5 Basic Ways of Finding & Landing New Clients
If you don’t have customers you don’t have a business. It doesn’t matter if your business is virtual or a bricks and mortar business. You must have clients to have a true business. After all, the name of the game in any business is making money, right? A lot of business owners do a lot of planning and learning at this time of year but they often never move closer to the next level and actually find new paying clients.
Marketing is key to attracting new clients for your business whether online or offline. The main goal for most professional service businesses is to have a continual and consistent flow of clients; a pipeline full of prospects.
The reality though tends to be very different; businesses market when they need clients and then, because they are overwhelmed, they stop marketing and wait. A few months later they have completed the work with the majority of their clients, have nothing else coming through and so have to start all over again. This is the typical rollercoaster of feast or famine that I see many business owners locked into and needing to escape from.
The biggest obstacle that stands in the way of busy business owners is implementation – either finding the time or having the knowledge to get ‘things’ done. Remember though you do need to have at least the basics in place to help or landing clients for your business can seem daunting task. However, if you follow these five tips you’ll find yourself with a full roster of clients.
1. Create a Professional Profile
It all starts with your professional profile, which is really just an online resume that you will use on all your social media accounts, especially Linkedin.com and on your website. It will show what you have done, and what you can do in clear bulleted points. Ensure that your profile on all your social media accounts is accurate, professional and complete. Don’t forget a professional headshot, please don’t be anonymous on the internet if you want to be taken seriously.
2. Create a Professional Website
One of the best ways to demonstrate your credibility is to build a professional website that showcases what you’ve done and what you’re doing. You can build a website that looks great using self-hosted WordPress or, if you are uncomfortable with the technology, this is something you can easily outsource to others. The important thing is to get a professional website up and running fast.
I often looking at websites that have been professionally designed and am continually disappointed when I click on the web designer attributed and invariably discover that their own website is ‘under construction’!! Reminds me of the cobbler’s children with no shoes!
3. Ask for Testimonials & Recommendations
Even if you’re just starting out, you can ask people you have worked for to provide testimonials and recommendations for you. If you don’t ask, you won’t get them. Make it a habit of asking every person you know for a recommendation. It doesn’t matter if you’ve done actual paying work for them, perhaps you’ve assisted on a project in school, or gave them some advice that worked, or volunteered with a particular group… ask them to give you a testimonial and a recommendation.
4. Ask for Referrals
Ask your friends and people you know for referrals to others who may need the work done that you have to offer. You can incentivise them to help you find clients by offering a discount on work they might need or even free time in exchange for a paying client referral. Eventually, your business will run mostly on word-of-mouth so it’s important to always ask for referrals.
5. Promote What You Have
Once you have a website, social media accounts and testimonials be sure to actually promote your website via blog posts that you share with people on your social media accounts. Participate in online events where you can talk about your expertise. Be part of your community and you will find that soon enough you’ll have your marketing funnel filling up with the kind of prospects and clients you really want.
It’s important to become your own best first client. If you have a professional online presence and ensure that everyone you come into contact with online and offline knows about your business and that you’re accepting new clients, you’ll go far in starting to fill that client list until it’s bursting at the seams!
