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Every course creator and coach faces the same dilemma at some point, how do you get back some of your time? How do you scale your business, but without losing the personal connection that people need even more in our tech heavy and social media snippet society? So today, we're diving into the strategic balance between automation and personal touch, and I'm going to share exactly where automation will save you hours in your week, and where that personal connection is absolutely non negotiable for your client success and building that relationship with them, where they're repeat clients and they feel connected to you as the person to lead them on their journey. Ready to break free from the solopreneur struggle. This is the ease and impact thriving as a solopreneur Podcast. I'm Frankie Jay, a surfer, a mom and an eight year solopreneur. Myself. Join me as I peel back the layers to a thriving online business without the guru hype or the burnout. I'm going to show you the proven strategies and tools that I use so you can build a sustainable digital business without sacrificing your well being. Let's get you thriving as a solopreneur.
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Welcome back to ease and impact thriving as a solopreneur. I'm your host, Frankie j and this is your weekly dose of practical advice for the solo business journey, wherever you're at. And if this is your first time here, then hit that subscribe button right now, because we dive into mindset tech strategies that actually work for solopreneurs, not just the latest shiny object that gurus are pushing this week. So today, we're tackling something that may have been on your mind. How do I free up my time but still create a personal touch with my clients and my students? So here's what you're going to get from today's episode. You're going to have a clear understanding and framework for deciding exactly what to automate and what to keep personal and where systems and automations can actually enhance, not replace your personal touch. This isn't about choosing sides in some kind of automation versus authenticity battle. This is about strategic thinking that lets you serve more people without burning yourself out. So let me start with something that might surprise you. Most successful coaches and course creators that I know aren't the ones that are doing everything manually, and they're also not the ones that have automated everything, either they're the ones who have understand how to create a strategic balance.
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See, here's what most people get wrong. They think automation means losing their soul, or they think that personal means having no time for anything else. And both of these beliefs are costing you clients, but also costing you time and honestly costing you sanity.
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So let's give you a framework that changes it now we'll think of it in terms of an 8020 rule, the 8020 rule of automation. We'll call it.
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Here's how it works. You automate 80%
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of the tasks that are repetitive and administrative, and you personalize the 20% that drive transformation and connection. And when you get this balance right, you your automation actually makes your personal touch more powerful, not less so. Let me show you exactly what I mean by this first let's talk about where automation isn't just okay, it's actually even better for your clients and your students.
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The first spot is milestone celebrations or progress tracking, so your clients need immediate positive reinforcement when they hit those small wins. Think about it, if, if someone completes a module of yours at 11pm on a Sunday, they shouldn't have to wait until Monday morning for you to send an email of acknowledgement that moment of accomplishment. You know, it's fleeting if you don't capture it immediately, so set up automated congratulations when clients complete modules or REACH program milestones. So using two tools, like badges in your community or automated email sequences that are triggered by actions. You know, something that's like, congratulations, you've completed week three of the program. Here's your progress summary and what's coming up next. You know, something simple, or suit it to more your style. But the beautiful thing is that this automation actually creates more opportunities for personal connection, because you're building that momentum that carries into your one on one interactions. They may reply to that email or reply to that post. The next is administrative communications. So your clients don't necessarily need a personal touch on their payment confirmations. They want efficiency. They want immediate access. They want to know that their zoom link works and they have everything they need before the session starts, or that they have the right link to access the program that they purchased. But stick with me, because I'm going to reveal where personal touch in amongst. This should be part of your strategy. But welcome sequences, payment confirmations, technical instructions, you know, even calendar booking confirmations, these should all be automated. Use your email or.
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Information, whatever CRM you're using, payment processor, notifications, calendar software like Calendly, you know, give them instant calendar confirmation with a zoom link. You know, program access, details, preparation, materials, everything they need. Now, why is this important? Because when the logistics are seamless, the actual coaching time, or time you're spending with clients becomes more valuable, because if you're doing all this manually, you're spending your time on tasks that are taken away from you working with clients, tasks that only you can do and that are earning you your money. The next is content creation and even distribution. Honestly, this one is important for your sanity. You can repurpose content automatically across platforms, turn one piece of content into blog posts, social media posts, email newsletters, video snippets. I actually did a podcast episode on this recently, and you should see a link on your screen. Now, if you're watching the video or find a link in the show notes, but automatically repurposing content is one side, and then tools like Buffer later, which is what I use HootSuite is a whole host out there can schedule your content across multiple platforms simultaneously. And here's, I guess, the thinking shift with this. You're not being lazy by automating content distribution, you're being strategic. So every minute you're saving on posting is a minute you can spend creating better content or even connecting with those who engage with your content. But let's take a look at where we shouldn't automate things, where the personal touch and human connection is a non negotiable. So this is a place where your competitors, they can't touch you, because this is where you show up as the human being that your clients invested in.
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So one way is welcome videos for new members or new clients. So here's something that you know, it consistently surprises people, a simple two minute personal video welcoming each new member gets more replies, more engagement, more connection than any automated sequence ever will. Now it's still important to have that welcome sequence with all the details they need, but using something like Bucha no to send personalized videos, you know, look them in the eye, say their name, acknowledge something specific about why they joined, that really sets the tone for a supportive and personal relationship from day one. And the impact of this, well, these videos consistently get more replies and engagement from new members. It's not just delivering a course, you're inviting them into a relationship. How about some breakthrough moments and major wins? So when someone shares a significant achievement or breakthrough, that moment deserves human celebration. These are the moments that often lead to the most powerful testimonials, the strongest referrals, your deepest client relationships. So sending a voice message or a personal video message or a handwritten note, you know, do this in your community, or your group portal or a chat that you have set up with a mentorship group that you have, the goal isn't just about acknowledgement, it's about amplification. You're you're showing one, everyone else in the community, what's possible, and you're instilling in that client or that student even more confidence. Well, how about some outreach for the struggling student? Now this is where
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automation could actually harm your business when someone's falling behind or showing signs of overwhelm, automated messages can't address individual circumstances or provide a tailored or intuitive encouragement. Now, most course, platforms like Kajabi, which is what I use, will show someone's progress through a program or community, and
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when you see someone stalling, you know, reach out personally, send a personal email, a DM, offer a quick call to understand any specific challenges, choose what's right for their level of investment in that program. But here's what happens when you do this, you often turn a potential refund request or membership cancelation into a success story. You show that you're not just you're selling them a course, you're committed to helping them get the transformation. Well, one really easy way to do it, and especially in a group environment, is having some kind of live Q and A or community engagement. So whether you have regular live sessions or you just respond personally in community forums or you host office hours, this sort of real time interaction builds that community and also allows for nuanced guidance. So weekly live calls or active participation, in community discussions, this creates that sense of connection and immediate value that no automation can replicate. And the point is, with all of this, the personal touches are going to take slightly more time, but it's about figuring out where the personal touches best used, and where can we use automation. So that brings me to how do we decide what to automate and what to keep personal? So I've got a simple sort of three question test for you quiz.
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The first question is, will this task happen the exact same way for every client? If yes, then automate it. The next question to ask yourself is, does this interact.
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And build or maintain a personal relationship. If yes, we'll keep it personal. Or finally, does this require a intricate
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understanding or a nuanced understanding of individual circumstances?
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If yes, then obviously you need to be personally involved. So here's the biggest takeaway, the goal isn't to automate everything or even to personalize everything, it's to be strategic about where each approach serves your client best and supports your business growth. So your automation doesn't make you less personal, but it does make your personal interactions more impactful, because one you're not exhausted by all the administrative tasks that you're doing, you have more energy for those personal bits of outreach, but your clients get the efficiency in the areas that need to be efficient, and then they also get the connection that they need. So here's what I want you to do this week. And I'm I mean actually, do not just think about doing first take a look at your current client journey or student journey and identify the top, say, three automation opportunities now where you're manually doing the same task over and over. Okay, start there. Second. Choose one personal touch point to enhance. Maybe it's sending a voice message to someone who just had a breakthrough, or recording a quick welcome video for your newest member. Now, I'm a big fan of Bonjour for quick videos at any stage that you see a personal touch or outreach. Outreach is appropriate, so I've put a link to bonjoro in the show notes. It's a great tool, and you can start for free
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third, implement one new automation or one personal touch improvement by next month, not next quarter, not when you have time next month and give yourself a specific date that you will have that completed. Now, if you have any questions about this, drop them in the comments. I read every single one, and your questions often become future episodes. So I appreciate you taking the time to comment below. Thank you so much for spending the time with me today. Remember your business. It doesn't live and die by the next shiny tool and technique. It's about building a sustainable ecosystem that has you at the center. You're not alone in this journey, so I will see you again next week. Until then, keep creating that impact with ease.
