Case Study: Sandra Tjoa, Tai Chi & Qi Gong Teacher

Hey everyone, Scott Perry here with one of my friends and favorite clients, Sandra Choa. And, uh, Sandra, thanks for coming on.

Thanks for having me, Scott. Glad to be here.

So we're going to just talk a little bit about our work together. And, uh, so Sandra, before we get into anything, I would like for you to just share with folks a little bit about yourself, who you are, what your business is about, what you do.

Sure, thanks, Scott. Um, I'm currently living in British Columbia, Canada, in a little mountain lake town called Nelson, and I help people tap into their own healing energies so that they can make their way through the challenges of everyday life, manage stress, manage pain, and do it in a way that allows them to be their true selves, who they're really meant to be. For almost 20 years now. I've been doing that through the practices of Tai Chi and Qi Gong and founded my company Qi Tai Chi 15 years ago. And in the last 2 and, uh, well, up until 2 and a half years ago, had only taught live in person and now conduct sessions online, in person, and in a hybrid of the two.

Yeah, fantastic. I love the work that you do and the difference you make. Um, tell, tell us a little bit about what, what was the challenge that you were experiencing before we started working together?

I am in the process of transitioning one of my offers into a premium program, and I was really grappling with how to apply an approach that I've learned in the last year and a half to getting this offer out there because I know where my audience is, I know who my audience is, but I had no idea how to reach out to them, connect with them, and communicate with them.

Awesome. And so why did you decide to work with me? Don't tell them about the payment and the arm twisting. Read the script, Sandra.

Right. After speaking to you, I did that 15-minute call with you, and I was really drawn to the directness that comes through in the simplicity of your approach. And I wasn't coach shopping at the time. I was just looking to try to figure out a way to use what I know and what I'd learned so far. And when I spoke with you, this little light bulb went off that, oh, well, maybe I don't need to go through that whole rigmarole. And that's what made me decide to work with you.

I really appreciate that reflection. One of the things that comes up over and over again is the simplicity of just focusing on essential things and learning to do them effortlessly, as opposed to what you hear from all the gurus, experts, and sometimes charlatans online about, oh, you have to have, you know, this software or this funnel, or need to use Instagram or LinkedIn or whatever it is. And so I appreciate that reflection very much. And so Um, what in particular about working together really helped you? What— why was the program effective for you?

So the thing that I really learned with your approach was a different way of reaching my audience and having them take a few steps towards me rather than— um, before I used to try to craft this email or, or conversation, and I felt like, wow, what, what do they need to know? They need to know all these important things because they're important. And, uh, your approach of having them take these steps towards you and have a conversation through technology, but, you know, there's just a time delay, it's not like a live dialogue on the phone, but it is that exact same conversation, just drawn out through a few more exchanges. And that was, that learning was key for me. And the other thing was the next step as to when to use that and with whom, because I have different groups within my audience. And so this gave me a different tool to apply with within those different groups?

Yeah, the things that work are the things that have always worked, which is to have conversations with people and to listen and to hear what they're, they're experiencing, what challenges they have, what aspirations they want, and to micro-step your way through conversation in a way that's very invitational and delivering value all the way through. And by the time it comes to the point at which it becomes a sales call, it's at that point almost, uh, a non-conversation because they— you've delivered so much value and given them the opportunity to take step by step by step towards you, um, so that by the time it's time to pull out a credit card, it's actually just kind of a foregone conclusion. And I loved the way that you embraced the, the process. I'd love to hear, you know, what's, uh, what's happened to you in your coaching business Um, since we worked together?

So since we've been working together, I've been feeling more comfortable about posting on Facebook, which I was very uncomfortable about before we worked together. And I have been using that more communicative, conversational approach with new people, um, that have inquired with me about my upcoming session. And most of them have registered. And so I found that even though there's more exchanges in those little steps of, of opening up with someone, I'm saving time because I'm not sharing information that they didn't ask for that I felt was important to share or that they needed to know because they actually— that wasn't their question. They didn't. So obviously they didn't need to know that. But I, I— here I thought was, oh, I got to tell them this and they need to know this. And so in these little steps, uh, just sharing whatever that next question is for them, um, brought them through the door. So most of them have actually already registered, and I've got another 2 weeks to go before we start.

So That is fantastic. I love hearing that. It's interesting that you said that you're actually saving time by taking this approach. That sounds like it must take more time, but you have to remember that you're taking away all those other things that we're told we have to do. Like, you don't need the bright, shiny sales page with a perfectly crafted copy, and you don't need 9 email sequence with perfectly crafted copy, and you don't need to be everywhere all the time on social media. It's conversation by conversation, step by step. Um, I, I love that you highlighted that because that's, that's the great, um, kind of delusion, uh, that's being sold most of the time is you can automate everything. And for independent coaches like you and I, automation is something that should happen when you're ready to optimize and maximize your business. But at the beginning, when you're just trying to fill your programs, that human-to-human, high-touch actually works so much better. So it sounds like, um, things have changed in your life, uh, since, um, achieving that outcome. So can you share a little bit about that? What's, what's your— how has this affected your, your— you alluded to this with social media— your state of well-being and the way that you're conducting yourself, um, in the marketing and selling of your offer?

Well, with people who are new to me, um, I'm definitely, like I said, saving time and energy before, because before I was, I literally was crafting and, and trying to put everything in the information that I felt they needed. And I'm not doing that now. I'm answering a simple question and, and asking a simple question in return, and I'm getting responses through that and building what you refer to as that Cap— Allegiance Capital, was it? Yeah. Yes. So that, that has really been working. And even if people don't come through the door, they're now on my list and, you know, they're communicating with me and getting other information from me in the meantime. The other thing that's changed for me is in this transition for my program, I have more certainty about forming a plan, which I've already got in the works, but I have certainty of the how now. Like, I, I know how I'm going to approach it. I know how I'm going to communicate and connect with people who say they're interested, whereas before I was really struggling with how I was going to reach them through the opt-in workshop approach.

Yeah, I love that. Well, where do you think you would be if you hadn't trusted yourself enough to invest in yourself and working together? What would be different about your business right now?

I would still be trying to shove that square into where a circle should be because I only had one method, one approach, one idea of a way of reaching people. And for this particular program that I have in mind, I didn't see how I was going to do that effectively. So I was trying to come up with the words, trying to come up with the phrasing, the copy, the hows. And your approach has pretty well outlined that for me. And because I already know where I'm gonna go with this, Now I have the method, the way, the how. So that has just lots of love, lots more certainty there, and definitely peace of mind.

Yeah, well, it was really a joy to see you, to see that confidence and clarity and certainty start to emerge in the time that we were spending together. And so it's great to see that it's continuing on beyond the, the program that we're in. So if anyone out there is on the fence about just booking this free discovery call with me to speak about the possibility of coaching, what would you say to them?

Well, it's just a call for one, um, and it's a great way to find out if you do want to work with Scott Perry. And in that time, you're going to learn something If you're open to looking for a different way of working in that short time, even then you're going to learn one or two things that are going to be food for thought, for sure.

I really appreciate that. Sandra, I am so proud and pleased to know you, to have been able to work together. I love the difference that you're making in the world, and you brought so much contribution to the group while you were in the program. And so just want to share my appreciation for who you are, what you do, and the value that you, uh, that you bring everywhere you go. So thank you so much for doing this today.

Thank you, Scott, and thank you for all your guidance and your help. I appreciate it.