Last week I wrote a Guest Blog for Boulder Digital Arts – targeted to graphic designers, videographers and other digital professionals.  The story told there has special resonance for frustrated artists who now find themselves competing with do-it-yourselfers.  But the golden nuggets – about how to attract clients and customers – are no different for any entrepreneur.  So here is YOUR post.  Let us know what has worked – and has not – with your venture.

 

HowToGetCLientsWell, it’s a new year and a new day.  Businesses and consumers are starting afresh and seeking their needs in the marketplace.  Can you offer them access to deep expertise?  A product or service that fills a void? Makes life easier?  You need to be able to articulate that customer-centric value proposition right out of the gate and then it becomes all about making it easier for your  prospects to become buyers. As you balance your frustrations against your opportunities, here are some proven business practices for distinguishing yourself AND helping clients to choose AND refer business to YOUR business.

 

1. Develop a standard procedure for responding to an inquiry and use it consistently. This is the beginning of a relationship. The initial contact is crucial in establishing your expertise, your communication skills, your professional working-style and personality – not by selling but by listening and being responsive.

 

  • Think of yourself as the prospect’s expert guide through foreign territory – not a salesperson.
  • Keep the focus on the client’s needs.
  • Guide the conversation gently but authoritatively with clarifying questions. Reflect what you are hearing.
  • Silently assess whether there is a good match between your two organizations. If there is, suggest a next step (e.g. a meeting to formalize the project). If it is not, be a valued resource that they will remember: make a referral.

 

2.  Help prospects articulate their needs. Remember, you are the expert. Your potential clients often don’t know the questions to ask or the language to express their preferences. It’s your responsibility to extract from them what you need to price correctly, manage within budget and cultivate a mutually satisfactory relationship. To do this:

 

  • Create a needs- assessment, checklist or questionnaire – and craft it to elicit specifications.
  • Ask for input and examples on likes and dislikes – and probe the “why” behind the preferences.
  • Provide samples and solicit the same type of information.

 

3.  Make sure your website is client centric, user-friendly and optimized. It’s estimated that up to 97% of purchase decisions by business people AND consumers are preceded by some degree of online research. You may never get that initial contact if your site doesn’t encourage it. At the very least yours should include:

 

  • An overview of how clients use your products and services, benefit from them and achieve desired goals with your help;
  • An online portfolio or links to work samples and client stories showcasing what has mattered most to previous customers;
  • Bio or bios that demonstrate your client-orientation (not just your credentials);
  • Testimonials that address common objections (price-value; delivery-on-promise; deadlines; etc.);
  • Customer Education (blogs , articles or simple content on trends and how your offering improves their businesses or lives); and
  • Clear contact options with a specific call to action. (Do you prefer a call? An email?)

 

4.  Justify your pricing – non-defensively. Today everyone is looking for bargains – or at the very least, value. Aren’t you? So make sure to offer prospects a variety of options. Present the rationale for your pricing based on real costs (without sharing minutiae), degree of customization, special requests and any (measurable!) value-adds you provide.

 

5.  Formalize your relationship with a simple agreement. Yes, if you’re in service, it’s nice to do business over a hand-shake but a simple summary of the project or terms of service can go a long way to managing mutual expectations, dealing with conflicts and negotiating additional costs for add-ons.  Alternatively, if you in retail or selling products, consider a guarantee or customer-friendly policy of some type.

For Service Businesses, your standard (reusable) agreement should include:

  • The scope of work;
  • Roles of various participants (who does what);
  • Milestones and deadlines (including those which require client material, review or input);
  • Payment terms and timelines;
  • A means of resolving disputes should they arise; and
  • Signatures and dates from each authorized party.
For Product Driven Businesses, your standard terms can be posted or provided with receipts and include:
  • Any guidelines on proper (intended) use;
  • Purchase terms (what they are getting);
  • Availability of service or technical assistance;
  • A means of return or resolving complaints if they arise;
  • A contact number of questions or issues.

Marketing and customer attraction is not one-size-fits-all so use your knowledge of customer resistance and preferences to adapt these tips to your client-development efforts as needed. Think in terms of removing any barriers to sales. Still not sure what those barriers are? Ask your customers, colleagues and friends what influences their purchase decisions!

Let us know where you can use some help. In the meantime, have any other tips or challenges you’d like to share?

 

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