advice on how to move forward

[placetobe]

I started a business at the beginning of the year, it is health/weight loss course and coaching. I have a decent website however just cannot get the customers in? I have emailed and followed up on a lot of different leads to try and get it promoted for example targeting gyms/ health clinics, but they all seem to have their own alternative. I have a fb page and paid fb for some advertising but got so few results - I feel that there is almost no point updating the fb page as it just seems to go into the vast nothingness of the web lol. I also tried developing a presence on Pinterest. I have no idea how to get customers, I don't have a big advertising budget. Can anyone suggest how to get things moving along? I have had a chat with a business friend here and he seems to think that people just don't know it is out there, but once people get onto the website, it is good enough that they will want to sign up. Feeling discouraged!

Ask a friend to search on Google or other search engine and to put in the name of your town and 'weight loss coaching' or other suitable words and see whether or not your business comes up as a hit. If not you need to find out why. Maybe you just don't have enough key words that people would use while searching.

For people to find you, you need to be find-able.

People by from people. Get out there and use yourself as your ultimate marketing tool!

Look and feel fabulous! People buy into YOU! Paid advertising does so much however I truly believe word of mouth and leading by example in your community are worth x1000 more in your profession. Network at the school gates, in the shops, with friends / family, at church, where ever you go, whatever you do!

Good luck.

*buy from people - sorry typo

I follow more lifestyle type people on Instagram. Maybe try there too. Post success stories, before and after pics, plates of food... Fb is hit and miss with targeted ads but could you do an offer/prize that people could share. These things for local businesses always pop up on my timeline. Maybe do a 'shift the lockdown weight' promo, tying in with the govt push on obesity? Free time/sessions or whatever you offer for the winner and x amount off for people who sign up by x date. If they win then they'll get the money back if they've already signed up?

Do some research.

Who are your competitors?
Is anyone alse actually making money from the type of venture you are proposing?
Is there a demand?
Who is your target market?
Are you planning to run online courses or face to face. Groups or individuals?
Training sessions or motivational talks?
Throwing stuff into the internet and hoping some of it will stick is unlikely to work.
You also need to define your services.
"Health, weight loss and coaching" doesn't say very much- are you a personal trainer? A dietician? A "life coach"?

Welcome to the world of marketing.

I would suggest you read up and understand how basic SEO works. You need to determine your keywords eg if u had a yoga business in Sheffield I'd need to think what would people search for that would lead them to me? I'd then need to make sure that word appears on all my pages frequently. Proper meta descriptions, page titles.

To build your social media requires time and consistency. There's no magic. It's just time and regular posting. You could run competitions to build your page. Keep posting interesting content. Are there any local influencers you could offer freebies to, such as a local fitness mum with a big following who will talk about you? Running sponsored ads will only be effective if you have the right criteria set up.

Do you capture email addresses? Are you building a database?

I would recommend you read a book on marketing for small businesses. There is so so much you can do!