Holistic Business Matters: Recent Episodes
Helen Harding
Holistic Business Matters is for therapists, coaches and healers wanting to find clients and grow a thriving, sustainable business.
Bite-sized episodes with the occasional interview covering marketing, business and mindset to help you create a practice you're proud of. Providing practical tips and addressing any challenges you may face setting up and running a health and wellness business. Learn how to create marketing that feels good and is based on connection, building great relationships and ultimately, attracting clients to your door.
Join Helen, a complementary practitioner and chartered marketer to learn how to grow your holistic business, your way. She'll be combining her experience in personal development and marketing to help you discover the best way to share your work with the world.
A full blog post with show notes and links for each episode can be found on Helen's website: https://www.helenharding.co.uk/
Connect with Helen @helenhardinguk on all the main social media platforms.
It’s hard to believe my little podcast is 100 episodes old this week. I'm very proud of what I’ve achieved, but I also know it's time to shake things up. It’s been an interesting experience with lots of lessons and I thought today, I’d share some of them with you along with a big decision I've made. (01:08) Don't wait until you're ready (02:46) Making the commitment (04:31) Creating the habit (05:26) Pressing pause (07:09) Lessons learned https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/times-are-changing-for-holistic-business-matters (Full blog post, show notes and links)
I love marketing and I can happily spend hours creating images, writing articles, and producing podcasts amongst other things. I’m known for being consistent with my content and for being productive. Whist creating marketing is a happy place for me – it must have good reasoning behind it. And if I’m honest – for me, it hasn’t always been that way! Spending time marketing and working on the wrong things is a great way to keep yourself busy, but it’s also a way of procrastinating and stopping yourself from doing the important work. You need to be focussing on the activities that work and attract clients. What time and budget do you have available? What marketing activities did you do last year? New marketing activities Review each activity Commit to your activities https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-consolidate-your-marketing (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Your vision is having an idea of how you want your life and business to look and feel in the future. Knowing what you want your lifestyle to be will help you to create a business that supports it, in the right way for you. You don’t need to know all the answers now, and your vision will evolve and change as you do. But it will give you direction and help you to plan your business. This in turn will stop you from getting side-tracked and help you focus on the things that will move your business forward. (01:59) How to represent your vision (03:11) Creating a vision board (5:02) Draw your future (06:35) Written description (07:37) Create a word cloud https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision (Podcast 47 - creating your vision) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/planning-to-thrive-workshop (Planning to Thrive in 2022 workshop) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/making-your-holistic-business-vision-come-to-life (Full blog post, show notes and links)
As practitioners, we’re small business owners and need to earn money to survive. Do you set yourself a revenue goal each year – the money you want your business to earn? If not, you’re going to be drifting along with a vague idea of what you need to survive – this year it’s time to change tactics. (01:14) Personal income (03:24) Business costs (05:41) Setting your financial goals (06:34) Break the figure down (08:00) Reality check https://www.helenharding.co.uk/planning-to-thrive-workshop (Planning to Thrive in 2022 workshop) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-set-your-holistic-business-income-goals (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Creating a simple overview for your holistic business will help you start the new year brilliantly. Having a plan will keep your marketing efforts focused which will ultimately help you find clients and thrive. If you want to look back this time next year and be really proud of all you’ve achieved, plan it now. (01:18) Start with your vision (01:47) Set your yearly goals (02:15) Create an overview of the year ahead (06:15) Plans are flexible https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision (Blog and podcast - how to create your vision) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/the-power-of-90-day-goals (Blog and podcast - setting 90-day goals) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/planning-to-thrive-workshop (Planning to Thrive in 2022 workshop) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-create-a-yearly-overview-for-2022 (Full blog post and show notes)
We’re coming up to the end of another year and it’s the perfect time to review how it’s gone for you. Spending time reflecting on last year will help you to wrap up the year and move your focus to what you want to achieve next year. When you think about your past year - how was it? Running your own business is a huge personal development exercise and it can be a rollercoaster ride. It’s easy to get caught up focusing on what went wrong and miss out on the good bits altogether. (02:08) Create 3 lists (03:08) Your highs (04:18) Your lows (05:56) Things to stop (07:20) Finish on a high (07:58) Planning to Thrive in 2022 https://www.helenharding.co.uk/planning-to-thrive-workshop (Planning to Thrive in 2022 workshop) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/reflecting-on-the-last-year-in-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Self-sabotage will hold you back and stop you from achieving your goals. It can affect any area of your life and it will definitely get in the way of you thriving as a practitioner. Fear is often behind sabotaging thoughts and behaviours – the good news is, you can change these, and create a thriving mindset that will stop the self-saboteur within. If you’re not in the place you want to be in your holistic business, it’s time to understand how you could be sabotaging your success, and how to stop. Awareness of your own sabotaging patterns will allow you to quickly recognise what you’re doing and help you to move on. This is a lesson I learnt first-hand, and there is light at the end of the tunnel, but you do have to be prepared to work on your mindset along the way. (02:17) Procrastination (03:10) Perfectionism (05:25) Busy badge of honour (06:7) Putting others’ needs first (08:00) Daydreaming and planning (08:48) Blaming others (09:57) Laziness (11:13) How to stop self-sabotaging behaviours (12:54) Creating Your Thriving Mindset webinar https://helenharding.as.me/creating-your-thriving-mindset-141221 ( Create Your Thriving Mindset FREE webinar) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-stop-self-sabotaging-patterns (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Running a business is the biggest personal development exercise ever. One minute you’re on a high and ready to conqueror the world, and the next you don’t know which way to turn. Building a thriving and resilient mindset plays a huge role in your ability to be successful - and the great news is - it’s something that can be developed. The powerful combination of a thriving mindset and taking action is the difference between those who are successful practitioners, and those that want to be, but never quite make it. (01:27) Optimism and positivity won't find you clients (02:28) When you're stuck in a mindset rut (03:20) Know your distractions (04:33) Reality check (06:30) Resilient self-coaching (09:21) Take action https://helenharding.as.me/creating-your-thriving-mindset-141221 ( Create Your Thriving Mindset FREE webinar) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-stop-feeling-like-yourefloundering (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Are you making the most of Christmas offers in your holistic business this December? It may feel like Christmas is overshadowed by the Black Friday deals, but it’s just around the corner and you’re already late if you haven’t given your marketing any thought. If you’re looking for inspiration to boost your sales this Christmas period, here are 6 ideas for you. (01:06) Create Christmas gifts (03:47) Gift vouchers (05:02) Online Christmas markets (06:24) Christmas countdown (07:08) Community events (08:16) Create a Christmas ad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDtCXO71FJU (Hafod Hardware Christmas Video 2019) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hTJwaD3J6o (Hafod Hardware Christmas Video 2020) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/power-hour (Book a Power Hour) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/6-ideas-to-boost-your-holistic-business-in-december (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Content marketing includes blogs, videos, podcasts, live videos, social media posts, graphics, emails, etc. – it’s the information you publish and distribute online to share your information. Creating content is critical if you want to find clients and work online. It’s also key to getting your website found in Google. Sharing regular content will demonstrate your expertise as well as help your audience. See content is an asset for your business that can be used over, and over again. Creating regular content was why I was offered a book deal and it’s helped me to be invited to speak at conferences and opened up other opportunities for me. It’s also provided me with the draft copy for my book, presentations, workbooks and training. Practitioners often procrastinate over creating content for their business, but there are ways to streamline the process: (02:46) Pick your core content (04:14) Finding content ideas (06:23) Create a content plan (08:57) Create a draft outline (09:45) Creating written content (11:14) Set a time limit https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/marketing-to-your-strengths-for-your-holistic-business (Podcast 87 – Marketing to your strengths for your holistic business) https://toggl.com/ (Toggle Tracker) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/content-creation-masterclass (Making Content Creation Simple Masterclass) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-speed-up-content-creation (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Content marketing includes your blog posts, videos, podcasts, live videos on social media, infographics, etc. Basically, anything you create which is then published and distributed online. You know you should be creating content for your business. You know it’s going to help you get found online and ultimately find clients and thrive. So why is it, you struggle to create content – consistently? It’s more important now than ever to be findable online, especially if you want to sell your products and services online and reach a wider audience than your local area. (01:48) What is content overwhelm? (03:20) Picking your core content (05:05) Finding ideas and inspiration (07:23) Creating a simple process (09:04) Book time in your diary https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/marketing-to-your-strengths-for-your-holistic-business (Podcast 87 – Marketing to your strengths for your holistic business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/content-creation-masterclass (Making Content Creation Simple Masterclass) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-stop-content-creation-overwhelm (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Your website isn’t something you can set up and leave, it requires consistent attention if you want it to work properly for you. You can do this by adding content to it that helps your favourite client solve their problems and understand how you can help them. The more helpful content you produce, the less likely you’ll have to sell your services. People will come to you knowing you can help them so it’s a great fit for a holistic business. Your content also lets Google know what you do so when someone is searching for a solution, you’ll be more likely to show up in the results. (03:10) Blogging (04:20) Infographics (05:42) Podcasting (07:53) Video (10:12) Get help with your content creation https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/marketing-to-your-strengths-for-your-holistic-business (Podcast 87 – Marketing to your strengths for your holistic business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/should-you-create-a-podcast-for-your-holistic-business (Podcast 9 – Should you create a podcast for your holistic business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-video-for-your-holistic-business (Podcast 14 – how to create a video for your holistic business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/content-creation-masterclass (Making Content Creation Simple Masterclass) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-content-for-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Helen Perry joins me this week on the Holistic Business Matters podcast and what an episode I have for you! She’s an expert in social media marketing and building communities, and her happy place is Instagram where she practices what she preaches. Helen’s approach is to get people confident about communicating really well. It’s all about identifying the clients they really want to work, with and forgetting about those who aren’t interested. (04.05) Pick one platform and start now! (07.46) Instagram isn’t just pictures (11.18) Getting comfy on video (15.36) Getting started on Instagram (19.48) Using your Instagram link wisely Find out more about Helen Perry and her work: https://www.helen-perry.co.uk/ (Website) https://www.instagram.com/_helen_perry_/ (Instagram) https://audioboom.com/search?q=%23JustBloodyPostIt (Just Bloody Post It Podcast) https://linktr.ee/ (Linktree) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-use-instagram-to-find-clients-with-helen-perry (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Do you struggle when it comes to knowing where to start with your marketing and which activities to pick? You’re constantly bombarded with all the different things you think you “should” be doing. You notice your peers everywhere and assume they’re busy and finding amazing clients. But you get easily side-tracked and find yourself jumping around from one marketing activity to another. If you’re currently struggling to get some momentum with your marketing, it’s time to review what you’re doing and work out if it’s a good fit for you. (01:42) Why you should market to your strengths (03:28) What are your communication strengths? (07:44) What do your clients love to consume? (09:01) Start simply https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/marketing-to-your-strengths-for-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Your mindset reflects how you experience the world and is based on a collection of your thoughts and beliefs. These help you to navigate your reality which affects your inclination towards things and your attitude. Your mindset determines how you interpret life, respond to situations and the habits you build. Simply put, your mindset shapes your thoughts, which impact your feelings and are reflected in your behaviours. Mindset is key to thriving as a practitioner and it can easily deceive you and keep you playing small, but the great news is - your mindset can be changed and developed. (01:17) What is mindset? (02:07) What stories are you telling yourself? (03:48) Identify the story (05:03) Decide your new story (06:34) Supporting your new story https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-thriving-mindset (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Streamlining your business will ultimately save you time and money. It’s about looking at what you do in your business and finding ways to simplify and automate as much as possible. As a practitioner you wear lots of different hats in your business - some you love doing, some you’re great at but others are difficult and time-consuming. In an ideal world, you’d get rid of the ones that you’re either not good at or hate doing but often, you have to find a way to make it as easy as possible for yourself. One of my superpowers is being organised. Taking some time to streamline areas of my business help me to stay on top of things. In this episode I share 3 easy low tech ways you can streamline your holistic business: (01:54) Create checklists (04:20) Start batching (09:12) Create templates https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/3-easy-ways-to-streamline-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
As a practitioner, do you use your intuition to enhance your client work? Do you also use your intuition when it comes to picking your marketing activities for your holistic business? Good marketing doesn’t have to be all logic and data-driven, or following a particular system. You can create a very personal approach based on your intuition that will help you stand out, and importantly, it will feel right. I see my intuition as my ability to have an insight into what is happening, or what’s right for me without any specific reasoning or analysis. It’s how I understand something in my gut and helps me to make sense of my choices. It’s my wise inner voice that guides me, even if the idea doesn’t always make complete sense to others. The times I’ve ignored my intuition in my business have left me feeling unsettled and left me bouncing around from idea to idea. Intuitive marketing isn’t giving you permission to not do any marketing, it means using your intuition to help you choose the right path. You then have to dance along with it, in your favourite sparkly shoes! (0:4:17) Recognise your intuition at work (05:20) Tuning into your intuition (06:36) Time out to clear your head (07:14) Be honest with yourself (09:09) Make a decision (10:00) Using intuition in your marketing https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/intuitive-marketing-for-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
I can’t believe it’s been a year since my book was published and over two years since I sent the manuscript to the publisher. I’ve learnt a lot about myself from the process and recognised the things I’d do differently next time (if there is one!). In this episode, I share the lessons I've learnt along the way: (01:14) Check the timing (03:06) It's a huge undertaking (04:58) It's never perfect (06:58) Newfound respect for authors (08:22) Writing a book won't make you rich https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Your Holistic Business Recipe Book) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/lessons-from-writing-a-book-a-year-later (Full blog post, show notes and links)
It’s scary how many practitioners, especially when first qualified rely on pure optimism to get their businesses going. They start out feeling positive, set their intentions with the Universe, and wait for the magic to happen. And nothing! They're building their business on hope, and before long they’re floundering and not sure what to do next. Whilst I believe in the Law of Attraction, you can’t just put positive vibes out to the world and sit back and wait for things to happen. You must demonstrate you’re serious about what you want with the action you take. Optimism and positive thinking can create unrealistic expectations and if you rely on this alone, you'll be left feeling upset when things don’t go right. It won’t take much from you to change from being an optimist to a pessimist. (02:06) Too future focussed (03:29) Reality check (05:04) Create a supportive inner coach (06:34) Take action https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/the-power-of-90-day-goals (Podcast 20 – the power of setting 90-day goals for your business) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/finding-clients-requires-more-than-optimism (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Working in health and wellbeing, deciding what you should call your business can be challenging. This isn't something that only affects new practitioners, established ones are often forced to re-visit their business name as their business evolves. There are often fears around the decision such as using my name will make me look small, or no one will want to pay for my services if they know it’s just me. There’s also the belief that a business name will give you the appearance of being more professional, or established or bigger than you really are. (01:43) Start with your vision (02:45) Personal connection (03:27) Working under your own name (06:10) Creating a business name https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision (Podcast 47: Creating a vision for your holistic business) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-name-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
This week on Holistic Business Matters I’m joined by stylist and life coach Diane Miller. Diane’s approach isn’t telling clients what they should be wearing, instead, she looks to help them create a style that's authentic and fitting to them as an individual. We chat about how to create your own personal style and how it impacts your personal brand as a practitioner. (01.57) Being your authentic self (04.00) A vast wardrobe with nothing to wear (07.00) Discover your style personality (13.42) First impressions Find out more about Diane Miller and her work: http://www.diane-miller.co.uk/ (Website) Email https://www.instagram.com/diane_miller_style/ (Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/DMillerStyle (Facebook) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/branding-made-easy (Stylish Branding Made Easy Mini-Course) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-find-your-own-style (Full blog post and show notes)
BRANDING ON A BUDGET - PART 3 In parts 1 and 2 of this series of branding on a budget, we looked at some of the visual aspects of creating a consistent brand. In part 3, we’re looking at creating a consistent brand voice. Having some simple rules to stick to will help you make decisions about what’s a good fit for your brand, and importantly what isn’t. It will set the tone for your brand and assist anyone supporting you to understand your style. (01:10) Simple marketing message (03:00) Words that describe your brand (04:44) Writing style outline (06:41) Pick your brand topics https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-marketing-message (Creating your marketing message) article https://www.helenharding.co.uk/branding-made-easy (Stylish Branding Made Easy Mini-Course) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-pick-brand-colours-and-fonts (Part 1 - How to Pick Your Brand Colours and Fonts) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-take-a-great-profile-photo (Part 2 - How to Take a Great Profile Photo) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-marketing-message (Book recommendations: How the World Sees You by Sally Hogshead) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-find-your-brand-voice (Full blog post, show notes and links)
BRANDING ON A BUDGET - PART 2 Last week we looked at picking colours and fonts in the first part of branding on a budget. Your next essential element of a professional brand is to have great photography. As a practitioner, you are your business, so the photography you use play a key role in your branding. It isn’t good enough to grab a photo from a party or holiday and stick that on your website or social media profiles. Remember, your photograph is all about connecting you with people and clients, so you want them to reflect you and the service you provide. Also, don’t limit yourself to just head and shoulders, you can use your photos to demonstrate how you work and give clients an insight into you and the experience of working with you. This job is best done by a professional but if you don’t have the money to hire a photographer, you need to put in some effort to get good images that you can use in the meantime. (02:39) What do you need photographs for? (03:30) What do you wear? (04:52) Where to be photographed (06:02) What's in the background? (07:53) Ask a friend to help https://www.canva.com/ (Canva) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/branding-made-easy (Stylish Branding Made Easy Mini-Course) Part 1 - https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-pick-brand-colours-and-fonts (How to Pick Your Brand Colours and Fonts) Part 3 - https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-find-your-brand-voice (How to Find Your Brand Voice) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-take-a-great-profile-photo (Full blog post, show notes and links)
BRANDING ON A BUDGET - PART 1 Branding is hugely important to provide you with a look and feel to help you to stand out and be recognised by those who need your help. Ultimately your brand reflects you and your service and consistent branding will help you find clients and thrive. Prospective clients will have a perception about working with you based on your branding, so you need to ensure it fits. If you don’t currently have the budget to invest in professional branding, there’s a lot you can do on a budget to create a brand that looks great. This is part one of a series of three podcasts looking at how you can create a great brand on a budget. (01:49) Picking your main brand colour (03:25) Contrasting and complementary colours (04:58) Logo and typography (08:52) Create branded templates (10:40) Create your brand style guide https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ (Pinterest) https://fonts.google.com/ (Google Fonts) https://www.canva.com/ (Canva) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/branding-made-easy (Stylish Branding Made Easy Mini-Course) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-pick-brand-colours-and-fonts (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Do you feel the pressure to be doing everything to market your holistic business? You add more and more to the list of activities you “should” do because you assume other practitioners are finding clients using them, and you’re missing out. Different strategies work for different practitioners, even if they work in the same discipline and help the same niche. Whilst there are loads of options, just because they work for one practitioner, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you. And you certainly shouldn’t be trying to do them all – it’s a recipe for failure. Finding clients won’t come from doing more marketing, you need to do the right marketing, and this is where less is more. Ultimately, marketing is about building relationships and connections - this is what leads to finding more clients. (02:12) Less general, more niche (04:08) Less quantity, more quality (06:22) Less frequent, more consistent (07:26) Less sharing 'just because' (09:42) Think of the 80/20 rule https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/finding-clients-starts-with-knowing-who-youre-looking-for (Podcast 51 and the blog – finding clients starts with knowing who you’re looking for) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Your Holistic Business Recipe book) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-do-less-marketing-to-find-more-clients (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Recently I was having a clear-out of my office and I discovered unfinished projects I’d started years ago, got a chunk done, but I hadn’t finished them. I’d literally shelved them and moved on. The sad thing is, they never achieved their potential and were sitting quietly, gathering dust. I surprised myself at the interesting and helpful ideas in there. There were usually valid reasons why the projects came to a halt and all too often I’d just got busy or life had got in the way. If you have started projects and not finished them, in this episode we look at how to go about reviving them. Podcast 75 show notes:(03:14) Is the project worth reviving? (04:50) Pick your project and make a plan (07:10) Accountability is the secret sauce (09:26) Book recommendations https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-revive-projects-for-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
How do you feel about your business? Do you get up feeling excited for the day ahead? Or are you finding it all a bit of a struggle? One of the reasons practitioners fall out of love with their practice is they have their priorities in the wrong order. Putting their clients first, their services second and themselves third doesn’t make for a happy life. This is setting them up for failure as their own needs aren’t being met first and foremost. Your clients are the lifeblood of your business and without them paying you, you have no business. You however are at the heart to keep everything running. Yes, your clients are critical to your success, but so are you and without prioritising yourself, you can easily run out of steam. Your work is meaningful and heart-centred - you need to be at the heart of your business. (02:12) Your business, your why (04:24) Mind-map yourself (05:58) Build a business that makes you happy (07:56) Create your vision Simon Sinek’s TEDx talk, https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action (‘Start with Why’) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision (Podcast 47 - Creating your vision) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/you-re-the-heart-of-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Presentations are a fantastic tool we can use in our marketing as well to help our clients. Whether you’re creating a workshop, making videos or sharing slides, they’re a versatile option and well worth considering. I’m currently working on a workshop and love playing with anything visual, it’s my happy place. Back in the pre-mac days, I trained as a graphic design which really helps me to create good presentations. There are a few simple rules you can follow to get the best out of your presentations. Technology allows us to do more than ever before but with that comes the responsibility to use it well. Creating a bad presentation will kill your carefully planned workshop or online course. Your participants will zone out and your message will be missed or forgotten. I've collated my suggestions to help you create amazing slide presentations for your holistic business. (04:19) Keep it simple (05:53) Use images (06:54) Branding (07:34) One message per slide (08:12) Size and contrast (09:42) Six elements (10:17) Call to action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwpi1Lm6dFo (How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint - David JP Phillips TedX Talk) https://www.canva.com/ (Canva) https://pixabay.com/ (Pixabay) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-create-an-amazing-slide-presentation (Full blog post, show notes and links)
I love learning and can happily spend all day soaking up new information. I read a couple of books a month, listen to podcasts, and I’m a member of online communities with endless courses available. New and exciting information is everywhere and it’s easy to get side-tracked from the tasks I should be doing. The danger in constantly learning is it won’t find you clients and help your holistic business thrive. You can do the new course, read every book and sign up for the shiny new blueprint but they won't work unless you’re putting what you learn into action. (02:34) Learning as a way of procrastinating (04:13) Just in time learning (05:19) Capturing lessons (06:53) Simple steps (08:18) Stop consuming and start implementing Podcast 71 - How to review and refocus your holistic business https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/too-much-learning-is-bad-for-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
The first half of this year has flown by in a flash and for most, it’s been a rollercoaster! As we’re just about to start the second half, it’s time to review and refocus your business to ensure you have a brilliant second half of the year. Do you actually know how well (or not) your business has done so far this year? If the answer is no, you’re not alone! It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day running of things, you lose sight of what you wanted to achieve. It’s time to stop and re-align yourself and your business to end the year on a high. (01:53) Take time out (02:47) Reality check (04:26) Streamline (05:39) Review your clients (07:10) Pick your project (08:02) Plan of action https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/the-fastest-way-to-find-clients (Podcast 18 - the fastest way to find clients) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/ask-why-when-picking-marketing-activities-for-your-holistic-business (Podcast 56 – always ask “why?” when picking marketing activities) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/the-power-of-90-day-goals (Podcast 20 – the power of setting 90-day goals) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-review-and-refocus-your-holistic-business (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Batching is a way of being super productive and is simply doing similar tasks together. It will save you a serious amount of time and energy and help you thrive. Anything that frees up time is worth doing in my book, and batching is one of the best ways I’ve found to do this. I’m still a work in progress and it’s something I’ve gotten really good at in some areas but there’s definitely room for improvement. Time is our most precious resource and we don’t get to spend it twice. Life is busy and it’s too easy to get bogged down with stuff. Before you know it, it’s the end of the day and you’re no further forward than when you started the day. (01:34) Advantages of batching (03:17) 9 batching ideas (09:36) How to start with batching https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-save-time-with-batching (Full blog post, show notes and links)
We gather our beliefs from all areas of our life and work including from our family, our culture, our peers, our environment, etc. They help us make sense of our experiences and navigate the world, and we store them as our personal facts. Limiting beliefs about your ability to be successful will stop you from finding clients and building a sustainable holistic business. A few examples include: I don’t have the training/experience to build a business There is too much competition I’m never going to be able to earn a living as a practitioner Money isn’t important, I just want to help people I can’t be successful People won’t pay for what I have to offer I’m a private person, I can’t put myself out there and tell people what I do I’m a total failure I'm no good at selling or marketing myself Listen in on the stories you’re telling yourself about your business and your ability to succeed. These stories are reinforcing the limiting beliefs that are getting in your way and keeping you stuck. You’ll unconsciously start looking for evidence to back them up - guess what, you’ll find it! (03:35) Identify the stories you tell yourself (06:31) What's your new story? (07:26) Supporting your new story (09:48) Take action https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision (Podcast 47: Creating Your Vision for Your Holistic Business) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/limiting-beliefs-will-stop-you-finding-clients (Full blog post, show notes and links)
This week on Holistic Business Matters, I’m joined by Megan Kuhar, host of the podcast Creative Brand Sessions. Megan is a coach who empowers soul-centred entrepreneurs to step into their true potential and make an impact with their brand and business online. Her coaching is grounded in the belief that anyone can stay authentic and aligned while also employing savvy and accessible marketing strategies, using social media, web design, and technology. We had a chat about how to use social media effectively for your holistic business. (04.14) What is the biggest mistake people make with social media? (06.40) How do you start out on social media if you’re new to it? (11.12) Picking a social media platform (16.55) What to talk about on social media Find out more about Megan Kuhar and her work: https://www.megan-kuhar.com/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/groups/promotingwithpurpose (Facebook group) https://www.instagram.com/megankuhar/ (Instagram) To access Megan’s “Free Roadmap to Aligning Online” click https://www.megan-kuhar.com/roadmap (here) https://www.canva.com/ (Canva) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/podcast-68-where-to-start-with-social-media (Full blog post, show notes and links)
We’re slowly moving back to being able to work in person again although with restrictions. For some of us, the way we help our clients will never be the same, for others, they’ve eagerly awaited getting back to working in person again. Working in person is accompanied by rules and regulations to navigate and you’ll need to step up your marketing efforts to bring clients back to your door. This week I thought it would be great to look at how to build a buzz and so you stand out in your local area. Being visible will remind people you exist, which equals more potential clients coming to see you. (01:10) Branding (03:44) Your physical environment (06:22) Ideas people want to share (08:33) Build your local profile (09:14) Sharable information (10:56) Let everyone know https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-create-a-style-guide-for-your-holistic-business (Podcast 12: How to create a style guide for your holistic business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-position-your-holistic-business-to-find-clients (Podcast 64: How to position your holistic business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-marketing-message (Blog: Creating a marketing message) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-write-a-leaflet-for-your-holistic-business (Blog: How to write a leaflet for your holistic business) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-create-a-buzz-for-your-local-holistic-business (Full blog post and show notes)
When you’re marketing mojo is working brilliantly, you’ll feel like everything just flows. You show up at your best, have fun in the process and let people know how you can help them. Clients are attracted to your practice and your confidence grows. If you lose your marketing mojo, it’ll affect how you show up in the world. Everything will feel forced, and you’ll struggle to communicate and build the relationships you need to be successful. You’ll start to doubt that anything works and end up doing nothing. Many practitioners feel they’ve never discovered their marketing mojo. For them, marketing is something that they’ve struggled with from the start - a necessary evil to finding clients. How do you feel about your marketing right now? find calm Re-visit your vision Make marketing fun Get organised Celebrate your wins Support network Be fabulous https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision (Podcast 47: creating a Vision for Your Business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-make-marketing-fun (Podcast 23: How to Make Your Marketing Fun) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/discover-your-marketing-mojo (Full blog post, links and show notes)
This week I’m joined on the podcast by Natalie Gensets: a copywriter who specialises in helping health coaches write copy that connects with their ideal clients. Natalie does this by either coaching health coaches to write their own copy, or she writes it for them to help them find clients and thrive. It's so important for practitioners to find a niche. So many send out messages in their copy suggesting they can help anyone with everything. Natalie understands how compelling it can be to put out generic "I can help everyone copy", but the message is going to fall short of you connecting with anyone. Potential clients are often left thinking "what am I supposed to do with this information?" Or "what is the practitioner doing?" By picking a niche you can write directly to your ideal client, so they know how you can help them. (03.16) Why it's so important for practitioners to find a niche (12.00) How do you go about identifying your niche? (14:35) Ideal client language and questions they ask (19:10) Building your email list and lead magnets Find out more about Natalie Gensits and her work: https://www.nataliegensits.com/ (Website) http://www.facebook.com/nataliegensits.wellnesswordshop (Facebook page) https://www.facebook.com/groups/healthcoachingcontenthub (Facebook group) https://www.instagram.com/nataliegensits.wellnesswriter/ (Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-gensits-5465903/ (LinkedIn) To access Natalie’s free audio training "3 Steps to Creating a Freebie That Lands You More Health Coaching Clients” click https://www.nataliegensits.com/ (here) https://answerthepublic.com/ (Answerthepublic.com) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/great-copy-starts-with-knowing-your-ideal-client (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Positioning is one of those phrases that gets banded around but, what does it actually mean? In its simplest terms, positioning is how you and your brand sits in the mind of your favourite client. It determines how you connect with them and the services you offer. It decides where you appear in relation to your competitors, and how you distinguish yourself from them. How you position yourself can be responsible for how you build your brand and the strategies you use to connect with prospective clients. It will determine your services and how they are packaged, how much you charge and ultimately will affect how successful your business will be. (02:32) Positioning and branding (03:47) Where are you now? (05:26) Who are your clients? (06:41) Packages and pricing (08:18) Marketing message (10:02) Focus your marketing efforts (10:50) Next steps https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision (Podcast 47: Creating a vision for your Holistic Business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/finding-clients-starts-with-knowing-who-youre-looking-for (Podcast 51: Finding clients starts with knowing who you're looking for) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-work-out-your-minimum-hourly-rate (Podcast 37: How to work out your minimum hourly rate) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-do-you-know-if-your-marketing-is-working (Podcast 62: How do you know if your marketing is working?) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/how-to-position-your-holistic-business-to-find-clients (Full blog and show notes)
Do you make yourself available anytime a client wants you? It’s so tempting especially if you are struggling to get enough clients, or just starting out. We’ve all been there. Offering a late, last-minute evening appointment, when we really want to be winding down and having dinner with our family. But no, we’re in the office or clinic, with a cold coffee and regretting our decision. Setting boundaries was a lesson I learnt the hard way, as a new practitioner. I was already setting up my practice alongside working full time and found myself working ridiculous hours. To fit people in, I was overly flexible around appointment times. I started to feel like I was missing out on my life and a little resentful. Yet it was my own doing! (02:38) Consider the opportunity cost (03:05) Boundaries will keep you sane (03:56) Respect the boundaries you set (05:27) Separate work and home (08:15) Limit personal information (10:27) Client agreement (11:07) Advertise boundaries (12:41) Create your boundaries reference list https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-set-healthy-boundaries-with-clients (Full blog post, show notes and links)
You know you have to market yourself, but do you know if what you’re doing is actually working? You may be holding the marketing busy badge of honour (I certainly have on more than one occasion), but not working on the right things. There are many different roles your marketing plays. At its core, marketing is about engaging with people and building relationships. It works to maintain the connection with your existing clients and attract new ones. It’s also where you demonstrate how you can help people and share your offers. Many practitioners jump around from one activity to another and end up feeling frustrated and like nothing works. If this is you, the reality is, you’re not sticking with anything long enough to know if it worked. You’re just not making the most of your time and effort. Marketing is a marathon and not a sprint. It will take time to mature and for you to learn whether certain activities work. Discovering this is the key to effective marketing for your holistic business. (02:47) How did you hear about me? (03:50) What’s the point of the activity? (05:30) Understand your analytics (06:21) Email marketing (07:34) Social media (09:09) Website traffic (10:45) Stop doing the things that aren’t working (11:45) Do more of what works (12:37) Keep measuring https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/ask-why-when-picking-marketing-activities-for-your-holistic-business (Podcast 56 – Ask 'why?' when picking marketing activities for your holistic business.) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://mailchimp.com/ (Mailchimp) https://www.mailerlite.com/ (Mailerlite) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-do-you-know-if-your-marketing-is-working/ (Full blog post, show notes and link)https://www.helenharding.co.uk/doing-less-marketing-to-find-more-clients (s)
Are you worried about the amount of competition out there, and the effect it's having on you finding clients? Do you feel there are too many practitioners who provide the same service as you? Maybe you think there are too many alternative options available for prospective clients? This is a complaint I often hear from practitioners. They feel discouraged and frustrated because there are so many other practitioners competing for new clients. This knocks their confidence and they end up feeling like they'll never be able to earn a living doing the work they love. (02:05) Why competition is good (03:28) Marketing will help you stand out (05:17) Review your current marketing (07:10) Marketing is all about connection (09:36) Stay in your lane https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/finding-clients-starts-with-knowing-who-youre-looking-for (Podcast 51 – Finding clients Starts with Knowing Who You’re Looking For) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-marketing-message (Creating your marketing message) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/too-much-competition-stopping-you-finding-clients (Full blog post, show notes and link)https://www.helenharding.co.uk/doing-less-marketing-to-find-more-clients (s)
Are you feeling the pressure to do everything and be everywhere with your marketing? Do you assume others are thriving because they're doing things differently? Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed at your never-ending to-do list. There's no question you do have to market yourself, but there's no one size fits all, especially when it comes to marketing. I know some extremely successful practitioners who promote themselves solely on social media, and others who prefer the more personal approaches like networking. Whilst there are lots of different ways to market your holistic business, just because it works for one, it doesn’t make it right for you. It's time to stop and review what you're doing. There are ways to reduce the amount of marketing you do and find more clients in the process. (02:04) Less quantity, more quality (04:12) Less frequent, more consistent (05:33) Less sharing "just because" (08:43) Less general, more niche (10:23) Repurpose content (12:42) 80/20 rule https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/ask-why-when-picking-marketing-activities-for-your-holistic-business (Podcast 56 - Ask yourself why when picking marketing activities) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/finding-clients-starts-with-knowing-who-youre-looking-for (Podcast 51 - Finding clients Starts with Knowing Who You're Looking For) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-marketing-message (Creating your marketing message) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/how-to-repurpose-content/ (Podcast 15 - How to repurpose content for a holistic health business) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/doing-less-marketing-to-find-more-clients (Full blog post, show notes and links)
When was the last time you really listened to your favourite clients and the language they use? Have you ever done any client research for your holistic business? If not, you could be missing out on a wealth of information that will help your marketing to stand out. Researching your best clients will help you to provide them with a better service. It’ll also help you to connect with others, just like them. The value is in understanding the language they use, and how they feel. (02:07) The power of language (05:32) How to research your clients (07:05) The process of researching your clients (11:16) Identifying your clients’ language https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/researching-your-ideal-clients (Full blog post, show notes and links)
Although you're passionate about what you do, it's your client success stories that speak volumes when it comes to finding new clients. We're naturally drawn to stories and want to know what happens next. Case studies and testimonials are an incredibly powerful way to illustrate how you've helped people. They help prospective clients to understand what you do and the results they could achieve. (01:36) The difference between case studies and testimonials (02:46) Why case studies and testimonials are important (04:08) what to include (05:43) How to get testimonials (08:08) Have a process (09:20) different types of testimonials and case studies (10:52) Online reviews (12:16) What if you don't have any testimonials (13:34) Word of caution https://www.asa.org.uk/ (ASA and CAP Code) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/using-case-studies-testimonials-to-find-clients (Blog post, show notes and links)
Have you been thinking about doing paid advertising online to find clients for your holistic business? Many practitioners consider it, thinking it's a quick or easy way to find clients. But it isn't a decision to take lightly - it needs to be done strategically to make the most of your money. Getting paid advertising wrong can cost you dearly. With any paid advertising, professional help to get your ads set up properly is a good investment. You can pay someone to do them on your behalf, or do a course to understand how to set the ads up properly for yourself. There's always the option to learn as you go and there are loads of free resources available. Be aware, this way will take time and you're more likely to make expensive mistakes. Whichever route you decide, allow yourself a budget to test out what works and what doesn’t. (02:38) Google Ads (05:40) Social media ads (07:32) Building connection (08:41) Understand what works https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/paid-online-advertising-to-find-clients (Blog post, show notes and links)
The “why?” question is one parents' are very familiar with. A child will ask why to help them understand the world around them. As adults, we sometimes stop asking “why?” and instead, accept things as the way they are. Just because something has become the norm in marketing, it doesn’t mean it's the right thing for you. We’ve all fallen into this trap at times. Comparing ourselves to others and thinking we should be doing the same as them. Doing more, doing bigger, doing better. You easily get caught up doing the things you think you should be doing, instead of what works for you. So, before you start the next marketing activity, ask yourself why am I doing this? Does it help me achieve my goals? Will it attract clients to my practice? Is this what I really want to spend my time doing? Whilst you should always strive to be visible and get yourself out there. Make sure you do it strategically and not as a knee jerk reaction to something you’ve seen someone else do. (03:28) Reality check (05:32) Stop and ask why (06:24) Does it fit (07:45) No may mean not right now (08:26) Get a second opinion https://www.helenharding.co.uk/power-hour/ (Power Hour) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/ask-why-when-picking-marketing-activities-for-your-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links)
Whilst researching content for a workshop, I discovered many therapists, coaches and healers confuse their clients with their messaging. LinkedIn has a sea of practitioners with weird and wonderful profiles. They either focus on their collection of approaches or use jargon that no client would understand. A few examples of the sort of things I mean are: Transformational coach helping you achieve authentic confidence Energy medicine and sound healing specialist Healthpreneur, consultant and speaker Holistic therapist helping you find your sparkle Intuitive healer People are busy and don't want to have to think about what you do. They're simply looking for a solution to their problems. People just want to know how you're going to help them and what results to expect. These are the type of descriptions that will stop you from finding clients because they just aren't clear. Podcast 55 show notes:(04:02) Practitioner training teaches jargon (04:45) Outside of training - simple rules (06:40) Have a simple way to describe what you do (07:33) Avoid jargon (08:22) Use stories (08:51) Get a second opinion https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-marketing-message/ (Marketing message article) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book a discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/stop-confusing-people-with-jargon (Blog post, show notes and links)
This week on the podcast I’m joined by Nikki Tapley of The Inspire Network. Nikki is a networking expert as well as an entrepreneur, investor and business coach. The Inspire Network is an amazing community of women, centred around building networks and relationships. Nikki’s passion is supporting women to thrive whether they’re new to business or have been trading for some time. Nikki networks for a living and feels very privileged to be able to do so. She feels networking is massively misunderstood, but once you know how it works, it’s a huge amount of fun. Podcast 54 Show Notes:(01:50) What’s at the Core of Networking (03:10) Building the Online Community (07:30) The Difference Between a Facebook Group and a Membership Community (09:22) The Benefits of Being an Inspire Member, (14:12) Other Opportunities Inspire Offers Connect with Nikki and The Inspire Network: https://www.theinspirenetwork.co.uk/ (Website) http://www.facebook.com/theinspirenetwork (Facebook Page) http://www.facebook.com/groups/theinspirenetworkcommunity (Facebook Group) http://www.instagram.com/theinspirenetwork (Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkitapley/ (LinkedIn) https://twitter.com/WeAreInspireUK (Twitter) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/building-relationships-and-connection-to-find-clients (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group)
Our lives are run by our habits - they affect us as individuals, across groups and cultures. The ability to run habits automatically reduces the number of decisions we need to make. Unfortunately, there are some bad habits that sabotage your ability to find clients. Whilst you may promise yourself a new start and set out with good intentions. You're going to follow up on old clients or the enquiries you've had. Before you know it, old familiar habits creep back in and take over. They are comfortable, and you don't have to think about them, they just run. (02:22) The habit loop (03:50) Identify your sabotaging habits (04:48) Focus on changing one small habit at a time (05:48) Set yourself up for success (06:51) Awareness (07:42) Employ willpower (09:23) Believe you can do it https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/changing-bad-habits-that-stop-you-finding-clients (Blog post, show notes and links) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book your discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group)
If you want a marketing strategy that requires little budget but is incredibly powerful, word of mouth marketing is for you. Also known as referral marketing, it’s one of the oldest marketing strategies and still one of the most effective. Marketing your holistic business using word of mouth will help you build a strong foundation of trust around it. Consider the last time you bought something recommended by a friend; this is a perfect example of referral marketing in practice. People naturally trust the opinion of family and friends when they are looking for something new. Working as a practitioner, you already have a relationship with your clients because of the personal nature of your work. It’s this relationship you’re nurturing with referral marketing to help attract more clients like them to your door. (02:09) Benefits of word-of-mouth marketing (03:32) How to build your word-of-mouth marketing strategy - create amazing experiences (05:02) Exceed expectations (05:50) Build relationships (06:22) Address issues immediately (07:26) Collect testimonials (08:25) Ask for referrals (09:18) Get visible https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/word-of-mouth-marketing-to-find-clients (Blog post, show notes and links) Book your https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (discovery call) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group)
When I had my knee operation, why did I see a physio who specialised in knee rehabilitation? When my chimney leaked, why did I find a roofer rather than a general builder? It’s because I wanted an expert in the area to solve my specific problem. As practitioners, we can help lots of people in lots of ways. But, we’re working and marketing online more than ever before, having a focussed niche is even more important. When people are searching for help, they’re very specific in what they ask Google – think back to your last few searches. (02:34) What is a niche (03:39) Using your discipline as a niche (05:42) Niches are more than demographics (07:28) The ideal niche (08;20) What if you're just starting out (10:01) Your ideal client (10:52) Building your reputation https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/finding-clients-starts-with-knowing-who-youre-looking-for (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/power-hour/ (Book a Power Hour with me)
This is my 50th episode of the Holistic Business Matters podcast, and I was reflecting on the experience. I’m now in the habit of creating it consistently and it’s just what I do each week. I absolutely don’t want to miss one - no matter what it takes. Whilst I love the short, bite-sized episodes, I’ve really enjoyed doing the interviews and I want to do more in the future. Podcasts are a powerful way to intimately connect with people - they accompany them while they go about their lives. Listeners aren’t tied to a screen, they can be consumed to while walking the dog, driving, working out, etc. Podcasts are growing in popularity, and they’re a great way to find clients for your holistic business. Podcast 50 show notes:(03:42) Podcasts are an amazing way to find clients for your holistic business (04:51) Research podcasts (08:51) get on the host's radar (08:48) Your email pitch to be a guest (09:56) Your one-pager (10:53) Podcast etiquette (11:52) Once the podcast is published Email me your pitch to be a guest on Holistic Business Matters https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-find-clients-by-being-a-guest-on-a-podcast (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group)
Do you want to make a living as a therapist, coach or healer? To do this you must market yourself to attract clients to your practice. And there are many ways to do this – there’s definitely no one size fits all approach. But if you want to help people, knowing you need to market yourself isn’t enough, you have to take action. And this is where many practitioners struggle - marketing is constantly on your to-do list but it moves from one week to the next, and before you know it, another month has gone and no marketing has happened. Maybe you get sidetracked researching and learning different strategies, but never actually do them. We’ve all been there; you want everything to be right, but end up procrastinating overtaking action. You probably see it with your own clients too – they know they should eat a healthy diet, or do the mindset work, or look after their skin, but they don’t. Many of these clients will go from practitioner to practitioner trying different approaches desperate to change, but they just don’t do the work necessary. There is something about the work - they either don’t want to do it, or it scares them, so they stay stuck. It’s not they don’t know what to do, they’re getting in their own way and the same can happen with you and your marketing. Podcast 49 show notes: (02:48) What is the knowledge-action gap? (03:25) Are you resisting taking action? (04:25) Recognise fears and address them (06:10) What marketing are you procrastinating over? (08:18) Do you really want to do this? (09:28) Start from where you are (10:21) Create your plan of action (11:20) Celebrate your wins (11:58) Keeping you accountable https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) Book your https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (discovery call) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/12-week-programme (12-week coaching and mentoring programme) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/knowledge-action-gap-stops-you-finding-clients (Blog post, show notes and links)
Do you speak to your clients before you work with them? Is it just an informal chat with you waiting to see if they book in with you? If this sounds familiar, you’re missing out on an amazing opportunity. Discovery or exploration calls are a brilliant way to get to know potential clients, and importantly let them know how you can help them. Having a plan for your calls will help you and your prospective client make the most of your time together. (01:30) What is a discovery call? (02:12) What a discovery call is not (02:49) Booking a discovery call (04:33) Prepare clients for the call (05:19) Have a plan for your call (09:58) Are they right for you? (10:50) Follow up https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) Book your https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (discovery call) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-use-discovery-calls-to-find-clients (Blog post, show notes and links) https://acuityscheduling.com/ (Acuity) https://calendly.com/ (Calendly)
Having a clear vision will help you define what sort of business you should build that works for you. It’s one of the best things you can do for your business, but so often gets completely missed out. Without a vision, you will get carried along for the ride without knowing where you’re going. Many complementary practitioners are driven by their passion for their approach and helping people. They build a business similar to their peers because they think that’s what’s expected. Before they know it, they’re floundering and don’t know which way to turn. If you’ve fallen into a working pattern that isn’t right for you, it’s time to take a step back and start with the end in mind. (01:59) What's a vision? (03:30) Creating your vision (05:46) Dreaming big (06:38) Setting your vision https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) Book your https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (discovery call) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision (Blog post, show notes and links)
There is no one size fits all when it comes to marketing your holistic business. There are some common mistakes many practitioners make that stop them from finding clients easily. This week I cover the top 17 mistakes: (01:31) #1 Not doing any marketing (02:34) #2 Trying to appeal to everyone (03:23) #3 Not asking clients how they found you (03:53) #4 Not responding to clients (04:28) #5 Not following up on enquiries (05:47) #6 Missing or bad profile photo (06:46) #7 Holding back on your personality (08:09) #8 Having a bad (or broken) website (09:10) #9 Not having a marketing plan (09:54) #10 Doing the wrong marketing activities (11:03) #11 Not focusing on your core marketing activities (12:00) #12 Not being consistent (12:50) #13 Not emailing your list (13:30) #14 Paying for advertising without a strategy (14:09) #15 Not being active in your community (14:50) #16 Trying to do everything yourself (15:36) #17 Not investing in marketing https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) Book your https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (discovery call) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/marketing-mistakes-that-stop-you-finding-clients (Blog post, show notes and links)
And what a year it’s been - we’ve all had to make changes to the way we work and live. There have certainly been some challenges but there have also been some amazing lessons learnt. So, it’s time to reflect on the last year and identify what went well, and what you want to change. Understanding the lessons learned will help you to shape your business for the future and find the clients you love working with. (01:46) What are you most proud of? (03:05) What aspects of your work did you love? (04:02) Which bits didn't you like? (04:54) What ran like clockwork? (05:35) Where have you really struggled? (06:53) Are you earning enough? (07:52) What marketing activities worked? (08:45) Where do you need support in your business? (10:05) Create a plan of action https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ ('Your Holistic Business Recipe' Book) https://holistic-business-matters.captivate.fm/listen ('Holistic Business Matters' podcast on your favourite player) Book your https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (discovery call) Mentioned blogs and podcasts: https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-value-yourself-and-your-services/ (Valuing yourself and your services) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-change-your-money-mindset/ (Changing your money mindset) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-work-out-your-minimum-hourly-rate/ (How to work out your minimum hourly rate) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/lessons-learned-from-2020 (Blog post, show notes and links)
This week I’m joined on the podcast by Kate Gare, a great friend as well as an award-winning Transformation and Mindset Coach and Trainer. Kate's bounced back from two episodes of burnout and survived heart failure. She has personally learned the critical importance of resilience and importantly, how to build it. As a burnout and resilience expert, she helps professional women to thrive, no matter what obstacles they face. Kate's approach uses proven methods including the science of the mind-body connection, and positive psychology approaches. Over the past 15 years, she has supported more than 1,000 women to climb back from burnout (or avoid it in the first place), so they can live happier, resilient lives and flourish. As we are on the edge of a mental health crisis her work is even more needed. Kate believes passionately that everyone deserves to have agency in shaping a life they love. She's on a mission to support another thousand women to step into their own personal power in all areas of their lives. Kate was recently awarded 'The Most Empowering Life Coach 2020' by Global Health and Pharma Publications for her work championing and supporting women. She's also the co-author of a new book 'Energy: How to Unleash Your Inner Fire'. (03:26) Kate describes what resilience is (05:15) What are the first signs of low resilience? (10:25) Steps you can take to build your resilience (15:26) Kates favourite go-to, resilience booster Find out more about Kate Gare and her work: http://www.everylife.com (Website) Email https://www.instagram.com/katelivingpowerfully/ (Instagram) https://www.linkedin.com/in/kategare/ (LinkedIn) Get Kate's free guide: https://everylife.mykajabi.com/healthyboundaries2 (‘Creating Healthy Boundaries: A Beginner’s Guide’) If you are curious to find out more about how Kate can help you, https://BOOKNOW-KateGare.as.me/DiscoveryCall (book a free 30-minute consultation) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-build-resilience-as-a-therapist-coach-or-healer (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group)
Do you take a holiday from work over Christmas? When you step away from your business, does your marketing halt to a stop? If you’re taking a much-needed break, your business and marketing can continue to work for you, while you relax. Here’s how you can take Christmas off, and ensure you’re showing up for your clients with your marketing: (01:03) Let clients know when you're off (02:00) Set up an email autoresponder (02:37) Write a to-do list (03:20) Continue your marketing (05:10) Schedule social media (06:35) Make offers (07:52) Check-in and respond https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-keep-your-marketing-working-over-the-holidays (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://hootsuite.com/ (Hootsuite) Book your https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (discovery call)
What are you like when it comes to preparing for Christmas? I did a quiz last week and I came out as a ‘laid-back Lizzie’ which is pretty accurate. I usually have most things organised with a few last-minute bits to sort out. When it comes to my marketing, I have my content planned out, but I tend to create it a week, often some bits to the last minute. So, are you organised for Christmas with your marketing? If you’re not and you’re looking for inspiration, here are 11 last-minute Christmas marketing ideas. (02:07) Festive sparkles (03:37) Christmas countdown (04:10) Send a handwritten card (05:00) Run a competition (06:09) Create Christmas gifts (07:47) Gift vouchers (08:27) Christmas markets (10:59) Be charitable (11:49) Community events (12:53) Create a Christmas ad https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/11-last-minute-christmas-marketing-ideas (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/power-hour (Power Hour to get your Christmas marketing sorted) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hTJwaD3J6o (Haford Hardware Christmas ad)
This week I'm joined on the podcast by Dr Sandi Scheinbaum, Co-Founder and CEO of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA). We talked about what it takes to thrive as a health coach and have a successful holistic business. It was five years ago, at the age of 65 that Dr Sandi started the FMCA and has trained 1000’s of coaches. She took the unusual step of training functional medicine health coaches online, despite being advised against it. In addition to being a successful business model, it was a fortuitous decision given the way we've had to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to starting the academy, Dr Sandi had had several careers. She started out as a school teacher, working with children with special educational needs. For most of her career, Dr Sandi was a clinical psychologist specialising in mind-body medicine before it was recognised in the mainstream. She went on to train in functional medicine and was inspired to take all the health philosophies that she had studied, and integrate them into the emerging field of health coaching. Dr Sandi’s mission is to train people to become functional medicine health coaches. She believes they are the key to helping people overcome chronic disease by supporting them to achieve a better quality of life. Find out more about Dr Sandi and her work here: https://functionalmedicinecoaching.org/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/functionalmedicinecoaching/ (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/functionalmedcoach/ (Instagram) https://twitter.com/fxmedcoach/ (Twitter) https://www.linkedin.com/school/functional-medicine-coaching-academy-inc-/ (LinkedIn) Dr Sandi has generously offered you free access to her ebook: A Simple Guide to Relaxation Through Breathing. Get it https://functionalmedicinecoaching.org/guide-to-relaxation/ (here) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/what-it-takes-to-thirve-as-a-health-coach (Blog post, show notes and links)
Creating content for your business can easily become overwhelming and is something many practitioners struggle with. By keeping your content creation as simple as possible, you're more likely to be consistent with it, and that's where the marketing superpower is. Content marketing includes your blog posts, videos, podcasts, live video on social media, infographics, etc. Basically, anything you create that is then published and distributed online. Now more than ever before, it’s time to start creating content online. Especially if you’re serious about providing online services and products to your clients. (01:38) Why do practitioners struggle with content creation? (02:56) Consistency is Queen (05:21) Content is an asset (06:38) Who is ‘Content Creation Made Simple’ for? https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/making-content-creation-simple (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/content-creation-masterclass (Making Content Creation Simple Masterclass)
Creating content as part of your marketing strategy is critical if you want to work online. It will build your website authority and help you to be discovered. Sharing regular content will allow you to demonstrate your expertise as well as being helpful for your clients and prospective clients. It’s an asset to your business and gives you a library of information to use and repurpose. Creating regular content was how I was able to get a book deal and provided the first draft of the copy. Content has also helped me get speaking gigs and invited to run workshops for organisations as well as finding clients. Procrastinating over creating content is a major sticking point for many practitioners. There are simple ways to organise your content creation to speed up the process and help you be consistent. (02:41) What is content marketing? (03:21) Pick your content (05:53) Finding inspiration (07:55) Start with a little content plan (10:18) Speeding up the process https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-create-consistent-content-fast (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/content-creation-masterclass (Making Content Creation Simple Masterclass)
This week, I interview Vivienne Campbell, a Medical Herbalist who has built a successful herbal medicine business. Her approach to creating a sustainable business with different income streams has allowed her to continue working during the pandemic. She also kindly agreed to be a case study in my new book ‘Your Holistic Business Recipe’. Vivienne qualified as a medical herbalist in 2003 and has made it her full-time career since graduating. She teaches herbal medicine and wild food foraging and is also a professional natural cosmetic-formulator, consultant, and teacher. She’s an international speaker, presented on television, been interviewed for documentaries and written articles for journals and specialist publications. Vivienne didn’t set out to have many strands to her business and found they developed as different opportunities presented themselves. She initially worked in the clinic full time, moved to part-time and in 2004 Vivienne started teaching in-person classes, by 2012 she was running 17 a year. She also set up online courses and ran her first in 2015. Having the online aspects of her business has helped her to thrive during the current pandemic. (01:28) What Vivienne does and how she built her business (05:00) How Vivienne found her first clients/patients (08:53) Vivienne’s approach to business and supporting its growth (12:22) Understanding her market (16:23) Sustainability in business (18:40) In hindsight… https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-grow-a-successful-herbal-medicine-business (Blog post, show notes and links) Find out more about Vivienne and her work https://theherbalhub.com/ (Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheHerbalHubwithVivienneCampbell (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/theherbalhub/ (Instagram) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXUejZFlP4onOSnM8eOFbXQ (YouTube) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Your Holistic Business Recipe book)
This is the third in a mini-series around the topic of money and valuing yourself. In episode 35 we looked at how to value yourself and what you do. In episode 36 we discussed money mindset and how to deal with the limiting beliefs that are sabotaging your success. This episode, we’re looking at pricing basics and how to work out your minimum hourly rate. Knowing your minimum hourly rate will help you to price your services effectively. This figure will ensure you both cover the cost of running your business and pay yourself a proper salary in the process. Understanding the minimum rate to charge an hour will help you create a sustainable business for the future. (01:24) How did you work out your prices? (01:32) Pricing based on your competition (02:10) Pricing based on your costs (02:53) Pricing based on the value you provide (04:02) Minimum hourly rate (04:34) Time spent working (06:56) Business costs and wages (08:45) Working out your minimum hourly rate https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-work-out-your-minimum-hourly-rate (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/opt-in-b9633038-2933-4bcc-8c50-992a9d840189 (Hourly Rate Calculator) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-value-yourself-and-your-services/ (How to Value Yourself and Your Services) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-change-your-money-mindset/ (How to Change Your Money Mindset)
Love it or hate it, money is the basis of our day to day transactions – it is the way the world operates. Once you can pay yourself a proper wage you can be charitable, but you must earn enough to stop the struggle first. You have a relationship with money, and the same as with any relationship, you have to give it attention and treat it with respect if you want it to flourish. Consider money as energy – it flows into and through your business providing you with choices. In order to make more money in your business, you have to get past any mindset blocks that are sabotaging your success. (02:01) What are your money stories? (03:38) What stories do you hear from your colleagues? (04:42) Beliefs (06:56) 4 Steps to change your money beliefs (07:02) Step 1: Being aware of your money beliefs (08:07) Step 2: What do you want to believe instead (08:58) Step 3: Changing beliefs (10:24) Step 4: Create a plan of action https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) Blog post, show notes and links: https://www.helenharding.co.uk/podcast36 (helenharding.co.uk/podcast36) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/reset-for-success/ (Reset for Success 8-week Programme) to find more clients
Do you value the service you offer your clients? It’s not unusual for therapists, coaches and holistic practitioners to undervalue themselves. Often looking to offer their services for free or cheaply because they feel everyone has the right to health and well-being. Whilst I totally agree, as humans, we deserve to be happy and healthy, as practitioners we deserve to thrive. The work we do to support our clients is too important for us to be struggling to make a living. Value isn’t just about money; it’s also how you feel about the work you do and owning the difference you make in the world. (01:42) The cost of becoming a practitioner (03:46) Setting up your practice (04:10) Ongoing coats to maintain your practice (05:10) What qualifies you to do the work you do? (06:36) The value of results your clients achieve (07:26) Remind yourself of your value https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-value-yourself-and-your-services (Blog post, show notes and links)
The way we work and market ourselves has dramatically changed this year. It’s time to review your client journey and understand where you’re missing steps and where you need to focus your communication. Your client journey is simply the route they take from discovering you, to working with you. Once you start seeing clients, they already follow a path whether you realise it or not. Having clarity over this will help you focus your marketing efforts. Podcast 34 show notes:(01:06) What is the client journey? (01:44) Sales funnel (02:16) Flywheel (02:56) Map out your client journey (03:33) The steps of your clients' journey (04:24) Marketing to attract new clients (05:19) Engaging with prospective clients (06:54) Delighting clients (08:19) Reflect on your client journey https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-review-your-client-journey (Blog post, show notes and links) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book your free discovery call)
How do you feel about speaking to promote your health and well-being business? It’s one of the best ways to access potential clients, but many practitioners avoid public speaking. Whilst it may take you out of your comfort zone, it's certainly a skill that can be developed. Because of the pandemic, most of the speaking opportunities have moved online but speaking is still a great way to grow your business. This year I've run regular free talks for my clinical practice, done an online book launch and I’m speaking at a conference next month. If public speaking doesn’t fill you with joy, start small and grow from there. You’ll build in confidence as you go and you’ll start to develop your own style. You'll get a deeper understanding of your topic and how to communicate it effectively. (02:56) Start small (03:51) Free talks (05:06) Social media live video (06:04) Run workshops (07:28) Speak at conferences (08:11) Webinars (08:42) Podcasts (10:17) Join a speaking group https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-use-speaking-to-promote-your-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-give-talks-to-attract-clients (How to give talks for your holistic business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-workshops-and-programmes/ (How to get started creating workshops) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/power-hour/ (Power Hour)
It was the morning of my book launch and I started to feel like an imposter. Concerned that at any moment, someone will see straight through me. Who am I to write a book??? It's not the first time I've felt like an imposter - I kept myself hidden for years. I was always the person in the background, making sure everything worked - that was my comfort zone. By playing small, I sabotaged myself and my success and starting my own business meant I had to step out of the shadows. I've noticed every time I step out of my comfort zone, this demon pops up. It tests me to see if it can throw me off track and it's when I need to do some of the inner work on myself. Working in personal development, this issue haunts so many of my clients, especially women. Maybe they' more open about it, but feeling like an imposter isn't fun! Even the successful, rich and famous who appear to be in complete control on the surface, can feel like frauds. (02:44) What is imposter syndrome? (03:00) Signs of imposter syndrome (04:13) You're not alone (05:20) Things you can do to stop imposter syndrome (06:25) Talk it through (06:50) Make a decision (07:41) Appreciate what you've achieved (08:27) Take action (09:17) Change your focus (09:48) Get help (10:12) Your Holistic Business Recipe is now available https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-stop-imposter-syndrome (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Order book: Your Holistic Business Recipe)
My book’s finally arrived! Weird after all this waiting, it took me a while to build up the courage to open the box. It’s been a while since the first draft was submitted to the publisher and although there have been a lot of revisions, it’s weird to actually have it here. A real book, done, printed and ready to be released into the world. So this week, I thought I’d share the first chapter - the introduction with you to give you a little insight into what it’s all about. (01:23) The introduction chapter of Your Holistic Business Recipe (04:19) This book is for you if... (06:12) Common myths about building a successful practice (11:20) Procrastination will kill your practice (12:59) Imperfect action (13:56) How to use this book (16:10) Invitation to the online launch event https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/preview-of-your-holistic-business-recipe (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Order book: Your Holistic Business Recipe) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/mps-want-complementary-traditional-natural-medicine-rescue-nhs/ (Government report - press release)
Marketing and business have a bad reputation with many therapists, coaches, and holistic health professionals. I know many of my clients feel it’s some sort of dark art and shy away from it. Online marketers making promises of building 6 figure businesses in 6 weeks – it’s total BS. Get rich quick schemes and blueprints may work for the creator, but it doesn’t mean they’ll work for you. The designer may have found their way of building a successful business, but there’s no “one size fits all” approach. What works for you will be completely different from what works for me, or the online expert claiming to have “the answer”. The constant barrage of “work longer, work harder, work faster, work better” just leads to frustration, disappointment, and forgotten dreams. Instead of trying to conform to someone else’s formula, create your own recipe. One that works to your strengths, your values, and available resources. You’re more likely to do the work because it’s tailored to you, and therefore, ultimately succeed. This is your business and you’re at the heart of it. 02:44 Your Holistic Business Recipe 04:00 Excerpt from the book 06:07 Picking the right ingredients 08:04 Are you prepared to do the work? 09:02 New book launch https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/why-do-you-need-a-holistic-business-recipe (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Order book: Your Holistic Business Recipe)
This week, I interview Geoff Nicholson, a mindset and performance specialist who kindly agreed to be a case study in my new book ‘Your Holistic Business Recipe’. Geoff is a coach and mentor helping entrepreneurs and holisticpreneurs across the world to build a business that brings them joy and success. He is an international speaker and hosts a podcast (Success IQ) where he invites other thought and business leaders from around the world to share their journey and challenges in becoming successful and living a fulfilled life. Geoff wants to inspire people to build businesses that bring them joy instead of running their lives. He is a believer in walking the talk, and having fun is key to his success. 02:46 What inspired Geoff to become a practitioner? 06:42 Misson to inspire 2 million people 08:50 Being authentic and vulnerable, and sharing your story 10:58 Having fun and learning 13:26 Support team 18:58 Hindsight is a wonderful thing 20:28 Have fun and learn in a safe environment https://www.justcallgeoff.com/ (Find out more about Geoff and his work) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-build-a-successful-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Order book: Your Holistic Business Recipe)
There were so many lessons I learnt from writing my first book. It brought out all my demons and challenged me in ways I just couldn’t have expected. The lessons also helped me gain a much deeper understanding of both my work and how I work. Here were some of my main takeaways from writing my first book to help and inspire you. 01:18 Lesson #1: I can write 03:11 Lesson #2: Make a commitment 03:50 Lesson #3: Writing has to be a routine 04:32 Lesson #4: Plan for it taking three times longer than you think 06:11 Lesson #5: Take a break from writing 07:35 Lesson #6: It will never be perfect 09:28 Lesson #7: Be open to feedback 10:28 Lesson #8: Be super flexible 12:13 Invitation to online book launch 13:00 Your Holistic Business Recipe pre-order offer Recommended reading: Finish by Jon Acuff https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/lessons-learned-from-writing-a-book (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Order book: Your Holistic Business Recipe)
Whether you decide to self-publish or go the traditional route, you will still have to do a lot of marketing. Today, I thought I’d share my launch plan and the strategies I’ve chosen to get my book out in the world. These launch ideas will work for anything you decide to launch from a new service to a programme. So, if a book isn't on your to-do list, you will still get value from this episode. 01:11 Create an offer for pre-orders 02:12 Sales page on the website 02:50 Creating regular content 03:41 Links in email signatures 04:15 Create a new lead magnet 05:03 Social media 06:42 Speaking opportunities 07:20 Online book launch 08:12 Keeping marketing simple 09:24 Pre-order 'Your Holistic Business Recipe' https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-market-a-book (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Order book: Your Holistic Business Recipe) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/opt-in-0995c1af-b8ac-4dbf-86bf-a863de03c1ae (Free guide: 19 Things You Need to do...) https://www.facebook.com/helenhardinguk/ (Facebook page) http://www.linkedin.com/in/helenhardinguk (LinkedIn) https://www.instagram.com/helenhardinguk/ (Instagram) https://twitter.com/helenhardinguk (Twitter)
If you dream of writing a book for your therapy, coaching or holistic health business, you have two main options to getting it published: traditionally published or self-published. With traditional publishing, you have a contract with a publisher to provide them with a manuscript of your book. They will then take on the job of getting it published and have the distribution network to sell it. The publisher will also own the rights to the book. A self-published book is published by the author so they own the rights to it and receive all the royalties. Advancements in technology such as print on demand and eReaders have made this an attractive option for anyone wanting to write a book. No longer do you have to pay for thousands of copies to be printed and have to fulfil your own orders. 01:18 What's a traditionally published book? 01:42 What's a self-published book? 02:45 Traditional publishing - pros 04:46 Traditional publishing - cons 07:22 Self-publishing - pros 09:26 Self-publishing - cons 10:22 Why I went the traditional publishing route 12:28 Best self-publishing resources 13:02 Your Holistic Business Recipe pre-order https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/difference-between-traditionally-published-and-self-published-books (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.thecreativepenn.com/ (Joanna Penn - The Creative Penn) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Order book: Your Holistic Business Recipe)
I’d written hundreds of blogs, but nothing prepared me for the roller-coaster of writing a book. I don’t consider myself a naturally gifted writer and I started a weekly blog to develop the skill. I discovered a publisher was on my email list and they approached me - a book wasn’t even on my radar at that time. Initially, I was flattered, quickly followed by a cloud of self-doubt, but I still said yes. It was an opportunity I just couldn’t turn down - I know how powerful they are for a small business. In this episode, I share the process of how I wrote my book as a novice author. 03:08 Structure first 04:46 Repurpose existing content 06:05 Setting up the book 08:12 Team of readers 09:55 Book tennis 11:51 Moving parts in a launch https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-write-a-book-as-a-novice-author (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Order book: Your Holistic Business Recipe)
Do you dream about writing a book? I speak to many therapists, coaches and holistic health practitioners who share your dream, but sadly only a handful make it a reality. Those who write a book will have a distinct advantage over those who don’t. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be exploring the world of writing a book as an option for you. And the reason for this theme – my new book ‘Your Holistic Business Recipe’ is being published in September 2020 - I’m super excited! I’ll share my journey to becoming an author for the first time and the tips I’ve picked up along the way. Writing a book is hard work and not everyone will do it. Whilst many practitioners dream about it – the best book is the one you’ve written – the one that makes it out of your head. So lets start with the reasons why you should write a book. 01:54 Build authority and credibility 02:56 Deepen your understanding of your topic 03:24 A vehicle to share your message 03:58 Improve your writing skills 05:07 Make money 06:37 Personal development masterclass 08:27 Introducing 'Your Holistic Business Recipe' 10:20 Pre-order offers https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/why-you-should-write-a-book (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/your-holistic-business-recipe/ (Order book: Your Holistic Business Recipe) https://scribewriting.com/ (Scribewriting.com)
We all love having fun! How we have fun is personal and something that’s fun for me could leave you running for the hills. Fun is also good for us - laughter is great medicine and a brilliant way to relieve stress. We all need more fun in our lives so how about we have more fun with our marketing too? Sadly, when it comes to marketing, many practitioners don’t equate it with their idea of fun. If anything, it’s the total opposite. Marketing is more of a dark art than something to enjoy. The more playful you can be with your marketing and the way you approach it, the better. You’re more likely to be consistent and show up in an authentic way because the marketing you do feels right. When you enjoy creating the marketing you share, your clients will feel it. Marketing is all about building connection and relationships, so you want people to get to know you and your business. What marketing do you love consuming? (03:22) What are your hobbies? (06:07) What are your communication strengths? (07:41) Look for synergy and start experimenting (10:00) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-make-marketing-fun (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDtCXO71FJU (Hafod Hardware Christmas video) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-build-your-confidence-to-be-visible/ (Claire Brooker podcast interview on the confidence to be visible) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book your free discovery call)
To ensure you thrive as a practitioner, you must learn to market yourself. If you have no clients, your training and hard work will all have been for nothing. In today's noisy world, it’s even more important that you’re visible and let people know how you can help them. This is where your marketing comes in and love it, or hate it, you need to embrace it to thrive. Ultimately there is no right or wrong answer but the more time you commit to marketing your practice (assuming you are working on the right things) the quicker your business will grow. How much times should you spend on marketing? (01:12) What's your goal for your marketing? (03:25) Work to your strengths (04:04) Make time for marketing (08:07) Start where you are (09:09) Identify what's working (10:39) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-much-time-should-you-spend-marketing (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/ask-why-when-picking-marketing-activities-for-your-holistic-business (Ask why when picking marketing activities)
As humans, we love stories, they’re part of our human existence. Stories have been the way we relay information throughout history with myths and legends. Our families have their own personal tales passed from generation to generation. I’ve been inspired to use more stories in my marketing after attending a class by one of my mentors, Janet Murray. As a professional writer, she effortlessly uses stories to illustrate the messages she wants to get across to her audience. They capture attention and are totally relatable, so I decided to experiment and use more personal stories myself. Batman Returns story (1:40) Why use personal stories? (2:35) Where to use stories in your marketing (3:32) Capture your ideas (4:47) Decide your message (5:52) Write your story and simplify (6:52) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-use-stories-in-your-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-sell-holistic-services-with-integrity (How to sell your holistic services with integrity)
We’re just starting the second half of the year and as it’s been a bumpy ride for many practitioners. Many of us have had to completely change the way we work with lockdown. The best way to ensure the next quarter is productive is to set yourself 90-day goals. It’s very easy to get stuck in the day-to-day tasks - before you know it, another month, quarter or even year has passed by. A lack of progress is amplified when you find yourself going around in circles, not really knowing what to do next. By setting 90-day goals, they are far enough away to give you the chance to achieve something big, but near enough to be achievable. It helps you gather your focus, energy, and attention in one direction, which is where the power lies. Why 90-day goals? (2:50) Start by understanding where you are now (3:41) Start with the end in mind (4:56) Where do you want to be in 90-days from now? (5:26) When and where do you need support? (7:00) How do you set the plan in motion? (7:30) Reflect on your progress (8:40) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/the-power-of-90-day-goals (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision/ (Creating your vision) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/strategy-session/ (Strategy Session information) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/12-week-programme (12-week coaching and mentoring programme) https://helenharding.as.me/discoverycall (Book your discovery call)
Selling isn’t something that comes naturally to most practitioners. Many feel it’s manipulative and sleazy and shy away from any selling. Selling doesn’t have to be pushy, but you do have to make sales to survive. It’s necessary if you want to earn enough money to pay your bills. If not, you’ll be forced to find other sources of income to subsidise yourself or stop practising altogether. Fortunately, there are ways of selling that are filled with integrity. There are different ways of making offers based on mutual respect for your clients and for your services - you just need to find the right style for you. Understand who you help and how you help them (2:18) Focus on helpful marketing (3:08) Sales are simply making offers (4:56) Follow-up enquiries (6:16) Tell clients the next step (7:04) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-sell-holistic-services-with-integrity (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-pick-a-niche-for-your-holistic-business/ (How to pick a niche for your holistic business - article and podcast) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-marketing-message/ (Creating a marketing message - article) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/following-up-client-enquiries/ (Following up on client enquiries - article) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-review-your-client-journey (Understanding your client journey - article)
Many health and well-being practitioners have struggled over lockdown. Many haven't been able to work and others have had to adapt and completely change their approach. Whether you've had to reinvent your health and well-being business, or you need to bring income into your business quickly, always start with your hot leads. This is the fastest way to find clients and secure your business for the future. Who are your 'hot leads'? (1:21) Past clients (2:00) Current clients (2:57) Enquiries (4:05) Your personal network (4:56) Create a hot lead list (5:58) Personal outreach (6:30) Respond to everyone (8:02) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/the-fastest-way-to-find-clients (Blog post, show notes and links)
As we’re starting to move out of lockdown, people are getting back to work. As a practitioner, you may not return to working in person any time soon. When you do, you’ll have to change aspects of how you do business. The environment is constantly changing and at the time of recording this, only certain statutory regulated practitioners are legally allowed to return to working in person with clients. Most complementary and alternative medicine practitioners aren’t statutory regulated and will, therefore, have to continue to work remotely. However, some practitioners who have shops as part of their business may be able to reopen in line with government guidance. There are still many opportunities arising from the experience of lockdown. We can take the lessons learnt and apply them to building a sustainable practice for the future. Reflect on the lessons learnt from lockdown (3:20) Make peace with change and let go (4:44) Have a plan for getting back to work in person (7:27) Revisit your vision for your business (10:03) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-reinvent-your-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.gov.uk/ (The UK Government) https://www.hse.gov.uk/ (The Health and Safety Executive) https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england (Public Health England) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-your-vision/ (Creating your vision for your business) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/building-buffers-to-make-life-easier/ (Building buffers to make life easier) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/strategy-session (Strategy session to create a personalised plan of action)
A scarcity mindset is when you focus on what you don’t have, rather than what you do. Scarcity can be about anything you’re not feeling good about including your health, time, money, or love. Scarcity creates stress and anxiety and can creep into all areas of your life and work. When you believe something is scarce, you’ll completely miss opportunities that present, and it'll leave you feeling defeated. Even if you’re doing really well and have a scarcity mindset – it will never be enough. What's a scarcity mindset? (2:40) Scarcity in your business (3:28) Discover what stories you're telling yourself (4:04) Creating your new belief (5:30) Change the story (7:30) Change your focus to flexible and abundant (8:30) Taking clients on the journey with you (10:42) Be interested (11:38) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-change-a-scarcity-mindset (Blog post, show notes and links)
We’re all aware of the environmental issues of rubbish on our planet and the importance of working to reduce waste and recycle where possible. Upcycling or repurposing items to give them a new lease of life is a great way to save precious resources. These ideas are transferable to your marketing to make the most of your hard work. Providing the same information in different formats is a great way to reach other groups of potential clients. Everyone has their preference on how they consume content, some like to read, others like watching videos or listening to podcasts. The more different ways you present your information, the more people you will reach with your message. Why repurpose marketing? (1:56) How I repurpose my marketing (2:42) Where to start with repurposing content (7:08) Creating one item at a time (8:35) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-repurpose-content (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Content-10x-More-Maximum-Results/dp/1916181112/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=content+10x&qid=1590651632&s=books&sr=1-1 (Content 10x Book)
Creating a simple video is a great way to support your online marketing for your health and well-being business. Video allows potential clients get to know you - it will help them decide if you're the right person to help them. If you don't have a video on your website, you're missing a trick. This week, we look at how you can create a simple video for your holistic business website.Why video (1:35) Do you have a video on your website? (2:48) Simple ways to embrace video (4:20) Building your confidence on camera (7:35) Recording yourself (9:00) Adding captions (11:00) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-video-for-your-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links) http://cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/service-provider/visual-networking-index-vni/white-paper-c11-741490.html#_Toc532256789 (Cisco.com) https://zoom.us/ (Zoom) https://www.loom.com/ (Loom) https://www.rev.com/ (Rev) https://www.kapwing.com/ (Kapwing)
There are so many choices of different software promising you the answer to getting your holistic business organised. It’s hard to know which way to turn and what to use for the best. So, this week I thought I’d share the software I use every day that keeps me organised. I’ve never considered myself as being particularly techy and groan when I have to work out how to use new software. You can keep things simple by starting with what you already have available and growing from there. You’ll be surprised by how much you already have available. You don’t need to be a slave to all the new software to be organised. Software for your general office tasks (1:55) Software of making online video calls (6:22) Calendar scheduling software (8:00) Software for creating artwork (9:39) Scheduling your social media posts (11:10) Software for emailing your list (13:20) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-get-organised-in-your-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.office.com/ (Microsoft Office 365) https://zoom.us/ (Zoom) https://acuityscheduling.com/ (Acuity Scheduling) https://calendly.com/ (Calendly) https://www.canva.com/ (Canva) https://hootsuite.com/ (Hootsuite) https://convertkit.com/ (ConvertKit) https://mailchimp.com/ (Mailchimp)
Social media is a great way to market a health and well-being business as it’s effectively free to do - well other than your time! That appeals to many practitioners and now with lockdown, social media is one of the marketing activities most of us are focusing on. Are you making the most of the social media posts you create? Do people recognise they’re from you? Or are they a mishmash of different things, that have nothing in common? This week's episode looks at how you can put a simple brand style sheet together to give your posts a professional look. Colour palette (3:07) Pick your fonts (6:06) Images (7:04) Create templates (9:04) Create your own style (10:08) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) Blog post, show notes and links http://www.janetmurray.co.uk/?partner=27 (Janet Murray) https://www.office.com/ (Microsoft Office 365) https://pixabay.com/ (Pixabay) https://www.canva.com/ (Canva) Affiliate link
Networking for many practitioners is their number one marketing activity. It’s all about building connection and relationships so a perfect fit for those of us working in health and well-being. It’s also one of the fastest ways to bring clients to your door when starting out. Unfortunately, the coronavirus and lockdown have put paid to any in-person events for a while. The current situation dictates we need to be flexible on how we approach networking. The good news is, there are still lots of opportunities - your relationship-building skills can be effectively moved online. Social media (1:56) Online communities (4:28) Virtual events (5:48) Virtual coffee (8:18) Personal emails (9:04) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-network-online-during-lockdown (Blog post, show notes and links)
If you want to be happy in your business, it’s important you enjoy working with your clients and helping them with their problems. Many practitioners want to work as generalists because they think they’ll get bored only helping one group of people, and they’re scared of missing out on potential clients. In this episode, I discuss what it means to pick a niche and how it can work for you: What's a generalist? (1:12) The space between generalist and niche (3:25) What's a niche? (4:06) What a niche isn't (5:45) Why niche (6:06) Choosing your niche (7:30) Make a decision on who you're going to help (9:52) 6-month marketing commitment (10:35) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-pick-a-niche-for-your-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links)
This week I share why I decided to start a podcast and the steps I went through to make it happen. I share the considerations for whether creating a podcast is the right thing for your holistic business.Podcasts are a great way to consume content on the go (1:00) Podcast facts and figures (1:30) Podcasts build connection (3:30) Holistic Business Matters launched (5:34) Get support to get started with podcasts (6:45) Why do you want a podcast? (8:10) Plan out your podcast (9:15) Equipment and software (10:06) Setting up your environment (11:28) Naming and branding your podcast (12:10) Planning your content (13:35) Recording and editing (14:14) Getting your podcast live (15:00) Promoting your podcast (16:35)
https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-build-your-confidence-to-be-visible (Podcast 8 with Claire Brooker) https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/solutions-for-health-happiness/id647213675 (Solutions for Health and Happiness Podcast) https://www.audacityteam.org/ (Audacity (recording software)) https://zoom.us/ (Zoom (video calls)) https://www.canva.com/ (Canva (creating artwork)) https://www.audioblocks.com/ (Audioblocks (royalty-free music)) https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=helenharding (Captivate (podcast hosting)) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/should-you-create-a-podcast-for-your-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links)
Many practitioners are stopping themselves from shining and being visible in their marketing. Claire Brooker shares her insights to confidence and simple things you can do to improve yours today. Introducing Claire Brooker (1:02) Claire’s take on confidence (2:38) The Golden Buddha story (3:04) Defining confidence (4:34) The starting point for authentic confidence (8:16) Inner voice - your natural visibility survival strategy (10:48) Soothing yourself and this response (12:00) Connect to your strengths (14:26) People don’t connect with perfect (16:36) Being human is enough (18:26) An easy win to be confident (19:12) http://www.claire-brooker.com/ (Claire Brooker's Website) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairebrookeruk/ (@clairebrookeruk) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) Blog post, show notes and links: https://www.helenharding.co.uk/podcast8 (helenharding.co.uk/podcast8)
We’re all in this weird reality right now where life work is in limbo. We're feeling the pressure to do more, and more - me included. I feel busier now than ever, trying to keep juggling all the balls. This week's show looks at how to stop feeling overwhelmed and stay calm among the chaos: It’s okay to feel concerned (2:45) When overwhelm strikes (4:36) 5 things to do to help stop you feeling overwhelmed (5:36) Take time out (5:42) Get clear on what’s going on (6:48) Write lists (7:26) What’s your first step? (8:22) Say ‘NO’ (9:08) If someone throws you the ball. You don’t have to catch it (9:40) Discovering your new normal (11:18) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-stop-feeling-overwhelmed (Blog post, show notes and links)
We’re in a situation where, as complementary practitioners, coaches and therapists, where we’re currently unable to work with our clients face to face. There are a lot of ways we can still deliver our services by working remotely. This doesn’t have to be high tech and all singing all dancing, start with where you are and what you have. In this episode, I look at what you need to consider when starting to work remotely. This is probably going to change the way we work forever because there are lots of benefits to working this way: The future opportunity of remote working (1:27) Insurance, professional bodies and our responsibilities for working remotely (2:02) Create a system (2:32) Brief your clients (3:09) Practice management systems (3:40) DIY systems (4:45) Booking appointments (5:00) Getting paid (5:58) Phone calls (4:47) Video calls (8:25) Requirements for working online (9:31) Provision of information and products (11:17) Practice (12:00) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/simple-ways-to-work-remotely (Blog post, show notes and links) Blog and podcast: https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/holistic-business-survival-guide/ (The Holistic Business Survival Guide) https://calendly.com/ (Calendly) https://acuityscheduling.com/ (Acuity Scheduling) https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/merchant (PayPal) https://stripe.com/gb (Stripe) https://www.dropbox.com/ (Dropbox) https://www.google.co.uk/docs/about/ (Google documents)
We’re living in challenging and uncertain times and the way we live, and work is changing fast. This show looks at the practical steps to take to secure your business. We also consider being flexible around how you work and finding creative ideas to help your clients and keep you working. Working in health and well-being, the world needs you and it’s important to look after yourself and the business you run: Practical steps (1:23) Follow up money owed to you (2:02) Contact your bank (2:18) Check your insurance policy (2:50) Grants, funds and benefits (3:08) The Federation of Small Businesses (3:26) Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert (4:30) Finding ways to work with clients (5:12) Stress, fear and worry (7:04) Boosting immune systems (8:16) Fitness (9:21) Food (10:16) Routines (11:15) Get creative (12:15) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/holistic-business-survival-guide (Blog post, show notes and links) https://www.fsb.org.uk/campaign/covid19.html (Federation of Small Businesses advice on Corona virus) http://join.fsb.org.uk/lg/34648880/ (FSB referral link) https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ (Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert)
Workshops are a great option for adding another income stream for your business. They come in all different shapes and sizes and provide your clients with an alternative way of working with you. They can be created quickly and efficiently and offer the participants a specific outcome and build a community around your services: The difference between a workshop and a training (1:13) Taster workshops (2:02) In-depth workshops (2:49) Collaborative workshops (4:08) Online workshops (5:08) Workshops for peer groups (5:50) Workshops for colleagues (6:44) Workshops for other businesses (7:33) Workshops at conferences (8:04) Finding inspiration for your workshop topics (8:30) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/workshop-ideas-for-your-holistic-business (Blog post, show notes and links) Blog: https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/why-collaborations-are-good-for-your-holistic-business (Why collaborations are good for your complementary practice) Blog: https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-workshops-and-programmes (Getting started creating workshops and programmes)
Procrastination is stopping so many complementary practitioners, therapists and coaches from thriving and building the business they are proud of. In this episode, I look at why you procrastinate and importantly, what you can do about it: What is procrastination? (1:25) Why do people procrastinate? (2:10) What are your go-to procrastination habits? (5:11) What are you procrastinating about in your business? (6:19) 6 ways to stop procrastination (6:42) Minimise distractions (6:55) Do the important tasks first (7:18) Change the stories you’re telling yourself (7:47) Create systems (8:16) Celebrate your achievements (8:45) Be kept accountable (9:14) Procrastination will kill your business (10:04) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/how-to-stop-procrastinating-on-your-marketing (Blog post, show notes and links)
Discover how to work out what marketing activities feel ethical to you, based on your ideas of right and wrong. By answering the questions in this episode, you can work out what marketing you should be doing for your complementary, therapy or coaching business: Introducing this episode (0:27) What is ethical marketing (0:39) What do you like best about the marketing you’re doing? (2:06) What don’t you like about your marketing? (3:01) What are your communication strengths? (3:57) What marketing activities do you enjoy doing the most? (5:44) The things you like about other people’s marketing (6:50) What marketing don’t you like? (7:40) What sounds fun to try? (8:22) Consider your answers and decide what marketing is right for you (9:02) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/discovering-your-ethical-marketing-activities (Blog post, show notes and links)
Constantly working on your own can be a slog, and there are big disadvantages to trying to go it alone with your marketing. In this episode I look at how working like this will hold your marketing back and what you can do about it: Introducing this episode (0:27) 1st disadvantage is feeling overwhelmed (1:10) 2nd disadvantage where you have no-one to bounce ideas off (1:48) 3rd disadvantage is the lack of motivation (2:35) 4th disadvantage is the lack of direction (3:02) 5th disadvantage is the lack of skills (3:28) Build your support network (4:16) Get a business buddy (4.28) Mastermind groups (5:43) In-person workshops (6:53) Online marketing programmes (7:58) Get a coach or mentor (8:34) https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticbusinessmatters/ (Join the Holistic Business Matters Facebook group) https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/disadvantages-of-working-alone-on-your-marketing (Blog post, show notes and links)
A short introduction to let you know what you can expect from this podcast Who is it for? For complementary practitioners, therapists and coaches working in health and well-being and want to create a sustainable, thriving practice, on your terms. What is it about? A weekly, bite-sized podcasts with the occasional interview with an accompanying full blog post. We’ll be covering topics to help you build your practice, so everything from business, to marketing and mindset. I want to show you that marketing isn’t a dark art and you don’t have to sell your soul. How you can create really good quality marketing that’s ethical. Who am I? I’m Helen Harding, I’m a complementary practitioner and I’m also a chartered marketer. As a practitioner I work with clients using a specialised training called the Lightning Process. I help my clients influence their life and health based on the mind body connection. As a marketer, I help other practitioners create amazing businesses that they’re proud of, based on them, their skills and their strengths. I want you to discover that marketing can be good and even fun. Join me and other like-minded practitioners in our Facebook group ‘Holistic Business Matters’ and continue the conversations in there. For show notes and links to any resources I talk about in this podcast, head over to my website: https://www.helenharding.co.uk (helenharding.co.uk)