Marketing Strategy + Sales Insights for Coaches & Solopreneurs

This is where all the real talk lives.

Every week, I send out a newsletter breaking down what’s working right now in content, sales, and client conversion — based on real-time strategies from the coaches and service providers I work with.

These aren't fluffy tips. They're practical, actionable, and focused on helping you sign more clients — without burning out or blending in.

🗓️ July 2025

Should You Pay to Speak?

Issue 53 — July 21, 2025

Speaking is one of the fastest ways to grow your brand, but it’s also where a lot of coaches waste time and money.
Not all speaking opportunities are created equal — here’s how to evaluate whether you should pay to speak, and what opportunities deliver real ROI.

Full newsletter content below:

Tomorrow, I’m flying to Texas to speak at a business event for luxury travel advisors. 

Speaking is one of the fastest ways to grow your brand, but it’s also where a lot of coaches waste time and money.

Because not all speaking opportunities are created equal.

Let’s break it down:

1. Paid vs. Pay-to-Play
   Paid speaking gigs are exactly what they sound like: you’re compensated to share your expertise.
   Pay-to-play events are when you’re paying for the opportunity to get in front of that audience.

Both can be beneficial:

If the event is highly paid and you’ll be in front of a great audience, WIN.

If the event doesn’t pay much, then the ROI must come from someplace else:
→ High-quality leads
→ Premium positioning
→ Sales from the room or post-event conversations

If the event doesn’t offer at least one of those, it’s not a smart move.

For example, the brand new entrepreneur that tries to throw an event together with no audience and wants you to speak for free “for the exposure.” Um… what exposure?!

1. Free Can Be Great — But Only If...
   Not all free speaking gigs are a waste of time.
   In fact, some of my highest-converting opportunities came from unpaid rooms.
   The difference?
   The audience was aligned.
   The organizer had trust.
   And I had a clear strategy for follow-up and conversion.

A free event with the right people will always outperform a paid one with the wrong ones.

For example, landing a TED talk. You don’t get paid, but the exposure would be massive.

1. The Hierarchy of Speaking Opportunities
   Not all stages are equal. Here's a simplified breakdown:
   Tier 1: Paid Keynotes — You’re hired and paid to speak. Your brand = credibility.
   Tier 2: Guest Expert Trainings — Free or low pay, but targeted. These can generate high-converting leads.
   Tier 3: Podcast Features + Panels — Free. Good for visibility, just make sure the audience is aligned with what you do.
   Tier 4: Pay-to-Speak — Great investment if the event organizer has a large following and/or the audience is highly qualified.

The biggest mistake is chasing any stage. You can waste a ton of time and money by chasing the “wrong” opportunities.
Instead, focus on where your best buyers are spending time.

The Takeaway
Speaking isn’t just about being seen; it’s about being strategic.
Whether you’re keynoting a big event or doing a training inside a mastermind group, the goal is the same:
Position yourself as the expert to an audience of your ideal clients, and then convert that visibility into sales.

–Kim

P.S. Want to get in front of more buyers? Last week inside The Launchpad, we coached on leveraging storytelling in your content. My client, B. fixed her post and instantly got an invite to be interviewed.

The Funnel Mistake That’s Costing You Clients

Issue 52 — July 14, 2025

Funnels can feel like the holy grail, but if you haven’t signed a client in a year, automation won’t fix your sales.
Here’s why momentum and direct selling are your priorities — and what you need to focus on to turn leads into clients.

Full newsletter content below:

I spoke with a woman who hasn’t signed a client in a year.
She told me she recently launched a new funnel.

Funnels can feel like the holy grail. The idea of leads rolling in automatically sounds amazing.

But you can’t automate what you haven’t proven yet.

Funnels are great for scaling what already works.

But if you haven’t signed a client in a year…

You don’t need automation.

You need momentum.

Here’s what I told her:
Keep tracking the funnel stats. See how it performs.

But don’t sit around waiting for the funnel to convert to make sales.

Go make sales now.

Start inviting people directly.

Have conversations.

Follow up with past leads.

Send personal messages.

Reconnect with old clients.

Because revenue doesn’t come from “waiting” on a funnel—

It comes from selling.

The Takeaway

Funnels are great at automating parts of the process. They can speed up an already-working sales process.

But they won’t fix a messaging problem, a positioning problem, or a confidence problem.

If your sales have been sporadic, start there.

This is exactly what we focus on inside The Launchpad…

Sharpening your message and learning how to sell directly, without relying on ads, funnels, or complicated automation.

Jump in today, and you can join the group call tomorrow.

-k.

P.S. Clients are crushing it inside The Launchpad. Just last week, Liz enrolled another amazing woman into her program. Inside The Launchpad, I help coaches and consultants build a simple system that brings in more leads and closes more sales.
Click here to join us.

Staying Relevant in 2025

Issue 51 — July 7, 2025

Old marketing tactics don’t work anymore — here’s how to stay relevant and create content that builds trust and converts in today’s crowded market.

Full newsletter content below:

In 2019, I could drop a single post in a Facebook group and book 40 sales calls. It was easy. It was fast. It worked.

Then COVID hit and everything changed.

Not just how we live.

But how we market. How we sell. How we build trust online.

What’s Changed

People are more protective of their time than ever before and the online space is more crowded than it’s ever been.

Which means the strategies that worked in 2019 won’t get you to $100K in 2025.

No more “drop a CTA and book a calendar full of calls.”

No more hoping one viral post will do the heavy lifting.

Buyers are smarter, more selective. And they’re watching you longer before they reach out.

What’s Working Now

People want to buy from people they trust.

That means they’re watching your content.

They’re lurking in your DMs.

They’re reading your emails…

And deciding whether you’re the right person to hire next.

Your marketing needs to build connection and create conversion. (not just attention)

What’s Shifting Again

We’re seeing another pivot in consumer behavior right now.

The "educate and wait" strategy is dying.

Buyers are overloaded with information.

They don’t want more tips, they want more clarity.

What’s working now is focused, strategic messaging that cuts through the noise and shows your value.

Here’s how you stay relevant in 2025:

• Speak to the right buyer, not the general audience

• Show up where it counts (consistently, not everywhere)

• Create content that drives conversations (not just likes)

• Build a system that turns leads into high-paying clients

And, hey, this is what we do inside The Launchpad.

If your business has stalled or you’re ready to stop guessing at what will finally work, join us inside The Launchpad.
Click here to join us now.

Build Your $10K Sales System

Issue 49 — June 23, 2025

If you're tired of posting endlessly and hoping for clients, it’s time to build a sales system that consistently brings in high-paying clients.
Inside The Launchpad, we focus on crafting high-paying offers, generating leads without paid ads, and mastering selling without feeling 'salesy.'

Full newsletter content below:

If you're tired of posting endlessly and hoping for clients to come your way, it's time to implement a system that consistently brings in high-paying clients.
Inside The Launchpad, we focus on three key areas to help you achieve this:

1. Craft a High-Paying Offer
   We ensure your offer is:

• Priced between $2k - $5k, so you don't need hundreds of clients to reach your goals

• Solving a clear problem that makes clients say, "I want this RIGHT NOW”

• Easy to sell without over-explaining or discounting
  Client Success: M.O. struggled to sell his $500 packages. After refining his offer, he closed a $15K deal within six months.

1. Generate Leads Without Paid Ads
   Many coaches struggle with consistent lead generation. We help you:

• Attract high-quality leads from your existing network

• Develop a lead generation strategy that works

• Convert your audience into buyers without chasing them
  Client Success: M.W. has already made more this year than she has the last 3 years combined.

1. Master the Art of Selling Without Feeling 'Salesy'
   Selling should feel natural. We guide you to:

• Confidently handle sales calls and DMs

• Know exactly what to say to close deals

• Stop over-explaining and start enrolling clients with ease
  Client Success: M.I. went from stuck at $3K launches to closing a $13K launch using this approach.

What's Included in The Launchpad

• 12-Month Access to the complete training & resource portal

• Live Weekly Coaching Calls for real-time feedback & support

• Private Community for strategy, accountability, and momentum

• Messaging & Offer Audits to fine-tune your positioning

• Custom Lead Generation Plan tailored to your business

This isn't just a course; it's a mentorship program where we work together in real-time to build your $10K sales system.

–Kim

P.S. Every month you wait to dial in your sales system is another month without consistent income. If you're ready to change that, join The Launchpad now and let's build your $10K system together.

From $500 Offers to $15k Deals

Issue 48 — June 16, 2025

Michael upgraded his offer positioning and pricing, turning conversations into high-ticket clients.
Here’s how shifting focus from deliverables to outcomes landed his first $15,000 deal.

Full newsletter content below:

When M. joined The Launchpad, he was already doing a lot of things right:
→ He was a talented copywriter
→ He was building real relationships
→ He had consistent conversations in the DMs

But those conversations weren’t turning into clients.
And he was struggling to sell a $500 package.

Here’s what we did:

1. Fixed His Offer Positioning
   His program was strong, but the way it was packaged and priced wasn’t.
   We repositioned his offer to highlight the transformation, not the deliverables.
   Instead of selling writing, we started selling outcomes to clients that had money to invest.

2. Increased the Value (and the Price)
   We upleveled the experience:
   → More strategy
   → More clarity
   → More personalized support

It wasn’t about stacking more calls. It was about understanding the real value of his offer so he could articulate that value in a sales call — and pricing it accordingly.

1. Created a Clear Buyer Path
   Michael was already great at building rapport.
   We added a simple system to bridge the gap between “just chatting” and “ready to buy.”
   No pushy scripts.
   No weird pressure.
   Just a few simple shifts in how he guided people from conversation to conversion.

The Result
He went from struggling to sell a $500 offer to closing his first $15,000 client in under 6 months.

The Takeaway
You don’t need more leads. You need better positioning.
The right strategy turns relationships into revenue.
That’s exactly what we do inside The Launchpad.

–Kim

P.S. Want to see how Michael did it?
Watch his video testimonial here:
INSERT MICHAELS VIDEO

And if you’re ready to upgrade your offer, price it for what it’s actually worth, and close higher-ticket deals…
Join us inside The Launchpad.

You Don’t Need More Followers. You Need More Buyers.

Issue 47 — June 9, 2025

Audience growth ≠ sales. Most coaches get stuck chasing followers instead of converting buyers.
Here’s how to shift focus and turn attention into income.

Full newsletter content below:

You don’t have a visibility problem.
You have a conversion problem.

Most coaches are stuck in the audience trap.
They spend all their time trying to get more followers, more likes, more reach; but they’re not actually generating sales.

Because audience size doesn’t equal revenue. Buyers do.
And most of your sales are sitting in the audience you already have.

Here’s what I mean:
Audience Growth = Awareness
That’s people finding out you exist.

Lead Generation = Sales Conversations
That’s people raising their hand to work with you.

If your content is getting engagement but not leading to clients, you don’t need more visibility.
You need to focus on conversion.

How to shift from chasing followers to enrolling buyers:

1. Stop creating for the algorithm. Start writing for decision-makers.
   Likes are nice, but sales come from trust.
   Speak directly to the people ready to invest; not the ones who just want free tips.

2. Move people into conversations.
   Buyers need a bridge.
   Use your content to invite, direct, and connect.
   That means:
   Invite them to reply to your email.
   Ask them to DM you.
   Send a personal message to your most engaged followers.

3. Lead with outcomes.
   People don’t buy coaching; they buy results.
   If you’re not clearly articulating the problem you solve and the result you help create, you’re invisible.

The Takeaway
You don’t need a bigger audience.
You need to learn how to turn attention into income.
That’s exactly what we do inside The Launchpad.

–Kim

P.S. Ready to turn your content into clients?
Join us inside The Launchpad—my 12-month group program where I help coaches and consultants sharpen their message, simplify their marketing, and close more sales.

When C. joined, we tripled her business in the first 12-months (from $50k/year to $150k/year).
You don’t need to go viral. You need a strategy that converts.

Click here to join us.

Why Your Content Isn’t Converting

Issue 46 — June 2, 2025

Most content strategies fail because they don’t lead to sales.
Here’s how Mary-Ann doubled her annual sales within 2 weeks by sharpening messaging and building a simple sales process.

Full newsletter content below:

Your content strategy isn’t the problem – it’s what you’re not doing with it.

Most coaches think a content strategy means:
→ Posting consistently
→ Sharing value
→ Showing up on social media

But none of that matters if your content doesn’t convert.

That’s the difference between content that just “builds awareness”…
And content that brings in buyers.

What Actually Worked

When Mary-Ann joined The Launchpad, she had been showing up, but was struggling to generate leads.

She had offers.
She had experience.
But the sales just weren’t coming in.

So we audited her content strategy and her sales process.

Here’s what we found:

1. Her messaging was clear, but not compelling.
   She was speaking to her audience’s pain points, but not clearly connecting them to the result of her work. We sharpened her language and made her value obvious.

2. She wasn’t leading people to the sale.
   Like many coaches, she was hoping her content would “do the selling.” But content isn’t a closer—it’s a conversation starter.
   We built a sales strategy she could use to move leads to decision.

3. Her strategy was missing the repurpose and refine stage.
   Instead of using high-performing content to guide future posts, she was creating from scratch every week. We simplified it.

And after just 2 weeks, Mary-Ann closed a sale that doubled her annual sales volume.

Same offer.
Same audience.
Better strategy.

Content Strategy That Converts

Here’s where to start:

Step 1: Build Your Brand Foundation
→ Brand Voice
→ Differentiators
→ Ideal Client Messaging

Step 2: Use Strategic Buckets
→ Stories
→ Education
→ 5% Differentiators

Step 3: Analyze Monthly
→ What’s trending up?
→ What’s creating conversations?
→ What’s leading to sales?

Step 4: Repurpose What Works
You don’t need more content.
You need to double down on what already works.

The Takeaway

Content isn’t the problem.

But your strategy might be.

And if you’re ready to finally create content that brings in buyers, that’s exactly what we do inside The Launchpad.

–Kim

P.S. Ready to make $100K with simple content and sales strategies that work?

Join us inside The Launchpad—my group 12-month coaching support designed to help you simplify attracting leads and closing sales.

Mary-Ann doubled her annual sales within 2 weeks.

You could be next.

Click here to join us.