Client Ahoy Raise Your Profile
Client Ahoy Raise Your Profile
This is an important issue no matter how small or large your business may be.
For example I'm working with a client in Brisbane who is well established in their industry. They've been operating for many years and have a very good client satisfaction rate. However, their flow of new clients is very unpredictable. And there's still a heck of a lot of potential clients who don't even know this firm exists.
So I've worked with them to create a program that will lift their industry presence, but in a way that emphasises their highly professional approach and expertise.
This means they'll be:
Exhibiting at key trade shows where they'll get to meet prospects in person.
Speaking at industry events.
Pro-actively arranging personal meetings with major corporate prospects.
Promoting the business to previous clients and industry contacts.
Creating a follow up plan for all contacts.
Updating marketing material to address important client concerns (identified through in-house research), including the creation of fact sheets to help clients make the best decision for their circumstances.
Advertising in niche trade publications.
You might notice that the first five points all revolve around personal contact. Because many service businesses gain clients through recommendations and networking, it's vital that personal contact is the centre of a service business marketing strategy.
"Structure-in" points of contact.
Researchers have shown that prospects buy after having had from 7 to 12 contacts with a business. A contact may be a personal visit or receiving information in the mail. So it's important to try and structure-in as many points of contact as possible with prospects and referrers.
I use the term "structure-in" as it makes us focus on the planned nature of the sales process. We need to carefully assess how we can create meaningful points of contact, and how to advance the level of interest clients have in our services as we progress.
Another example is a small web design firm based in Sydney. The partners in this recently established business approached me because although they have great web design credentials, they lacked the industry contacts and 'visibility' to attract new clients. As you might guess, their top priority is to get in touch with suitable prospects and start making points of contact.
Initially this means:
Quite a deal of networking.
Telephone calls to prospects.
Creating simple yet functional marketing material.
Developing a structure for their sales process.
Conducting informative presentations to small groups of prospects.
Writing topical articles for inclusion in industry specific publications.
This type of marketing program concentrates efforts on the key service marketing concepts of:
Networking
Generating referrals
Speaking
Writing
Direct approaches
When working on ways to raise the profile of your business, remember prospects are trying to identify a service provider they can rely on to give them the result they are looking for.
Focus on your knowledge.
So don't just focus on your 'technical' skills. Many service providers provide similar services at a technical (or functional) level. Give prospects a good reason for choosing your service over others. Build your profile on your knowledge and insights - show how you can help your clients achieve their objectives.
And don't be put off by the nature of the task. Building the profile of your business means getting in front of people. You'll need to do this at networking events, at speaking events, publishing your thoughts, or by directly contacting prospects. If you really dread any form of "self promotion" then you might have to change your thinking.
Networking skills.
However, as a starting point, if you need some tips on the art (and manners) of networking Australian-style then I recommend a visit to Robyn Henderson's site Networking To Win. Robyn's ebook "Networking for Success" has some great tips on how to do it right.
Recent statistics show more and more people are leaving corporate jobs (by choice or force) and moving into self-employment. In the U.S. alone, a new business is formed every 11 seconds. A similar trend is occurring in Australia. So you're not alone in your quest for visibility.
Client Ahoy Raise Your Profile - To learn more about this author, visit Stuart Ayling's Website.
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One of the most common issues I'm asked about is how to raise the profile of a business to attract more clients.
This is an important issue no matter how small or large your business may be.
For example I'm working with a client in Brisbane who is well established in their industry. They've been operating for many years and have a very good client satisfaction rate. However, their flow of new clients is very unpredictable. And there's still a heck of a lot of potential clients who don't even know this firm exists.
So I've worked with them to create a program that will lift their industry presence, but in a way that emphasises their highly professional approach and expertise.
This means they'll be:
Exhibiting at key trade shows where they'll get to meet prospects in person.
Speaking at industry events.
Pro-actively arranging personal meetings with major corporate prospects.
Promoting the business to previous clients and industry contacts.
Creating a follow up plan for all contacts.
Updating marketing material to address important client concerns (identified through in-house research), including the creation of fact sheets to help clients make the best decision for their circumstances.
Advertising in niche trade publications.
You might notice that the first five points all revolve around personal contact. Because many service businesses gain clients through recommendations and networking, it's vital that personal contact is the centre of a service business marketing strategy.
"Structure-in" points of contact.
Researchers have shown that prospects buy after having had from 7 to 12 contacts with a business. A contact may be a personal visit or receiving information in the mail. So it's important to try and structure-in as many points of contact as possible with prospects and referrers.
I use the term "structure-in" as it makes us focus on the planned nature of the sales process. We need to carefully assess how we can create meaningful points of contact, and how to advance the level of interest clients have in our services as we progress.
Another example is a small web design firm based in Sydney. The partners in this recently established business approached me because although they have great web design credentials, they lacked the industry contacts and 'visibility' to attract new clients. As you might guess, their top priority is to get in touch with suitable prospects and start making points of contact.
Initially this means:
Quite a deal of networking.
Telephone calls to prospects.
Creating simple yet functional marketing material.
Developing a structure for their sales process.
Conducting informative presentations to small groups of prospects.
Writing topical articles for inclusion in industry specific publications.
This type of marketing program concentrates efforts on the key service marketing concepts of:
Networking
Generating referrals
Speaking
Writing
Direct approaches
When working on ways to raise the profile of your business, remember prospects are trying to identify a service provider they can rely on to give them the result they are looking for.
Focus on your knowledge.
So don't just focus on your 'technical' skills. Many service providers provide similar services at a technical (or functional) level. Give prospects a good reason for choosing your service over others. Build your profile on your knowledge and insights - show how you can help your clients achieve their objectives.
And don't be put off by the nature of the task. Building the profile of your business means getting in front of people. You'll need to do this at networking events, at speaking events, publishing your thoughts, or by directly contacting prospects. If you really dread any form of "self promotion" then you might have to change your thinking.
Networking skills.
However, as a starting point, if you need some tips on the art (and manners) of networking Australian-style then I recommend a visit to Robyn Henderson's site Networking To Win. Robyn's ebook "Networking for Success" has some great tips on how to do it right.
Recent statistics show more and more people are leaving corporate jobs (by choice or force) and moving into self-employment. In the U.S. alone, a new business is formed every 11 seconds. A similar trend is occurring in Australia. So you're not alone in your quest for visibility.
Client Ahoy Raise Your Profile - To learn more about this author, visit Stuart Ayling's Website.
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
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David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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