FutureProofing for Changemakers: If The Next 5 Years Is Like The Last 5 Years What Should You Be Doing Now? — Are You Losing Money on Tech Tools You’re Not Using?
Part of running a profitable Practice is running it efficiently and using cost-effective measures to keep overhead expenses low. Even if your business is 100% online, it pays to look at all the business tools you use and get the best deal on them — and also to negotiate a great deal when you find a new tool you need.
However, I’m not arguing that you should use all freebie tools or salvage an older, unreliable laptop. You need the proper tools to run your practice and coaching business; but how many times have you purchased a training or software because the price was excellent? I’ve done that many times over the years and let me say from experience: if you don’t use the product even once, it’s a complete waste of money, no matter how good the deal.
So let’s run down a checklist of basics you need and see if you find any hidden gems that you can resurrect.
Autoresponder — No matter what, you need this because at the very least you will have a database of past and present clients. Ideally you are also doing things to grow your list of potential new people too. Use this autoresponder to keep in touch with every one; keep them informed about any new coaching programmes you launch, or any special things you have found that would help your people.
The range of autoresponder types vary greatly. You have Mail Chimp, which is free up to 2,000 names but you have to pay for each mailing you send out. Then you have Aweber or Get Response which offers monthly payment plans; or you have very powerful platforms such as Infusionsoft, which is so much more than just an autoresponder (the pricing is much more, too). So, think about your budget, think about how often you’ll use this tool, analyze if you really need all the features each tool offers, then ask how easy it will be to move existing lists and if they will do that for you.
Invoicing System
You’ll need a way for people to pay for your online sessions and just like the autoresponder, you have multiple possibilities to choose from.
PayPal is the easiest — and least expensive — way to send invoices. Perfect if you’re just starting out and want to limit your expenses. FreshBooks is a cloud-based accounting system with a monthly fee and features perfect for a practitioner. 17hats is a project management system that also has an invoicing feature. Again, pick and choose what you really need. If you decide to pay for a system that you’ll “grow into” — meaning it has features you don’t need right now but could use in the future — make it a priority to learn about those features and how you can implement them to make the pricing worthwhile.
Landing Page Templates
If you want to offer some selection of coaching packages or deals on short term work together or a group membership, you’ll need a way to create professional-looking landing pages. First, check your website theme and look for a landing page template that’s built in. If you don’t have that option, a platform like Leadpages allows you to easily create landing pages and has a list of other features, all for a monthly price. Similarly, Optimize Press offers landing page templates and other features. Check on costs and how much you will use it. Otherwise go to fiverr and find someone to create a one-off template of a landing page and you change the wording each time you send it out to your email list. Another option is if you have aweber as your autoresponder it also creates landing pages and optin boxes so you have some very useful features all in one.
Learn More about Leveraging What You Already Have…
Why recreate the wheel when you can use the resources you already have at hand? This includes business tools as well as products that are gathering dust on your hard drive. In my newest class, “Stress-Free Practice and Business Building for Coaches and Therapists” I devoted a whole lesson on this leveraging topic. If you want to grow your business, change your money mindset, and welcome long term flourishing and freedom into your life, I’ve got 4 self-study lessons bookcamp that will act as a step-by-step guide of how to achieve these goals. Sign up below and we will send out an update when the programme is running.
This article is part of my July series on FutureProofing Your Coaching Business … so watch this space for more ideas and support.
if you would like to learn more about the FutureProof for Coaches Blueprint and our Toolkits for Coaches & Therapists come and join us in the Sage Academy.
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