Let’s be real—the online space has shifted dramatically, and it’s easy to assume that nothing works anymore. We ditch tried-and-true strategies, convinced they’re outdated, when the truth is simpler: we just stopped using them. But here’s what my clients are proving every single day: these old school marketing tactics still absolutely work. You just need to know how to use them strategically.
If you’re struggling to find clients and what you’ve been doing isn’t cutting it, it’s time to revisit these five strategies that are bringing real results right now.
1. Cold Calling (Yes, Really)
I know this sounds wild, but hear me out. If you’re a service provider or consultant working with professional businesses, brick-and-mortar companies, or any business that still operates with a traditional phone system, cold calling works.
My clients are using it successfully right now. They’re getting through to decision-makers, booking calls, and landing meetings. This works particularly well if you serve med spas, chiropractors, law offices, health and wellness businesses, or any professional service industry.
Here’s the thing: if your content isn’t reaching the right people no matter how hard you try, or you’re impatient and can’t wait for momentum to build, cold calling gets you directly in front of prospects instead of hoping you’ll show up in their feed.
2. Warm Email Outreach
Most people call this cold emailing, but I teach a different approach. The key is finding the connection points and creating customized emails that reference something specific about them or their business—maybe a piece of content you resonated with or a recent achievement.
This strategy works incredibly well for service providers and consultants serving both traditional businesses and online companies. Think life coaches, therapists, health practitioners, lawyers who’ve moved online, and professional services that have an online presence.
Want to supercharge this? Combine it with cold calling. Make the phone call, get sent to voicemail, then follow up with an email referencing your call. Or do it in reverse—send an email, then call to check if they received it. These two tactics working together can be incredibly effective.
3. Organic Lead Generation and Engagement
Remember when everyone was talking about finding your ideal clients on Instagram, engaging with their content, commenting on their posts and stories, and following them? That was five years ago, and guess what? It still works — especially when paired with intentional engagement strategies.
Here’s what happens: you engage with someone’s content, follow them, and about 50% of the time, they’ll check out your profile before deciding whether to follow back. If your content speaks directly to their pain points and resonates with them, they’re much more likely to engage.
The catch? This doesn’t work well if you’re not creating high-quality, specific content that speaks to your ideal client’s exact struggles. Your messaging needs to be on point because they will investigate before following you back.
You can spend just 30 minutes a day finding 15 new ideal clients and using this method. And don’t limit yourself to searching within the platform—find your ideal clients elsewhere online, then connect with them on your platform of choice. You’d be surprised how many ideal clients have no idea you exist.
4. Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are not dead. While starting a new group might not be the best move, there are still incredibly active groups with engaged members looking for exactly what you offer.
The key is finding niche Facebook groups where your ideal clients are hanging out, asking questions, and identifying themselves. If you’re a business coach, watch for posts where people say, “Hey business owners, how did you get started?” Suddenly you have a whole list of potential clients.
Back in the day, this was one of my main strategies. I’d wait for someone to post asking for help or advice, then I’d swoop in with genuine value—not selling, just helping. When people click on your profile after receiving great advice, make sure your Facebook is set up for success with links to your website and social channels.
Pro tip: If you find someone in a Facebook group, you can proactively follow them on Instagram while you’re fresh in their mind from the helpful advice you just gave.
5. Your Local Network
I know you might be rolling your eyes at this one, but I promise it still works for my clients. Your local network—your Facebook friends, family, mutual connections—is an untapped resource.
Get on your personal profile and say, “Here’s what I do, here’s who I serve. If you know anyone who needs this service, send them my way.” You would be genuinely surprised at the results.
And if you serve a local area or could serve local businesses, don’t sleep on local Facebook groups. You know the ones—where everyone shares what they offer, upcoming events, and general town chaos. Many allow promotion, so hop in there and introduce yourself and your services.
We tell ourselves stories like “nobody I know needs this” or “nobody in my town would be interested,” but we’re often just trying to keep ourselves comfortable. If you’re really looking to get clients quickly, don’t discount your existing network.
The Foundation You Actually Need
Listen, I get it. Maybe you don’t want to use all these strategies. Maybe you’d rather focus purely on social media, guest podcasting, and staying in the online space. That’s fine—but if social media isn’t working for you right now, you’ve got to figure out why.
You need three things to consistently bring in clients:
- Consistent lead generation: At least 100 new ideal clients getting in front of your work every single month
- Nurturing and connection: Staying in front of leads through content, emails, DMs, or engagement
- Consistent selling: Getting good at selling not just on calls, but in your content and communications
If you don’t have a strategy for each of these three steps and you don’t have consistent clients coming in, you need help building that framework.
This week, I’m inviting you to join Grow Business and Marketing Membership, designed specifically to help service providers and coaches build businesses that are simple, sustainable, and scalable. I help you make six figures working part-time because there’s no reason you can’t hit six figures, regardless of what business you have.
Inside Grow, you get the complete framework and proven strategies for creating a simple business structure, including your foundation, offers, pricing, messaging, systems, and marketing—all connected so you can show up as the authority you are and sell consistently.
Right now, your first month is just $97 (additional months are $147 with a three-month commitment). And if you join by October 27th, you’ll get a bonus 60-minute private coaching call with me to set the stage for your success, get crystal clear on your goals, and leave with an action plan.
We’re heading into one of the busiest seasons for online business. People are thinking about transformations and what they want to change before the new year. Joining now gives you the momentum you need to be at 100% when people are ready to buy in January.
Questions? DM me. Let’s make this happen.
