I’ve been doing business online since 2006.
I’ve been coaching entrepreneurs on how to market online for 9 years.
I’ve been teaching my own signature system called (wait for it)…
…Get Clients Online™ since 2011.
I get 99% percent of my own clients online.
So, you could say I’ve seen it all, and have both learned and taught A LOT when it comes to this topic.
There are certain truths I want to share with you about it, because I still see pervasive myths floating around.
Maybe you’ve gotten some clients online.
Maybe you never have.
Maybe you hear a ton of conflicting information. (Very likely.)
What I’m aiming to do with today’s article is break down some of the myths and truths for you, so you know what’s what.
And not only that, but knowing what’s what in 2018.
Without further ado…
Myth: You need a list to get clients online.
Truth: While having a list is never a bad thing, the truth is you don’t need one to get clients. What you need are opportunities to engage people and if appropriate, drive them to a discovery call (above $2K offer), or a sales page (typically an offer below $2K).
Myth: You need to have a certain-size following or lots of credentials to dub yourself the expert.
Truth: YOU dub yourself the expert, no one else. Yes, expertise is important and valuable, but you don’t need someone else/God/fairies/the Universe to deem you a worthy expert first. (Muhammad Ali called himself the “Greatest” first and everyone else followed.)
Myth: I have to be much further along in my business to pitch highly ranked podcasts/media outlets.
Truth: Nope – what you need is expertise, a topic that your ideal audience would be attracted to, and a darn good pitch email. No, you don’t need a list, a Facebook Group, interview experience or some magical number of social media connections.
Myth: I can’t run a group program until I have at least 1000 people on my email list.
Truth: Again, typically the more people on your list, the easier it is to fill a group program, because they require volume. But make no mistake – there are lots of people making bank with programs online with only a few hundred people on their list. The distinction is – they are usually highly targeted and have been nurtured.
Myth: It’s going to be harder for me to get clients online than it is for others because I am a complete technophobe.
Truth: You don’t need to be a geek like me! If you have a budget, you can delegate/outsource this to the pros; and even if you’re bootstrapping you can find affordable freelancers to help you with things as needed. Or, you can empower yourself and learn on your own – there are many, many resources on the web that are free.
Myth: I’ve only been in business a relatively short time, so I don’t need to give any thought to scaling.
Truth: I believe the sooner you start thinking about this, the better. Sure, you may not be able to technically scale yet, but educating yourself on how someone with your business model can effectively scale is smart to do early on – you’ll be way ahead of most people, because most people are not doing this!
Myth: I’m brand new in business so I can’t charge high ticket (over $2K) prices to work with me.
Truth: The real question is, are you really good at what you do? Are you prepared to give the value that higher prices command? Do you have experience (even if it was in corporate)? If you can tick those boxes, then there is NO reason why you can’t charge high ticket prices. It’s so much more about how well you serve the client and deliver what you’ve promised, and getting in front of the right people who need what you have.
(I’ve listed this out as succinctly as possible, because I know you’re busy.)
Finally, I’d love to hear from you in the comments, particularly about your experience up to now with getting clients online – good, bad, or non-existent. 🙂 Let me know below!
I am creating my first online course with only a Facebook group as a starting point. I still feel confident that the course will do well.
That’s great! Good luck with it!
First, my online presence is practically non-existent (FB, Twitter & LinkedIn) and I don’t have any clients…yet.
Every one of these myths applies to me and my business…and has stopped/derailed my efforts. You’re correct–there is a lot of “noise” and conflicting information out there. Sometimes I feel as though my head is spinning. I don’t know *who* to listen to. Is so-called “expert” advice relevant or helpful to *me* and where *I* am right now with my business? How do I know if I’m being taken for a ride… if the information I’m getting is tried, proven and most importantly, getting over-the-top results? Simply because they say it’s so? “Experts” make me feel that if I don’t take advantage of their “expertise” “right now”, the opportunity won’t come around again. The pressure to part my money from me is enormous and to compensate, I just close my ears to the noise and shut down. Right now, I need clarity, direction, someone to hold me by the hand and show me the *how* and not the *why*. You make a viable, believable case for getting me unstuck and on the way to financial freedom and successful partnerships with the people who need what I have. Thanks, Christine!
Well that’s why you have me! lol! I’ve got you 🙂