One of the greatest challenges facing solopreneurs, independent contractors, and small business owners today, is that of attracting new prospects. In fact, it can be downright daunting. After all, you’re asking someone who may not know you from Adam, to trust you with what could ultimately determine the success or failure of their company.
No pressure.
Easy right?
Well, it can be. The easy-to-follow tips and suggestions listed below are a good place to start to set your plans to attract more new prospects than you can handle in motion.
Target Ideal Clients
Focus on attracting existing clients and potentially new prospects that can best benefit from your services most. Catering your business and marketing efforts to a segmented, focused niche, will always be money well spent.
Ask for Feedback
Ask for honest feedback from existing and former (inactive) clients to what you’ve done best, and more importantly — to identify areas for improvement. And while you’re at it, ask them to approve testimonials (which you write) to feature on your website to give your business added credibility.
Share Your Knowledge
Offering free access to your special sauce is a great way to get prospects in the door, and can help you reap huge dividends down the road. Giving samples of what you offer away for free demonstrates the true value of the services you charge for.
Reward Client Loyalty
Don’t take loyal clients for granted. Doing so could have them leaving in droves. Instead, show them you value them and that you appreciate their business.
Treat Clients and Prospects Humanely
Always treat your clients and prospects like people, not a business. The Golden Rule, “treat others the way you want to be treated” is as true for business relationships as it is for the way you treat family and friends. Treat them right and they’ll return the favor.
Connect with Clients
Engaging with your clients is crucial to your success. Using email effectively is a great way to stay in touch with them. And the sooner, the better. Getting them to “opt-in” to your email list keeps your service offerings top of mind when they’re ready to act.
Spread the Wealth
Promoting the services of your clients on your site is a great way to demonstrate your loyalty to existing and potential new clients. Having them host guest blog posts or articles allows you to do so without appearing biased or “too sales-y”.
The Bottom Line
So, what did we learn? Attracting new clients is the lifeblood of your business – both in the short and long term. So, it’s crucial for you to always be seeking new ways to get on the radar of potential new prospects. Following the aforementioned suggestions are proven ways to do just that. Put them into action and you’re well on your way to attracting more clients, more revenue, and giving you a broader reach — with the ability to direct your business where you want it to go.