What would change for you and your business if you could wave a magic wand and have a steady flow of perfect clients?
Soooo much, like…
…You’d finally be able to make consistent, reliable money doing the work you love so you could quit your day job.
…You’d have the freedom to work on a schedule that fits your life, allowing you time to pick up your kids from school, take extended vacations, or spend an extra hour in the morning journaling with a cup of coffee.
…You’d know, deep down, you’re making a real difference in the world.
But life might not be like this for your right now. Instead, clients are trickling in, and it feels like a stroke of luck when a perfect prospect falls into your lap.
What if I were to tell you that finding your best clients isn’t luck or magic?
What if there were four simple things you could do every day to bring in a steady flow of clients?
In today’s post, I’m going to help you cultivate the four most important client-getting habits.
Habit #1: Get in the right mindset
There are a few things you need to get in check before you can start effectively attracting the right clients.
First, remember that you’re marketing to people, not numbers or stats. Too many business owners are obsessed with stat tracking, especially in the first few years of business.
And I’ll be honest with you:
Those stats are essentially irrelevant! Statistically speaking, you need way more data for any small change in your numbers to actually mean anything.
Two comments one day, three comments another… it means nothing. Traffic up by 20 people, down by 10… it’s inconsequential. More unsubscribes this week than last, or a few more folks on your list since your most recent post… it’s meaningless.
It’s only over long durations and with a large data set that your stats tell you anything valuable.
This means you need to stop getting tripped up by the numbers and shift into a “be of service” mindset.
Ask yourself: How can I best serve my perfect prospects?
If you get stuck here, remember why you’re building a business and how your business is meant to support the life you want to create.
Ask yourself questions like:
- Why did I start this work in the first place?
- Why does it light me up?
- What transformation do I want to create for people?
- Why does this work matter to the world?
Ditch crappy thinking, get super clear on your big picture vision, and then dive into your client-getting activities.
My Personal Recommendation for YouWorking Hard But Still Not Getting the Clients or Money You Want? Here’s What to DoHabit #2: Make a plan
The number one misunderstanding business owners have when it comes to building their client base is the belief that clients come to you starting on day one.
The reality is, it’s your job to go out and actually get clients.
But even if you’re making an effort to get clients, it can still go wrong!
How many times have you opened Facebook or Instagram to be of service, only to look up 45 minutes later and realize you got sucked into a black hole of memes, think pieces, and political drama? Even I’ve been there (more than I’d like to admit!).
Your business-building time is precious! Especially if you juggle running your business with working a day job, caring for your family, or dealing with a chronic illness.
That’s why you need a plan.
You need to know exactly which client-getting activities you want to use to find clients and book yourself solid.
Which client-getting activities are right for you? I have 21 options for you right here.
I suggest you start with no more than three. Once you master those, you can move onto others.
And remember to stay focused! Set a timer, turn off notifications, bookmark the pages you need (so you can avoid the temptation of your newsfeed)… Do whatever you can to keep from going off the rails.
Click to Download21 Winning Ways to Book Clients FastHabit #3: Set a schedule
If your business strategy feels random at best, and you’re not sure what you should be focusing on, this habit will help you the most.
Now before you roll your eyes at the thought of one more “productivity hack,” hear me out. The schedule I recommend you use is NOT what you’re used to.
But before I get into all the details, let’s first talk about the importance of having a schedule. The biggest benefit of setting a schedule is that it helps you set reasonable expectations about what you can and can’t accomplish given your time restraints.
Having a schedule eliminates overwhelm, confusion, excuse-making, and procrastination. (Sign me up!)
The scheduling system I teach my clients is called the Flex Schedule Method. It shows you how you should spend your time to most effectively hit your goals, depending on how much time you have to spend on your business.
I dive deeper into Flex Scheduling in my brand new class, Starting and Growing an Online, Service-Based Business to Six Figures and Beyond, but here’s a general overview:
You should be spending a set number of hours each week on various business-related activities, like admin, blogging, marketing, and serving clients.
How much time you spend on each depends on how much time per week you have to spend on your business.
For example, if you’re brand new to business and have 10 hours/week to work on your business, you’ll want to spend 2 hours on admin and social media, 2 hours on blogging, 3 hours on foundation building, and 3 hours for clients and/or marketing.
Of course the exact hour split depends on the phase you are in your business growth and how many hours you have to dedicate to building your business each week.
But the point still is, you must put in the hours to get the clients.
Habit #4: Do the work
This habit is the simplest but can also be the hardest! Follow your plan, track your hours, and do it well.
Most importantly, examine your data.
“But, Jenny!” you might be thinking, “You just told me not to let the numbers distract me.”
You’re right; the data I’m speaking of here is different from your Google Analytics and social media stats.
What I mean is you should be tracking which client-getting actions are working and which aren’t, so you can make more informed decisions as your business grows.
For example, 15 hours of a single client-getting activity done the right way usually results in 1 client when you’re just starting out.
Of course, that result is based on actually doing the work—for real. Not thinking about being of service or mindlessly scrolling through your social feed but actually being of service.
And of course, you have to do it well and right, because half-assed action doesn’t create half-assed results; it creates zero results.
If you aren’t getting a client with that time (and you put in solid hours), then your execution needs adjustment. Review your copy, your follow-up emails or interactions, and change your approach.
Click to TweetHalf-assed action doesn’t create half-assed results; it creates ZERO results.Are you ready to incorporate these habits into your life?
At the end of the day, if you want a set amount of income growth, you have to commit to a set number of marketing and client-getting activities.
The most successful business owners know that consistency is key. When you steadily, consistently, and reliably follow this plan, your perfect prospects will steadily, consistently, and reliably find you.
It’s not magic. It’s not luck. It’s persistent action executed well.
Click to Download21 Winning Ways to Book Clients Fast
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