Where Do You Need To Get Help In Your Business?

When I was in my first year of business as a health coach, I reached a point where clients were only trickling in.
I had 12 clients when I graduated nutrition school, so I was surprised when things slowed down.
I honestly wasn’t sure what had changed. And I didn’t know how to fix it.
But I knew that I wasn’t going to give up!
When I couldn’t figure out exactly why things weren’t working, I knew I needed help from an expert.
It was at this point that I found and hired my first business coach.
Learning from a pro helped me to get things back on track. I started bringing in more clients regularly, and started earning the kind of income that felt really good to me.
Was it scary? Yes.
Was I worried about the investment when I wasn’t bringing in much money? Of course!
Did it help? So much!
I’m not saying this was a magic bullet that saved my business – we all know those don’t exist. But if I hadn’t asked for help, I might have continued to struggle for months and months without ever figuring out what I needed to change.
Throughout my journey as a health coach and entrepreneur, there have been plenty of times when I’ve been in this situation. Whether I’m learning a new skill, trying a new strategy, or taking things to the next level, there is always something to learn.
What I’ve realized is that asking for help is the fastest way to reach new goals.
I see a lot of newer coaches struggling in different areas of their business and unsure of what to do next.
A lot of times, when they aren’t seeing the results they hoped for, they start to believe that they aren’t cut out to be a coach and they want to throw in the towel.
I don’t want this to happen to you!
That’s why asking for help is so key to success.
Asking for help can feel overwhelming. You might not feel clear about what you need help with.
That’s why I’ve laid out a process (with a few of the most common examples I see) so you can get the kind of help you need to take your business to the next level, no matter what stage you’re in or what you’re struggling with.
Step 1: Identify where you’re getting stuck
The first step to solving any problem is pinpointing where the problem is! This step can save you a ton of time (and headaches) down the road.
Start by making a list of all the things that aren’t quite flowing in your business. Examine your processes and look at key areas to find the gaps.
Here are a few examples:
Not Booking Initial Consults
Look at why people aren’t signing up for your consult. If you’re only mentioning the consult on your website, the problem might be that not enough people are seeing your offer. You may want to expand your promotional strategies and get your free consult in front of more people.
If you’re doing a lot of promotion, and still aren’t getting those consults, perhaps the issue is with the way you’re positioning your consult. Is it possible the language you’re using isn’t compelling? For example, calling it a ‘Get Acquainted Session’ is much less attractive than a ‘Weight Loss Breakthrough Session.’
Not Converting Clients From Initial Consults
If you’re booking consults regularly, but your prospective clients aren’t signing on to work with you, the problem could be with your selling skills.
Talks Aren’t Turning Into Clients
If you’re giving talks regularly but the attendees aren’t turning into paying clients, the issue could be in a number of places. Is your content strong? Are you making a compelling offer at the end? Are you following up with attendees? Are you speaking in the right places to attract your target audience?
There are a number of areas where things could be falling through the cracks. Take a look at what you’ve been doing and try to find the areas that aren’t working.
Step 2: Figure out if this is something you can solve on your own
Once you’ve pinpointed the issues in your business, it’s time to make an action plan to solve it. There may be issues you’ve found that you know how to solve, and some that you don’t. And that’s perfectly ok.
Start by looking at your list from Step 1 and decide if you can solve these issues on your own by trying a few new things.
Continuing with our previous examples:
If the problem is with the wording of your initial consult offer, this is something you can tackle yourself by brainstorming a few ideas for new names for your consult and asking friends how they feel about it.
If the problem is with closing the deal when you speak with prospective clients, this might be something you don’t know how to tackle on your own. Selling is a learned skill that takes practice. This is something a lot of people have a hard time with, so don’t feel bad if you can’t solve this on your own.
If your talks aren’t working and you’ve realized you need to improve your content and offer, decide if this is something you feel comfortable doing on your own, or if it’s worth bringing in extra help.
Generally, if you look at a problem and think “I have no idea where to begin”, you want to consider asking for help rather than struggling with it (or ignoring it).
If there is a gap that requires you to learn a new skill, you may need help acquiring that skill.
If the problem is something you can tackle with a little bit of experimentation on your part, you can probably start on your own.
Take your list and prioritize it so you can start filling the gaps. Prioritize the items based on the things that have the highest impact on your revenue.
And let me just say… It’s ok if you need help with everything on your list! Running a business is full of new challenges and learning opportunities, and no one expects you to be an expert at everything.
Step 3: Seek help
For everything on your list that you don’t feel you can tackle on your own, you can find someone with the right expertise to help you.
Start by searching for experts that help with the problems you want to solve. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get support! There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so find the style that works for you. Some options:
Purchase done-for-you materials
There are many done-for-you programs and materials available for health coaches. Everything from detox programs to speaking kits to marketing materials to a fully designed website. You don’t have to start from scratch! This is a great way to use other people’s expertise to get you started faster. You can always customize things to fit your own business (and I suggest you do!).
Peer support
Sometimes you just need support from others who’ve been there. With Facebook groups, you can learn from those who are going through a similar journey, get ideas and inspiration, and make business friends.
Look for groups led by an expert in the field. In these types of group, you’re more likely to get access to quality resources and content, in addition to the support of your peers.
If you’re not already a member of my Free Facebook Group, I invite you to join The Health Coach Collective. In this group I share exclusive resources & trainings, and you’ll get support from me and your fellow coaches.
Self-lead courses
Courses are great for deep diving into a single topic, like improving your sales skills or writing better web copy. A course might be the right choice if you have a general sense of the topic but need a kickstart to learn more.
Coaching/mentoring programs
Seeking help from a mentor or coach is a good fit if you want more support and personal guidance. This is a good option when you have lots of things you need support with or if you feel you’d like more 1:1 support.
Getting support and investing in yourself and your business will help you achieve your goals faster.
It can be scary, but in the long run it will save you time, money, and frustration to get help rather than spin your wheels on your own.
Now I’d love to hear from you!
What areas are you struggling with that you’d like support with?