The best marketing strategies to finding new clients
I recently launched my business and have a few clients, however am always looking for other ways to market and gain clientele. I'm going to be cold calling, however don't know if this is effective? I would like to know your thoughts?
Answers (10)
Dear Caroline, very good thing used to to search clients not only by cold calling. You know, the effective way all don't know. At first, You have to know what is your goal and then are thinking about opportunities and needs, what am I do the best for my clients, what they need, what service and added value I could create for them, etc. ?
Bob F
Group Benefits Specialist offering Prepaid Legal Services and Identity Theft Protection
Best Answers in: Event Marketing and Promotions (1), Advertising (1), Organizational Development (1), Small Business (1)
Caroline,
I liked your question, but would require more information before offering an answer. For example:
1) Have you identified the scope and size of your market (i.e. is it geographically confined or more global in nature).
2) How important is it to you, and how important do you think it is to your clients to meet face to face (initially &/or ongoing)?
3) I read your profile and noticed the service you want to offer is targeted to "smaller" businesses. Have you further refined your target to specific types of businesses? This may be more relevant if marketing and advertising is a big part of the services you offer.
4) Have you identified your competition and studied their business plan?
5) How did you establish the "perceived value" of your services, and is the value realistic?
These are a few of the questions that jumped out at me. In any case, good luck.
Bob
Nigel M
Managing Director, Morgan PR - creating reputations
Best Answers in: Event Marketing and Promotions (1), Business Development (1), Public Relations (1)
Hi Caroline,
I'm sure your PR training will serve you well! Capitalise on the economic climate with a press release to your local media - newspapers, TV & radio, talking about how you've seen demand go through the roof as companies slash costs and look for alternatives
Add a pdf file to your blog with a witty title: "Top 10 Ways to Save Cash in the Recession by outsourcing the work you hate" and ask for an email address to download it. Launch a newsletter based on this permission marketing list and use analytics to see who is most keen - then contact them to offer your services.
Cold calling can work - but we are in our 7th year and have not had to make any cold calls. Our newsletter (subscribe via our blog) is sent out to nearly 600 users, up by 150 since it was launch two months ago and already we are attracting work from our readers!
Build up your network here on LinkedIn and use the recommendations in your marketing. Quite a few of the people in our network found us by searching and then read the recommendations and then contacted us.
Please do contact me if I can help.
Good luck!
Nigel
Links:
Caroline,
Another option to effectively market your business online is to do a video/blog/social media campaign. Basically producing a video (which can be as simple as a power point presentation) and distribute it to video sharing sites (such as youtube). You then link to the videos on social sites (such as this) and you will build your traffic from search engines quickly (search engines pick up videos in a matter of minutes at the major sites.)
The purpose of this type of campaign is to get listed on the search engine results pages and drive free traffic to your site. I would then offer a free whitepaper or article in exchange for an email address, and set up a system to follow up with those that opt in to your email list.
Check out the blog post below for more info on this- tons of free content on how to drive free traffic as well as some free blogging tools.
Links:
Hi Caroline - Congrats on your new endeavor.
Before you pick up the phone and getting the word out, make sure you spend time to develop your positioning and elevator pitch - what makes VIP Assistant special? Why do they need your service? How are you different from the competition? What problem are you solving?
Once you've answered these questions, think of some sort of offering (whitepaper, case study) that will ennuciate the problem, how you solved it, and what the results were. Use this to communicate with prospects and get people in your pipeline.
Good luck!
Diana R
Internet Marketing, Local Search, & Relationship Marketing Expert
Best Answers in: Lead Generation (4), Small Business (4), Direct Marketing (3), Advertising (2), Business Development (2), Sales Techniques (2), Staffing and Recruiting (1), Public Relations (1)
Congratulations on your business, Caroline.
One oft-neglected strategy is to stay in touch on a regular basis with existing clients, who can become your best source for referrals as well as repeat business.
And I don't mean monthly email blasts (email marketing is something different) - I mean something like a phone call or handwritten note, so that you strengthen relationships over time.
A service such as Send Out Cards makes it easy to manage a stay-in-touch system like that. Sending birthday cards, notes of congratulations when someone wins an award, thank you cards - all are enormously appreciated and under-utilized too.
"Appreciation wins over self promotion every single time."
Diana Ratliff
diana@dianaratliff.com
Links:
Congratulations on your business, Caroline
All are great nswers! Have you ever considered radio advertising? The power of radio is exceptionally power...if done the right way! you need to target your audience, convey the right message, make sure you are on the right station. I specialize in new business development for Clear Channel Radio. My niche is small business owners and web based business owners. there are so many advantages to radio advertising!
Why Radio?
Radio can reach on-the-go consumers!
Radio allows you to establish a special relationship with consumers.
Radio can cost-effectively break through the lines of media bombardment.
Radio’s on-location remote broadcasts are both powerful and profitable.
Radio’s unique, specialized formats allow you to target your best prospects.
Radio reaches prospects closest to the point of purchase.
Radio can bridge the gaps left by other media options.
Radio provides unique specialized on-air promotions.
Radio is king for establishing top-of-mind-awareness.
Radio can influence new markets and prospects.
Radio can complement other advertising platforms.
Radio’s listenership remains strong, while time spent with other media declines.
Why Advertise?
Advertising creates store traffic.
Advertising attracts new customers.
Advertising boosts and maintains moral.
Advertising is an investment in success.
Advertising encourages repeat business.
Advertising generates continuous business.
Advertising keeps your business top-of-mind.
Advertising keeps you in the competitive race.
Advertising gives your business a successful image.
Businesses that succeed are usually strong, steady advertisers.
Links:
Richard M
Virtual Marketing LLC - www.virtualmarketingllc.com
Best Answers in: Business Development (1), Small Business (1)
To piggyback on Jackie's answer another NEW advantage is that radio ads can now be searched online. Radio.com (I am not affiliated) recently opened up their new radio ad search engine. It is limited at the moment but is a great idea and advantage for radio advertisers.
Jamie B
Idea Translator at Sophwell - Print & product sourcing for creative people
Best Answers in: Direct Marketing (1), Market Research and Definition (1)
Direct mail is a great way to reach potential new clients. I recently helped a client produce a direct mail piece for a small production run (about 500 pieces) that cost less than $2.00 each to produce, not including the time spent on creative development. They got a better than 10% response rate for the offer (download a white paper from their web site), and quadrupled the number of projects in their pipeline. The link below has more details about the promotion.
If you don't have a list of prospects, you can go to a good list broker and have them help you find a well-targeted audience. However, if you don't have a budget but have time, you can use LinkedIn to search for your target customers.
Using the people search, target your geographic area (using the "Located in or near" filter) and the job titles of your typical prospect. You may find some very strong prospects who are already linked to people you know. You will need to go to their web site to get mailing and contact information. This process takes time, but with practice and persistence (a half hour a day?) you will develop a strong list.
Good luck!
Links:
Dear Caroline,
I can help... I suggest a multi-channel approach as it is not just about response but about measuring response by capturing certain info (personal data, passions, etc.) then ranking that info through lead scoring and nurturing.
By defining metrics and setting values based on participation and types of response, you can nurture a cold lead today into a hot lead tomorrow (not allowing any leads to fall through the cracks). This is done through automated direct response marketing which I can explain in more detail when we talk, as I know we will.
By implementing a steady balance of direct mail, pURLS, email and interactive media (micro-sites), complete with analytics, lead scoring and lead nurturing, you can engage in predictive and clone modeling based on what you learn about your ultimate customer and/or donor.
This works very well in the corporate arena for customer acquisition, retention and loyalty as well as in the non-profit sector for donor acquisition, retention and loyalty.
I'm very involved in the Direct Marketing Association of Atlanta and regularly attend Postal Customer Conference forums and seminars.
Keith Franco
kfranco@harrisinteractivemedia.com
keith.franco@dma-atlanta.com
770-905-6674
