People constantly want to know how to get more followers on Instagram… But know what I think is more important than followers? How to get CLIENTS on Instagram!
Followers on Instagram feel important for content creators who monetize through sponsorships, brand deals and affiliates. However, many sophisticated content creators eventually turn to creating their OWN offers, giving them more control over their business and how they scale.
But the question then becomes: how do I leverage Instagram to get MORE clients, and not just followers?
Whether you’re trying to get coaching clients from Instagram (a high ticket digital offer), or trying to get more lash clients (lower cost local business) – in the post, I’ll help 🙂
How to Choose What Types Of Clients You Want From Instagram
Many of you reading this post already have an idea on how you plan to use Instagram to make money. But maybe others are starting out and have NO idea how they plan to monetize.
If you’re using Instagram to find more clients and you’re not sure what to sell yet, this section is for you.
1. What Are You Interested In
When someone asks me what they should sell on social media as a content creator, I always start by asking what they’re interested in.
When content creators feel passion and excitement, they create content with EASE. And while there is money to be made quickly and in the short term – the big bucks in entrepreneurship is in the long run.
If you don’t quit, you won’t fail.
And in order to “stick with it” – it helps to be interested in what you’re talking about.
2. What Are You Skilled At
In addition to being interested in a topic, it’s important that influencers and content creators have skill related to how they want to monetize their Instagram.
I’m not saying you have to have a PhD. You can very much build your brand on working with experts, instead of being the expert.
However, it usually helps to have some skills and experience in the niche in which you want to start your Instagram account. This expertise will lend itself to your ability to make money, understand your audience, and build trust so that people actually BUY from you.
3. What Do You Plan To Sell
Next, you need to think about how you want to make money on Instagram. If you’re reading this, I know you want to FIND clients on Instagram – but you still need to know what you’re selling.
Already have an existing business? Great!
IF you’re starting brand new, you’ll have to do some market research and testing. Do you want to sell courses on Instagram, coaching, group programs, consulting? How much do you charge?
Make sure you know these details if you want to get clients leveraging Instagram or other social media.
4. Understanding Your Potential Customer and Audience
Lastly, understand and get acquainted with your potential customer and audience – which should be one and the same 🙂
Having interest and skills in your content creation niche helps you understand your audience, and its very common for content creators to relate closely to their audience.
If you are NOT very similar to your Instagram audience, make sure you understand some of the following…
- What is your audience interested in?
- Do your followers watch TV and movies? Which ones?
- What do your Instagram followers find entertaining?
- Do you know what your audience is struggling with?
- What has your audience tried to solve their problem(s)?
- How can you help them?
- What do you do differently than other solutions they’ve tried?
Update Your Instagram Bio To Get Clients
Now that you know what you plan to sell on Instagram you can optimize your Instagram bio to help potential clients become interested in what you might offer.
Here are some best practices and tips for your Instagram bio:
1. Good Photo
Make sure you have a good photo on Instagram. With few exceptions if you’re looking for clients, this should be a photo of YOU (and not a logo or product).
Make sure the photo is close enough that they can see your face, and that it is professional without feeling cold.
2. Add a Description When it Asks for a Name
The first section under your photo is technically your name – but this text is searchable, so make sure you include keywords that are VERY brief and that also describe what you’re selling to potential clients.
For example, while I’ve changed mine a lot, it currently says: Alison Reeves | Marketing & Coaching.
I want to have my name there, and I use the rest of the space to tell people what I do and how I help.
3. Underneath Name, Add a Description
The next section is your ACTUAL Instagram description. This isn’t searchable, so make sure this is interesting and accurate to what you do and how you help.
I change mine often depending on feels aligned at the time.
4. Add a Website
Lastly, you’ll want to add a website link.
There are different schools of thought on this. Most people use a link that includes many links within it – like LinkTree for example.
I personally DON’T do this currently, even though I have in the past, because I want my followers to do ONE thing… And that’s buy whatever I’m selling at the moment 🙂
So I include one link in my profile that goes to the call to action I’m working on at the time. This is usually a free offer opt in, a link to book a strategy call, or a link to a sales page.
- One Link for One CTA
- Versus Linktree
Types of Content to Get Clients on Instagram
Now that you’re ready to start finding clients using your Instagram profile…we need content to start attracting prospects!
There’s 5 types on content you can post to Instagram.
- Educational: teach something
- Inspirational: mindset and inspirational posts
- Transformational: client stories, before and afters, showing them what life COULD be like
- Engaging: just for fun, not related to business
- Enticing: selling things! Free offer opt-ins, sales pages or a call to action to book a call with you
Visuals on Instagram for Getting Clients
It goes without saying that your visuals on Instagram to get clients need to be high quality.
What you post will vary depending on what you’re selling and who you are selling to. Some niches do awesome with text and tutorials in images, and some just want to see YOU and your pretty heckin’ face.
But in addition to that, make sure to use EVERY feature of Instagram: posts in the feed, reels, IGTV, Live and stories.
Curate Your Visibility to Find Clients on Instagram
NOW…we know who we are talking to on Instagram, what we are selling, and have some ideas on creating content to start getting clients.
But, how do we make sure potential clients on Instagram actually find you?
We curate your visibility! I like to use this phrase instead of “grow your following” because we want the right people to follow, and we don’t have to WAIT for followers – we can go after them.
Here’s how to start growing visibility to you can get clients:
- Using Messenger On Instagram: message people who engage with your posts, or who you can tell would benefit from working with you
- Use Hashtags on Instagram to Get Clients: create 5 lists of 25 hashtags that relate to what you’re doing and how your audience can find you. Make sure to create 5 new lists every 6 months, and to aim for hashtags under 500,000 uses (unless you are a larger account)
- Comment on Others’ Posts: leaving meaningful comments is a very effective way to increase your visibility and get people to reciprocate and check out what you’re doing
- Planning Instagram Posts for Sales: Every month, get clear on what you want to sell, and make sure your content relates to the ways you want to serve clients and the ways they are struggling and how you can help
- When to Post on Instagram to Get Clients: I would aim to post daily, but the bottom line is that ANY amount of consistency is better than none. I post every other day, add to my stories daily, and do one Reel a week. It works for me
Support for Getting Clients From Instagram
There’s lots of ways I can help you get more clients online, whether or be from Instagram or otherwise.
If you have any questions about this, I would recommend booking a call. We can have a conversation about this or anything else you need help with in your own business.
