of this strategy, first identify colleagues who have similar audiences and complementary, non-competing offers.
👉🏽 Ask yourself how you could provide value to their community.
👉🏾 And then make your colleague an offer that’s a win-win for both of you.
Here are a few ideas I love:
➡️ Guest on podcasts with an aligned audience
➡️ Offer to teach classes or workshops for communities within your network
➡️ Arrange an email list swap with colleagues who have complementary services and audiences
Some examples:
If you’re a pregnancy personal trainer, maybe you could offer a guest presentation in a childbirth education class.
If you’re a systems expert, you can speak to a business coaching mastermind.
If you’re a nutrition coach, you could do a lead magnet swap with a personal trainer.
Remember, in each of these scenarios, consider what you bring to the table and what you can offer your colleague’s audience. It has to be a win for you AND a win for them.
Pro tip: When you score these opportunities, come in swinging. What’s your call to action? How do you want these folks to connect with you after your presentation? Be sure to share a clear call to action!
2) Pay To Play (ADS!)
Directly target your ideal clients with paid ads on platforms like Google or Facebook.
It’s a fast and efficient way to get in front of a fresh pool of potential clients who are searching for solutions you offer.
You have options here as well. You can advertise offers, but you can also run ads to lead magnets to help build your email list or you can run ads to evergreen social posts to build brand awareness.
While this is this might seem like the most expensive of the three options, what you spend in $$ you will likely make up for in time saved.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t offer paid ads as an effective way to put your face in front of the right audience, but I’ll also admit this is not my zone of genius.
While I have run my own Facebook ads, this is the strategy I’ve played with the least, but I always keep it tucked away as an option.
3) SEO
I mean, of course. Right?
Your ideal clients still go to Google to solve their problems and find their service providers.
And SEO is the art of getting your website to appear as the answers to their searches.
Notably, SEO is a long-term strategy. It’s not something to implement today with the expectation that it will generate leads tomorrow.
But once your SEO is cruising, it will draw in a steady stream of solution- and problem-aware people who are looking for the services you offer.
If you want Google to supply you with clients in 2025, now is the time to start investing in your SEO.
If you are just getting started with SEO, here are a couple ways to start:
DIY IT
The internet is full of free SEO advice. And to help you cut through the chafe, I share simple and straightforward SEO advice on my blog, aptly named She’s Found First.
Here are two great places to start:
Ultimate Guide To SEO For Personal Trainers
SEO For Blogging: No-Sweat Guide For Personal Trainers
(and honestly, the advice in these posts is relevant for any coach or service-provider…)
Start with an audit
If SEO feels overwhelming, a personalized SEO audit is the way to find clarity.
Learn what’s working well, what’s not working and find out EXACTLY what you need to tweak to attract more aligned traffic to your website.
👉🏼 It’s your custom “Get Found On Google Plan”.
It gives you direction so you’re not overwhelmed by ALL the things the internet tells you you SHOULD do. You’ll find out what you should prioritize so you can make the most of your time and ignore the rest.
Learn more about SEO audits in general:
Or, sign up for one here (I call it an SEO Site Review And Strategy Call):
Whether or not you love the socials, it’s worth remembering there’s a big bad world outside their influence.
And if you aren’t showing up in more than one place?
Not only do you leave yourself open to the vulnerabilities of that platform, but you’re missing out on so. much. opportunity.