How to Leverage the Power of Instagram to go Full-Time Online with Morgan Gillis

[Kathryn]: Hey, hey, so excited to have Morgan Gillis on the show today to share with you guys how online coaches can use Instagram for lead generation in their business without having to try and beat the algorithm. 

[Morgan]: Awesome. Thank you so much for having me. 

[Kathryn]: So how long have you been helping online coaches with lead generation? 

[Morgan]: I get really nervous when people ask me that question because there's so much backstory to my story. I've been in the coaching world since 2014. I started with CrossFit coaching and health coaching and eventually got into habits coaching for entrepreneurs. Then I'd say it's in the last year and a half that I moved more so into the business coaching space helping online coaches use Instagram as their primary form of lead generation. 

[Kathryn]: So why would you say helping online coaches with lead generation is important to you?

[Morgan]: I get so fired up about this question. I was essentially a struggling online coach for a very long time. It gets me emotionally every time I talk about it, because I did what everyone told me to do. Especially when you go into health coaching, they tell you to get certified, and I had like three certifications. They also tell online coaches, you need to build a website and lead magnets for lead generation. And I did all those things like an online coach but still couldn’t figure out how to get clients. And I struggled for a very long time. 

My self-worth and my confidence took a huge beating. Because, I was saying that I was building this online coaching business, and it really wasn't working for the longest time. And I was waiting tables to pay bills. And I kept asking myself why I couldn’t figure this out. And then eventually coming clicked on Instagram, and selling on Instagram became easy, and the focus really is lead generation. I went from making $1,000 a month to 20K a month selling on Instagram. 

[Kathryn]: I appreciate you sharing how this makes you emotional because I know so many online coaches, entrepreneurs struggling because they've tried to do things the way that everybody tells them that they have to do it.  

So what do you think is then the most important thing that new online coaches or struggling online coaches need to know? Right now, if they are struggling with lead generation or selling on Instagram? 

[Morgan]: The most important thing that they need to focus on is lead generation. The fancy branding and photo shoots don’t matter as much as lead generation.

[Kathryn]: So I love the idea of you talking about lead generation. What does a lead generation activity look like?  

[Morgan]: What most struggling online coaches don't realize is that one of the most basic things is like TLC. So traffic turns into leads turns into conversion or a sale, right? But what people don't realize is a website is, it's not really the traffic piece, that's where somebody would turn into a lead and maybe get on the phone with you. And maybe they turn into a conversion, right. But what precedes that is you need the traffic to go to the website to start the lead generation process. This is basically what I teach to make selling on Instagram easier.  

[Kathryn]: I know a lot of online coaches are exhausted with selling on Instagram and social media marketing, and things not working. Any advice for our listeners based on that?

[Morgan]: Totally! Lead generation and selling on Instagram isn’t about creating boatloads of content, and waiting for people to engage or reach out. Online coaches have to spend time engaging with their audience, meaning reaching out in the DMs, or commenting on a post. So the majority of your time should be spent on lead generation.

[Kathryn]: Love it! A lot of the online coaches I work with are scared about cold DMing because they don't want to come off as pushy or sleazy or salesy, and so do you have advice on how to do it in a way that isn't sleazy or isn't salesy for online coaches?

[Morgan]: Yes. 100%. Now, are we talking about reaching out to new people, let's say. The biggest piece of outreach is merely starting up a conversation. Yes, you’re doing this as a lead generation tactic, but the initial form of outreach is to start talking. And really, the biggest thing is being a frickin 'human. And what that means is you want to connect with people. And people think that like relationships on the internet, for some reason, we just think that they're different. They're not different. If you went to a networking event, what would you do? 

You would start a conversation around a mutual interest or small talk, right? I breakdown the three C's for lead generation, and this can apply to if you're, you know, sliding into maybe even a current person's DMS, or you found somebody new that you think might be ideal. It's like, the three C's of lead generation is connect with a tone of curiosity, and keep it conversational. 

[Kathryn]: So what do you feel needs to be changed in the industry when it comes to lead generation, social media marketing, and selling on Instagram?

[Morgan]: I think the more online coaches can come from a service mindset instead of I need to make more sales things become much better. I also think online coaches don’t focus enough on lead generation which causes them to struggle in their business for far too long. 

[Kathryn]: Yeah, I agree with that. So do you have any recommendations for our listeners and online coaches about how to make social media marketing, lead generation, and selling on Instagram fun?

[Morgan]: Yeah, totally. If you go into Instagram with the intention of I'm going to share my gifts, with the hopes of meeting cool humans, you have no idea where that will lead you. Like it led us to this podcast, it can lead you to people with lives, it can lead you to so much stuff, you have no idea it can lead you to like, I've met like best friends on Instagram. So while you want to focus on lead generation, set the intention of being of service first and see what happens. 

[Kathryn]: 100% I can't agree with you on that. It can be fun. And I’m grateful that we had the opportunity to connect via Instagram and for you taking the time to share with my audience and online coaches all about using Instagram for lead generation. So where can people find you?

[Morgan]: Well, you can definitely find me on Instagram. My handle is very easy. iammorgangillis.