✨ I’m letting you in on five sales strategies you can implement today to land that first or next client
“I just don’t know HOW to actually get clients.”
“I feel like I’m at the whim of referrals.”
“I want to get to a point where I don’t have to worry about where the next client is coming from.”
“I feel like clients just show up out of thin air but there’s no consistency to it.”
“It feels like my business is always in feast or famine.”
Oof. I’ve been there.
In fact, these are some of the most common things I hear on my free Sincere Sales coaching calls.
Lucky for you, I’m also amazing at helping you shift those thoughts so you can start feeling more connected to generating leads and start closing sales in a way that actually feels good.
Seriously, I used to squirm at the idea of sales and now it’s actually one of my favorite things—not to mention, exactly what supported me in booking out my coaching practice (ICYMI we’re moving to a waitlist for Future You coaching!!).
I freaking love offering that personalized and specific mindset support, which is why you’ll still see me talking about these free calls even WITH a full coaching practice. So if you haven’t taken me up on that yet, remind me again why that is?
I know what an absolute game-changer actually feeling good about sales can be for you, your business, and your results—and my ultimate goal is to help you get those results so I can't help myself.
But regardless of whether you take me up on that amazing offer, I want you to know how to close sales and get clients.
Because I’ll be real, “I don’t even know HOW to sell” is the exact thought standing in your way from making it happen.
So this week, I’m telling you how. Yes, I’m giving you the exact strategies you can use to land that first or next client.
And honestly, what I’ve found to be true is that it isn’t really that you don’t know how—you have plenty of ideas—it’s that your mindset isn’t quite on board with the strategy yet. And THAT makes the actions feel that much harder to take.
So I’m dishing out 5 ways to sell more this week so you can land your first or next client, PLUS the mindset you need to take those actions and make it happen so you can grow your business with far more ease than you might think.
Sales Strategy #1: Offer assessment calls
Have you ever THOUGHT about something that you wanted to purchase, and yet, haven’t actually made a move to make it happen, yet?
Seriously, I do this all the time and I know I’m not the only one.
For instance, I can have the thought that I’d like to wear more dresses because the ones Shea wears on Dream Home Makeover are gorgeous and flowy, and look like such an easy way to look put together…
AND YET… do exactly nothing to make that actually happen.
Now, what if you thought about your potential clients in a similar way?
What if they’re out there, THINKING about how amazing it would be to have a VA on their team to take these little annoying tasks off their hands…
OR how amazing it would be to have a website that they’re not embarrassed to send people to…
OR how amazing it would be to have a brand photoshoot so they weren’t posting the same selfies for the 47th time…
And yet, they’ve done nothing to make that happen. They don’t know where to find that person. They’re not even really sure it’s a MUST HAVE right now. So it’s just something in the back of their head.
Now, envision inviting that exact same person to a call where you move them closer to the thing they’ve been wanting.
So if you’re a website designer, offering to talk about 3 easy ways they could improve their website (and feel less embarrassed about it!) on an assessment call.
I mean it’s basically the difference between me thinking about buying the dress and actually being IN the store trying it on.
All of a sudden it went from a vague thing I might want to an, “OMG this is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
THAT is the power of assessment calls—taking that person on a journey from “it would be nice to have” to “this is exactly what I need.”
So if you’ve been thinking about how to provide value, make connections, and tell people how they can hire you so you can help more, then I highly recommend creating an assessment call of your own.
Sales Strategy #2: Personal outreach and relationship building
If you’re looking for the partner of your dreams, you’re probably doing more than just sitting on the couch night after night, waiting for that person to show up at your doorstep, right?
Right. You’re probably putting yourself out there, going on dating websites, asking your friends if they know anyone, etc.
Aka you’re showing up for the thing you say you want by taking action that’s in alignment with that, and trusting that you’ll find that person you’ve been looking for.
The same goes for landing clients.
This is one of the biggest energy shifts I see when I first start working with Future You clients, because instead of feeling like they’re waitinggggggg for the clients to come to them, they feel empowered to go out there and get them.
This is where personal outreach comes in. And I’m not talking about gross mass DMs to people you’ve never talked to before asking them to buy (please don’t do that).
I’m talking about a real, human, genuine connection with another person.
And if your brain is telling you that it’s too spammy or salsey to do this or too similar to a “cold pitch” then I’d like to remind you those are the exact thoughts standing in your way from making it happen in a way that feels good to you.
Seriously, I have a client who has built their entire business on personal outreach emails.
And it’s definitely not rocket science or nearly as complicated as you may be thinking.
But where I think most people go wrong with this is that they forget to make this outreach personalized, specific, and lead with value.
PLUS, they think that most people don’t actually want to buy what they’re selling (they do!).
So spoiler alert: when you nail those pieces, everything else falls into place.
This doesn’t even need to be an email. It can be a voice memo. A Facebook message. An invitation to a coffee chat. Or literally WHATEVER feels good to you and builds those relationships.
Remember, this is a long-term strategy more so than something you try once and put on a shelf so give it time to work.
That client I was talking about that has built their business on these? They’ve had people come back over a year later and want to hire them.
So focus more on the connection and the relationship, and let the results show up because of it.
Sales Strategy #3: Ask for referrals
Referrals are a funny thing.
My entire design business was built on referrals. It was amazing and also terrifying.
I felt like everything in my business happened outside of me. Like I never knew when the next client would come, when a past client would have repeat business, or how to actually even GET clients on my own.
I felt SO incredibly disconnected from my results. That was until I learned the power of marketing and sales.
So I’m going to tell you what I wish I had known and had the mindset to actually follow through on… 🤫
You can ask for referrals.
YES. Seriously, you can just ask.
So practically speaking, what does that look like?
Sending an email out to your personal network, past clients, and current clients, letting them know that you have X spots available this month that you’re looking to fill and if they know anyone, you’d love to connect with them.
Sometimes it will be a past or current client that raises their hand to let you know that they’ve been thinking about a project but haven’t had a chance to reach out yet.
Other times they’re happy to make a connection.
And sometimes they simply don’t know anyone that would be a fit, and it’s important to remember that that’s okay too!
I’ve been on the receiving end of emails and DMs like this in my own personal network and I’ve always racked my brain to see if I know anyone. I’m eager to help if I can and in many cases have made referrals or connections that easily led to business with others!
And if it feels good to you, you can even set up a formal referral program with incentives so people are even more excited to recommend people your way.
The point is, most people genuinely want to help. SO if you need help, sometimes all you have to do is ask!
Sales Strategy #4: Answer questions
I feel like this is one of the most underrated sales strategies.
But sometimes the best way to show people how you can help them is…
By actually helping them.
I know, crazy, right!?
Early on in my coaching business, I found that one of the fastest and easiest ways to connect with ideal clients was by hanging out in Facebook groups and answering questions.
Again, this is a REALLY simple strategy that works.
It doesn’t even have to be in Facebook groups—it can be wherever your ideal clients are hanging out and asking questions.
And honestly, if you’re having some mindset challenges around selling, this is one of the best places to start because it allows you to be of service first and foremost.
Now, the key to this is knowing when to transition to a call or audio message so you can be of more service and talk about how you can work together to help them further.
I mean really think about it. There’s only so much you can tell about someone from a few sentences and it’s of much more value to them if you’re able to have a more in-depth private conversation than one in a public group.
That can look as simple as answering their question and inviting them to take the next step. Something like, “What I’ve found to be true for me is X but I’d love to better understand your unique struggle and talk about how I can help more on a call. If that feels good to you (and I hope it does!) let me know and I can send over a link to get that scheduled. Does that sound like it would be helpful?”
Will everyone you offer this to take you up on it? No. But will some people? Definitely!
And really, you’re not a perfect fit for everyone anyway, so don’t get discouraged by the “no’s” — the right people will always find you if you keep showing up!
Sales Strategy #5: Tell them why they should hire YOU
I look back and I now think it’s hilarious that when I started my coaching business, I was terrified of people finding out I ran a successful design business for years before pivoting.
In my mind, it was as if because I didn’t come out of the womb coaching people, I was somehow less qualified.
The irony of that is that it’s also the exact reason my clients DO hire me. But it meant that I had to get my mindset on board with that first.
It meant that I had to be comfortable letting potential clients know that I had booked $10k website design projects in the past, so I KNEW it was possible for them to raise their rates.
It meant I had to talk about how I had design clients go on to have their products featured in Anthropologie and have shows on HGTV, and therefore I KNEW it was possible for them to land dreamy clients.
It meant I had to start talking about how I had a business where I work roughly 25 hours a week and have a flexible schedule but make more than ever before, so I KNEW that doing less and making more was possible for them.
Because all of those things are the exact reasons my clients should hire ME over any other coach out there.
Because I’m well versed in the very things they’re craving in their life and business. I’m proof it’s possible.
And yet, it’s the very thing I wasn’t telling people and there’s a good chance that you may not be either.
So the question I’d like to consider is, “Why are you the perfect person to help your ideal clients?”
Seriously, stop, drop, and journal it out.
Because THOSE are the exact things that you can be highlighting in your content and sales conversations so your people are excited to buy from you!
The bottom line:
I honestly believe that the strategy is the easy part. I mean, I just gave you 5 of them that you can put into action TODAY to land that first or next client.
But, I also know that this is where mindset work comes in.
Because with each strategy, there’s likely a part of you that’s convinced it may work for other people but it wouldn’t work for you.
Or that you’ll start reaching out to people once you get through the last course you bought.
Or you would ask for referrals but only once you have your website designed and your new offerings listed.
And I’m here to tell you that these are all lies your brain is telling you.
Every single one of these sales strategies is something that you can implement TODAY without any of those things standing in your way.
And I’m here to help you shift your mindset and make it happen.
If you’re ready to start selling in a way that actually feels good and has more results to show for it, then I’d love to support you on my free Sincere Sales coaching call.
Together we’ll get to the root of your number one mindset challenge when it comes to sales, and shift it, so you can convert with more ease than ever before.
My coaching practice is currently full and we’re moving to a waitlist, so this free Sincere Sales call is one of the only ways to get my eyes on your biz (and your mindset!) NOW. Don’t miss the opportunity to grab yours here!!
Tell me in the comments below:
Which strategy are you going to start applying to your business this week to land your first or next client?
Photography by Jennifer Morgan Photography
