Episode 61: Marketing for Life Coaches, Health Coaches, and Functional Medicine Providers Who Want to Attract More Ideal Clients

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Today we’re branching out from our focus on marketing for brick-and-mortar chiropractors and speaking directly to all the life coaches, health coaches, and functional medicine providers who have – or are adding – an online component to their offer.

This post is full of golden marketing nuggets that will also help anyone who has (or wants to have) an online component to their business. 

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had so many health and wellness practitioners and coaches ask me one specific question:

If I’m adding or starting an online service, should I create a new Instagram?

There are so many things to consider with this question, so let’s dive into it all together! 

Start with your warm audience

One of the benefits of having an online offer is that you can technically work with people anywhere!

And while you can eventually expand your market, it’s best to start with the warm audience who already knows, likes, and trusts you. 

When I was first starting my business, I connected with a chiropractor in my area, advertised a networking event in our local groups, and connected with the dozen or so women who showed up. 

Now I work with chiropractors, life and health coaches, functional medicine providers, and wellness practitioners all across the country inside our bespoke Instagram management agency and through the Holistic Marketing Hub, but I started with my local community.  

When it comes to Instagram, my best advice is to just not overthink it!

Show up and market your new offers or services to your existing offer first. Even if you think no one in your personal life needs what you’re offering, you never know who they know.

Your friend from college could have an aunt who is actively looking for a functional medicine provider or life coach! Never underestimate your existing audience and the power of referrals from people who know you, like you, and trust you. 

More than Instagram marketing for life coaches, health coaches, and functional medicine providers

Instagram marketing is effective. (We’ve booked out services for the 30+ chiropractors and wellness providers we strategically manage Instagram for, so trust us – we know firsthand just how effective it is!) 

But there are other marketing techniques you can use when you’re adding an online component to your offer.

Email marketing is actually where I make most of my money, so building an email list and sending engaging, effective emails is one of the best marketing strategies you can use when you’re getting started and long after you’re established.

Sending warm texts to people in your network is another effective strategy, specifically when you’re just getting started.

Now please hear me on this point. We are not sending “hey, girl!” texts to our long-lost college roommates and old coworkers.

You know the texts I’m talking about: “Hey, girl! How are you?! Let me tell you about this unique opportunity…” 

Just… no. 

I recommend reaching out with something more along the lines of: 

“Hey! I don’t know if you knew this, but I’m a [blank] and I help [blank]. If you or someone you know could benefit from what I’m doing, here’s how to book a call with me!”

Much better. 

How to attract more ideal clients

If you’ve been following along, so far we are keeping our existing Instagram accounts, marketing to our warm audiences first, and emailing and texting our contacts. 

This is a great start. 

And now we’re ready to attract more ideal patients or clients to our online offer. So what’s a life coach, health coach, or functional medicine provider to do?

1. Connect with local businesses

Find a business that has an audience similar to yours. Go in, introduce yourself, and ask if you can leave a few business cards. Make sure to highlight the value-add you can provide to their existing patients. 

2. Do a freebie swap with a complementary coach

I have one student who helps women with painful periods and another student who helps women get pregnant. While they aren’t serving the same audience at the same time, there’s a lot of cross-over. These two coaches could easily do a “freebie swap” to help each other grow their individual email lists and better serve their existing clients.

To do a swap, each coach agrees to send 1-2 emails promoting the other coach’s freebie. Make sure you send them to the landing page to sign up and not a direct link to download – the goal is to have your existing audience join the other coach’s audience and vice versa. 

3. Hang out in influencers’ comment sections

Find an influencer or two in your niche and show up in their comments. Usually they stop answering questions after the first dozen or so – and this is where you pop in! Answer people’s questions and show them you know your stuff. You’re not “poaching” followers – you’re providing value and connecting with people who need your support. 

Step into your patient’s experience

The more you understand your ideal patient or client, the better you can market your offers to them.

Start with the words you’re using to describe what you do, who it’s for, and how it helps.

Instead of writing from your perspective, dig into what your existing (or desired) patients think and share.

If you have worked with dream patients, look back over the things they have told you, what they share in their intake forms and questionnaires, and what they share in their reviews and feedback.

If you haven’t worked with a dream patient, go look at a competitor’s reviews and see what their clients are saying that you would like your clients to say about you. 

Those exact words, phrases, and pain points are what you want to use in your marketing.

You should also make it as easy as possible for people to book with you!

I suggest creating a blunt, direct graphic every 9 posts or so that says how many available spots you have and tells people how to book.

This might be something like: “I have 3 1:1 coaching spots in October. DM me to snag yours!” 

Don’t be clever or cute – just tell them what you have and how to get it. 

I did this last October and booked all three 1:1 spots I was offering that night. Now you may not see instant results like that every time you post, but keep it up and consistently make it easy for your people to see exactly what you do and how they can book with you.

Get more expert advice about marketing for life coaches, health coaches, and functional medicine providers 

Inside the Holistic Marketing Hub, you’ll find everything you need to get more ideal patients and clients through Instagram!

You can also follow along with me on Instagram for all my best marketing tips, strategies, and insights.

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The Holistic Marketing Simplified Podcast is brought to you by Holistic Marketing Hub, our hybrid program that supports you with personalized coaching, caption templates, and virtual classrooms. In this program, we teach health and wellness professionals how to fish, but also bait their hook!

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