I have many clients who are building their business from zero and so they have taught me what works as you develop your marketing strategy to find your first clients. I suggest you follow this effective and low-cost approach, with adjustments that depend on your personal touch and enthusiasm: 1) Word-of-mouth for referrals and recommendations Word of mouth is powerful as a form of promotion that is immediately available to you. Write a list of 20 people you know but you do not see regularly - such as relatives, friends, ex-colleagues or neighbours. Send each of them a friendly e-mail or postcard to tell them about your business, the products and services you offer and the benefits you can deliver. Ask them for feedback, advice or the contact details of anyone who they think might be interested in the service you offer. As you start to work with clients, ask them whom they can refer you to as well. And you do not necessarily need to wait until clients are impressed with your product delivery, I have gained referrals from people who have only just asked for a quote or pencilled in their future order. Sometimes the client will actually phone their recommendee, introduce me and hand me the phone; other times, 2) Networking with your connections Initially you may feel intimidated as you attend your initial networking events. Feeling you are on your own and have little experience is a definite barriers to success. You can cut through the barrier by talking to others around you and getting to know them and their interests. Ask open questions about their business, show an interest in their projects and ideas, and gather information about whom they linked with. If you can offer contacts and advice, people will remember you for it. Gradually, you will find that being interested in others is no longer scary and becomes enjoyable. You must avoid being pushy, dont sell yourself directly but be attractive and listen. Effective networking yields business in proportion to the relationships you build up with those in your network. You also need to meet regularly with useful people, such as potential clients or people who can point potential clients to you, be visible to them and follow a soft sales approach, giving information and making connections. 3) Business cards keep giving your message Business cards are useful and can help you stand out from the crowd. Long after meeting a prospect, your card can be working for you, reminding them who you are, what you can offer, and urging them to contact you. Simplicity is the key to the information your card should carry what does a prospect need to know? Probably your name, contact details and what you offer. Giving sufficient information is a key skill (and saying less has more effect). Some people use unusual materials where this adds value - textured card for graphic artists, plastic for car valeting and waterproof for tree surgeons. Offering a business tip, memorable quote or special offer on the back might act as a memory hook. Including your photo on the card might personalise it for busy people who easily forget names but not faces. 4) Discussion online The web offers such a variety of distinct opportunities for promoting your business that it is hard to know where to be seen for a small investment. You can raise your profile on the web by joining specialised forums and discussion groups for your client sector, and by exchanging links with websites that complement yours. Commenting on web logs (blogs) is a good way to raise your profile especially if you have something useful to contribute to the blog. Joining online networks that specialise in small business will allow you to post a full web profile about your business and to access to their lively trading boards. Often you can start as a visitor (for free with reduced functionality) as you assess whether the members are in your client group. There are also ezine directories where you can post articles of 500 to 2000 words about your topics of expertise. When the editors of paper or electronic magazines download and use your articles, they are required to include your attribution details, giving valuable advertising to your company and contact details. 5) Testimonials Putting client testimonials on your marketing literature or your website is a simple way to prove your credibility to prospects, helping them to decide to buy from you. An easy way to get testimonials is to ask your existing customers for feedback - do this over the phone, mailing them a short survey or posting a questionnaire on your website. When you to use a clients comment as a testimonial, make sure you ask permission. Explain clearly how you intend to use the testimonial, on your website, newsletter, brochure, mailshot or flyer. Make sure you name the customer when you quote the testimonial - this carries more weight, but will mean ensuring you get permission to use the name and above all, spell it correctly! If your client is happy to be your champion, they will naturally sell your services every time someone contacts them. |
