Four Steps to Client Attraction: How to Get More Coaching Clients

You can be life-changing on a coaching call and still be staring at an empty inbox.

Because coaching is one part of your business—but attracting the right people to that coaching? That’s a whole separate skill set.

And if nobody knows what you do or how you can help, they can’t hire you.

So before you spiral into redoing your entire niche or changing your prices (again), let’s zoom out and look at the four-part system that actually brings clients in the door.

What’s the Best Way to Get Coaching Clients?

Spoiler alert: It’s not magic. It’s a repeatable strategy.

Sales and marketing coach Hailey Rowe shared this four-step client attraction framework that’s simple, powerful, and most importantly—doable, even if you're not tech-savvy or a marketing bro:

1. Connect

2. Engage

3. Pre-offer

4. Sell

Let’s break each of those down so you can see what they look like in real life.

Step 1: How Do You Connect with Potential Coaching Clients?

This is where visibility comes in. Not “just post more” visibility. Strategic visibility.

Ask yourself: Where can your ideal client actually find you?

Depending on your strengths and your audience, this could look like:

• Doing guest trainings in someone else's Facebook group

• Getting on aligned podcasts

• Speaking at local events or virtual summits

• Showing up on LinkedIn (especially if your audience is professionals)

• Collaborating with people who already have your dream clients’ attention

The key here isn’t just to show up randomly. It’s to be findable on purpose—by either your ideal clients or the people they already trust.

And no, that doesn’t have to be on Instagram. Especially now that reach is declining (Instagram reach is down 12% from last year) and most of your audience probably isn’t seeing your stuff anyway.

So stop stressing about the algorithm and start asking: Where are my people already hanging out, and how can I show up there intentionally?

Step 2: What Do You Say to Engage Your Audience?

Once you’ve made contact, it’s not time to pitch. It’s time to listen. The goal of this step is to create a conversation—not a monologue.

So instead of blasting people with “what you do” or sending cold pitches that feel like spam, try asking intentional questions that spark connection.

Examples:

• “Curious—what’s your biggest goal right now in [your niche]?”

• “What’s something you’ve tried that didn’t work the way you hoped?”

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• “If I had a free resource that could help with [common pain point], would you want it?”

This can happen in the DMs. In your email list. In conversations with potential collaborators. The point isn’t the platform—it’s the approach.

Sales gets icky when you’re leading with assumption. It gets interesting when you lead with curiosity.

Step 3: What’s a Pre-Offer—and Why Do You Need One?

Before someone buys from you, they need to believe two things:

1. That you understand their problem

2. That you can help solve it

That’s where your pre-offer comes in. A pre-offer is a low-stakes, high-value way to build trust and show what’s possible. It could be:

• A downloadable lead magnet

• A free training or masterclass

• A podcast episode

• A behind-the-scenes case study

• A collaboration with someone they already trust

The key is to solve one specific problem—not your whole program in miniature. For example, if you help busy professionals reduce stress, a pre-offer might be:“3 Science-Backed Ways to Feel Less Stressed In the Next 10 Minutes”

Give them a quick win. Show them you get it. Make them feel seen and supported. Then invite them to the next step.

Step 4: How Do You Sell Coaching Without Feeling Salesy?

Here’s where most people panic. Because now we’re officially “selling.”

But here’s the thing: selling doesn’t have to feel gross if you’re doing the other steps right.

If someone has:

• Connected with you

• Felt understood by you

• Gotten value from you

…then you’re not cold-pitching. You’re inviting them to go deeper.

That might sound like:

• “If you want support customizing this to your life, I’d love to talk more about how I work with clients.”

• “I have a few 1:1 spots opening next month—do you want to see if it’s a fit?”

• “If you’re looking for real results, here’s what it can look like to work together.”

This isn’t about convincing anyone. It’s about extending a clear, specific, human invitation to

people who’ve already shown interest. That’s not salesy. That’s service.

How Many Touchpoints Does It Take to Book a Coaching Client?

Short answer? More than it used to.

It used to be 7–17 touchpoints. Now, it’s closer to 77. (No, that’s not a typo.)

That means someone might:

• Read your emails

• Lurk on your posts

• Watch your stories

• Download your freebie

• Ignore your DMs (at first)

• Revisit your sales page a dozen times

…before ever booking a discovery call.

So if you’re not getting “yes” right away, don’t panic. Keep showing up. Keep providing value. Keep inviting people into deeper conversations.

And yes, track it. What’s working? What’s not? Who’s nibbling but hasn’t bitten yet? Use a spreadsheet, a CRM, sticky notes—whatever. Just don’t leave it to memory.

What If People Say No (or Just Ghost You)?

First off: welcome to sales. Even the best offers get no’s.

But let’s reframe:

• A no doesn’t have to mean never—it might just mean not now

• Silence doesn’t mean rejection—it might mean distraction, overwhelm, or “I’m still thinking”

• Objections don’t mean they don’t want it—it might mean they’re scared or have something else going on that has nothing to do with you or your offer

Your job? Stay curious. Stay calm. Stay in conversation.

Ask questions like:

• “Is there anything I didn’t cover that would help you make a decision?”

• “Is this something you’d like to do—just not right now?”

• “If we could find a way to make the finances work, is this something you’d be excited about?”

And then? Let them decide. Your job isn’t to push. It’s to support the decision-making process.

What to Do If Your Audience Isn’t Engaging

So you’re posting, emailing, sharing content—and… crickets.

Here’s what to check:

1. Are you being consistent?

   One email every 3 weeks isn’t a strategy. That’s a hobby.

   
   

2. Are you asking the right questions?

   If you’re serving people with sensitive topics (like alcohol, weight, or burnout), they’re not going to comment publicly. Invite private replies. Lower the bar to entry.

   
   

3. Are you using their words—or yours?

   Go snoop. Reddit threads. Amazon book reviews. Facebook groups. What are they actually saying? Steal that. Use it in your posts, emails, and free offers.

   
   

4. Are you giving too much—or not enough?

   If your posts read like a textbook or a to-do list, you’re probably overwhelming them. Keep it simple. One idea. One shift. One win.

What About Social Media? Do I Have to Use It?

Short answer? No.

Hailey describes social media as a passive method of visibility. Great for long-term brand building—but not reliable if you're trying to get clients now.

(And as someone whose business grew 5X when she quit social media? 100% agree.)

Want faster results?

• Start conversations

• Send connection requests

• Reach out to potential collaborators

• Speak in front of other people’s audiences

• Build your email list and nurture the hell out of it

Social media is a tool—not a requirement. If you hate it, don’t build your business around it.

How to Speed Up Trust (Without Being Pushy)

Want people to say yes faster? Pull these trust levers:

• Use testimonials and case studies (especially if they reflect your dream client’s situation)

• Borrow credibility through collabs with people your audience already trusts

• Speak their language—not yours. Use their words for their problems.

• Be consistent so they know you’re not a fly-by-night weirdo

• Invite action without pressure—show up like a pro, not a pursuer

Trust isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being predictable, relatable, and credible.

TL;DR: How to Get More Coaching Clients Without Burning Out

If you take nothing else away from this post, take this:

Clients don’t fall from the sky. But they do come from strategy.

And the best strategy is one that includes:

✅ A clear plan for getting visible

✅ Intentional questions that spark conversation

✅ A solid pre-offer that builds trust

✅ A confident (not pushy) sales invitation

✅ Systems that track and nurture leads over time

You don’t have to hustle harder. You have to be smarter about how you’re spending your time and energy.

Want more support with this? Grab Hailey's  4 Steps to Client Attraction class + playbook here.