I loved doing my first Q&A post in August 2021, and I’m bringing it back. This time I’m including a bit more in-depth answers—while keeping the straight-talking advice and helpful links to guide you forward.
Today I’m covering navigating a pause in your business, building your list, getting clients, paid ads, and so much more.
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Now, let’s dive in. You asked …
Things got rough. Should I take a break?
Q: I feel lost and exhausted. My business peaked five years ago, before my chronic illness, and now my audience is shrinking. After getting deplatformed on Facebook, I’m losing confidence and feeling doubt about my work. Should I let my old business model go, take a break, and rethink my next steps?
It sounds like you’re navigating a particularly tough time in your business, and I’m sorry to hear all you’ve been through. It’s understandable that you feel lost and exhausted, and the loss of engagement and the impact of being deplatformed could take a toll on anyone’s confidence.
Does the current direction of your business still align with your values and passions? Are there any aspects of your work that excite you now?
I’m wondering, based on the phrasing of your question, if you already know what you want and are looking for permission to let your old model go, take a break, and rethink your next steps. (In which case, permission granted.)
How does it feel to consider taking a break? Know there’s not one way to go about it; you can get creative with how you proceed.
I often need to remind myself that I started my business, and I get to decide if/how/when I proceed. You started your business, and you get to decide the same.
The circumstances are unfortunate, and I’m sorry this happened to you. There is no formula on what to do next, only what’s feels like the most right move for you. You certainly wouldn’t be the only business owner to take a break to step back and reevaluate everything.
I know what to do to market my business, but I’m not doing it.
Q: I have a marketing background but struggle to market my business. Despite having a strategy and tools, I procrastinate on execution. I want to gain at least one client before the year ends but feel unsure where to start. Why is it easier to guide others than myself?
It sounds like you know what to do and have the tools to do it but aren’t following through. It makes me wonder if there might be something else that’s going on. What I mean is, it doesn’t seem like a skill or knowledge gap but maybe an inner challenge.
You wouldn’t be the first business owner to experience a disconnect between your expertise and the application of it to your business.
Do you think something might be going on internally that could be getting in your way or holding you back? Any guess what it might be?
In terms of addressing it, that’s a very personal preference. In the last few years, I’ve found somatic and IFS therapies to be incredibly helpful for both personal and work issues. In the past, I got a lot of benefit from mindset coaching and The Work of Byron Katie, though there are countless modalities for addressing things that might be keeping us from our goals.
Of course, if those don’t feel resonant, other things to consider could be working with an accountability partner, hiring a coach to help you take the steps, or dangling some carrots for yourself for making progress.
Another thing some of my past clients found helpful was to investigate their Tendency (as described by Gretchen Rubin); they found it offered a clue for how to work with themselves to achieve goals.
Can I get back to work without burning out?
Q: I want to grow my business without burning out, but I lack evidence that it’s possible. After taking a year off from marketing, I’m hesitant to dive back in because I enjoy my freedom. With colder weather, I’m ready to return but want to market in a way that energizes me.
It sounds like you’re in a thoughtful place, balancing the desire to grow your business with the desire to maintain your well-being. It’s understandable that you feel hesitant about diving back into marketing, especially after enjoying a break from the computer.
Your question has me wondering if you feel ready to get back to something or if you think you should get back to something. In my own experience, I’ve certainly had times where I thought I should do something but wasn’t really feeling like it. I mention this because the path forward looks different depending on your scenario.
If you truly feel like getting back to something, then ask yourself what you feel like doing. Strategy aside, what energizes you? What gets you excited? What feels good to do? Follow that feeling you’re having that says you want to get back to something. What does it want to get back to? (I’ve found that tuning into my body and seeing what it wants to do has been very helpful for me in getting back to work these last few months.)
If you think you should get back to something (but don’t feel it), maybe some inner inquiry might be in order. Or if you feel like getting back to something but you’re having some tricky thinking about it, that might also be something to investigate.
How do I build my list without paid ads? What works today?
Q: How do I build my email list without using paid methods? What works today?
The good news is, list building is the same as it’s always been. Get yourself in front of your target audience wherever they hang out, share your expertise, and let them know where they can learn more about you and your work.
- Steal This! My Proven Plan to Hit 1000 Subscribers
- Email List-Building Secrets
- Build Your List Archives
I’m having trouble charging for my services when there are free groups in my niche.
Q: How do I overcome being a coach who charges money when there are groups for free in my specific niche?
It’s important to recognize the value you bring to clients that free groups can not offer. While groups provide community support, you offer personalized guidance, tailored strategies, and accountability—all of which add significant value to clients and increase their likelihood of reaching their desired outcome.
Clients invest in your expertise, time, and the dedicated support you give them. This is vastly different from what most people can get from free online groups.
Sure, some people want free and will settle for generic advice in a public group, but other people want the privacy and one-on-one attention that only a coach can provide.
If you’re brand new to charging for your services, check out my Bite-Size Offer concept and the Serve and Learn approach to get started and build your confidence in charging for your work.
- How to Create the Perfect Bite-Sized Offer for Your Business
- Steal This! My Seven-step Plan for Growing a Successful Online Business
- Serve and Learn
- Starting and Growing an Online, Service-Based Business to Six Figures and Beyond
I’m having sales calls, but people aren’t buying.
Q: I’m an email copywriter offering a $99 BSO and targeting a new niche—email marketing for the 55+ demographic. I’m doing cold emails and then getting folks on the phone, but they aren’t converting after the calls. I struggle with making my offer appealing. How do I get them to buy?
It sounds like you’ve got interest, but something is getting lost between your initial outreach and the sales call. Let’s break it down.
First, if your potential clients don’t understand the niche (email marketing for the 55+ demographic), the issue might be how you’re explaining it. Make sure you’re not using jargon that confuses them. Simplify your language and focus on the outcomes they care about—whether it’s higher engagement, increased revenue, or customer retention. Clients need to understand the value in what you’re offering, even if the niche is new to them.
Second, consider the sales call itself. If people are getting on the phone but not converting, something isn’t connecting. What are they thinking they’re getting on the call for? Does what you do on the call match their expectation? Make sure the messaging in your cold outreach matches the solution you’re selling during the call. If there’s a disconnect, that could explain part of your issue.
Finally, cold outreach often requires more effort in converting folks to paying clients, because you’re starting without the trust that comes with warm leads. Although cold outreach is certainly a strategy that can work, it isn’t one I’ve ever used or taught, so I can’t advise you much further. I much prefer organic outreach and talking with warm leads.
- How to Speak the Language of Your Customers (aka, How to get out of the “jargon trap” and turn prospects into paying clients)
- How Learning About Sales Boosted My Bottom Line [Part 1]
- How Learning About Sales Boosted My Bottom Line [Part 2]
How to get coaching clients? Can I use paid ads?
Q: I’m transitioning from therapy to coaching. I’m starting Google Ads at $1k/month, but I don’t have much energy and need marketing ideas that require less effort. What strategies would you recommend?
It sounds like you’re managing a significant transition while trying to work within a limited energy reserve. I understand how challenging this can be and how important it is to find a sustainable approach.
First, regarding paid advertising, while they can drive traffic, I strongly recommend that folks don’t use it for coaching, especially when they’re new to a niche. Because until you’ve worked with clients, know the language they use to describe their problems and desired results, you’re just guessing at what will resonate. Your people are unique and even the best ad agency out there can’t know what you don’t yet know about your audience.
Until you know where to find your clients, what words resonate with them, and what offers sell, paid advertising will be fruitless. (Unfortunately, I see certain business coaches telling new coaches that paid advertising is the answer to their marketing problems, and I’ve never ever seen that to actually work for a new coach or a new niche.)
I’ve found—and my clients have, too—that the most effective strategy (both financially and results-wise) is to focus on organic approaches. Yes, they take time and energy, but they work. And when you focus on the ones that feel most enjoyable with to you, marketing doesn’t have to feel taxing, and it can even feel rewarding and energizing.
- Why Spending Money on Ads Can Be a Total Waste of Money?
- The Only Thing You Need to Bring in a Steady Flow of New Clients
- 21 Winning Ways to Get Clients
- Steal This! My Seven-step Plan for Growing a Successful Online Business
- Starting and Growing an Online, Service-Based Business to Six Figures and Beyond
When to start with a BSO vs high-ticket programs
Q: My goal is to charge high ticket prices in my business (I haven’t launched yet). However I love the concept of bite-sized offers in order to attract clients to me. Would I diminish my business if I have bite-sized offers or should I go directly to high-ticket programs?
Starting with a bite-sized offer (BSO) is what I recommend, especially if you’re just launching your business. A BSO allows potential clients to get a taste of your expertise with a low-risk investment, which helps you build experience, confidence, trust, and credibility.
The beauty of starting with a BSO is that it gives clients a clear win, making it easier for them to see the benefit of working with you. The other beauty is that you learn through serving clients, and that helps you organically grow your prices as you’re ready. I call it the Serve and Learn approach.
Starting with a BSO helps you lay a solid foundation for your business while easing the pressure to go directly to high-ticket offers before you’re ready. It’s a smart way to grow both your confidence and your business. And then, as you build your confidence, you’ll grow your packages and price, and slowly but surely, you’ll be confidently charging and delivering on high ticket offers.
- How to Create the Perfect Bite-Sized Offer for Your Business
- Steal This! My Seven-step Plan for Growing a Successful Online Business
- Serve and Learn
- 7 Reasons Why Charging Premium Prices Could Backfire on You
- How to Create the Perfect Bite-Sized Offer for Your Business
- Starting and Growing an Online, Service-Based Business to Six Figures and Beyond
How to restart my business in a new niche
Q: I’m restarting my business after several years off with a new niche and a small, outdated audience. I’ve done a lot of free coaching but now want to move forward with a paid business. What are my first steps? Do you still recommend starting with a bite-sized offer?
As you restart your business, a bite-sized offer (BSO) is a great way to begin and build momentum. A BSO allows you to deliver a valuable service while helping you get comfortable and confident delivering results to clients and accepting payment in return.
A common misconception is that a BSO equates to a $99 offer, but that’s not the case. A BSO is an introductory offer priced where you feel confident you can deliver a specific win for your clients. BSOs allow you to gain insights into your target audience and get experience charging for your service.
Starting with a BSO helps you build confidence in both your offer and pricing. It also allows you to test out your new niche, collect feedback, and refine your messaging without the pressure of jumping into a full-priced service right away. Then you’ll use the Serve and Learn approach to grow your offers and your pricing, organically and authentically growing your business and your skills along the way.
- How to Create the Perfect Bite-Sized Offer for Your Business
- Steal This! My Seven-step Plan for Growing a Successful Online Business
- Serve and Learn
- Steal This! My Perfect Pricing Strategy
- Price Your Services with Confidence
- The Ultimate Pricing Guide
- Starting and Growing an Online, Service-Based Business to Six Figures and Beyond
Social media shadowbanning & censorship
Q: What about shadowbanning censorship algorithms from social media?
Shadowbanning and censorship algorithms can be frustrating, but I personally don’t worry about them. I’ve always recommended not relying solely on social media for one’s business. Instead, diversify your approach by using blogging, podcasting, networking, and/or email list building, which allows you to have control over your content. While there are many discussions and advice around these issues, social media isn’t my primary focus for generating business and not one I teach to clients and business owners.
That’s a wrap!
That covers today’s Q&A.
Have a question about any of what I covered? Post in the comments below, and I’ll personally respond.
Want to ask me a question of your own? Subscribe to my emails, and you’ll get the link to submit your own.
Thank you Jenny, for so many great insights in your answers.
I picked up on a thread of “inner inquiry” through many of the Q + A’s. Especially resonant for me was the point: “Feeling good about” vs “Thinking I should” in regards choosing a path forward that aligns with my current life, values, needs, and goals.
Also, this point was surprising (and reassuring) to me:
“You wouldn’t be the first business owner to experience a disconnect between your expertise and the application of it to your business.”
Thank you!
PS I am excited for your new offer! Although not a fit for me right now, it is exactly what I will want/need when I transition my work into the next iteration that I am dreaming up.
You’re welcome, Channing. Thank you for reading and for your thoughtful reflections.
It’s interesting to me what caught your attention. I definitely see for myself how both of those are things I’ve been paying attention to in business and life in the last few years.
Based on our conversation, I’d love to work with you when you’re ready to transition to the next iteration you’re dreaming up. I’m excited for what will unfold for you there. <3