The Levers You Can Pull When You Need More Clients
One of the most dangerous positions you can get into as an online coach is not knowing where your next client is coming from.
You need another client, so you post more.
Nothing happens.
You post again.
Still nothing.
Then you start questioning your offer, changing your bio, dropping your price or deciding Instagram just doesnt work anymore.
The problem is usually much simpler.
You're relying on one lever.
Lead generation isn't one thing.
There are multiple ways you can create opportunities inside your business, and when you need more clients you should know exactly which levers you can start pulling.
Stop waiting for inbound
Inbound leads are brilliant.
Someone watches your content, follows you for a while and eventually messages asking about coaching.
Perfect.
But I wouldn't build my entire lead generation strategy around waiting for that to happen.
Especially when you're still growing.
You need to create opportunities as well as receive them.
Thats why I want you thinking about lead generation as a collection of levers.
Some create attention.
Some create trust.
Some create conversations.
Some capture leads.
Some reactivate people who already know you.
Together, they create opportunities.
Lever 1: Targeted following
This is probably one of the simplest things you can start doing.
Find more of the people you actually want following you.
Not random accounts.
Not follow-for-follow.
Not 500 people every day hoping 50 follow back.
Targeted people who fit your DCP.
You can find them through:
Local gyms.
Relevant pages.
Communities.
People engaging with content around problems you solve.
Your existing clients' networks.
Then engage normally.
Follow them.
Look at their page.
Interact when theres actually something worth interacting with.
You're basically putting your profile in front of more of the right people.
If your profile is positioned properly and your content is relevant, some of those people will naturally come and look.
Thats why all of this connects.
Lever 2: Starting conversations
We've covered this already, but its one of the biggest levers you can pull.
Make the first move.
Speak to new followers.
Speak to people engaging with your content.
Speak to Story viewers.
Speak to people who vote on polls.
Speak to people who clearly fit your DCP.
You aren't pitching everyone.
You're starting conversations.
If you need more leads and you've started three conversations this week, dont tell me lead generation isn't working.
You aren't doing enough lead generation to know yet.
Lever 3: Your Stories
Stories are a lead generation tool.
Use them like one.
Dont just reshare your latest reel and disappear.
Use polls around problems your DCP experiences.
Ask questions.
Talk about your coaching.
Show client wins.
Share opinions.
Talk about spaces becoming available.
Show what you're working on.
Create reasons for people to interact.
Then look at who interacts.
If you run a poll asking:
"Whats harder for you right now?"
Training / Nutrition
You've just had a group of people voluntarily tell you something about their current situation.
Do something with that information.
Lever 4: Better calls to action
Sometimes people simply dont know what you want them to do.
You educate them.
They enjoy the post.
They scroll.
You haven't given them a next step.
Not every post needs:
DM ME COACHING NOW.
Please dont 😂
But you can create different calls to action.
"If this sounds like you, message me and I'll show you where I'd start."
"If you're struggling with this, drop me a message."
"I've got a free resource on this, comment PLAN and I'll send it over."
"I've got two coaching spaces opening this month, message me if you want the details."
Give people openings.
Lever 5: Lead magnets
This is where a good lead magnet becomes incredibly useful.
Instead of sending someone directly from:
Random Instagram viewer
to:
Book a sales call
you create a step in between.
They complete an assessment.
Download something useful.
Use a calculator.
Take a quiz.
Watch a workshop.
Get a personalised recommendation.
Now they've raised their hand.
You know they're interested in a problem you solve.
And depending on how you've built it, you might also know their name, Instagram, goal and current struggle.
Thats a lead.
Now follow it up.
Lever 6: Your existing audience
Before obsessing over finding another 5,000 followers, look at the people you've already got.
This is massively overlooked.
Go through your followers.
Who fits your DCP?
Who regularly engages?
Who has followed you for months?
Who watches everything?
Who used to ask questions?
Who has shown interest before?
Your next paying client could already be sitting there.
You just haven't spoken to them.
Lever 7: Old leads
This is one of my favourites because coaches leave so much money here.
Think about everyone who has:
Asked about coaching.
Filled in an application.
Said they'll think about it.
Said timing wasn't right.
Said they couldn't afford it at the time.
Had a conversation with you and disappeared.
Where are they now?
Someone saying no six months ago doesnt mean they're saying no today.
Their circumstances might have changed.
Their problem might have got worse.
They might have watched you improve your service for the last six months.
Go back and speak to them.
Not:
"Hi, just wondering if you're ready to buy coaching now?"
Have a conversation.
"Mate, been a while. How did you end up getting on with X?"
Thats normal.
Lever 8: Referrals
You've already got people experiencing your service.
Use that.
If you've got happy clients getting great results, dont be scared to ask whether they know somebody else who could benefit.
You can also create referral incentives if they make sense for your business.
But even without an incentive, sometimes simply asking is enough.
People know people.
And a recommendation from somebody they trust is incredibly powerful.
Lever 9: Client results
Your results should generate more than likes.
Turn them into stories.
What was the client struggling with?
What had they tried?
What changed?
What did you actually do together?
What did they learn?
How is their life different now?
A screenshot saying:
"Buzzing, lost another 2lbs!"
is nice.
But a properly told client story allows somebody with the same problem to recognise themselves.
Thats what creates enquiries.
Lever 10: Your offer
Sometimes you need to actually give people something to buy.
Sounds obvious.
But I see coaches who haven't mentioned their coaching service for three months wondering why nobody is enquiring.
Launch something.
Open spaces.
Create a specific programme.
Give your audience a reason to act now.
Talk about what you're doing with clients.
Explain how the service works.
Show what happens after someone joins.
Handle the reasons people hesitate.
Sell sometimes.
You're running a business.
Lever 11: Your main content
Of course content still matters.
But use it with intention.
If you need leads, create content around problems that naturally connect to your service.
Call out situations your DCP experiences.
Handle objections.
Show proof.
Challenge beliefs.
Talk about your approach.
Create content somebody can discover and immediately recognise as relevant to them.
Then distribute it.
Engage.
Use Stories.
Start conversations.
Again, everything works together.
Lever 12: Make yourself easier to find
You can also increase the amount of opportunity coming into the top of the funnel.
Use searchable language.
Make your name field clear.
Use location where location matters.
Collaborate with other relevant accounts.
Create content people want to share.
Get tagged by clients.
Use collaborations.
Build relationships with local businesses or complementary professionals.
You dont always have to hunt for individual leads.
Sometimes the lever is simply getting yourself in front of more of the right people.
Dont pull one lever and expect magic
This is where I want you to change how you think about lead generation.
Imagine this week you:
Post 4 pieces of targeted content.
Follow 100 people who genuinely fit your DCP.
Start 20 conversations.
Use a Story poll and follow up the responses.
Promote your lead magnet twice.
Message 5 old leads.
Ask 2 successful clients for referrals.
Share a client result.
Talk about your coaching offer.
Look at how many opportunities you've just created.
Compare that with:
Post 4 reels.
Wait.
Completely different game.
When you need clients, increase activity
You cant completely control when somebody decides to buy.
You can control how many opportunities you're creating.
So if leads are quiet, dont panic and rebuild your entire business overnight.
Look at the levers.
Ask yourself:
Am I getting in front of enough new people?
Am I giving them a reason to visit and follow?
Am I speaking to the people already paying attention?
Am I creating opportunities for interaction?
Am I following up old opportunities?
Am I actually telling people they can work with me?
Am I making the first move?
Find the weak point.
Then pull the lever.
Your lead generation should never be "post and hope"
This is ultimately what we're trying to get away from.
You should know where opportunities can come from.
Your content.
Your Stories.
Your existing audience.
New followers.
Cold conversations.
Warm conversations.
Lead magnets.
Old leads.
Referrals.
Client results.
Your offer.
Partnerships.
None of these need to work perfectly every single day.
But the more of them you have working together, the less dependent you become on any single one.
Thats when lead generation starts becoming something you can actually influence.
Instead of waking up every morning wondering:
You start asking a much better question:
"Which lever am I going to pull today?"