How to get Lucky with New Clients
Mar 30, 2021
Finding new clients may seem like a matter of blind luck at times, but have faith because there are many places and many strategies to help you find new customers. Politeness is queen. Social and emotional awareness are her servants. Always demonstrate a genuine interest in the person you are in business with or hope to do business with someday. Ask the other person about themselves, their business, and family first, whether you are talking to current, past, or future clients or to those who could lead you to new clients.
Ask if they need help with anything. Who doesn’t need some type of help? Offer to be of service to them in some way without expecting monetary compensation. Your goal is to build goodwill and trust. Relationships all are about reciprocity, and people typically help those who have helped them.
Use all your connections and social interactions to promote yourself, but it is important to be socially aware. Make sure that you and the other person connect well. It is essential that your connection is real so the other person doesn’t feel as if you are only interested in them for what you can gain. Promote yourself, but don’t be the pushy car salesman no one likes. Referral time. Now is the time to step out of your comfort zone and get comfortable asking for referrals if you want to grow your business. The worst thing that can happen is that someone says no. Picture your social circle and start with the center and gradually move outwards.
Family and friends are your biggest cheerleaders and advocates because they sincerely want you to succeed. They can be a great asset, so let them be your personal army. Even if they don’t need your services, they can keep an eye out for potential clients and put the word out for you. Current clients. Your first stop when asking for referrals. Former Clients. If you concluded your business on good terms, you can feel comfortable asking for a few referrals.
Lost clients. Check on potential clients that you sent proposals to but didn’t hire you on at the time. There are many reasons that they may not have hired you at the time. Again, ask how they are doing and then see if you can help them out in any way. Perhaps you will do a little work for free, but you will build up goodwill by offering feedback, etc. They may end up hiring you or sending referrals your way. Business Groups. Join groups such as your local Chamber of Commerce, SBA, and SCORE, etc. Once people get to know you, you can reach out to them and ask for referrals. Local Events Find and attend local events through MeetUp or Eventbrite. Business events Find something that is not specific to your industry to reduce competition. Attending business events outside your niche allows you to draw from a larger pool to draw referrals from. Small businesses Find your allies. Pair up with another small business that doesn’t compete with yours; this can be a mutually beneficial relationship where you can help each other by sharing knowledge, referrals, goodwill in your community. Charities Volunteer. Not only will you be helping others, but you will also put yourself in a position where you will interact with a variety of people who will get to know you and your character and work ethic. Become a board member if you really want to step things up a notch and get your name out there. Social Media. Engage with other people’s content, especially if they are a similar type of business as your own. Like, comment, share on their posts, and they will do the same for you. The bottom line is that the more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to come across someone in need of the services you are offering.