Do you ever find yourself saying, “But how do I actually get clients?” Until the pieces fall into place, the whole process can seem a bit mystical.

You’re told to ‘get visible’. To create valuable content. To post on social media. All the while you’re still wondering how the hell you actually get a client.

This post will demystify exactly that. If you focus on just 3 activities, let it be these.

But before we dive in, what exactly does ‘get visible’ mean?

Get visible

I have a love-hate relationship with the term ‘get visible’. It’s thrown about as the holy grail of success, but to the business newcomer, it tells you faff all about what you actually need to do.

This is what getting visible really means:

Being seen by the right people for long enough that they are ready to buy from you.

It looks something like this:

• Put your message out into the world, in front of the right eyes (the people you can help)

• Keep them hanging around you, building that know, like, trust factor

• Show up consistently, and long enough that they are ready to buy from you.

So the question to ask if you want to get visible is: who can I help, and how can I bring them into my world?

It is not enough for people to interact with you once. To meet you once. To see one of your posts. You need to be visible time and time again so you stay front of mind.

You need to be a bit annoying

Why is this so important? Because only around 3% of people are ready to buy what you offer right now. The other 97% are not there yet, but when they get there you need to be the one they think of.

Being visible was the difference between me having a full client roster and not. It’s a numbers game - the more you build your audience and keep them in your world, the more consistent clients you will have.

And how exactly do you do that?

1. put out high impact, actionable content

For starters, consistently share your message online by putting out incredible (and original) content. Do this for long enough that you’re someone worth following.

At the beginning it can feel like you’re putting out content for a ghost town. This is where most people give up before they’ve even begun.

Remember, you’re not aiming to attract the masses. You need to be a hero to first one person, then two, then three - from there it builds. But if you can’t excite one person with your content, what makes you think you’ve got something the masses will listen to? (tough love, I know).

Ask yourself this question: if you look at the content you’re putting out right now, are you someone you would follow?

If you answered no, this is the first thing to change.

Wondering what type of content to put out?

Follow my CEO Marketing Model.

CONNECT with your audience: let your audience get to know you on a personal level.

EXAMPLES

• Your backstory, your why, and what makes you different

• Your values and vision

• Anecdotes from your life

• Behind the scenes

• Ask questions e.g. what’s your biggest challenge with [your niche] right now? 

• Ask for feedback on something e.g. your latest launch, why they didn’t buy

EDUCATE your audience: provide free value by educating in your area of expertise. This positions you as the expert and builds trust.

EXAMPLES

• Write actionable, high-quality blogs, like this one ;-)

• Teach what you know in bitesize amounts

• Bust myths in your niche

• Share tools that will help your audience

• Discuss your solutions and frameworks

OFFER your services, consistently: make it super easy for people to know what next step to take by giving them one clear call to action. e.g. click the link and enter your email address to book a call with me.

Use case studies and testimonials to reinforce your credibility. Make sure these are visible on every platform.

EXAMPLES

• Limited time offer

• Invite them to a consult

• Promote your course

• Direct to a sales page

When you start putting out high-quality content, you won’t see instant results. You have to show up consistently and for long enough for that to happen. It can take around 90 days to see the impact of actions you take today. Stick at it, consistently, and you’ll already be miles ahead of most.

2. craft your buyer’s journey

Where do your ideal clients hang out? Here’s some ideas:

• Networking events

• Facebook

• Instagram

• Industry specific events

• Linkedin

• Workshops (either run by you or others)

• Your email list

Pick at least 2 places your ideal clients hang out and begin creating a presence. I’d highly recommend one of these be in person events (see next client generating activity).

Once you’ve established where you’re going to be visible and present, think about the journey you’re going to take your ideal clients on.

We live in a culture of mass information. People can (and will) stalk you online before they buy your services. So what steps can you put in place to ensure that journey is compelling, with you front of mind?

Here’s an example buyer’s journey one of my clients went on:

Notice how many steps she took before becoming a client of mine - this was over a 6 month period.

You’ll see from this that Facebook is crucial to my crafted buyer’s journey. Networking, running workshops and my email list are also critical.

Where are the opportunities to add more touch points to your buyer’s journey to build that all important know, like and trust?

Need some ideas…

3. build relationships, online and offline

This is another one that can seem a bit mysterious. Everyone talks about the importance of building relationships, but it’s not immediately clear how it will help.

Basically, the bigger your network is, the wider you cast your net to attract clients. It’s not just about the people you meet, it’s about the people they know, and the people they know and so on.

Meeting people in person massively accelerates that know, like, trust factor. You’re not just a social media profile anymore.

When I first went to a networking event, I thought it was a bit of a waste of time. I spoke to about two people, they weren’t my ideal clients, it took up 4 hours of my time - what’s the point right?

Wrong.

I kept going to this same networking event and each time I made more connections. Then the referrals started. When I held my first workshop, the first to buy tickets were those who knew me from this networking event.

You won’t necessarily see instant results, but trust me when I saw it’s well worth your time. Not all touch points in your buyer’s journey are equal - ones which allow people to get to know you (videos, in person meeting) will always have a greater impact.

The key to building relationships at in-person events is to show up with absolutely no agenda. You are not there to sell. Be generous with your time, support and champion others.

If people ask what you do, tell them (not your job title, but what you actually do e.g. I help mums who are struggling to market their business and get consistent clients).

Wherever possible, bring these relationships online. Add those you chat to on Facebook/follow on Instagram etc. If you have a group, you can shoot them a private message inviting them to it.

Apart from just being a decent human (which I’m personally a big fan of), with time these networking events can generate a steady stream of clients.

If you can’t get to in-person events, consider the online equivalent. Organise coffee chats with people over video call. I have guest live trainings every fortnight in my group - I jump on a video call with all guests beforehand to build that relationship and expand my network.

These are not quick-fix recommendations. These are the activities which will consistently build your audience and network, so that you’re not hoping to get another client but instead know you have a process which will snowball and generate consistent clients.

The biggest difference between those who don’t have consistent clients and those that do is consistency and visibility. If you’re not being a bit annoying, you’re not being seen.

If you liked this blog post, you’re sure to love these:

The Easiest Way To Get Your First 10 Clients (Most People Miss This)

How I Grew A Highly Engaged Facebook Group From 0-500 Members In 3 Months (And Use It To Get Clients)

How To Create A Killer Email Series That Turns Subscribers Into Clients