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Our Top 7 Book Recommendations for Health Coaches

by Kathleen LeGrys | Aug 28, 2023

Our Top 7 Book Recommendations for Health Coaches

Karen Pattock and I love to read, so today we’re sharing a few of our favorite business and personal development books that we think you’ll like too. These are books that have made an impact on us personally or in our business (or both).

In this episode, you’ll discover:

A list of our favorite business and mindset books that made a lasting impact on us and how we show up each day as coaches and entrepreneurs
Insight into what we loved about each book and why we believe they will have an impact on you too
Personal stories of what we were struggling with and how these books pushed us to change and grow

Good books are meant to be shared and we’re excited to share our faves with you.

1. The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran. You’ve likely heard us talk about this book on the podcast before because it is one of our all-time favorites. If you’re a planner like we are then you’re going to love the premise of this book. Essentially, the author shares a strategy for planning and running each 12-week increment – or 90-day interval as a year in your business. If you’ve ever tried to put a one-year plan in place on January 1^st, chances are by the end of May you were already off track. Projects took longer than expected, new opportunities presented themselves, your personal life had something unforeseen come up. When you plan in 12-week increments, and they are considered their own individual profit and loss centers, it’s easier to stay on track with meeting your goals.

2. The Power of Less – By Leo Babauta

I read this book a few years ago and I just picked it up to read it again recently. I like it because it’s really about simplifying things to get the best results – in business and in our daily lives. It’s about setting boundaries and goals, so you can have better focus, less stress and live a more fulfilling life. Rather than feeling like you have to do it all, when you focus on less and you go all in, you’ll make more progress.

The author talks about choosing the tasks and actions with the most impact – he calls these high-impact tasks. He also covers something we both know to be true, but it can be difficult to stick to sometimes and that is focusing on the task at hand instead of multitasking, because focusing on one thing at a time, makes you more productive because you can take things to completion, and see progress faster.

In a nutshell, it’s about streamlining your life by determining what is essential while ditching the unnecessary, so you can accomplish the goals that can change your life for the better.

You’ll learn how to break down goals into manageable tasks.
Focus on fewer things at one time.
Create more productive habits.
Improve your focus.
Increase your efficiency.

The book is only 170 pages, so it’s pretty easy to get through.

3. The One Thing by Gary Keller. If you tend to not finish projects or are easily distracted by shiny object syndrome this book is for you. It is an amazing book that outlines the necessary steps to be your most productive self.

In The ONE Thing, you’ll learn to:

Cut through the clutter
Achieve better results in less time
Build momentum toward your goal
Overcome that overwhelmed feeling
Master what matters to you

The most amazing thing about this book is you can apply the principles to not just your business but your personal life also.

Our Top 7 Book Recommendations for Health Coaches

4. Rise of the Youpreneur, by Chris Ducker. The subtitle of the book is: The definitive guide to becoming the go-to leader in your industry and building a future-proof business.

This book is kind of like your A-Z guide for starting and growing a business for your personal brand.

I’ve met Chris in person, we’ve had him on the podcast a couple of times, and he’s a great teacher. He has a way of breaking things down in easy to understand and implement steps, so the book is very actionable.

Here’s some of what he covers in the book:

Defining your perfect customer
Positioning yourself as an expert
Growing your business circle – making connections and networking
Building your email list
Developing your pricing strategy
Launch strategies for your promotions

It’s a really good book for anyone who is starting out in the online space or they’ve been at it a while and want to fine tune things a bit.

5. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes.

Shonda Rhimes is a television writer and producer of some of the most popular shows ever created. Shows like Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, and Private Practice. Needless to say, she is a very busy and focused woman. She also has 3 kids at home so staying in her lane became her formula for success for years.

Then through a conversation with her sister she realized that she was always saying no to the opportunities that came her way. That’s when she decided to embrace what she called a Year of Yes.

Karen loved this book because it’s so easy to double down on building a business once you’ve made the decision to become an entrepreneur and forget everything else around you. After reading Shonda’s book, Karen realized how isolated she had become since starting her business in 2011 because she was focused on building the best business she could. After reading this book a few years back she has reprioritized the things that are truly meaningful to her, opened herself up for the unexpected, and to say ‘yes’ more than she says ‘no’.

6. My next book recommendation is another one by Chris Ducker, called Virtual Freedom. The subtitle is: How to work with virtual staff to buy more time, become more productive and build your dream business.

This book was instrumental to me when I was looking to start outsourcing things in my business. It’s a complete step-by-step guide that walks you through how to decide what to outsource, how to find the right people, writing a good job description, communicating with your virtual team and much more. One of the trickiest things for me in the beginning was trying to figure out what to delegate, and this book was really helpful. I highly recommend it if you’re ready to find people to help you in your business, so you can focus more on the income-generating tasks rather than getting lost in a sea of endless tasks that others can take off your plate.

7. Perception: Take Charge of How Others View Your Brand, Become Irresistible, and Make a Bigger Impact by: Christo Hall & Franziska Iseli. Karen loved this book, and she has read it a few times over the years. The author uses 3 different entrepreneurs at different stages of their businesses, to illustrate their marketing strategies. This is not your everyday boring marketing book. Instead, the authors brought their teachings to life through the telling of a day-in-the-life of three friends that are all business owners. It’s a quick read and will have you turning the page to find out what happens next.

Perception teaches you to take charge: to define and then create the perception of you or your business that will lead you to the lasting success you desire. It is aimed mainly at small business owners and entrepreneurs who are looking towards defining a brand strategy targeted at increasing business growth. The strategies behind influencing perception outlined in this book also work to shape our personal lives as well.

We hope you enjoyed our book recommendations, and you take the time to read at least one of them.

Enjoy!

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The Power of Surveys and Polls to Create Content Your Audience Craves

by Kathleen LeGrys | Aug 21, 2023

The Power of Surveys and Polls to Create Content Your Audience Craves

Surveys and polls can be a great way to find out what your audience is interested in the most, so you can create free content that builds connection, and paid content (your coaching programs) they’re excited about.

It’s easy to follow an idea of something you think your audience might be interested in, but without doing a little research first, it’s a bit of a guessing game. It’s disappointing when you share content that you’ve been working on, and your audience doesn’t respond or show any interest. We’re sharing how you can avoid this happening.

In this episode you will discover:

The importance of surveying your audience before creating any new content for your health coaching clients, to ensure that your content aligns with their preferences
The easiest ways to get feedback and input from your audience
Why surveying your audience not only helps shape your free content but also leads your paid program creation by understanding your clients’ challenges, interests, and preferred program features

We are firm believers that before you should create any new content for your dream clients, whether that’s a free download or paid program content, you should first survey your audience to see what it is they really want.

Here’s how you can incorporate this strategy into your content creation process.

Your Audience

First, and most importantly, be sure that the audience you are surveying is one that is made up of your dream clients. Having anyone else give their opinion by voting just skews the results. The best audience you can have is either 1) your email list or 2) your own private Facebook group. These are the people that will share the most relevant information and are the warmest leads for you and your content.

Polling your following on social media is also a great option but remember, it has the potential to be a little more general depending on the type of information you share to attract your audience. This is still a great option though so be sure to take advantage of it.

Your Topic

Next up, it’s important to know what specific feedback you’re looking for, so your questions provide the best feedback. If you’re doing a poll in your Facebook group to find out what topics interest them the most for your next livestream, provide a few options, and also allow people to add their own suggestions. Oftentimes, you’ll get suggestions you hadn’t considered, so it can be really helpful to get other recommendations.

Your Survey Questions

Here are examples for questions you can use in your surveys to get great insights about what they want to learn more about and what type of content they like to consume.

What health topics are you most interested in learning about or receiving guidance on when it comes to _____________(insert your area of expertise)? (e.g., sugar cravings, weight loss over 40, stress management, sleep, menopause, etc.)
How do you prefer to consume health-related content? (e.g., articles, videos, podcasts, infographics, short social media posts)
What are your biggest challenges or obstacles when it comes to dealing with _____________(insert your area of expertise)? (e.g., sugar cravings, weight loss over 40, stress management, sleep, menopause, etc.)
Are you interested in receiving healthy recipes or meal planning tips? If yes, what type of recipes or meal plans would you like to see? (e.g., vegan, gluten-free, quick and easy, etc.)
How frequently would you like to receive health coaching content from me? (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)
Are there any specific areas of your health you would like more guidance on? (e.g., weight management, hormone balance, gut health)
Do you have any preferred formats for interactive content, such as quizzes, challenges, or worksheets, resource guides, checklists, to support your health journey?
Is there anything else you would like to share or suggest regarding the type of health coaching content you would find valuable?

The Power of Surveys and Polls to Create Content Your Audience Craves

Social Media Poll Questions

Which health topics are you most interested in learning about related to __________ (insert your area of specialty)? a) Nutrition and meal planning b) Exercise and fitness routines c) Stress management and mindfulness d) Mental health and self-care e) Other (please specify)
What type of content format do you prefer for health-related tips and guidance? a) Written articles or blog posts b) Informative videos c) Engaging infographics d) Interactive quizzes or polls
How often would you like to see health coaching content from me on social media? a) Daily b) 2-3 times per week c) Weekly
What length of content do you prefer on social media platforms? a) Short and concise (1-2 paragraphs) b) Medium length (3-5 paragraphs) c) Longer form (full articles or in-depth posts)
How do you prefer to engage with my health coaching content on social media? a) Liking and commenting on posts b) Sharing with others c) Saving posts for future reference d) Participating in challenges or interactive activities e) Other (please specify)
Would you like me to include success stories or testimonials from clients in my content? a) Yes, please share inspiring stories b) No, I don’t find that inspiring c) Occasionally is good with me
Are there any specific health-related myths or misconceptions you would like me to address and debunk in my content?
Is there anything else you would like to suggest or share regarding the type of health coaching content you would find valuable on social media

Coaching Program Content Questions

I’m thinking about creating a new program on the topic of ______________ and I’d love your input whether you would be interested in learning more about that with me as your coach. a) Yes, I would love a program on that topic. b) No, I’m not interested. c) Possibly, I would need more information to know for sure.
How long have you been dealing with your _______________ symptoms and how frustrating are they for you on a daily basis? a) Super frustrating and I can’t wait to find a solution. b) Annoying but I’m managing things on my own. c) Not frustrating at all.
If you’ve tried other programs in the past, what was your experience?
If I decide to create this program in the future, what would it be worth to you to finally solve your ______________ challenges once and for all while being supported and guided by an experienced coach? a) $97 – $197 – a DIY program with no coaching services, b) $197 – $397 – a DIY program with live Q&A’s to get questions answered, c) $397 – $797 – a step by step program with live coaching calls, d) $797+ a step by step program with private coaching calls.

5) Recap info

Surveys and polls are a way to open up the lines of communication between you and your followers so you can dial in on exactly what they want to learn from you in your free content as well as your paid content. Take these questions and make them your own. Start by doing polls on social and then create a more robust survey using something like Google Forms. Each poll or survey you create gets you one step closer to knowing what your clients want to learn from you.

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3 Secrets to Running a Highly Profitable Online Health Coaching Program

by Kathleen LeGrys | Aug 14, 2023

3 Secrets to Running a Highly Profitable Online Health Coaching Program

If you want to run a highly profitable online health coaching program, there are a few key components you need to have in place.

After running many online programs over the last 10 years, we’ve learned a few key lessons, and we’re sharing 3 of the most important ones on this episode.

Here’s what you’ll discover:

The 3 secrets to know before you run your program
How to create a system you can easily rinse and repeat
Why having a specific niche is important to the success of your online program
Common mistakes to avoid and what to do instead

Tune in to find out what you want to make sure you have in place to ensure the best possible results for your online program.

When I was a health coach, I loved running online group programs because it allowed me to help more people at one time while working fewer hours. I also loved the energy and community of hosting a Facebook group for each cohort, and the participants loved it too because they felt connected and not so alone in their journey. At the time, my kids were still pretty young, and I only had a few hours each week to see clients, so this format of coaching gave me a lot more schedule flexibility which was important. Whether you want to add another income stream, or you want to streamline your business more, this episode will be helpful.

Before we get started, I wanted to let you know that my pre-made, 6-month health coaching program called Coach with Confidence is on sale right now. Today, through August 16^th, it’s 30% off with code: AUG2023. You get all the content and resources you need to run a successful health coaching program – both with your 1-on-1 clients and as an online program. One of the biggest hurdles to launching a coaching program is having all the content and systems you need, so the Coach with Confidence program solves that for you, so you can start coaching and helping people now instead of months from now. This program comes with 12 comprehensive health and wellness topics that can be customized to fit almost any niche. One of the things coaches love about it is that it’s available in Canva too, so it’s super quick and easy to customize.

Check it out and take advantage of the savings if it’s a good fit for you.

3 Secrets to Running a Highly Profitable Online Health Coaching Program

Let’s dive into the first secret.

1. Your program must be SIMPLE: This applies to your tech approach and your program content. As you get started, you don’t want to get bogged down with the tech, so the simplest way to deliver and run an online group coaching program is through a Facebook group. This can be a great way to go for your first couple of rounds that you run it, so you can test things and then decide what features or bells and whistles you want to have for the next time. For example, you can use Practice Better to run your programs, or you can use something like Kajabi if you want it to be more like an online course. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to getting started is the tech, so ask yourself what is the simplest way to deliver your program and do that. Taking action is always better than worrying about it being perfect.

As far as being simple for your clients, you want the action steps to be simple and easy to implement and not overwhelm people with too many things to do. Less is more with our clients! Each session should include no more than two action items at a time. An overwhelmed client is a frustrated client, and a frustrated client is likely to quit (and not refer people to you).

While it may seem very basic to us, we have to remember that we are further along in our journey than our ideal clients are. When you know where they are in the process, it makes it easier to share information that is relevant to them. You just don’t want to assume they are further along, because most of them will not be. Sometimes we feel like more is better, but in most instances, that is not the case at all, and that should be a relief for you.

Secret #2

Your program should be SYSTEMATIZED: It’s important to have a program that you can use over and over again to save time and help more people. You need structure – a system that makes clients feel at ease and know they are in good hands. This will actually have you feeling more at ease too. A great way to do this is to have a signature program that will work with any ideal client.

When you look at the topics your clients need to know, and you map it out in a logical way, you are creating a path – a system they can follow. You can use this system with your 1-on-1 clients too. This goes back to knowing your niche, who you help and how you help them. If you help everyone and you don’t have a set area of specialty, having a system is going to be very challenging because you’ll be covering 100 different topics, but when you focus on a specific problem and solution, creating a core foundational program becomes so much easier.

There are 12 popular health and wellness topics included in my Coach with
Confidence program and it gives you a system you can easily rinse and repeat.

3 Secrets to Running a Highly Profitable Online Health Coaching Program
Secret #3 – this one is critical too if you want to enroll more new clients.

Your program must be SPECIFIC: The more specific you are about who you help and how, the more compelling and irresistible your program will be, and the easier it will be to attract your ideal clients. It will also be much easier to convey the results they can get, which is what they want to know. If you don’t know the answer to this right now, it’s okay. The more people you help, the more clarity you’ll get on who you enjoy helping the most.

It’s important to understand that people are searching for a solution to their specific problem, so if you say you’re a health coach who helps people eat healthy and have more energy, that’s too vague and isn’t going to be compelling enough to fill your programs because people want a specific outcome or result.

But…If you say you help women who have Type 2 Diabetes lower and manage their blood sugar through a delicious whole foods diet, you are being very clear and specific. Your goal is not to be a coach for everyone, but to be the clear and obvious choice to a few hundred people who will flock to you because you have a specific plan for them. Choosing a niche will be incredibly helpful with your marketing efforts, so when your ideal clients see your offer, they will be much more likely to enroll because it’s clear and obvious who it’s for and how it will help them.

This is a topic we cover in depth in our Wellness Business Accelerator program, and it’s one of the lessons that makes the biggest difference for the coaches who go through it because one they figure out who they want to help and how they help them, everything else becomes easier and more effective – and they start enrolling more clients. We’ll be opening the doors to the Wellness Business Accelerator in October, and you can get on the VIP wait list to be notified as soon as enrollment opens.

Let’s RECAP.

The 3 secrets to running a highly profitable online coaching program are that it must be:

Simple – for you as the coach to implement and run, AND simple for your clients to implement.
Systematized – so you can run the same program over and over again.
Specific – so you can attract your ideal clients who want the solution to the problem you help them solve.

If you want to run an online coaching program but you aren’t sure how to put all the pieces into place, check out my Coach with Confidence program that gives you everything you need – you can either use it for a 6-month coaching program or you can break it up into smaller programs such as two 3-month programs. Use code: AUG23 to save 30% through August 16^th 2023.

Resources and Links mentioned on the show:

30% off Kathleen’s Coach with Confidence program
Use code: AUG2023 to save 30% through August 16, 2023

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BEST OF: 10-Point Checklist for Your Website Homepage

by Kathleen LeGrys | Aug 7, 2023

BEST OF: 10-Point Checklist for Your Website Homepage

Designing the home page for your website may feel a little confusing, but when you have a clear understanding of the purpose this page serves, you’ll find it’s probably a lot easier than you think. We prefer to think of it like our online home and the homepage is like the foyer where we greet a new guest. We invite them in and give them the lay of the land to help them feel more comfortable, cozy, and empowered to get around on their own.

In this episode we walk you through our 10-point website homepage checklist so you can create a new page or improve on the one you already have.

Here’s what you’ll discover:

The overall purpose of your website homepage so you can maximize your visitor’s overall experience, (and keep him/her on your website longer)
Our 10-point homepage checklist and how to apply it to your website for better results
Why going through this exercise will be an eye-opening experience for you so you’ll be able to improve your website marketing message to attract more dream clients

Today we’re bringing back a popular episode of the podcast that will walk you through our 10-point website homepage checklist. The good news is that you can design your website in phases; you don’t have to do it all at once. Since each page has its own unique purpose, it’s easy to start and stop one page at a time. Since your homepage will get the most visitors and it can also help you build your email list, that’s where we are starting.

Alright, let’s dive into our 10-point checklist.

#1: Navigation Bar

The navigation bar should be located at the top of your website homepage. At a minimum, it should include a tab for the about me page, paid programs/services and a contact me form.

#2: Search Icon

The search icon should also be located at the top of your website. It gives your website visitors the ability to search for keyword and topics within your side that interest them.

#3: Marketing Statement

Your marketing statement is a simple one sentence structure that shares who you help, how you help, and the outcome or transformation that you offer. It’s structured like this –

I help ______________ get ______________ result using ___________ method.

A great example from one of our Wellness Business Accelerator clients Karen Finn is:

Helping women lose weight and tackle menopausal symptoms with intermittent fasting and self-care strategies.

#4: Your Picture

It’s important to include your picture at the top of your website because as a personal brand you are truly selling yourself as much as you are selling the transformation that you offer. Your dream clients want to get to know you and by showing up at the top of your homepage you’ll start building a relationship and the know, like trust factor with them immediately.

#5: List Building Freebie

It’s important to add your list building freebie title near the top of your homepage as well. It should be visible on a desktop computer without needing to scroll down to find it, (which is called above the fold). You will capture the most emails from your website visitors in this location.

#6: Opt-In Box

The box for someone to add their email address should also be located above the fold. I recommend either just one box to capture their email address or two boxes, one for their first name and one for their email. The more boxes you add beyond that will discourage your website visitors from downloading your freebie.

#7: Direction/Guidance Buttons

Direction and/or guidance buttons should be located near the middle of your homepage. Think of these like shortcuts to the places on your site you most want to take your visitor. Just create three or four graphics and then hyperlink that graphic to the desired page or location.

#8: Testimonials

Since it’s likely that your website visitor will scan your homepage quickly it’s nice to include two or three brief testimonials from past clients.

#9: Latest Blogs

If you are someone that publishes a blog through your website it’s a good idea to add a summary of the last three blogs on your homepage. The idea is that when your website visitor scans the page a few of your recent blogs will capture their attention and then they’ll stick around to read them.

#10: Social Media Links

One of the easiest ways to get new social media followers is to include links from your website homepage to your main social media profile and business pages. We recommend that you link only to the social media platforms that you are active on. If you aren’t posting consistently don’t link to that platform.

Your website is your online home, and your homepage is the place where your website visitor can window shop the most important aspects of your site. In essence, you are building a mini customer journey just for your website homepage visitors.

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