There’s a ton of done-for-you content available for health coaches. So, should you use it, plug-and-play style? Or commit to writing every word from scratch? Your voice and brand are important in setting you apart in a crowded health and wellness space, so listen and hear what Michelle has to say about it! (And get a free 14-day trial to the Health Coach Content Club at http://healthcoachpower.com/content
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Full transcript:
Michelle Leotta:
Hello, there health coaches. I wanna thank you for joining me. My name's Michelle Leotta. I'm a practicing health coach for 13 years in the industry. And you know what I have never like literally not once ever used any sort of done for you content. I mean, it's been a lot of work over 13 years. What I'm referring to is the kind of content that you can buy pre-written pre-made and then use for your own coaching practice. I'm sure you've seen stuff like that out there. It's like emails, maybe social media posts even whole programs. So I have never done it because when I started my business, there were no done for me content options available. Like it was not a thing, definitely none of that existed, but I think it's really valuable. In addition to that, I think it's really valuable to write your own stuff, find your own voice and represent who you are in your business, because you are your brand.
Michelle Leotta:
You are your product. However, it's kind of like yesterday, when I was talking to my kids about cell phones and why they don't really need a cell phone, they don't really need to be using, you know, apps because you know, back in my day, we didn't do that. I couldn't text people or send emojis. That's all they ever wanna do is text emojis, back and forth. Anyway, it's a different world. Now I realize this. We have different tools available to us. And actually at back to school night, my son's sixth grade teachers were talking about this. They were saying they are now encouraging the kids to ask Google questions, to find answers, to use spell check. And they even have these essay generators. Did you know this? Like you could say anything, you know, the civil war and it will generate a really good essay about it.
Michelle Leotta:
That's what the teachers were saying. I think it's crazy in our generation, in this generation, that's their norm in our generation, back in the day, it would've been considered cheating, but now this is what's available. So they said we wanna teach kids to be smart and use the tools that are available, not to replace their own thinking, but to advance it. And that's how they are approaching these things with the kids. So today we'll talk about whether or not you should buy and use content that's pre-made for you. And if you do how to best go about it. So you're advancing your practice and not just whatever, you know, copying and pasting the exact thing that the teachers don't want the kids to do. So if you're here live, please tell us in the chat, if you've ever purchased done for you materials and what your experience has been. Joining me is Jamie Jones, copywriter and designer for health coaches and creator of the health coach content club, which as we will talk about a little bit later, you can get a free 14 day trial at healthcoachpower.com/content.
Michelle Leotta:
Hey Jamie, thank you for joining us today.
Jamie Jones:
Hey Michelle, thanks so much for having me. I so appreciate it. And I'm just so happy to be here.
Michelle Leotta:
Real briefly, can you tell everyone how you found yourself writing and designing for health coaches and what you offer in the content club?
Jamie Jones:
Yes. So I became really interested in holistic health. After a roommate I had in college who taught me so much and that kind of set the path for me for exploring that. And that led me to IIN. So I graduated from IIN in 2011. And after that I saw some clients started building a practice and I was creating a program to run in my business. When another coach asked me if she could buy it from me to use with her clients. And that was just a completely new idea. Like you were saying, this just, wasn't a thing. When we went through health coaching school. Totally wasn't on my mind, but that completely opened the door. And now I've been writing and creating for health coaches for 10 years. So, the past six years I've been putting all of my energy into running the health coach content club full time, which is a monthly membership of done for you content for coaches to use in their businesses. So think newsletters, social media posts, recipe, video, live, stream scripts, uh, a quarterly list, building challenge, infographics, that kind of thing, a big package content delivery that you get every month as a member. So that's what I've been up to. And it keeps me pretty busy.
Michelle Leotta:
You've been doing it a long time. Now I just wanna pause and say there was something going on for my audio. Do I sound better now?
Jamie Jones:
Yeah, I hear you fine.
Michelle Leotta:
Okay, so sorry, everybody. I think my zoom was doing something weird. Now that we've cleared up that tech issue. I was thinking about when we first spoke Jamie, I was like, okay, I'm not really into this whole done for you thing. However, when it's really good quality, I have seen it work wonders for the coaches in our community, such as with Julia Sarver's detox done program. Like my community absolutely loves that particular done for you program. And I've realized that in recent years I am using a lot of pre-written copy for my emails in particular. Like what I'll do is I just did this today. I go back a year, two years ago in my email service. I find something that I wrote already and it becomes a template for whatever I'm writing about today. So I had that sort of luxury of having this treasure trove of pre-written materials.
Michelle Leotta:
Whereas newer coaches obviously don't have that to draw from. And that made me think, okay, no, there's really, really value in what Jamie has to offer. So, I checked it out. Of course, you guys, I had to look at it. I had to read it. It is lovely. And you give so much and, I dunno if I mentioned this to you, Jamie, some of my listeners will know my first career. I was a graphic designer, right? So, I look at stuff and I'm very critical of it.
Jamie Jones:
Thank you so much. That's so nice.
Michelle Leotta:
I mean, there's a lot of garbage out there, you guys, so you really gotta look closely at this stuff. Jamie, I wanna talk about this idea of taking something that's pre-written and using it as a template because it is so helpful to not be starting at a blank page.
Jamie Jones:
Oh my goodness, yeah. So, that's exactly what I think of it as I think of it as a springboard. So the content's already written and now you just get to edit it with your voice and your personal stories. And those are the things that are connecting you with your audience anyway. So it's saving you so much time, not having to come up with content ideas, to write the content, to design it, because that might not even be your strong suit. And I come across that so much with coaches and then just saying it helps me so much to have this 95% of the way done for me. And then I can do the part that's easy for me, which is talking about myself and adding my personal touch. So for example, you would take a piece of done for you content. You'd read through it, sorry...
Jamie Jones:
You'd read through it and you'd get, start tweaking. Like any parts that immediately stick out. For example, I hear a lot from vegan coaches who feel that they can't use done for you content. That's not geared towards vegans, but it's so easy to tweak content to meet your needs. So, if a piece of content talks about meat, then you would change it to tofu. Or if it says milk, then you would change it to almond milk. So things like that is what I would do first. I would go through and tweak those things that stand out immediately. And then I would start adding my personal stories and make sure it just sounds like me. And that's really it. That's how you can make your done for you. Content really feel like your own because I think it's really important to take ownership of it and feel confident in it. I think that's really important. And uh, so that's also just the beauty of it is it doesn't have to be a springboard. I've come across this a lot as well. It's complete on its own. So if you're in a busy season of life and you need a quick solution, it's really great for that. And I've seen so many coaches use that as a strategy instead of putting their business on pause during a really busy season of life, which is so helpful.
Michelle Leotta:
I can see that Katie saying here that she's never purchased any pre-done content. Hey, join the club. I mean, I was very... Like literally join, join Jamie's club, but no, I absolutely was like, I don't really know what to expect. What is this gonna be like? So I was surprised because you already kind of ran through the list, but you have email content, you have blog, post content, you have video script content, you even have done for you challenges. It's a lot of stuff.
Jamie Jones:
Mm-hmm. It is.
Michelle Leotta:
So anyway, there's all that obvious, like that's all just set to go. You could just use it as is, but I know that you have ideas about then other ways to repurpose content, by the way you guys, whether you buy it pre-made or you wrote your own content to begin with, this is important, repurposing your content in lots of other, uh, aspects of your marketing. So, give us some of these ideas of how to get more mileage out of whatever content we have.
Jamie Jones:
I would love to, I love this topic and I think it's really important to think of it through the lens of like growing your audience and finding new clients, cuz it's so easy to get wrapped up in posting things on social media, but not really having a strategy beyond that, but we need clients to have a business. So it's really important to be expanding our audience. So these ideas are really good for that. So for one, and I've seen coaches do all these things and they all work so well, number one is you can be a guest expert on someone else's whatever. So that could be, uh, like having your own column and someone else's newsletter on someone else's else's social media, uh, just being a guest expert to someone else's audience. So what you can do is you can reach out to offices in your area or anyone with a client base that is your ideal client and ask if they want a guest expert section of their newsletter or their social media or both, or you can brainstorm something together, but there's so many options and then you can provide them with content to add value to their business.
Jamie Jones:
And you can use your done for you content for this. And this could be a great start to a referral relationship as well. So it's really smart in many ways. So, this could be doctor's offices, yoga studios, uh, massage therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, the whole wellness arena. And uh, I've also seen someone do this and have a column in their local newspaper, which was really cool. So they actually used the stuff in the content club and that was their column in their local newspaper. And it was printed every Sunday I think. And I thought that was so smart. So there's so many different, um, places you could reach out to, and also use the same content. So you could have a big network of this guest expert idea and still be using the same content. So it's really smart timewise.
Michelle Leotta:
Yeah, scalable. Cuz you could be doing this a lot of places. And it reminds me when I started my business, I had contacted Boston organics. I don't even know if that company is still around, but it was like a delivery service for organic produce and they had a newsletter and I was like, hey, would you like me to contribute a recipe every month? And they were like, yes. You know, why would they say no to that? Exactly. So the recipes, for example, I know part of what you provide is a, a recipe, like a video to create a recipe mm-hmm
Jamie Jones:
Totally.
Michelle Leotta:
Hey, I like that. I also had a column writing for monster.com at one point. And it was like my first year of business, but it was the same thing. They wanted extra content on their site. I had something I was willing to send to them every month and that was an amazing opportunity. So I love that.
Jamie Jones:
Yeah. It takes work off of their plate. Why would they say no? It doesn't make any sense.
Michelle Leotta:
Exactly.
Jamie Jones:
Mm-hmm
Michelle Leotta:
That is a really smart move. And by the way, Katie saying, these are amazing ideas. They are amazing ideas regardless of where your content come from. If you're in a Facebook group, by the way that they will allow you to do this, but they do not want you to have a link or you know, a freebie or anything where you're, you know, adding to your mailing list, do it anyway, because what will happen is people just naturally are going to be like, Hmm, who is this person? And they'll click on your name, go to your profile. And then within your profile, you should have either as your cover image or within the text in your, you know, your profile, you're about me, who you are and a link where they can join your email list. So don't shy away from the opportunity. If it doesn't feel like they're giving you anything, cuz they'd still be giving you all this air time with their audience.
Jamie Jones:
Yes, that's huge. So yes, I totally agree. Uh, and along the same lines, again, there's many different ways we can do this. We can also use our done for you content to be a podcast guest, which can get you in front of so many people in the same way as the group. So you can use your done for you content as a podcast script, start reaching out to podcasts that would make sense for you to be on and pitch yourself, pitch yourself and go ahead and tell them what you'd like to talk about. You can have a couple of topics already picked out. That's really helpful for people to make a decision and get in front of so many new people with podcasts and those live on and on and on. So it's just such a smart, uh, way to use your content and get a lot of mileage out of it.
Michelle Leotta:
I mean, there's probably two big things that keep coaches from being on podcast. One is, oh my gosh, who would want me on their podcast and the second is what the heck would I talk about? So, this covers the second one fully and the, the first one, I will let you guys know that any, and we've talked about this so many times on the show, but any podcast that routinely has guests, like every week they need a guest, trust me, they need guests. Sometimes they have a guest and the guest cancels at the last minute. Sometimes, you know, like things happen. It can be hard to keep their schedule full of guests. So, if you come in and you're professional and you have a topic to share, don't count yourself out. Even if you are a brand new coach, it does not matter.
Michelle Leotta:
Sometimes they're gonna still just think you're great and they're gonna want you in the show. Sometimes they're just gonna feel like, oh my gosh, I really need someone next week. Can you do next week? And you're gonna be able to do it. So, this does not need to hold you back. They are in a more precarious position than you are when they have to get that show out. So, wow, you're gonna have just sort of endless things to talk about and that content just sitting there waiting for you every month. I love that, Jamie.
Jamie Jones:
Yes, I agree. I think it's so smart and such a great way to use your time also, like it takes so much time to create that stuff. I can tell you firsthand, cause I'm the one that does it and just to not have to do that is incredible.
Michelle Leotta:
And where do you come up with the ideas by the way? So if we are like, gosh, I can't come with an idea of what's right. About where do you generate all those ideas from?
Jamie Jones:
So I went to IIn, so if you went to Inn as well, I know you did, but anyone who's listening, they know what the circle of life is, or I guess they still use that. It was a long time ago.
Michelle Leotta:
Yeah.
Jamie Jones:
Though, I think through those, um, topics and it just starts coming and I've done it so long. It's just so easy. And I also just have so many topics. I have everything I've ever written about in a spreadsheet. So sometimes if I'm really, um, having a hard time, I'll look through that and ideas just always come just looking at topics there. But I think it's, um, just to keep everything also in that circle of life arena, I think it's really helpful to just think through those topics and what I would be struggling with if I needed to fix that topic and just go from there. I like to make things really action based and like listical type things like here are five ways that you can X, Y, and Z. So I can just, um, usually pull things out of that.
Michelle Leotta:
Well, you're well practiced. And this is what we mean when we talk about working in your zone of genius. So, that's what Jamie's doing. And you as a health coach, if creating content is not your zone of genius, but you are amazing when you're working with your clients or you're amazing. And putting together your online course or whatever it is, do that. And then don't spend the time as much digging through your brain. What am I gonna write about this is how we make the time to do the things that earn us money and not waste all our time and get all frustrated with the stuff that just drags us down. Oh my gosh.
Jamie Jones:
Yes. I totally agree. I don't think I said this in the beginning, but my bachelor's is in, um, an English. I have an English degree, so that helps me too. I think I was just trained to write, so...
Michelle Leotta:
Sure does. Okay. So we can repurpose into Facebook presentations and podcasts. Was there, were there others? Cause I'm I have a new idea that I don't think we've talked about before
Jamie Jones:
I do too.
Michelle Leotta:
Jamie Jones:
Okay. So there's one more that we already talked about and that was making a signature program. So you can create your own program or your own offering based on the done for you content that you've collected, especially if you've collected a lot of it, you can kind of see it all out in one place and see where it can piece together and create your own signature program or mini sessions. There's just so many different creative ways that you can make something new out of all of these elements. So you can think of just one done for you content piece as one module and just go from there so you can create so many different things out of that. Uh, and the thing that I just thought of too, is that reels are so popular right now.
Michelle Leotta:
That's what I was thinking.
Jamie Jones:
I knew it too. I knew you were gonna say that so you can talk if you want to. And if I, if there's anything new, but it's true. And I was talking with another coach about this recently. There's, uh, we know that Facebook pages get no organic reach, but reels are getting so much organic reach on Instagram and TikTok or wherever else that you post them. And that is what we need. Right? We get so frustrated that we have to pay to play and, uh, pay for ads to be seen, but reels make it easy. And that is what's working right now. And you could take one piece of content and make probably 20 reels out of it, cuz you just want something quick and like one tidbit type thing. So that would be a really smart way to do what's working right now too, to really boost your audience.
Michelle Leotta:
Yeah. When you said listicles and like five ways to do that, it just reminded me. And those are such like basic reels and whatever, but where you're kind of pointing on the screen to the five things, but I that's that's what you... It would just be plug and play for anything like that. That's what I was thinking. Okay, great. Cause you're right. Reel right now. Just because Instagram is hot on them right now are getting a lot of extra reach as opposed to just posting an image. Okay. So let's say that we sign up for the 14 day free trial. We're gonna log in. We're gonna get the materials. Do we download them? Do we open them up in Canva? And then from there, what happens? I'm just wondering if you can explain the logistics.
Jamie Jones:
Yeah. So I've tried to make it as easy as possible. So, I make it very step by step. So, everything is in a member's area. So you would download it there. Uh, that would be word, document or photos. Everything comes in Canva, so you can edit anything you want and you don't need a can pro account to edit. So you don't have to, you could just use a free can account. And uh, there's also, so some people get really overwhelmed. They're like, wow, this is great, but this is so much stuff. What do I do? So I've started providing an actual schedule that you can know exactly what to post every day, if you want that kind of guidance. So some people don't like that, but it helps so many people when they're like, I don't even know what to do. I'm like, this is literally the picture you post that day and you schedule, schedule your newsletter for this day.
Jamie Jones:
So it's very laid out for you if you need that kind of guidance. So that's in there that your Canva links are in there. All of your content, uh, you get four newsletters, four, uh, live stream scripts. You get a recipe, video, like a step by step recipe, video, you get a quarterly, uh, list building challenge. So the one right now is about cravings. So that would be what you get if you, uh, log in now. And, um, man, there's just so... And photos, infographics, that kind of thing. Social media posts. And also on top of that, I do a monthly master class. So, and the whole library is in there. There's just tons of things that you can learn right away. And a list builder library in there as well, which has 12 eBooks that you can use as your own as well. And there are all kind of topics in there and there's just so much stuff you can type into really?
Michelle Leotta:
Yeah, there is. In fact, I just thought of another idea you guys can use do with this content every month you're gonna get a new recipe script, right? Mm-hmm
Michelle Leotta:
And people love to talk about food a little bit more than they love talking about their health problems. Like people like to eat and talk about chocolate and talk about what tastes good and let me taste this and how does that work? And then, you know, you kind of get to the health stuff. People will go, oh, but I can't eat that cause I'm lactose free. Oh really? Tell me more about that. So, it's a wonderful way in.
Michelle Leotta:
Jasmine is saying, is this content for our Facebook profile or groups? She joined us a little bit late. So Jasmine, I just wanna say, and for anybody, this is content for your pretty much everything, your social, your emails, and even paid content that you could be offering to your audience. Yes?
Jamie Jones:
Yes.
Michelle Leotta:
Amazing Katie saying I've purchased some done for you content in the past and for the most part it's been kind of, eh, but Jamie, your content is so beautiful. I love it.
Jamie Jones:
Thank you. It's so nice.
Michelle Leotta:
I'm particularly excited about the challenges. Have we talked about the challenges? I think I mentioned them, but these you can use as list builders, right? Like a five day challenge that you've put together.
Jamie Jones:
Yes mm-hmm
Michelle Leotta:
You guys, it's a lot. It's a lot. I want you to at least check out the 14 day trial. You're gonna get one month's worth of downloadable content that you can use. However you like get all of Jamie's excellent writing. It's all waiting for you at healthcoachpower.com/content. It's like, why not? You know, just go grab it, see what you can do with it. And I think you'll find that starting with something on the page saves you a ton of time and energy. I think you're gonna love it. And like I said earlier, this is only one of two done for you products that I have ever shared with my community. And that is for a reason because they're really solid quality. Jamie, thanks for providing this resource and thank you for being here today.
Jamie Jones:
And I appreciate it so much. I loved going over all of this with you and if you need anything I'm here.
Michelle Leotta:
Yes. Where's the best place for anyone to reach you if they have questions?
Jamie Jones:
Uh, so my website is JamieJonescreative.com, or you could email me Jamie@JamieJonescreative.com.
Michelle Leotta:
Great. And that's J A M I E
Jamie Jones:
Yes, I always spell it.
Michelle Leotta:
Very good.
Jamie Jones:
My birth announcement was misspelled. I always tell people that.
Michelle Leotta:
Oh my goodness. I'm glad I brought it up. All right, everyone. Have a great day and thanks again. Bye-bye.
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