Podcast 18: The Fastest way to Find Clients for Your Holistic Business
Jun 18, 2020
Many practitioners have struggled over lockdown. Many haven’t been able to work and others have had to adapt and completely change their approach.
Whether you’ve had to reinvent your holistic business, or you need to bring income into your business quickly, always start with your hot leads. This is the fastest way to find clients and secure your business for the future.
What are ‘hot leads’?
Hot leads are the people who are most likely to work with you now. They’re the people you already have a relationship with and are the easiest for you to connect with. They already know, like, and trust you and will help you to grow your practice in the fastest way possible.
Whether you’re newly qualified or trying to get more people through your door, this is the quickest way to build your client base.
Here are the places you can find your hot leads:
Past clients
These are the people who’ve already experienced the benefits of working with you. They’re far more likely to work with you now and are far easier to reach than trying to find new clients.
It’s important you continue to nurture your relationship with this group as they’ll support your business sustainability by returning or providing referrals.
Contacting past clients can be as simple as asking how they are, for an update or updating them with new information about your services relevant to them. It’s a great way to remind people you’re there to help them. It will act as a simple reminder to someone who’s busy and meant to book an appointment with you.
Current clients
If permitted by your professional body, ask current clients for referrals. They’re likely to know other people just like them who could be helped by you. If they’re happy with the results they achieved, they’ll be happy to refer you to a friend.
Referrals are how I get a large proportion of my clinical clients. I provide them with information cards they can pass onto family and friends. It helps them share my details – the easier you make it, the more successful it will be.
Enquiries
Who has recently enquired about your services? Do you keep track of the enquiries coming into our business? These people already know who you are, what you do, and are showing an interest in working with you. This is one of the fastest ways to find clients for your practice.
If you’re not following up on your enquiries, you are missing out on prospective clients. You’re working hard on your marketing to attract clients, then you’re wasting your efforts by not maximising them.
Following up on an enquiry could be just the reminder someone needs to ask the questions they have and book in to see you.
Your personal network
This is a good option whether you’re just starting or if you’re established and need more clients. Simply reach out to your personal network, explaining who you help, how you help them and the results they can achieve. Ask them to refer you to anyone they know who may be interested in what you do.
Your network already trusts you, even if they haven’t experienced working directly with you. They’ll be happy to refer you based on their knowledge of you as a person.
Create a hot lead list
Now you know who your hot leads are, make a list of people to contact. Put a note on how you will contact them next to the name so you can start to work through and check off people as you go.
Personal outreach
If you need clients now, personal outreach is by far the quickest way to get clients but, unfortunately, it is also the strategy most resisted.
You’re taking the time to contact each person individually with a phone call, meeting them, email, direct messages or handwritten cards and letters. Whilst this is the most labour-intensive marketing strategy, it’s incredibly powerful.
The point of this is making each message personal and whilst you can create a draft email or message to copy, you want to ensure you’re making each one individual. People can spot a blanket message from a mile off and will ignore it. You’re more likely to get a positive response by making everything tailored to the individual.
Respond to everyone
Carry on the conversation with everyone who replies to your messages. You never know, they could be your next client or recommend you to one of their friends.
Make a note on your contact list of anyone who has responded as this will be useful for the future when you re-visit this exercise.
Good marketing is about building relationships and connection. Personal outreach to your hot leads will help you build a sustainable business for the future as well as maintaining the relationships you have.
If you need help finding clients, book a discovery call to find out how I can help you.
Podcast 18 show notes:
- Who are your ‘hot leads’? (1:21)
- Past clients (2:00)
- Current clients (2:57)
- Enquiries (4:05)
- Your personal network (4:56)
- Create a hot lead list (5:58)
- Personal outreach (6:30)
- Respond to everyone (8:02)
