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Is COVID-19 changing the wellness industry? Of course it is! Better to understand what you can do about it, rather than sit on the back burner and "wait for it to be over". You can be of service now. Lesli gets straight to the think of the matter and provides us with 3 actionable strategies for us to start (or continue) to thrive in this new landscape - no "dirty selling" required.

Lesli Bitel, MBA, RDN, LDN  is a marketing and sales expert who works with entrepreneurial wellness professionals who are great at what they do but struggle with the business side of creating joyful and prosperous practices. In her work, she shows her clients how to create their “dream business” by attracting loyal, committed clients; selling with authenticity; and scaling their businesses by creating diversified revenue streams including group coaching programs and digital courses.

Show Notes:

3:34 - Why these crazy times might be an opportunity in disguise

6:00 - What marketing and strategy revolves around

“I really believe, especially because this online space is getting rather busy and noisy, the practitioners, the coaches, the wellness professionals that are really going to rise to the top are the ones that are visible and really have adopted this sense of generosity.”

6:43 - Empowering our clients to control things they can control, especially when it comes to their health.

7:14 - The friends and fans outreach strategy

“The idea here is just to provide value, and again, we're really operating from that sense of generosity, especially given everything that's going on right now. And if you sense that this person could benefit from additional help from you, why not invite them into a special strategy session with you right?”

9:28 - Offering free sessions with no strings attached

10:46 - Getting people to the next (paid) step with you

13:14 - Host an online talk

“It could be a more formalized webinar, it could be something inside of a special pop up Facebook group. It could be doing perhaps Facebook Lives, right? So the idea is that you are increasing your visibility and by doing so, people really get to know you and like you and trust you. And the beauty of it right now, there's never been a better time to be building your audience honestly, it is the perfect time. So I really want to encourage everybody to be creative and just think about what would you like to do in terms of getting more visibility.”

16:41 - Creating referral partners and collaborations

19:44 - Looking in your local community for ideas on who to reach out to for referral partnerships

“In terms of trepidation around selling things, I think that things are much more sensitive right now. So that's why I think it's a little bit of a softer approach, right? Without a doubt, guys, the reality is that people still need your help. They are still struggling. Their health is suffering.”

If you liked this interview, hop on over to the Meal Garden Instagram to stay up-to-date on all our newest episodes from the Making It Real Podcast, and to get daily inspiration to run a successful, impactful wellness business.

Further Reading:

Karen Pattock: Messed up your launch plan? Here’s what to do about it

We asked 100 entrepreneurs how they’re coping with kids being at home during the pandemic

5 ways wellpreneurs can thrive outside of their comfort zone in the era of coronavirus

16 places to find local health coaching clients and establish referral partnerships

lesli bitel

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