What I’ve Learned From Starting My New Coaching Business Through Social Media
Luckily I Learned It Now Or Else
Just like any other countries, and maybe even worse, Indonesia ( where I grow and live ) got their first patient on March.
Later the conditions got worse and my teaching job just gone with the wind. I used to teach Korean language at our own small place, but all of the students and me decided not to come anymore.
With little to no income, I decided to pivot and did something crazy.
I have been using social media for marketing for many-many years and I learned quite a lot from my personal experiences.
So, I decided to start my own account, a new Instagram account to share my journey and what I know to people. It is here if you wanna check itswilliamldj
Focusing to a market that no-one in Indonesia wants to touch, the insurance brokers industry.
I did not know why people hate insurance broker, but from what I have learned from the industry and how most of the people work, i know why people do not like them.
I would rather die and pay my hospital bills than meeting an insurance agent
Said one people that I interviewed…
But I like them, because they give me money. I got 70+ coaching clients, 100+ consulting clients, and many companies speaking engagements.
So here are some things I have learned from creating content on Instagram from the last 6 months.
1. Know Who You Are Speaking To
Even with my previous business I did it, but it is especially true when you’re trying to engage in the platform and get into their community. I have seen when you enter the community and the accept you, the growth can be seen by them talking about you outside the platform.
Insurance is a network marketing industry, and I ride on their network to gain some followers.
2. Consistent
I think it is true to all of the other platforms, and maybe with medium as well. But, Instagram loves engagement and retention, I see how the more I engage with the community, the more I stick to it, the growth is actually coming in and helping me in.
Today marks my 6 months of non-stop making content on Instagram.
3. “Help Not Sell” Mindset
This is especially true for me, I used to sell stuffs ever since my high school era. The fact, that social media is not a selling media is hard for me not to offer something until a certain point.
Currently, I am still feeling this awkwardness of offering my classes to the insurance industry. Though, I have almost 100 clients in my 5 months of building my social media presence, but all of them are not because I offer them classes but they ask for it.
4. Online Relationship Is Totally Possible
Many have told me, especially in my country, that online is making the people in front of you further and making the further ones closer.
I simply translate it to “ Impossible to create a real relationship with social media “
Because relationship should be close in vicinity. However, this is simply wrong.
I made friends online, not a lot, but made good friends. Though, some insurance brokers get close with me simply to offer their products or want me to join forces with them.
But, that is also one of the thing I learned from insurance industry, I don’t know about in other countries, but in Indonesia, it is weird.
I hate how people get close to you and want something out of you.
How do I know this? I was close with one broker, we talked and chatted everyday, she sent gifts after teaching at her place.
Then, later after she knew that I didn’t want to join her team, she then disappeared like a wind.
5. Content Is King
When people say “content is king” , it literally is. I have some contents that are perform well and some that are simply sucks.
So, I learned how to create content that my audience enjoy and that requires A/B testing, adjust again and again, and many other changes needed to simply cater to their needs.
I do not know how people can cope with this, but it is hard when you cannot post whatever you want simply to give something that people need.
There are moments when I feel like, I live to please other people, and people only love what I share and not me as a personal.
But, that appears to be not true.
When I post my own picture, and story, I see how people are reacting in a more human way.
Conclusion
I think when people say that they can get clients through social media it really is truly possible. But, it is just that we need not only to consider social media just as the “ little boy from the block “ but also as one of the main player in the court.
If we consider it just as an additional and not as the main dish, it may not show its potential.
