Shiny New Clients! â Episode Summary
Episode Title:
How to promote your business (without ads) in 2026 đ
Host: Jenna Harding
Date: December 15, 2025
Special Guest (testimonial): Becky Jennings
Main Theme Overview
In this episode, Jenna Harding shares her real-world insights and tested strategies for promoting a service-based business in 2026âcompletely ad-free. Drawing from recent personal experiments (and financial missteps) with paid ads, Jenna presents the argument for doubling down on organic methods, especially Instagram, email marketing, strategic collaborations, SEO, and referral systems. The episode is filled with candid advice, practical action steps, and encouraging examples to help entrepreneurs, women-owned businesses, and service providers build audiences and fill their calendars with ideal clientsâwithout spending on traditional paid advertising.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Why Not Paid Ads? (00:00â04:10)
- Jenna explains her skepticism toward paid ads, despite pressure and industry norms.
- Tried ads after joining a mastermind and hearing advice from Amy Porterfield:
âI spent a ton of money on ads and you know what? I found my organic converts better.â (03:40)
- Even with professional help, ads underperformed; most conversions still came from organic Instagram.
- Learned: Organic methods continue to be the best, lowest-cost, and highest-converting approach.
2. The Power of Organic Instagram Content (04:11â07:30)
- Main strategy: Daily, organic Instagram posting using her âgrowth-nurture-salesâ framework.
- Small audiences DO work; new business owners with as few as 51 followers booking five clients.
- Community example:
â...it doesnât matter if you only have a small number of followers⌠Itâs Instagram. Itâs organic Instagram. Itâs the freest way to get in front of peopleâŚâ (06:25)
- Instagram uniquely enables click-throughs, DM sales chats, and strong engagement.
3. Email Marketing: Messy but Effective (07:31â09:40)
- Email remains highly profitableâregardless of industry rumors that âemail is dead.â
- Email lists need to be grown via organic channels (social, events, partnerships), not just ads.
- Jennaâs grassroots tactics included collecting emails at in-person classesâlow-tech but effective.
- Hosts "Freebie in a weekend" event teaching business owners how to build and leverage a mailing list quickly.
4. Leveraging Guest Appearances & Collaborations (09:41â11:05)
- Guesting on podcasts, expert sessions in other communities, and collaborative bundles expand reach.
- The key: Donât immediately pitch a sale to new audiences. Warm them up with a free lead magnet or a low-cost offer, then nurture with email and Instagram.
5. Blogging, SEO, and the Long Game (11:06â12:42)
- Revised her view: Blogs arenât for daily readers but for showing up in Google and AI search results.
- Blogs + strong keywords = More website traffic and new client leads.
- SEO improvements now mean even Instagram content can show up in Google searchesâa new leverage point for business owners:
âInstagram is also getting better SEO and now some of that is getting ranked on Google.â (12:25)
- ChatGPT and similar tools may recommend your content if your SEO is strong.
6. Referrals & Affiliate Programs: Multiplying Word of Mouth (12:43â16:34)
- Best clients often come from referralsâso formalize referral and affiliate programs!
- Actionable tip:
âGo onto your Instagram stories right now and tell your audience who your ideal client is and how you help them. And say⌠If you could send my most recent post to someone who does fit that description, I would be so, so thankful.â (15:20)
- Suggestions for prompts, rewards, and consistent messaging to encourage others to promote your business.
- Affiliate program insight: Start small and simple, âmessy action is better than perfection.â
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Paid Ads:
â...this gave me so much more confidence in what I'm doing.â (04:00)
-
On Small Audiences:
âShe started a brand new account... 51 followers and sheâs booked five clients off of it.â (05:52)
-
On Email Marketing:
âAnybody saying email is dead⌠You need to get people onto your email list from somewhere else, right?â (08:10)
-
On Blogging for SEO:
âThe goal of your blog isnât that people subscribe⌠but that it lives on your website chock full of keywords.â (11:20)
-
On Referral Action Steps:
âIf you have a formalized referral program, you can run promotions and encourage people to send you those referralsâŚâ (14:43)
Testimonial â Magic Marketing Machine Results (16:35â19:50)
Guest: Becky Jennings, Parenting Coach
- Joined Magic Marketing Machine at 11,000 followers and surpassed 100,000 followers via the system.
- Credits the ârepeatable systemâ for her Instagram and income growth.
- âI now sit today at over 100,000 followers because of Jenna and her team's help⌠I was able to double my income from the year that I joined⌠It is life changing.â (17:00â18:25)
Action Steps & Calls to Action
- Take action now:
- Share who your ideal client is on your Instagram stories
- Consider email, collaboration, referral, and SEO improvements
- Sign up for Jennaâs free January Instagram strategy session (Link in episode notes)
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:00â04:10 â Why Jenna Ditched Paid Ads
- 04:11â07:30 â How Organic Instagram Wins (With Examples)
- 07:31â09:40 â Building Email Lists the Free Way
- 09:41â11:05 â Guesting, Collaborations, and Bundles
- 11:06â12:42 â Unlocking SEO, Blogging, and AIâs Role
- 12:43â16:34 â Making Referrals & Affiliates Work
- 16:35â19:50 â Becky Jenningsâ Magic Marketing Machine Testimonial
Tone & Takeaway
The episode is upbeat, practical, and actionableâJennaâs voice is approachable but no-nonsense, with a clear focus on giving listeners permission to ignore âwhat everyone else is doingâ and double down on tested, organic approaches they can implement right away. The core advice: consistent, value-packed Instagram, nurture relationships with your audience, and systematize word-of-mouth to build a client baseâno big ad budgets required.
Useful for:
Entrepreneurs, women-owned businesses, coaches, stylists, service providersâanyone seeking real-world, up-to-date strategies for getting more clients online in 2026, without pouring money into paid ads.
