Michelle Bourbonniere, PhD — SEO strategist, researcher, and founder of Words on the Rise
Freebie: Cheat Sheet to Showing Up Well in AI Answers → words on the rise.com/ai

• Is SEO dead because of AI? What’s still true, and what’s changing

• The big shift: AI tools now have access to live search results (and why that matters for small businesses)

• How Google’s AI can personalize results based on what you’ve read vs. haven’t read (helpful… and creepy)

• Why AI Overviews and AI Mode are rewriting your message — and how that affects trust + conversions

• The difference between using AI for generating (emails, scripts) vs searching (recommendations, providers)

• Why being “a dietitian” isn’t enough: how AI personalization can reward specific audiences + specialties

• Off-page SEO is evolving: brand mentions can matter more than backlinks in AI search

• Reddit: how to show up without being salesy (and why etiquette + credibility matter)

• Michelle’s “3 R’s” framework for AI visibility:

  • Recognition (does AI understand your brand?)

  • Reputation (what does AI say when someone searches your name + reviews?)

  • Results (do you appear when someone searches for a provider like you?)

• A practical starting point: test your visibility in an incognito window

• The “wait, WHAT?” moment: AI pulling info from your terms & conditions because it’s the clearest writing

• Are blog posts still worth it? When they do make sense, and when they’re not the best use of time

• Recipe blogs and indexing reality: why Google may ignore “one more chocolate chip cookie recipe”

• Open an incognito browser window and test prompts your ideal clients would ask

• Check whether AI gets your business basics right (services, specialties, location/licensure)

• Make your most important info clear + concise on the pages you actually want AI to cite

• Build consistent brand mentions across platforms (podcasts, bios, socials, community spaces)

• Download Michelle’s cheat sheet: https://wordsontherise.com/ai

• Subscribe to her newsletter for ongoing AI search updates (sent about every two weeks)

[00:00] Introduction

• Why follow-ups matter: It's not just lost income, it's broken trust
• The reality of running a practice: sessions, sick kids, and things filed under "later"

[02:00] Common Follow-Up Moments That Get Forgotten

• Potential client inquiries
• Discovery calls that went quiet
• Clients who ghosted mid-package (yes, even prepaid ones!)
• Unanswered portal messages
• People who downloaded freebies but never heard from you again
• These are relationship moments, not just admin tasks

[04:00] Gmail & Google Workspace Solutions

• Using labels and folders (Courtney's an inbox zero + folder person!)
• Smart inboxes in Apple Mail desktop app
• Courtney's favorite folders:
  • Meetings folder (automatically sorts all meeting invites)
  • To-Do (using orange flag + orange heart emoji)
  • Waiting on Reply (purple flag + purple heart emoji)
• Pro tip: Use emoji to remember which flag color = which folder

[07:00] MailButler Game-Changer

• Creates tasks directly from emails
• Integrates with Apple Reminders
• Why Courtney switched from big project management tools to Apple Reminders for small tasks
• "It's the little things that slip through the cracks and cause the most risk"

[09:00] Practice Better Tips

• Use tags to flag clients who haven't booked their second session
• Create tasks within Practice Better
• Filter clients who don't have recent bookings

[10:00] The Natural Flow Question

• Just like habits with clients: if it doesn't come naturally, you won't use it
• Look at what you ALREADY use (email, calendar) and build on that
• Google Tasks is right there in Google Calendar—use what's in your face
• Don't create a Google Sheet tracker if you never open Google Sheets

[12:00] What to Actually Say in Follow-Ups

• Don't overthink it—keep it short and warm
• For inquiries: "Hey, I just wanted to follow up in case my last message got buried. I'm still happy to chat if you're interested."
• For ghosted clients: "I've been thinking about you and wanted to check in. There's no pressure, but I'm here if you're ready to reconnect."
• For missed questions: "Apologies for the delay. I missed your message earlier, but I wanted to circle back."
• Remember: We're connecting, not selling

[14:00] The Power of Email Templates

• Save brain power by having templates ready
• Reference to previous episode on email templates
• These feel-good follow-ups are perfect template candidates

[15:00] Action Items Choose 2 of the following:

1. Create a "Waiting For" label/folder in Gmail and assign to 3 emails NOW
2. Calendar block: "Follow-Up Friday" (30 minutes weekly to sweep missed replies)
3. Add a "Follow-Up Needed" custom field in Practice Better
4. Create a follow-up tracking board (Notion/ClickUp/SmartSuite)
5. Try MailButler (or similar email management extension)

[17:00] Courtney's Current Setup

• Apple Mail (never bothered before, but now loves it)
• MailButler extension
• Busy Cal coordination
• SmartSuite for big project boards
• "You won't know what works for you until you try something"

[18:00] Final Thoughts

• Pick the EASIEST action item—we're not trying to be fancy
• Following up doesn't make you pushy, it makes you reliable
• Stop leaving money, trust, and client progress on the table
• Available services: Strategy sessions + system setup at Declet Designs, or join Clinician Crew

[19:00] Next Episode Preview Digital boundaries: What to do when clients message you at 10 PM on Saturday

Connect with Courtney:

• Website: decletdesigns.com
• Community: cliniciancrew.com
• Schedule a strategy session for system setup help

Leave a Review: If this episode helped your practice feel a little lighter, follow the show and leave a review!

Highlights:

• 00:02 – Why automating doesn’t mean losing your personal touch

• 04:15 – What to automate: scheduling, reminders, forms, and payments

• 09:40 – Tools that make automation easier (without adding another subscription)

• 13:20 – How to set up automated post-session check-ins that actually help

• 18:05 – What should never be automated — red flags, emotional follow-ups, and referrals

• 25:10 – The concept of “hybrid automations” and how Courtney uses them

• 28:50 – A mini-challenge: audit your weekly tasks and automate one thing

Mentioned Tools & Ideas:

• Practice Better

• Google Workspace scheduler

• TidyCal & Calendly

• Stripe, Square, QuickBooks

• Hybrid automation ideas (template-plus-personalization)

Next Steps:
➡️ Audit your weekly tasks to find one thing to automate.
➡️ Create one new email or intake template to save future you some sanity.
➡️ Write your “never automate” list for clarity and boundaries.

Connect with Courtney:

• 💻 decletdesigns.com

• 🧠 cliniciancrew.com

• ✉️ Follow The Tech-Savvy Dietitian Podcast for more practical systems talk — minus the buzzwords.