How to Get Consulting or Coaching Clients...Without Relying on Referrals?

If you’re a consultant or coach who has gotten clients primarily through referrals, you already know the drill.

At first, it was great. And even reliable. Or reliable enough.

Your generous network sent business your way.

Thrilled former clients introduced you to new ones.

And all this worked… until it stopped.

And then the question that keeps you up at night sets in:

What do I do when getting clients primarily through relying on connections and referrals is no longer enough?

That’s exactly what my brand positioning and messaging client, Cori Crawford Van Oss, was asking herself when we first reconnected a year or so ago. Cori is a seasoned leadership coach who relied on referrals to get clients, had some inkling that creating content would free her from that reliance, but had no clue where to begin. 

Can you relate?

If so, this Consulting Matters episode is for you!

In this conversation, we get into what it really takes to go from:

“I know I should be creating content or doing something else besides asking my network for referrals” to 

“This is MY strategy for not just consistently attracting clients but the ones I’m called to serve through my coaching.”

Watch our conversation for practical guidance and inspiration on how to finally break free from the hustle of getting clients through asking for referrals and the agonizing waiting game to the flow of a steady diet of the right clients coming to you!

HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EPISODE:

1️⃣ Content is how you break from relying on referrals, but you need clarity first

The shift from relying on referrals to attracting the right clients happens through content. It's how you expand your reach, deepen your impact, and get found by the people you're called to serve.

But the #1 barrier to getting started isn't a lack of ideas or writing skills. 

It's a lack of clarity and confidence in who you help, the problems you solve, the value you create, and the unique perspective that drives how you think about and approach your consulting or coaching.

Before you start creating content, make sure you’re clear on exactly:

• Who you’re writing to and specifically what they want and what’s in the way of what they want
• What part of their buying journey your content is intended to speak to and the next step people should take towards working with you

2️⃣ Calling Yourself a “Trusted Advisor” is more than a different way of saying “coach”

Some clients don't need more questions. They need your eyes on what they can't see and your well-timed word of wisdom or advice. 

3️⃣ Brand and messaging clarity and remarkable content isn’t about marketing. It’s about instilling trust. 

The real power of owning our unique brand position, clarifying our message, and creating content isn’t about marketing but creating the conditions for transformation, as it provides the psychological safety that it requires. It’s about instilling trust, living our purpose, and making meaning out of our deepest wounds and most painful experiences, which is where the sources for our greatest credibility, empathy, and uniqueness lie. 

REFLECT AND TAKE ACTION

This conversation isn’t just about shifting your approach from chasing or waiting for clients to drawing them to you, but also about creating sustainable success from the inside out.

When you’re done watching our conversation, ask yourself: Am I set up for a predictable client pipeline that will lead to stable and scalable profits? If not, what’s in my way?

• Is it that I’m not clear about who I help, the problems that I solve, what I do, and how I’m different than everyone else who does what I seem to do?
• Is my messaging clear – am I using words that resonate with my clients at their point of departure?
• Do I have a website that establishes my credibility, attracts leads, and converts them into clients?
• Do I have a consistent set of routines to build awareness in the market that I exist and what I do, and strategies to move that awareness to discovery calls to learn more about working with me?

WHERE YOU MIGHT GET STUCK

In my 10+ years of working with consultants and coaches on their brand positioning and messaging, the number one place everyone gets stuck is in figuring out their niche and who they serve. 

That's why last week, I went behind the scenes of my brand positioning process and sharing the four questions I ask every client to help them discover their niche fast – without the spin or second-guessing. You can listen to it here.

Cori’s breakthrough didn’t happen because we jumped into creating a 90-day content calendar or even enhanced your website presence. It’s that we went back to the foundation of her business, which is who she is meant to serve.

And the irony is – it not only helped her craft strategies for getting clients beyond referrals but also helped her get better results from the networking she was already doing to get referrals. Why? Because she was clear on who she wanted to work with and why, the clearer her referral network became.

If you’re ready to build a consistent client pipeline, filled to the brim with the clients meant for you, let’s talk. Learn more about my highly personalized VIP Brand Positioning & Messaging programs, designed specifically for purpose-driven consultants and coaches. Or better yet – book a call with me (www.betsyjordyn.com/schedule)