Running an online business can be hard work. You need to be able to manage your time and resources well while also providing great value to your clients.
Do you feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up? Are you struggling to find enough time in the day to get everything done?
Fortunately, there are a number of great tech tools and strategies you can use to automate your coaching business. In this video, I’ll share my top picks. By automating the tasks that take up your valuable time, you can focus on things only you can do, like developing relationships with clients so you can grow your business.
The show notes are below.
If you run your own business, you know that one of the biggest challenges is finding enough time in the day to get everything done. There’s client work, administrative tasks, marketing, not to mention just finding time to take a breath! One of the best ways to free up some time is to automate key processes.
I started my business in 2008 and have used several different platforms over the years. Simple is key, and know that you don’t have to invest a lot in tech to make it work for you.
Manage Client Relationships
A CRM is a must-have for any business that relies on client relationships, and that includes coaching businesses. A CRM will help you keep track of your clients, their contact information, communication history via email, and more. This information will be stored in one central location so you can access it anytime, anywhere.
When first getting started, the no-tech method is a great place to start, and you can set it up with an excel spreadsheet in Google Drive. The dilemma is being consistent with filling in information after you connect with someone in person or online. If you send an email or a message, you also need to be able to track that it was sent and opened.
There are several great CRMs on the market. I’m all about simple to start and would recommend Agile or Zoho if you want a stand-alone platform.
A low-tech option is to use a Trello board with a Crumbl plugin. It’s easy to set up and great for visual learners.
To find the right CRM for your business, take some time to research your options and read online reviews. Once you’ve found a few CRMs that look promising, try them out with a free trial to see which one works best for you.
Schedule in a Snap
If you’re still using a paper calendar or a generic scheduling tool like Google Calendar to schedule appointments with clients, it’s time to upgrade to dedicated scheduling software.
Scheduling software is designed specifically for businesses that need to schedule appointments, so it offers features and functionality that other tools simply don’t have. Plus, many scheduling tools integrate with popular CRMs (like the ones we mentioned above), making it easy to track your client relationships. Some of our favorite scheduling tools include Acuity Scheduling and Calendly.
Once you create the links, add them to social media posts, blogs, in emails, landing pages and your website. The platforms will send meeting reminders on your behalf so it’s one less thing to worry about.
The cost difference – Acuity offers a free 7-day trial and Calendly can be free for life if you only need to create one link. Again, try out a few options with free trials before settling on one tool that you’ll use long-term.
Connect and Convert
Email marketing is still one of the most effective marketing channels available today – but only if it’s done right. With email marketing software like MailChimp or Constant Contact, you can easily create email campaigns or newsletters that will help you to consistently connect with your subscribers so when you are ready to make an offer, then it’s easier to convert your avid fans to clients.
Plus, these tools make it easy to automate your email marketing tasks so you can focus on other areas of your business. They also provide simple landing page templates when you’re ready to promote your free and paid offers.
If you want to combine your email marketing with a CRM and automation, then check out Active Campaign. The learning curve is a little steeper but the platform does so more. As always, start with a free trial to help you decide which is best for your business.
Make Social Easier
Social media is another important marketing channel for coaching businesses – but it can be time-consuming if you’re doing it manually. Fortunately, many great social media management tools are available that make it easy to Automate Your posting schedule social media posts in advance, so you always have fresh content going out without having to think about it each day.
Metricool and Later are two popular social media management tools I’ve used and like. They help you create, schedule, and track the engagement on your posts.
If you’re going to be posting to more than one social media channel, consider a tool scheduling tool to simplify things.
Get Paid Quicker
Another big time sink for coaches and consultants is invoicing and managing client payments.
Luckily, there are several great options out there for automating payments. Paypal and Stripe are two popular choices that allow you to set up recurring payments so that you can get paid automatically on a regular basis. This frees up a ton of time that you would otherwise spend sending invoices and chasing down payments.
Payment platforms are easy to integrate with your website, landing, and sales pages too.
These are just a few of the many ways that you can use automation to free up some time in your coaching business.
Yes, there is always a learning curve, but by automating some of the more tedious tasks involved in running your business, you’ll be able to focus on more important things…like getting more clients and generating more revenue!
P.S. For additional tips, resources and AI prompts to help you make an impact with your brand, your offers, and the funnel you need to close the gap to get more clients online, get on my email list…
