Many health coaches enter the field with a genuine passion for inspiring others to greater wellbeing, vibrant energy levels, and pain-free days, only to find that motivation alone doesn’t always translate to a steady stream of clients. They have the know-how and the drive, but where are the clients that they long to serve?
Passively waiting for clients to find you typically leads to disappointment. To ensure that your client base grows and remains consistent, it’s essential to proactively seek and create opportunities. Let’s explore the most effective strategies for getting health coaching clients.
[As a new coach, make] sure that you’re visible, be clear in how you’re describing who you want to work with, and you have to have something very concrete to sell.
— Pamela Slim, on the Coach Factory Podcast
How to Get Your First Health Coaching Clients
Getting clients when no one is aware that you exist is extremely discouraging. But there are ways for you to get people to take notice of you and your offer. Here are a few tips for getting your first client to book.
1. Create quality content
Creating quality content that demonstrates your expertise is one of the best ways to attract genuinely interested clients. This content can be blog posts on your own website, standalone social media posts, or video. Because video content lets your personality shine through, it’s a great medium for garnering trust.
Here are twelve ideas for health coach content you could create. Tweak them for your particular sub-niche or target audience.
- How to Eat Healthy on a Budget: 10 Tips and Tricks for Saving Money and Eating Well
- The Ultimate Guide to Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss: Benefits, Risks, and How to Get Started
- 5 Common Myths About Perimenopause That You Need to Stop Believing Right Now
- How to Boost Your Mood and Reduce Stress with These 7 Simple Mindfulness Exercises
- How to Create a Wellness Program for Your Employees: A Step-by-Step Guide for Small Businesses
- How to Manage Diabetes Naturally: 8 Lifestyle Changes That Can Make a Difference
- Keto, Plant-Based, and Low-Carb: What You Need to Know About These Three Popular Diets
- How to Balance Your Hormones Naturally: 6 Foods and Supplements That Can Help
- How to Improve Your Posture and Prevent Back Pain: 5 Exercises You Can Do at Home or at Work
- How to Build Muscle and Burn Fat: The Best Workout Routines and Nutrition Plans for Your Body Type
- How to Prevent and Treat Osteoporosis: 4 Strategies for Stronger Bones
- How to Sleep Better and Wake Up Refreshed: 9 Tips for Improving Your Sleep Quality and Quantity
Be sure the content you’re creating is actionable, scientifically valid, and resonates with the questions or challenges your potential client faces. Always include a call to action to nudge readers or viewers to schedule a free discovery call, subscribe to your emails, or connect with you in some fashion.
And don’t discount your own story! Recounting your personal transformation to health is both inspiring and credibility enhancing.
2. Engage with potential clients
Once you’ve shared your content on various platforms, spark conversations in the comments or share your thoughts on other related content. If you receive questions about your content, promptly reply to make real connections with your audience.
Make time to actively participate in health-related discussions and use hashtags to increase the visibility of your posts. For further engagement, hold live sessions on social media or via webinars where you answer health questions in real-time.
3. Regularly provide valuable resources
Consistently offering valuable resources keeps you top-of-mind and establishes your reputation as a knowledgeable and generous coach. This is crucial for finding your first round of clients. Some options to consider are:
- Send out a regular newsletter with health tips, recipes, or industry news.
- Provide comprehensive guides on specific health topics and offer them for free or in exchange for an email subscription.
- Offer practical tools that potential clients can use to track their health, like diet plans or workout logs.
- Create an introductory course or a challenge that can give potential clients a structured way to engage with your coaching.
4. Start off with free coaching sessions
Of course, a business can’t operate by providing free services, but when you’re brand new, sometimes you have to prime the pump with complimentary sessions. People in your real-life sphere of influence or people in relevant Facebook groups or subreddits are possible first time clients. Your aim here is not only to get experience but also to gather genuine testimonials you can leverage for new sign-ups.
5. Gather testimonials
Testimonials are powerful social proof that can help overcome skepticism and build credibility. It should be a priority to gather these testimonials to attract future clients.
For example, if you offer a free coaching session, ask the client to provide feedback or encourage satisfied clients to share their stories through video. For maximum impact, get your client’s permission to document their journey through your coaching program in a case study format, highlighting their achievements with before-and-after narratives.
Five Ways to Get More Health Coaching Clients
With your very first few clients on board, now it’s time to branch out to actively pursue fresh clientele.
1. Brand yourself in a health coaching sub-niche.
If you want to make a bigger impact in the health coaching niche and circumvent the competition, explore a sub-niche such as weight loss, sleep, stress management, or nutrition.
Choosing the right sub-niche starts with self-reflection and market research. Begin by identifying where your expertise and passion intersect. You may have a deep understanding of mental wellness for corporate professionals, or you’re an expert in holistic nutrition for athletes. Once you find that sweet spot, research its potential, and understand what it entails.
This approach will help you find a pool of underserved clients who truly need you.
2. Be present where your prospective clients are active.
There are so many avenues available for connecting with potential clients, but the key to successful outreach is positioning yourself exactly where they are. This requires a strategic mix of online and offline engagement.
- Social media — Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are hotbeds of health enthusiasts seeking guidance and community. Posting informational and entertaining content is a great start, but if you want to attract clients, you must engage with your audience. One way to engage is by creating health challenges.
A health challenge showcases your expertise and builds a community around your coaching brand. These challenges often lead to direct interactions that solidify your presence and influence. - Offline — While social media is great for expanding your reach, the power of face-to-face interactions remains unmatched. Collaborating with other professionals, like nutritionists, fitness trainers, or therapists, opens doors to a new clientele base. These partnerships often lead to valuable referrals because these professionals can vouch for your expertise and approach.
Hosting in-person groups and workshops further cement your local presence. These sessions provide a tangible touchpoint and allow potential clients to connect with you on a personal level, understand your philosophy, and witness the transformation you bring.
3. Leverage your website to increase visibility.
Your website acts as your virtual office space, which often serves as the first impression for potential clients. Maximizing its visibility and ensuring a top-tier client experience is the magic behind earning credibility and attracting new business.
By optimizing your website’s content, structure, and metadata for SEO, you increase the chances of ranking higher on search results. This not only drives organic traffic to your site but also positions you as an authority in your field.
Try incorporating keywords relevant to health coaching, creating valuable content like blogs and articles, and ensuring your website is mobile-friendly. Regularly updating content and ensuring your website’s technical health can further boost SEO to place you directly in the sight of potential clients.
4. Seal the deal with an effective discovery call.
Discovery calls are an important step in getting clients to book your services. In most cases, this is your one shot to showcase your value. A successful discovery call that wins clients over requires structure, clear communication of expectations, and the art of effective questioning.
Start aside 15 minutes to meet with your prospect. Then, begin the call with a brief introduction and an overview of the discussion. This provides clarity and direction.
During the call, be transparent and communicate that the objective is to explore the possibility of a working relationship and to determine their needs. This ensures there are no misconceptions about the call’s intent.
At the heart of the discovery call is a solid line of questioning. By using open-ended questions, potential clients can explore their feelings surrounding struggles and what they aspire to accomplish. Be sure to tailor your responses to illustrate how your expertise aligns with their needs.
5. Use the power of email marketing to stay connected with prospects.
While social media platforms come and go, email marketing remains a constant and direct line of communication with your audience. Health coaches are still closing deals and booking clients through emails.
Building a relationship with prospective clients through email starts with lead generation. By offering value upfront — perhaps in the form of a free ebook, a webinar, or a discount on a consultation — you’ll attract visitors to subscribe to your list. Collaborate with partners or engage in online forums and communities related to health by offering insights and creatively promoting your lead magnets.
Once you’ve grown your list, you can segment it based on specific criteria like new subscribers, potential clients, or long-term clients. This feature allows you to tailor content for each group, which increases engagement rates. Engagement content includes:
- Regular newsletters.
- Updates on new services.
- New insights into the health world.
Remember, consistency is the priority, but avoid overwhelming your subscribers. Respect their inbox by providing value in every email and making it easy to unsubscribe in one-click.
A System for Consistently Booking More Health Coaching Clients
As your business grows, the balance between providing quality services and marketing your business gets tricky. Marketing funnels exist to provide you with a system for automating both tasks.
Download the Marketing Funnel Template to help you easily map your health coaching funnel and get the clients you need.
