by 6 people |
Growing your Business
Although the economy may be in a downturn, there is still a way for you to find new clients for your small business. Using the skills and resources that you already have, you will be able to obtain and keep new clients.
As small business owners, we often are caught up in the day to day running of our businesses. We are accountants, public relations specialist, typist, proofreaders, article writers and receptionists. As we do it all (at least for now) let's not lose site of why we started this business in the first place - to make money from your passion!
As small business owners, we often are caught up in the day to day running of our businesses. We are accountants, public relations specialist, typist, proofreaders, article writers and receptionists. As we do it all (at least for now) let's not lose site of why we started this business in the first place - to make money from your passion!
Contents at a Glance
Listen to Competitors
Know your enemy - and get info from them too!
What? Yes! It's your time to play the customer and listen to your competitors sales pitches. Are you sold? What are they doing that you would like to incorporate into your sales pitch/website? This is not necessarily to say that they are better (or worse) that you are, but change is sometimes beneficial. Plus, think of how much you might learn, just from listening. Making one or two little changes in your approach/website may be the trigger to find new clients. I do take a look at my competitors websites, I note their product descriptions, their pictures as well as their prices. Do they offer content related to their product niche on their website? Do they have a blog? Competitors may be implementing that one change that you can make to find new clients.
Use EMail Newsletters
Deliver Useful Information
Create a mailing list from the clients that you already have. Send them useful information every month or every week. In this way, they will have a constant reminder of your services. Be careful to try to send information that is directly related to your product or service - keeping your clients focused on your business is key. If your information is good, then an old client may forward your email to someone who may very well become a new client. Caution: Do not use your newsletters to constantly bombard your current clients with sales pitches, sale information and the like. Think of yourself as the host , dropping in every now and then to offer pertinent information.
Testimonials
Get raves about your product or service
Remember all those infomercials with incredibly satisfied clients raving about how they were able to flip their first house within three weeks of finishing a real estate course? Take this same techniques to find new clients! Offer testimonials from satisfied clients on your website or in your brochure. There's nothing like an "Average Jane" testimonial to get people to sign up. Use full client names to increase credibility. If you have a website (and you should) you can offer audio testimonials also.
Send a Survey
Your clients help you!
Pick the brains of your current clients. Is there something about your service and/or product that they really like? Are there any changes that they would like to see? Your clients are full of information and experiences with your business that you can use for improvement. There is no doubt that they would be happy to give you their opinions, especially if you offer a discount or free gift. A few resources for creating surveys: zoomerang.com, surveymonkey.com and questionpro.com.
Get to the Point
Save people time - it might make you money!
The proliferation of information these days has created "information-weary" potential clients. Find new clients by presenting your information up front and without cloaking it in fluff. Many people don't have the time to listen to you "buttering them up" and truly appreciate a straightforward approach. If you're using email, use bulleted points and make your point in the first paragraph. People who are busy (and who isn't these days) don't have time to scroll down to the bottom of your email or your website to find out what you're trying to sell.
Summing it All Up
Try not to be so busy with your day to day routine that you don't take the time to find new clients. Hopefully, these low to no cost ways to creating new business will help you increase your client base and your profit margin. Try one or two tips - see how they work for you!
Business Resources
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
Amazon Price: $17.54 (as of 12/24/2009) 
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
Amazon Price: $9.36 (as of 12/24/2009)
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Amazon Price: $9.32 (as of 12/24/2009)
How to Win Friends & Influence People
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 12/24/2009)
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- WWAHHMpreneur WWAHHMpreneur Nov 8, 2008 @ 6:10 pm
- Thanks for sharing your lens link on twitter. I'll definitely be adding you to my blogroll at http://www.squidoo.com/dmjconsulting
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- IcemanBaldy IcemanBaldy Sep 14, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
- Fantastic lens. Honored to add it to our lensmaster group at http://squidoo.com/groups/blacksquidoo. Five Stars!
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- Teresa Teresa Aug 31, 2008 @ 7:52 pm
- Thanks for sharing your knowledge on growing your business. Very informative information to strive for now and in the future.
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- SewWithSarah SewWithSarah Aug 28, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
- Great information. Thanks a bunch.
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- icjackson icjackson Aug 26, 2008 @ 11:51 am
- I agree with everyone here about your "get to the point" advice. Very timely and astute.
Good stuff!
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- tally tally Aug 25, 2008 @ 11:58 am
- I like all of the useful tips you shared with us. I like the one you say "Get to the point" it is so true. Let people see in the beginning what you are selling. Thanks for stopping by my high heels lens!!!!!
Thanks,
Tally Green
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- Rokusan Rokusan Aug 24, 2008 @ 11:02 pm
- Oh yes, checking out the competition. This is the piece I forgot about. I did it once or twice in the very beginning (as opposed to this one-month-in-it beginning) as I set about figuring out how to price my service, and then... nothing.
There, I've just added it to my calendar, to do once a week, to start.
Great job, Neosoul_Mama!
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- sheabath sheabath Aug 24, 2008 @ 9:32 pm
- Great tips. Always helpful and always on point.
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- FabulousAndTechfilled.com FabulousAndTechfilled.com Aug 20, 2008 @ 8:36 am
- I love the "Get to the Point" suggestion the best.
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- Margaret Margaret Aug 19, 2008 @ 5:13 pm
- Thanks this is a great article. I have a couple of books to read and add to my library.
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Not enough for you? Find more info here!
- EHow Article
- How to Find New Clients. Each business can reach a plateau in its growth. This is when it becomes important to find new clients to add to the existing one. Following are some ideas of where to tap into new clients.. Business.
- 8 Ways to Find Clients for Your Desktop Publishing Business - Marketing and Promotion to Find Clients
- Here are eight tried and true ways for new desktop publishing businesses to get those first clients. Try the advertising, marketing, and promotional methods that work best for you and your design business.
- Find New Clients by Bernadette Doyle: The Sideroad
- Blog Article with some ideas on how to find new clients.
by Neosoul_Mama
A Yale graduate, former educator and current at-home mom and business owner may describe me on the surface, but I'm a lot more than the sum of th... (more)
