Do Not Wait Around to Get Clients!

Do Not Wait Around to Get Clients!
If you market your small business in traditional ways, you
spend a lot of your precious time waiting - waiting for
them to find you.

For example, if you advertise in print or on line, you
create the best ad possible, within your budget. Then you
place the ad, within your budget. The advertising rule of
thumb is that it needs to be exposed at least 6 - 8 times
before you can expect any response. If you have advertised
in a monthly publication, you could be waiting the better
part of a year before getting *any* return on your
investment.

Networking in groups is similar in some ways. Although
it's often less expensive than advertising, you may still
have to wait months and months before the relationships you
are building begin to pay off.

Waiting. That is not very efficient marketing.

In addition to the marketing strategies that you know will
work, but require waiting, be more pro-active!

Identify places where your target market gathers, and other
services they use that are related to your business. Now
put the two together - what kinds of businesses can you
identify, that are complementary to yours, who have the
same target market as you? Make a list on paper and
evaluate it.

Now identify a few businesses from your list with whom you
would like to develop a business relationship to get
clients now. Perhaps you can refer clients to each other,
or maybe they will send clients to you and you reward them.

Next, develop a step-by-step plan to get to know them and
build a friendly business relationship. Will you take them
out for coffee or lunch? Bring muffins to their office?
During this time, you need to have a clear idea of what you
want to accomplish and be honest about it. Try to get them
to commit to sending you referrals.

NOTE: be sure to ask your new alliance what they would say
when they refer you, and give them words if they need them.

This creation of strategic alliances gives you more control
over your marketing and can be extremely fruitful.

Another important action you can take to get new clients is
to get on the phone! Create a system for closing new
prospects. How do you convince prospects to have a sales
meeting with you? Do you offer something free, like a
consultation or needs analysis? If not, what form does
your sales meeting take?

Your prospects need to be motivated to meet with you so you
have the opportunity to close the sale. Create your
systematic approach around this motivation. This approach
should also be spelled out in a step-by-step plan.

For example - you meet someone you think would be a great
client at a networking meeting. You call to follow up
within 3 days of the meeting. Make sure you have a script
to follow, outlining briefly why they would benefit from
meeting with you. Don't get ahead of yourself and sell
your service until you get to the sales meeting!

You bring your sales meeting agenda to the meeting,
controlling the meeting and leading the prospect toward the
close. When all their questions are answered, you ask for
the sale.

Now get out there and get yourself some new clients!

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Audrey Burton, Small Business Coach, is "The Tigress". Get
her FREE Special Report, "Closing the Sale is Not
Complicated!" with her FREE monthly email newsletter at
http://www.TigressCoaching.com .