I Know I Need to Do Marketing… But What Should I Actually Do First?
This is one of the most common things we hear from wellness practitioners.
“I know I need to do some marketing… I just don’t know what I should actually do first.”
Not eventually. Not in theory. But right now, with the time and headspace you actually have.
If that’s you, this blog is for you. Let’s break down exactly where to start in a way that feels manageable instead of overwhelming.
First, let’s remove some pressure
Marketing often feels heavy because people think they need to do it all at once.
Social media. Google. Email lists. Content. Reviews. Ads.
When everything feels equally important, it’s very hard to start anywhere. You end up paralysed, trying to figure out which thing matters most, or you attempt to do everything and burn out within a week.
So let’s be clear right from the start.
You do not need to do everything. You do not need to be “good at marketing”. And you do not need a perfect plan before you begin.
You just need a sensible starting point that makes sense for how your practice actually works.
Step 1: get clear on what you actually offer
This sounds obvious, but it’s often the missing piece.
If someone asked you, “Can you help me?”, could you clearly explain who you help, what you help them with, and what problem you’re known for solving?
If your answer feels a bit woolly or changes depending on who you’re talking to, marketing will always feel harder than it needs to be.
Clarity comes before promotion. You can’t effectively tell people about your practice if you’re not entirely sure yourself what makes it distinct or who benefits most from working with you.
This doesn’t mean boxing yourself in forever or turning away work. It just means giving people something clear to understand and remember when they think about you. “Oh, she’s the physio who works with runners” is far more memorable and shareable than “She’s a physio who does lots of different things.”
Step 2: choose one main place to show up
Once you’re clear on what you do, the next question is where to focus your energy.
This is where many people get stuck, because they feel they should be everywhere. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Google, their website, email marketing – the list goes on.
You don’t need to be everywhere. In fact, trying to be everywhere usually means you’re barely visible anywhere because you’re spreading yourself too thin.
Ask yourself three questions:
- Where do my clients usually find me?
- Where do they already spend time online?
- Where do I feel most comfortable showing up?
For many wellness practitioners, the answer is usually one of three places: Google (through your website and Google Business Profile), Instagram, or LinkedIn.
Pick one to focus on first. Master that. Build consistency there. You can always add another platform later when the first one is running smoothly, but starting with one lets you actually build momentum instead of constantly feeling behind.
Step 3: talk about what people already ask you
You don’t need to invent content ideas from scratch or try to be clever or creative.
Think about the questions people ask you in real life. The ones that come up in initial consultations, the concerns people mention when they’re booking, the things clients say they wish they’d known before they came to see you.
Questions like:
- “Is this normal?”
- “How long will it take?”
- “Do you help with…?”
- “What’s the difference between…?”
- “Will it hurt?”
- “How much does it cost?”
Those questions are your marketing content. Every single one of them.
When you answer them clearly and kindly in your posts, on your website, or in your content, you’re already doing good marketing. You’re building trust before someone ever gets in touch. You’re addressing the concerns that might stop someone from booking. You’re demonstrating your expertise without having to explicitly claim it.
Step 4: make the next step obvious
One of the reasons marketing feels pointless is because people consume your content, maybe even like it, but then… nothing happens.
Often, that’s because they don’t know what to do next.
Every piece of marketing you create should gently answer this question for the reader: “What should I do now?”
That might be: book a session, get in touch with a question, download something helpful, or follow you for more tips.
It doesn’t need to be pushy or salesy. It just needs to be clear. A simple “If this sounds familiar, get in touch to discuss how I can help” is often all you need. People aren’t mind readers, and many are genuinely unsure whether they’re “allowed” to contact you or what the process looks like.
Clear next steps remove that uncertainty.
You don’t need confidence. You need a plan.
A lot of people wait until they feel confident before they start marketing.
The problem is, confidence doesn’t usually arrive on its own. In reality, confidence comes after you’ve taken a few small, clear steps and realised nothing terrible happened. You posted something and nobody laughed. You answered a question and someone found it helpful. You showed up consistently and people started recognising you.
That’s why starting simply matters so much.
Small actions that you can actually sustain. Clear focus that prevents overwhelm. Progress that builds on itself rather than big ambitious plans that collapse under pressure.
Marketing doesn’t require natural confidence or extroversion. It requires a plan you can follow even when you don’t feel particularly confident.
How the Growth Toolkit supports this
The Growth Toolkit for Wellness Practitioners was created to support exactly this stage of getting started.
It helps you clarify what you offer in a way that makes sense to potential clients, decide where to focus your limited time and energy, understand what to talk about without having to become a content creator, and take action without feeling pressured or out of your depth.
It’s not a course with hours of videos. It’s not a commitment to anything. It’s a calm, practical place to start when marketing feels stuck or confusing.
Download the Growth Toolkit for Wellness Practitioners.
This will help you take your first steps with more confidence and clarity about what you’re actually doing and why.
Want ongoing support with your marketing?
Once you’ve worked through the basics and want consistent help without having to figure everything out yourself, that’s where Marketing Toolbox comes in. We provide templates, personalised content, or complete done-for-you marketing specifically designed for wellness practitioners who’d rather focus on their clients than become marketing experts.