Ep 58 - How to Build an Audience Before You Have Anything to Sell

Episode Show Notes

Welcome to Beyond the Clinic, Episode 58 

Hello and welcome. I am Sarah Almond Bushell, and today we are diving into a question I hear all the time: how do you build an audience before you have anything to sell? Picture this: an early morning, the house is quiet, and you are at your kitchen table with a cuppa, feeling that familiar buzz of excitement and nerves. You want to build a business, you feel the calling, but you are not sure where to begin with your audience.

Episode Summary 

In this episode, I am sharing my step-by-step approach for growing an engaged audience from scratch, even if you are still working NHS shifts, juggling family life, or feeling a bit lost on social media. Building an audience is not about fame or becoming an influencer. It is about trust, connection, and showing up as your authentic self, long before you ever try to sell.

You will hear how I started out, from posting late-night tips in my pyjamas to building a thriving community. I am sharing practical strategies, real-life examples, and the mindset shifts that make audience building feel doable, not daunting. By the end of this episode, you will have a clear, actionable plan to start connecting with the right people, one step at a time.

Key Takeaways 

Start Before You Are Ready

You do not need a polished offer or a perfect niche to begin. Simply show up, share what you know, and listen to what your audience needs.

Focus on Connection, Not Perfection

Your audience wants to feel seen and understood. Share pain points, micro-education, and behind-the-scenes glimpses to foster real relationships.

Consistency Over Constant Posting

You do not need to post every day, just consistently. Mark it in your diary, keep it manageable, and trust that small actions add up.

Engage Authentically

Meaningful comments on other people’s content and genuine interactions in your niche help you build relationships and attract new followers.

Imperfect Action Builds Momentum

Forget waiting for the perfect plan. Take small, brave steps and adjust as you go. Your audience will grow as you grow.

Thank You for Listening 

Thank you for joining me today. If this episode gave you the nudge you needed, please share it with a friend who is just starting out. Remember, you do not need to have it all figured out before you begin. You simply need to start showing up, one conversation at a time.

I'd love to hear from you, click the link to 'text' the show directly

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Episode transcription:

[00:00:00] Sarah Almond Bushell: Welcome to episode number 58, how to build an audience before you have anything to sell. Picture this, it's early morning, the house is still quiet, you are sitting at the kitchen table, cuppa in hand, feeling that familiar buzz of excitement. and nerves You want to build a business. You can feel it calling you the freedom, the purpose, the chance to help people in your own way. 

[00:00:25] Sarah Almond Bushell: But there's one big question that echoes in your mind. How on earth [00:00:30] do I start building an audience when I don't even know what I'm selling yet? Or maybe do I have to become an influencer to make this work? Building an audience isn't about fame. It's about building trust. And trust starts long before you ever try and sell. 

[00:00:47] Sarah Almond Bushell: This podcast episode was inspired by one of my amazing readers. So if you have got any ideas for me, please email me and let me know and I'll record one for you. Today, I am going to show you exactly how [00:01:00] to start growing your audience, especially if you are starting from scratch. If social media feels clunky or it feels unfamiliar, and if you're still busy, balancing NHS shifts with family life. 

[00:01:12] Sarah Almond Bushell: And grow in your own business. By the end of this episode, you'll have a clear, doable plan and start connecting with the right people simply one step at a time. 

[00:01:23] Sarah Almond Bushell: If you are listening to this episode today, I guess you might find yourself in one of two places. [00:01:30] Maybe you are still working in the NHS, for example, dreaming about setting up your freelance business, but wondering where to start with building that audience online. Or maybe you've already taken a few brave steps, you've registered as a freelancer, maybe even listed yourself on the BDA directory, maybe even set up a basic website. 

[00:01:50] Sarah Almond Bushell: But you are realizing that having your services listed isn't enough to actually bring in clients. You know that social media is supposed to help [00:02:00] you connect with people, and you know it's important to build a presence online, but when you actually sit down to post, it can feel really confusing. You find yourself thinking, what should I write about? 

[00:02:12] Sarah Almond Bushell: How do I talk about what I do if I haven't really launched anything yet? Or how do I connect with people without sounding awkward or salesy? The platform itself might sound overwhelming. Think of Instagram. We've got stories and reels and posts and [00:02:30] lives and carousels. I mean, which one are you meant to focus on? 

[00:02:34] Sarah Almond Bushell: Are you supposed to show your face? Is it weird to post if you don't have a full offer yet? You might even open the app and then close it again because without a clear idea of what to say, posting feels impossible. You might even find yourself scrolling other people's accounts for inspiration, seeing confident posts, polished branding, seemingly effortless engagement, and wondering how did they get started.[00:03:00]  

[00:03:00] Sarah Almond Bushell: It's not that you don't want to show up, it's not even a confidence thing. It's that no one's ever really explained how. 

[00:03:07] Sarah Almond Bushell: If that's where you are right now, I want you to know that is totally fine. You are just standing at the very start of a path that actually most healthcare professionals aren't brave enough to walk. And today I'm going to show you exactly how to take those first steps into social media simply. 

[00:03:25] Sarah Almond Bushell: Strategically and without needing to become someone you are not, because [00:03:30] building your business doesn't start when you're ready to sell something. It starts way before that when you are showing up to connect with people and be helpful. 

[00:03:39] Sarah Almond Bushell: So imagine a moment waking up on a normal weekday morning. You make your coffee, you open your phone, and they're sitting quietly. In your notifications are a handful of new followers, real people, not bots, not colleagues or friends doing you a favor, but real potential clients, people who found you [00:04:00] because they were looking for answers and something you shared made them stop scrolling. 

[00:04:05] Sarah Almond Bushell: You post a simple thought that morning, nothing fancy. Maybe a quick story about a client breakthrough or a small tip for a tired parent managing picky eating, or a reflection on what you wish more people knew about in terms of gut health. And then you get comments, not a hundred, not viral, just a few genuine, heartfelt messages. 

[00:04:27] Sarah Almond Bushell: Thank you. This is exactly what I needed [00:04:30] today. Oh, I've never heard it explained that way before. That was so helpful. This makes me feel much less alone. You reply, you have a short back and forth conversation and you smile because even though it's early days, you are actually building real relationships. 

[00:04:47] Sarah Almond Bushell: You're not posting into silence. You're not wondering if it's working. It is working because you are connecting. Then fast forward a few months, your audience has started to grow. It's not huge, but it's healthy. It's [00:05:00] steady, it's warm. You're no longer guessing what to post. You know exactly what your audience is interested in because they tell you through those comments and those questions and those dms and those little moments of trust, you don't feel pushy. 

[00:05:14] Sarah Almond Bushell: You don't feel fake. You feel good because you are showing up as yourself. And when you go to finally launch your offer, whether it's a one-to-one service, a workshop, or an online course, it doesn't feel scary. It feels natural because by that [00:05:30] point, you know these people, you audience knows you. They already trust you. 

[00:05:35] Sarah Almond Bushell: They already see you as someone who understands what's going on in their world, and those early connections that you built, one thoughtful post, one tiny conversation at a time. Those people actually often become your very first clients. So picture now a day in the future, you are working from your cozy home office. 

[00:05:56] Sarah Almond Bushell: Maybe it's a bit like mine, your converted garage, your [00:06:00] laptop's open. You've got your cup of tea beside you, your calendars filling up with bookings that you're really excited about. Your inboxes ping with client inquiries, not because you chased people, but because you built relationships first. So they came to you and it all started with one thing. 

[00:06:18] Sarah Almond Bushell: Building and connecting with your audience before you had anything to sell, and if that's the future that you want. It starts with just one thing. Actually, it's starting now exactly where you [00:06:30] are building connection before creating offers, and that is exactly how I started. 

[00:06:36] Sarah Almond Bushell: So when I first started in the online business space, I didn't have a grand plan. I didn't have a marketing degree or a brand strategist advising me. I was actually a tired NHS dietician sitting at my kitchen table thinking about the top of my game. I've got at least 25 more years before I retire. 

[00:06:56] Sarah Almond Bushell: There's got to be a bit more to it than this. And then one [00:07:00] night after another exhausting clinic, day after school activities, getting dinner on the table, I opened Facebook. This was before Instagram was a thing, and I created a business page. Nothing to sell other than my time. Just me. And a decision to show up. 

[00:07:16] Sarah Almond Bushell: So at first I posted little tips for parents feeding their children the things I was already saying every single day in clinic. Small pieces of advice that I knew would make a difference. Some posts I wrote at 10:00 PM so on my [00:07:30] sofa, in my pajamas. Others, I scribbled in my lunch break and posted from the hospital canteen squashed it between the microwave and the vending machine. 

[00:07:38] Sarah Almond Bushell: There was nothing polished about them. There was no fancy graphics, but people over time started to take notice. One mom messaged me to say thank you. Another shared my post with her friend. A pediatrician commented that she loved my gentle evidence-based approach. I didn't try and sell anything, and actually I didn't [00:08:00] really know how to at that stage. 

[00:08:02] Sarah Almond Bushell: But what I did do was listen. I noticed what questions kept coming up. I asked people what they were struggling with and how I could help them. I paid attention to what resonated and also what didn't, and at the time, I also started blogging, writing longer answers to the questions that my followers were asking. 

[00:08:22] Sarah Almond Bushell: Sharing free. Practical advice, 

[00:08:25] Sarah Almond Bushell: and it was long before I knew about SEO. It wasn't for the purpose of driving [00:08:30] traffic, it was for the purpose of trying to help people, trying to reach more people. And slowly without any ads, without any funnels, without any really understanding about marketing an audience began to grow, and when the time came to create my first offer, I wasn't guessing what they might need because they'd already told me. 

[00:08:51] Sarah Almond Bushell: And that's the magic. And it's still how I come up with new offers to this day, and it's absolutely within your reach as [00:09:00] well. So when you are starting out, one of the biggest traps is thinking that you need to be perfect, that you need to have your whole niche mapped out on a vision board, before you can even begin. 

[00:09:12] Sarah Almond Bushell: But honestly, you don't. But what you do need is a bit of a direction, even if it's a bit of a messy one. So start by asking yourself. Who is it that feels quite easy for me to talk to? Whose struggle spark a little fire of empathy inside me. Who essentially can I [00:09:30] help? Now, you don't have to get this right immediately. 

[00:09:33] Sarah Almond Bushell: You are not carving this in stone. You're just simply choosing a place to get started, to start having conversations. So think about your own clinics. Who are the patients that you secretly look forward to seeing whose problems made you stay an extra 10 minutes sketching out ideas on the back of a continuation sheet in your clinic notes. 

[00:09:54] Sarah Almond Bushell: Start there. Then close your eyes for a moment and imagine your favorite [00:10:00] client. Look at the details. Who are they? What are they struggling with? What would you love to say to them right now today, if you could? When I first started posting online, I didn't know I would eventually specialise in pediatric feeding challenges. 

[00:10:17] Sarah Almond Bushell: I was just a pediatric dietician. I worked in diabetes actually, and I just knew that I felt deeply connected to stressed, exhausted parents, particularly of younger children. [00:10:30] That was enough for me to begin. So clarity doesn't come from thinking harder from working this all out. It comes from getting started, from acting, from noticing, and just adjusting along the way. 

[00:10:45] Sarah Almond Bushell: When you are new to social media, it's so easy to feel like you need to teach everything you know, all in one go, or you feel like you need to show up as the expert or you worry that you need to be endlessly creative. Dancing pointing, [00:11:00] trending, Creating beautiful graphics. But you know what? You don't need to do any of that. 

[00:11:04] Sarah Almond Bushell: What your audience really craves is super, super simple. They just want to connect with you before they want solutions. They want to feel seen. They want to feel validated in their worries. They want to know you understand them, that you get them before they listen to your advice, and that's why connection focused content matters so much more in the beginning. 

[00:11:29] Sarah Almond Bushell: [00:11:30] So there's three types of connection focused content that you should really be creating on if you are trying to build an audience. So number one is pain points. So this is the small everyday struggles that your ideal client is facing. So not the dramatic once in a lifetime crisis's, but the quiet niggling frustrations that just go on all of the time. 

[00:11:56] Sarah Almond Bushell: So some examples might be [00:12:00] feeling guilty because they didn't cook from scratch for their family this week. It might be they're Googling baby-led weaning tips at midnight and feeling even more confused than before. They might be wondering if they're the only one who seems to start the day, okay. But by lunchtime they're bloated. 

[00:12:18] Sarah Almond Bushell: And when you name that struggle, that real struggle that people are facing, they feel seen. And feeling seen is the first step to building trust. [00:12:30] So think back to a conversation you've had recently. Maybe it was in clinic or it might have been with a colleague or even with a friend. What frustration did they mention that might well be a post  

[00:12:40] Sarah Almond Bushell: So the second type of connection content you can create is micro education. So this is teeny tiny pieces of advice that someone could implement and try straight away today. So it's not a full masterclass, it's not a seven step framework, it's just one small, doable [00:13:00] idea. So I call this micro education, and this is perfect for attracting new followers. 

[00:13:06] Sarah Almond Bushell: So it needs to be a really quick win. And here's some examples for you. It could be if you're feeling tired by mid-afternoon, try adding in a protein rich snack like a handful of nuts or a boiled egg. It could be, if you want a super simple fiber boost to your usual pasta supper, try chucking in some frozen peas into your pasta water for the last two minutes of [00:13:30] cooking. 

[00:13:30] Sarah Almond Bushell: Can you see, these are just teeny tiny snippets of micro education. They're not meant to solve everything. They're meant to give your audience a really small feeling of success, of positivity, and a sense that change is possible for them. So what's one tiny tip that you've given somebody in the last week that made someone say, oh my gosh, that's so helpful. 

[00:13:56] Sarah Almond Bushell: I'll give you an example of mine. Actually, last week I shared with my [00:14:00] sister that not all ultra processed foods were bad. She was so grateful for the fact that she could still give her kids weetabix for breakfast in the morning and not have to cook up these epic breakfast before this went to school. 

[00:14:13] Sarah Almond Bushell: So the third type of connection content that you can create are behind the scenes moments. And that's because people don't connect with polished brands. They actually connect with real humans. And a super easy way to do this is just to bring them [00:14:30] on the journey of everyday life with you. So share little glimpses of your life, your work, your process. 

[00:14:37] Sarah Almond Bushell: Not in a forced way, but in a natural. This is me type of way. So some behind the scenes ideas for you could be a snapshot of your messy desk while you are writing a new resource. It could be a quick story about how nervous you felt before posting your first reel. It could be a peek at your dog snoozing next to you while you work. 

[00:14:59] Sarah Almond Bushell: And [00:15:00] when people see your real life, they feel permission to show up imperfectly too. And that deepens that connection more than any viral real could ever do. So if you are thinking now, okay, that's great. I've got three types of content I can create. But what do I actually say? Here's a simple formula that you can use over and over again. 

[00:15:23] Sarah Almond Bushell: So step one, you start with a relatable hook. So that is a sentence that draws people in so it [00:15:30] might be ever felt. And then insert a small struggle and thought and insert a relatable thought. Step two is you share a tiny story or moment. So it might be, that was me last week or when I started, and here's what I learned. 

[00:15:48] Sarah Almond Bushell: Step three is to offer one simple tip or a reflection. So it could be something like one thing that really helped was, and then insert the quick win. And then step four [00:16:00] can be just to end with a really soft question that prompts conversation. So it could be, have you ever felt like this to, or, what's your go-to strategy for whatever? 

[00:16:12] Sarah Almond Bushell: So here's one that I've written for you as a real example for you to get the picture. Ever felt like social media is just one big noisy room that you'll never figure out. When I first set up my Instagram, I barely knew how to post a story. I'd spend 20 [00:16:30] minutes trying to find a sticker button. One thing that helped massively was treating it like a conversation, like chatting to someone over the garden fence, not a lecturer on stage. 

[00:16:41] Sarah Almond Bushell: What's one part of social media that still feels confusing for you? So can you see I've used that same framework as a potential post for advertising this episode, so I think I will use that one When this episode goes live, Every time you show up [00:17:00] with care, you are laying foundations for the community that you want to build. 

[00:17:05] Sarah Almond Bushell: And from that community comes the business that you want. Now, one of the biggest mistakes I see new business owners make on social media is treating it a bit like a loudspeaker. So they might post a tip, they might make an announcement, they'll share an update from hq, and then they wait. And when no one responds, they feel like they've failed. 

[00:17:26] Sarah Almond Bushell: But the secret here is that social media isn't really about [00:17:30] making declarations. It's the clues in the name. It's a social environment. It's about starting conversations and having conversations with people. So when you post, think of it. Less like a broadcast and more like inviting someone into your kitchen for a cup and a chat. 

[00:17:49] Sarah Almond Bushell: So imagine posting something and somebody replying, not with a like, but with a comment that says something like, well, that really resonated, or, this is exactly how I've been feeling. [00:18:00] That's what you're aiming for. So there's tiny meaningful conversations. So how do you invite conversation? At the end of every post, 

[00:18:10] Sarah Almond Bushell: just ask a soft question. Nothing intense, nothing complicated. So good conversation starters might be something like, does this sound familiar? Have you experienced this too? Tell me about it. What's one thing that's really helped you with that? Or, I'd love to hear your favourite, and then whatever you've posted about.[00:18:30]  

[00:18:31] Sarah Almond Bushell: So when you invite conversation, you lower the barrier for people to interact. You make it easy for them to step into taking or having a dialogue with you. And in business relationships are everything. So after you write your next post pause, before you hit publish, and ask yourself, am I broadcasting or actually am I inviting a conversation here? 

[00:18:56] Sarah Almond Bushell: And if you can do this one thing consistently, invite [00:19:00] and nurture small conversations. You'll be 90% ahead of the people trying to build online businesses. There's a funny thing about starting anything new, we often think. If I can't do it perfectly, what's the point in doing it at all? And I think with social media, that mindset can be paralysing because you tell yourself, I'll post when I've got my full content calendar mapped out, or I'll show up when I have a professional photo shoot booked, or I'll start once I've got [00:19:30] 30 brilliant ideas all lined up. 

[00:19:33] Sarah Almond Bushell: And in the meantime, of course, days pass. Weeks pass, and that account you opened with so much hope just sits there gathering dust. But the truth is, it's not the perfect plans that build momentum. It's that messy, imperfect action when you just start and you take that action consistently. Consistency doesn't mean constantly. 

[00:19:57] Sarah Almond Bushell: You don't have to post every single day. It [00:20:00] doesn't mean you have to burn out. You don't need to be glued to your phone. It simply means deciding to show up even when it feels a bit awkward. It means just keeping a small promise to yourself that you are going to do this. So when I first started, I chose two or three days a week to post, and what I did is I marked them in my diary, almost like appointments in my calendar. 

[00:20:23] Sarah Almond Bushell: I had a list of tiny ideas. It was actually stuck to my wall handwritten list of tiny ideas that I could refer [00:20:30] to for inspiration. And you know what? When I started, my commitment was really simple. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, that was it. And what I did was I carried on with that for years actually, until I could afford to bring on a team to help me with that. 

[00:20:48] Sarah Almond Bushell: And now we do post every day, but. That's only been in the last 18 months or so. So some weeks it might have just been a tip that I scribbled out while waiting for the pasta to boil. Other [00:21:00] weeks, it was a simple photo of my notebook with a thought about feeding kids. It wasn't glamorous, it wasn't strategic in the way that, we talk about in terms of marketing. 

[00:21:11] Sarah Almond Bushell: But it was consistent and that consistency built the trust and not just with my audience, but it also built the trust within myself as well. So I often think a great analogy here is your posts on social media is a little bit like watering tiny [00:21:30] seeds because you'll plant them. And you often don't see the results immediately. 

[00:21:36] Sarah Almond Bushell: You can't force your veggies to grow faster by staring at them. You simply water them. You nurture it little and often without expectation and trust that growth is happening beneath the surface. And then one day suddenly you'll see those green shoots breaking through. So right now, I'd love for you to ask yourself, what posting rhythm [00:22:00] feels manageable for you? 

[00:22:01] Sarah Almond Bushell: What small commitment can you make to yourself for the next 30 days and write it down in your diary. Your consistency is a signal to yourself and to your future clients that you're here, that you're serious about this business thing, and you know what? That you can be trusted as well. 

[00:22:19] Sarah Almond Bushell: When you hear the word networking, how does that feel? You might immediately picture something a bit stiff, a bit awkward, maybe, name badges, [00:22:30] instant coffee, standing around in a room, making small talk that you don't really want to be having. Networking is really important in online business, but thankfully it's nothing like that at all when it's done it's really natural, it's really human, and actually it's really fun as well. 

[00:22:47] Sarah Almond Bushell: So building your audience isn't just about creating your own content, it's also about connecting meaningfully with other people who are interested in the same stuff as you. Because when you show [00:23:00] up and engage authentically with. Other people's content in other people's online spaces, you automatically invite them into yours. 

[00:23:09] Sarah Almond Bushell: They'll want to come over and have a look. And over time, those small, genuine interactions, they do add up. So just find a few accounts where your Ideal client also might be hanging out. So for me, I would think about parenting accounts, wellbeing communities, other healthcare professionals perhaps, and [00:23:30] start commenting thoughtfully on their posts. 

[00:23:32] Sarah Almond Bushell: Now, avoid the generic comments like, great post useful tip. You want something real. You want something that shows that you've actually read the post or had some sort of feeling about what they've shared. So when I was first growing my audience, I made a little habit that every morning after the school drop off and before starting my working day, I'd spent five minutes commenting on three to five posts, and there were meaningful [00:24:00] human comments. 

[00:24:00] Sarah Almond Bushell: There was nothing strategic about it. It was just genuinely building connections with people in my niche and over time We got to know each other. Some of those people are some of my business besties now. And those small conversations turned into new followers, their followers saw me commenting and came over to my account. 

[00:24:21] Sarah Almond Bushell: But really it formed some really lovely collaborations and we all support each other in business. [00:24:30] And you know what? I'm pretty sure that some of those new followers that. Came from these other people's audiences. Might have even been my very first paying clients. And it wasn't because I asked. It wasn't because I pushed anything. 

[00:24:44] Sarah Almond Bushell: It was because I just showed up as a real person who was interested and cared. Now the thing here is that algorithms, which can be or enemies at times, but algorithms actually reward conversations. [00:25:00] So when you comment on other people's content, you are more likely to be shown to new audiences. And the other thing here is that people remember kindness. 

[00:25:10] Sarah Almond Bushell: A thoughtful comment stands out more than another. Pretty graphic would. Trust builds faster through dialogue than through a static post. So have a think about who is it that inspires you, who's having conversations that you'd love to be part of as well. And then follow [00:25:30] them, engage with them, be really helpful. 

[00:25:32] Sarah Almond Bushell: Use an encouraging voice in their world, but without any expectation. And that's how real momentum begins. So here's what I want you to do today. Just pick one of those ideas that I've given you, just one. Maybe it's drafting your first connection focus post. Maybe it's commenting thoughtfully on three accounts that you admire. 

[00:25:53] Sarah Almond Bushell: Maybe it's just simply setting a posting rhythm that you know you can stick to. Whatever it is, just [00:26:00] take one small action within the next 48 hours, not to be perfect, not to be polished. Just to get started, because audience building isn't about big flashy moves. It's about small, consistent ones that you are brave enough to take when nobody's watching yet, and you, my friend, are already braver than you think. 

[00:26:22] Sarah Almond Bushell: So if you've made it all the way through today's episode, you know something powerful. You don't need to wait until you have a [00:26:30] perfect offer to start building your audience. You don't need to be a full-time influencer. You don't need to have it all figured out. You simply need to start showing up and with people one conversation at a time. 

[00:26:45] Sarah Almond Bushell: Thank you so much for being here. If this episode gave you the nudge that you needed, I'd love for you to share it with a friend who's starting their social media journey too. bye, for now.