#198: How One Coach Increased Her Client Base by 700%

Michelle:
Well, hello there health coaches. Today, I am joined by Claire Bartholic a coach in our community who was recently featured in the New York times. And this woman has got almost 12,000 Instagram followers. She's got a very full, nice, comfortably round lovely roster of clients that she's working with, but only about a year ago, it was very different story. So before we dive in this episode is brought to you by my free training for health coaches who want to turn their practice into a real salary. I will show you how to get there. Just head over to healthcoachpower.com/earn E A R N. In fact, that may have been where you started Claire, do you remember?

Claire:
Yes. Yes, it definitely is. I actually was listening to podcasts about podcast 'cause I am a podcast host and I've been one for a while. And Michelle, you happened to be a guest on one of these podcasts that I was listening to and you had all this great advice and you know, it was something where I was kind of, you know, wanting to go down a new path in my business, but I was just like, okay, I need some help. I don't, I don't need somebody to 100% hold my hand the whole way. And I didn't wanna pay for that anyway. So, I wanted something that just somebody would gimme a roadmap, tell me what to do. And believe me, I listened to a lot of people talking about their programs and stuff. And, I actually would turn the corner... It's so silly would turn the corner of me picking you besides all your information was that you had just shared an anecdote about your hair. About... About how you had straighten your hair for years and years and years. And once you found somebody who could actually do curly hair, right? You spent a fortune with this lady and it's I have just almost the same story. I straightened my hair for years and I, and I was going through my hair journey at the same time. And I'm just like, you know what? This woman gets me. And, and that was like the silly little thing you personalized it. And I'm like, yeah, I'm gonna give her a call. So yes, that's how it all started with you.

Michelle:
That is incredible. I've been talking this week, I've been talking, we had this whole group of, uh, you know, copywriting training that I've been doing. And we're talking about how storytelling makes all the difference because, right? You must have been hearing a lot of the same stuff from different business mentors. She's a target market. Start your email list, blah, blah, blah. But here I am talking about something completely unrelated.

Claire:
I know it's so funny, but it's just, it's human nature. You know it, in that moment, you humanized yourself. And I was just like, yep, that's it. I totally can relate to this person. And you know, you never know what that little bit is gonna be. So just throw those little bread crumbs out there.

Michelle:
Yeah. Do you find yourself doing that now? And if so, how do you do it?

Claire:
Oh, I totally do it. I totally do it all the time. So, you know, whenever I am, you know, writing a podcast or writing a blog or, you know, in the Instagram post or something like that, not every single time, but I like to throw out little tiny things like that. Um, you know, like I'm a running coach, but I love gardening. So I throw in like a little gardening thing every once in a while, you know? And it's not that it, you know, it's, it's helping me be a better running coach, but it's helping people see that I'm not just one dimensional.

Michelle:
Exactly, exactly. Maybe they're like, I love gardening too or whatever. And it just, I love how you put that. It really humanizes you otherwise we're just these two dimensional faces on a screen or words on the page.

Claire:
Exactly. It's, it's just about, you know, building trust. There's a lot of people that do the same thing that we do. And any little thing that can help somebody relate to you means they're gonna connect with you. And that's really what we want is connections.

Michelle:
That is really what we want. So you'll have to take us back. It was a year ago you were listening to a podcast. You heard me talk about my free training, what was going on in your coaching business at that point?

Claire:
Okay. So, my story might be a little different than a lot of people. So I, um, was a coach already, but working for a company. So, working not necessarily so much for myself, I had, you know, one or two clients on the side that I was coaching, 'cause I was an independent contractor. So, I could have my own business on the side, but I really did rely on working coaching for another company. And so, um, you know, I really was like, okay, I need to take charge of my own business. And I, I actually got, had a book deal kind of outta nowhere. And so I was like, well shoot, if I am writing a book, when it comes out, I better have somebody to sell this to. So I better start growing my audience. And you know, I had... I have had a blog since 2016 I believe.

Claire:
And so that was okay. But it was mostly, you know, hobby stuff. I wasn't really generating a ton of business, um, from it. And I was like, I need to get serious, but I don't really know what to do. I mean, I had figured out how to create a blog on my own, but it was the marketing piece. It was the, what do I do next? Like how do I automate this a little bit? Like, how do I really take charge of this without doing, you know, a ton of extra work? Cause you know, I'm also trying to actually do the coaching so how do I do all the backend stuff? And I was just like, you know what, I need some help. And um, you know, at that time, my, my email list was about 600 people. So it was not nothing, it was serious, but I was like, look, I, I really need to make this happen. And so I contacted you and you know, started doing all the things and you know, actually it wasn't so much growing my email list that has changed, that has grown, that has grown, I don't know, 30 or 40%. So it definitely has grown, but I haven't been giving it the love that I've been giving Instagram. So Instagram is like the real for me, the success story of the moment. And it's um, you know, it's definitely bringing clients in, it's definitely changing everything.

Michelle:
Wow. So a year ago, where were you at with Instagram?

Claire:
I had 600 followers and now I have I now I, yeah, so like my friends and family, you know, basically, and now I have almost 12,000.

Michelle:
Wow, wow. Wow. Okay. That is a huge jump. And you guys always hear me say how a mailing list is so important. A mailing list is so important and you will also hear me say, prove me wrong. So, you're doing, that's fine with Instagram. I love that. Yes. Tell us a little bit about your, your client load then compared to now. I, I remember you just had a few.

Claire:
Yeah, I had a few and, and I started, you know, um, with my high ticket clients and, you know, I had anywhere from two to three to six at a time, you know, somewhere in that neighborhood and now I have, um, 35. And so, one thing that has changed is I've finally kind of shifted from those high ticket clients to a little bit lesser amount, but the way my business works is people stay with me a really long time. So I've had people that I coach I've coached for four or five years at this point, so, oh, wow. So, these are people that stay with me and train with me over and over again. So, I can charge a little less because they stay with me forever and ever. And I also found that the super high-end clients, um, just are really starting to take too much of my time. So I'm kind of happy to shift into a little bit lower service, a little bit less of my time and being able to help more people. So, um, so yeah. So what did I say? Three or four clients? Two to two to six clients, I would say, when I started to, you know, I'm full , I'm full at 35. Yeah.

Michelle:
I remember talking to you about like uhoh, if I have any more clients that I'm not gonna have any more time, and then we talked about scaling and starting the groups and it sounds like that's really where the magic is for you right now.

Claire:
Yeah, definitely. Definitely. And, and I actually don't do groups either. I started...
Michelle:
Was it not a group? These, you were private clients. I just assumed they were in a group,

Claire:
Not in a group. I tried the group and I just, I, it just didn't click because they didn't really wanna interact with each other so much. Oh. And so it was just basically me trying to like force this community and it just didn't really click for me. And, um, you know, so I, I, I have a program that I use, so I don't talk to most people on the phone. I do everything online. And so everybody gets to hear from me a little tiny bit every day, but I don't have to spend a ton of time every day with every single person. So I'm able to scale it. But without having to, to do the group thing that I might revisit that in the future. But I just found that the zoom calls, the weekly zoom calls or the monthly zoom calls, whatever they were, they just, they weren't very successful. So I'd have the people who would take up all the time and ask all the questions and then I'd have the people in the back who would never say anything. And then some people didn't show up and it was just like, it just didn't feel like I was equally serving people. And it just, um, wasn't that enjoyable for me either. So, I switched, I tried it once and I'm just like, I'm gonna put this on the back burner.

Michelle:
How interesting 35 individuals that you're serving individually, I can see that you're full and you will need that next level of scaling soon.

Claire:
Yes.

Michelle:
Ooh, that's exciting.

Claire:
Definitely. Definitely.

Michelle:
I just remember when you joined HPU and, and by the way, I mean, we've been talking about HPU, but for anyone who doesn't know what that is Healthy Profit University is the course that I've been running for about five or six years now, coaches come through all the time. And the whole idea is to turn coaching into a real business, make a real salary, make a real impact, you know, work with the 35 clients instead of the two, right? That's what we all want. Right. Anyway, you joined and you just ran with the material. Like I saw you absorb the lessons, you did the things I'm curious, what part you think made the biggest difference in how you're running your coaching business now?

Claire:
Mm, well, I think the thing that made, I would say the most immediate difference was getting the freebie. So, you know, for those of you who don't know, you create something a really nice, um, free offer for people to get them to connect with you, sign up for your email list and then starting the email chain. So for the people that come, you know, they get a, a series of emails after they join. And for me that took so much off my back because people would just come to me while I'm sleeping, you know, and then they would be a part of my, um, you know, environment and they, you know, and then when I would send out something new, I'd have an email list, an audience to send it to. So I think really offering something of value, um, to people and make it look good.

Claire:
It doesn't, you know, I don't know how much time I spent on it a couple hours maybe. And it is something that people still sign up for. And it's just that, that was what I needed as far as, you know, the direction I needed a little techno technology push and kind of, um, a way to automate things a little more, that that's where I was stuck the most. Yep. Um, but you know, I'm, I'm a writer naturally, so I just really loved all your writing tips too, you know, so I don't think I've ever really studied marketing or anything like that. But as soon as, you know, you would say a few things and I'd be like, oh yeah, I'm gonna take that. And oh yeah, I'm gonna take that. So, there's a lot of really good nuggets on, um, you know, what to say when you're stuck or you know, what to write about that kind of thing. And you know, now, now it's like second nature, but I needed, I needed, you know, a map, a roadmap. And that's what I got for.

Michelle:
Sure. That's terrific. I mean, what you're describing is a very, very, very basic funnel. We hear this word funnel all the time in marketing and it can get like really icky and crazy, but it just means gather people and bring them to your world. Like you said, now they're in my environment and that's all you need. You need to give them something for free, get them onto your mailing list. Now you can nurture that relationship with them. Do you have any idea of how many of the clients you have now went through that very simple funnel? Like even off the top of your head?

Claire:
Oh geez. Honestly, I don't know. I really don't know because see, now I'm finding people... So, so when somebody signs up to talk to me to see if my coaching is right for them, they they're, I have a, um, you know, a Calendly form and so Calendly form, and they, they say, where did they hear from me? So they either hear from me from Instagram or my podcast, or I, I do, um, I rank really high on SEO because I've had a blog for a really long time. And so they hear about me in these different ways. And then they come to me and, you know, I know how to talk to them based on, you know, what they say on that form. So, I'm not sure how many people came directly from the freebie, but those are my three main things.

Claire:
And I think that's super important is asking people how they found out about you. Because people who know me from my podcast, they already love me because they hear me talk all the time. They feel like they know me. They feel like I'm their best friend. So those people super warm leads. Those people convert like crazy people who just do a web search and find me. They don't know me. They don't trust me. They don't know my story. Yeah. They're a little bit harder to convert. So when I get them on the phone, I talk to them differently. I sell myself a little more. I tell my story a little bit more, but I don't have to do that so much with the people who I've already built trust with.

Michelle:
Oh, I love that tip. And having that blog behind you, having that, I remember you saying, well, I am the host of a podcast that has XYZ number of listeners. It was like a thought you just had. And I was like, whoa, what, what did you just say? You have an audience of all these listeners.

Claire:
Yeah. Yeah. I have a huge podcast. We're um, one of the top running podcasts in the world. And so, yes, I have a huge audience, but it's not my podcast. I'm just the host. But people think that it's my podcast. So they do get to know me. They, you know, I am speaking from the heart. It really is me saying everything that I'm saying, but it's not, I'm not promoting my coaching business on the podcast. So right. You know, it's, it's a little different than if it were my own, which will be coming one day, hopefully soon. Um, but it's, uh, it is a way for people to get to know me and trust me and know who I, and know who I am. So yeah, that's really huge.

Michelle:
Well, it just strikes me and for everybody listening, it's so easy for us to be like, I don't know. I don't know it's to my business. I don't have much of an anything going on here. And then in the course of a conversation, somebody like Claire will drop this bomb that she has a podcast with thousands and thousands, thousands of listeners. Or sometimes I talk to someone and they're like, oh yeah, I run this group or, oh yeah, I'm involved with this whole other organization. So almost all of you listening, you have an opportunity somewhere in your life. You may not be seeing it right now. That's why sometimes it's helpful to get another set of eyes on your business who can say, Hey, that's a major opportunity. Hey, why don't you try this? Cause I mean, you clearly had that going on. And then of course with your blog, you're saying you're ranking high with SEO. That's another huge opportunity.

Claire:
Mm-hmm absolutely. Absolutely. And, and, you know, we were talking about connections earlier and, and that's really it like use your connections or make new connections. Um, because you know, we're sitting here behind our computers, in our houses all day, you know, um, trying to build a business from nothing. And you forget that there are people out there who are doing the exact same thing, who you can collaborate with, who you can, you know, admire who you can look at. You know, that's one of the things that was, has really changed my Instagram following is what I started doing was looking at people who do something similar to what I do and seeing which ones are successful, seeing which ones aren't so successful and trying to see if I can kind of do what they do, but in my own way, not copy. You'll get in trouble.

Claire:
If you copy, that's not gonna work, but use, you know, certain techniques to make something your own and reach out to the people, see if, see if you wanna collaborate on something, you know, we're, there's so much business out there. There's so many people out there, your, your competitors are, should be your collaborators. I've firmly believe that. And some people are gonna say, no, they don't wanna work with you 'cause it's competition. But the people that do wanna work with you, it you're both gonna rise up. You know? So if you have a blog reach out to you have other bloggers, you know, exchange blogs. If you have an Instagram exchange posts, if you have a podcast exchange podcast, you know, or whatever it is, come up with something creative. But I have gotten so much from having other people who do pretty much what I do on my show. And it's not a competition. You know, maybe some people relate more with that person, but maybe some of her audience relates more with me or whatever it is. So, you know, I was probably a little hesitant to reach out to people at the beginning and now I'm just like, whatever, I'll be on anybody's podcast. I don't care. Um, you know, the more connections the better.

Michelle:
Yeah. Okay. So I was gonna ask you how you were collaborating. It sounds like you've been, yeah, you've been on their show. They've been on yours.

Claire:
Exactly. Exactly. So we'll do an exchange of podcast. So, you know, and we'll do it. We'll batch it all at once. So I'll interview her. She'll interview me. I'll be on her show. She'll be on mine. And you know, these are people, some of them had smaller audiences. Some of them had bigger audiences, you know? So it's obviously, if you choose somebody that's too big, they might not choose you. But I would say don't be afraid of choosing somebody who's small, who is really a go getter, 'cause they could be big one day. So, you know, and you know, choosing somebody who's small might be good practice for you. If you're nervous about it, you know, choose somebody where if you, you know, make a fool of yourself, it doesn't really matter. Or, you know, whatever. Just, just reach out, um, put it on your schedule to network once a week.

Michelle:
That's a really great way to grow. Absolutely. And speaking of connecting, you gotta tell us how you got connected with the New York times.

Claire:
Yeah, that's awesome. It's really awesome. So that is through my podcast. So I get, um, publishers who reach out to me and say, you know, read this book or I want this guest on. Um, and so, um, this woman, this writer named Danielle Friedman, she wrote a book called Let's Get Physical, shameless plug, every woman in the health industry, everyone period should read this book. It's awesome. And um, so I interviewed her for my podcast and um, a few months later she called me up and said, Hey, I'm writing an article about running. Can I feature you? And I'm like, yes please. Yes, absolutely. And so, um, lo and behold, that's how that happened. And you know, this isn't the first time I have been quoted, but I would say obviously not everybody has that, those same connections, but I would say one tip.

Claire:
If you're interested in doing this kind of stuff, there is, um, a site called, uh, Help a Reporter Out HARO. And I use that all the time and it just sends you emails. You know, I think it's twice a day about, you know, reporters that are looking for experts in, you know, whatever field. And I have definitely gotten lots of leads that way and been published that way too. So I would say, learn how to pitch yourself and Michelle, you do a great job of teaching people how to do that and just sign up for stuff.

Michelle:
We have a whole episode. I don't know which episode number it is, but back in the archives, we have an episode on getting PR for yourself. And I talked about using HARO because I've used it successfully for years to be quoted in different publications. But what I loved about the story, you just told us, you didn't go out there saying, I want to be in the New York times, I'm going to find writers from the New York times and bug them and show up on their front door. No, nothing like that. So sometimes the connections that we make or the opportunities that fall, fall into our laps, it's, it's kind of circular, you know, it's not what you expect, it's going to be, and it's not always a one to one transaction. I'm going to do this. And I'm going to get that. You just were like, yeah, I'll have this person on my podcast and in a roundabout way, boom, that came back to you in a really amazing way.

Claire:
Yes, yes. And honestly, it's a really similar story. I was published. I've been published in the Washington post too twice. And that is a really sort of organic way. It was this woman who was a runner and you know, she used our services for coaching and she's just like, I have a few questions for you. And I'm like, sure. And I'm gonna publish this in the Washington post. I'm like, yes. Great. You know, so, um, it didn't start, like you said, it didn't start with me just pounding on doors. Although, you know, I don't think that's a bad idea either, but you know, you just never know how all of this is gonna unfold and you know, just, just keep, keep making those connections again because somebody knows somebody who knows somebody who will get you there.

Michelle:
That's exactly it. The more people, you know, I often tell health coaches that when I started in this business, I was a total introvert. And I started trying to talk to people in the grocery store, not about my business, not try to sell them anything, but if I saw them staring at all the produce, I would just say, what are you looking for? and they would say something like Swiss char, and I'd be like, it's right there. It comes in three colors. and it was just a way of like stepping outside myself a little bit. And then these days, of course, I feel like I'm constantly talking and looking at myself on a camera and listening to my own voice and it's insane. But if you're feeling like, oh, I could never do that. You just start small. Like, none of this, this happens overnight. You said something funny before we started about being an overnight success, but how long did it really take?

Claire:
Yeah, about six years. About six years. So, it's, you know, and, and that's actually okay, because I needed that time to, you know, do other things in my life. You know, this, I didn't just quit my job and start this business. I did, you know, coaching on the side for a long time while I had, you know, a successful real estate career. And then it just, the Seesaw kind of, you know, shifted a little bit. So I was doing less real estate, more coaching, you know, and, and eventually it was enough that I, you know, I still have my license, then what I wanna buy, wants to buy a house. no, that's a joke. I mean, I do have my license, but I don't sell houses anymore. I only do coaching 'cause you know, it's my, it's my passion. It's what I wanna do. But I didn't just, you know, throw out my, my old career and jump into this one right away. I, I took my time and now, you know, I'm making real estate money. So it's, it's great. It's absolutely great.

Michelle:
That is great. Maybe you could just say a little bit about how you knew that that tipping point had been reached, 'cause like sometimes we can get a bunch of clients, but then am I gonna have this many clients next month, next year? Like how did you decide? Now's the time to leap over into coaching?

Claire:
Yeah. Well see, you know, coming from real estate real, estate's a really up and down that's true kind of career. So I never knew where my next paycheck was coming from with that. So, you know, you sell a house and then you have to start all over again. It's like you get fired every time you make money so you just, you know, so it was just the grind of that. And um, you know, it, it generally became something I really didn't want to do anymore. And so I don't think there was like a day where I was just like, I'm done, but you know, it was something that I was just like, okay, I'm making a living at this. I can keep doing, you know, so I was, I was making two salaries for a little bit before. I'm just like, okay, I'm done with that. And, and maybe it was when I had to pay my next round of dues or something like that.

Michelle:
Right. Do Ireally wanna do this?

Claire:
I know. I think it was, that was probably it 'cause those are expensive. Those are a couple grand a year. And so you really have to know that you wanna do that to stay in the business. So I'm like, yeah, I'm not gonna pay those anymore.

Michelle:
Oh, I love your, this kind of story. Thank you so much for sharing. I really appreciate you being here. Your clients are so lucky to have you. Of course. And for everyone listening, you just benefited from an amazing amount of experience right? In the same field that you wanna be successful in. Start where Claire started start with the free training again that's healthcoachpower.com/earn E A R N. Claire, I can't wait to see what happens next for you and that next level of scaling in your business.

Claire:
Yeah. Just wait Michelle, just wait. I don't know either. I don't, I don't have all this planned out, but I just take it. I take it one, one day at a time and just, I mean it's the boring stuff it's staying consistent. It's chipping away. It's none of the sexy stuff.

Michelle:
Well, it's just like becoming a better runner or getting healthy. Right? It's the boring stuff. It's the consistency. It's the every day we should all be amazing at building businesses because we understand the boring stuff.

Claire:
Yep. Yeah.

Michelle:
We just have to apply it to ourselves.

Claire:
Yep, absolutely.

Michelle:
Oh Claire, what a pleasure. I hope to hear about your next steps real soon. Thanks for being here.

Claire:
Of course.