5 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Struggle with Attracting Clients

Entrepreneurs are always trying to grow their businesses and attract more clients. Sometimes they just don’t know why they are not attracting more leads. Here are some reasons.

1. Many people struggle to promote themselves and their businesses.

Marketing feels “icky” to a lot of heart-centered entrepreneurs. Even if you’re amazing at what you do, marketing yourself is not something that comes naturally. The most common feelings are:

• They don’t want to bother their friends & family.
• They don’t want to sound pushy or come across as “sales-y.”
• They don’t want to seem desperate.
• They don’t have the time.
• They don’t know what to do that will be effective.
• They are not confident enough.
• They have website shame.
• They don’t want to come across as selfish.
• They feel that people would want to work with them if they were good enough.

This is all totally understandable. So let’s look at some of the bigger issues.

They don’t want to become “that” person.

We’ve all experienced high-pressure sales. We’ve all had people we know try to sell us on something they are involved with. When you’re talking with “that person,” it’s as if they really don’t care about you as a person. They just want to make the sale. It’s not even a real conversation.

Let’s face it; nobody really wants to become “that person.” 

So we end up overcompensating by downplaying our accomplishments and doubting ourselves.

That’s what we call struggling with “imposter syndrome”

Imposter syndrome is a real thing. That’s where you are concerned that you aren’t really able to help others succeed, that you’re an “imposter.” After all, you are uniquely aware of all of the holes in your knowledge and are afraid that you are just going to let people down.

If this is what you’re feeling, here’s a secret to help you get through it.

Everybody feels this way.

Yes, everybody.

Look at all those brave people online who are putting themselves out there and impacting lives. Yeah, they feel this way, too.

Once you realize that even those brave entrepreneurs experience imposter syndrome, then you can realize it’s okay to feel this way. Think of it like receiving permission to put yourself out there just like they do and be as successful as they are.

Website shame

Have you ever walked into a room and felt incredibly underdressed? Sometimes people feel the same way about their websites.

It’s not uncommon for a small business owner to take a shot at creating their own website. They do the best they can with what they have, but when they compare it with what they see online, they feel embarrassed. They’re not sure if they want people even to see it because they know deep down “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”.

That’s when they realize that they are not cracked up to be website designers and copywriters.

There’s nothing wrong with that realization. After all, their specialty is elsewhere, and that’s why they’re so good at what they do.

I get it. While it might seem easy, in actuality, creating a website from scratch is a lot of hard, specialized work.

That’s why this issue is the easiest major struggle to overcome. All you need to do to leave website shame behind you is to work with someone who really knows what they’re doing. If you want to talk about how we can help with this, schedule a free call.

2. Entrepreneurs are afraid to choose a niche.

If you’re a health coach who helps people lose weight and get healthy, you may think that anyone who is overweight needs your services. You may also think that you could help anyone get results. That may be true, but they’re not going to be able to find you, and they won’t know you’re “The One” if they do.

Become a specialist. People would rather work with someone who specializes in their needs than with someone who is a generalist.

Need an example? Think about a general pediatrician who gives kids well-baby checkups and treats fevers & sore throats. Now think about a pediatric surgeon who can fix a baby’s heart and allow her to live a long, happy, normal life.

In this case, the pediatric surgeon has niched down like this…

Medicine → Pediatrics → Pediatric Surgeon

Now, who’s going to get paid more: the general pediatrician or the pediatric surgeon?

That’s right. Specialists get paid more.

Do you work with teens, new moms, or mid-life men with stressful careers? Do you help people who need to lose 10-20 pounds or the significantly obese? Do you work with people who have a health issue or injury that may affect their weight? When you get specific about your niche, your ideal clients will be able to find you more easily, and they’ll be willing to pay more for your services.

Many people are afraid to choose a niche because they may end up turning away a paying client. In fact, the opposite is true. The more specific you get with your niche, the easier it is for people to find you. Don’t be afraid to specialize, and get as specific as possible.

3. They don’t really know their ideal client.

If your niche targets a specific market, your ideal client is the person in that market you would love to work with and can help best. 

When you are identifying your ideal client, you’re looking at more than just whether they could use your services. 

You might want to consider such things as…

Personality match. Sometimes people’s personalities really click, and sometimes they grate on each other. It’s not a judgment. It’s just a fact of life. And when you are looking for who you will enjoy working with most, personality matters. 

Income level. High-ticket offers are a great way to build up a bottom line…unless the people you are attracting to your business are broke. You want to make sure that your ideal client can afford your services, or make sure you are willing to price your services so your ideal client can afford them. This is one way that identifying your ideal client has a tangible effect on how you operate. 

Hopefully, that gives you an idea of how important it is to know exactly who it is you are marketing to. Believe me when I tell you that the better you identify your ideal client, the fewer frustrations you will have as a business owner.

Getting to know your ideal client is not easy, but it’s SO very important.

If you want help to identify your ideal client, sign up for the Get Leads & Clients Academy. We’ll cover that and much, much more.

4. Most entrepreneurs have a scattered approach to marketing.

On one side of the coin, I see a ton of passionate entrepreneurs doing what I call Muscle Marketing, feverishly producing social content and blogs, day after day. They spend hours engaging in Facebook groups, posting to Instagram, doing FB Live videos, and more. This leads to burnout, discouragement, and overwhelm.

The flip side of the coin is the entrepreneur who publishes an occasional blog post, puts some quotes on Facebook once in a while, and then wonders why the phone won’t ring.

What’s missing in both these scenarios?

Focus.

And this is where strategy and planning come in. Strategy and planning are perfect for those who want to put in minimum effort and achieve maximum gain. 

When you approach your business from a strategic perspective, you have to do some serious soul-searching. You need to be able to identify what the most important things are for you to focus on in order to grow. You have to set achievable goals. And you need to craft a plan to meet those goals so you can continually pursue your strategy. 

Once you’ve done all that, all you need to do is stick with it. 

Sure, you will encounter times when you have to pivot. But, for the most part, you should be able to identify what tasks you need to tackle on a regular basis to make your dreams come closer to reality every step of the way. 
If you are someone who needs help creating a strategy and plans to support it, then check out the Happy Marketing Planner. It has everything you need to keep you focused and productive for an entire quarter. Once you’ve finished this quarter, you simply use it again for the next.

5. Most websites are like basic brochures online.

Contrary to what many people believe, your website is not The Field of Dreams. If you build it, they will not come. Having a website doesn’t mean you’re going to get clients any more than owning a treadmill will make you fit. You have to USE it properly and consistently to get results.

Unfortunately, most entrepreneurs throw up a website that doesn’t have the marketing strategy behind it to convert visitors to leads. Instead of a straightforward customer journey, they have a website that has been added on to, from time to time, as their products and audience have changed. It leads visitors through a meandering path that feels like a bowl of spaghetti. Their visitors don’t know where to go or what to do next.

Here’s something that’s really important: You don’t just want “a website”. You want a website that has been designed and tailored toward conversion. 

After all, your website ultimately serves a single purpose, which is to build up your business. 

If it isn’t turning visitors into leads and leads into clients, then it simply isn’t doing its job. And, if it isn’t doing its job, then what’s the point of trying to drive traffic to it with your content, social media activities, and networking?

If your website isn’t set up to convert, we can help you with that. Grab a spot on our calendar to talk about your website and lead funnel.

So now that we’ve talked about the five reasons why coaches struggle to get clients, I think it’s also important to touch on the five reasons why clients don’t buy. After all, attracting paying clients is the goal. Right?

5 Reasons Why Clients Don’t Buy

1. You don’t instill a feeling of confidence in your marketing.

Who would you rather go under the knife of a surgeon who is 100% confident they can fix your body or one that seems kind of shy, hesitant, and not confident?

Your clients are the same way! They want to KNOW they’re hiring someone who can help them get results. When you can confidently talk about what you do, your messaging clearly explains the value you offer, and your website presents you as the premier option in your niche, your potential clients will feel it.

Don’t be shy to let people know what you can do for them and give them the opportunity to buy from you. Continue to serve your audience and provide value until they’re ready to buy.

When you come across as confident in your marketing, they will have confidence in you.

2. You’re not easy to work with.

The second reason clients don’t buy is when the person they’re trying to hire is not easy to work with.

Your website needs to be easy to navigate so potential clients can find what they need quickly. If they have to click more than twice to find what they need, chances are they will be gone.

• Don’t overwhelm them or confuse them with too much text, a convoluted buying process, or clutter on your site.
• Make it easy for them to book an appointment with you by providing an online scheduler like Calendly.
• Streamline your checkout process so it’s easy to buy from you!

3. Your messaging is off.

The third reason clients don’t buy from someone is when the messaging doesn’t resonate with them. It may just fall flat and not pique their interest, or it might down-right turn them off. Either way means “no sale for you.” (Said in my best Seinfield Soup Nazi voice.)

You have to know what makes your ideal clients tick and write content for your website, sales pages, emails, and marketing that engages them. Talk about their struggles and challenges. The more they believe you understand what they are going through, the more they’ll believe you can help them.

Share their dreams and goals and highlight successful clients to paint the picture of what life could be like after working with you.

4. You don’t have a funnel.

Having a great website is a wonderful first step, but a brochure-style site isn’t going to get your clients. It will show people you’re legitimate and educate them about what they do, but most people who land on your site aren’t ready to buy. You need a funnel that converts visitors into subscribers so you can nurture them with helpful information that overcomes their objections, answers their questions, and leads them to the sale.

5. You don’t have enough traffic.

Finally, you may not be getting clients who buy if you’re not getting your website and funnel in front of enough potential clients. How can you focus on attracting clients if your potential clients don’t know you exist? Even if your website is gorgeous, your messaging is spot on, and you have an appointment funnel that works to fill your calendar with discovery calls, if your website feels like a ghost town without steady traffic, it can’t do its job. That’s where the consistent marketing piece comes in.

You have to drive traffic to your website and offers consistently through your content and social media activities, paid ads, and networking. If you keep your traffic flowing and your sales pipeline full, you’ll keep your bank balance happy, too.

So now you know the five ways you may be struggling with attracting clients and the 5 reasons why clients don’t buy. What’s your next move?

If you want help with your website and funnel and your marketing strategy, book a clarity call today! I’d love to learn more about your business and see if I can help you reach your goals.

Click here to book your free clarity call today!

Happy Marketing!

🙂 Heather