How Do You Obtain Clients If You Are A New Business?

There isn't one way to go about it. It is up to you and how motivated/creative you are to grow your business. You must give yourself time and the effort necessary to gain business. People do business with other people and the perceived value generated by the relationship.

Here are a few hats to wear:

Be A Networker - Reach out to established businesses who could possibly refer you business and start a conversation, build a relationship, and refer new business to them first.

Be A Connector - Connect others within your network to spark new relationships and new business, not necessarily for yourself.

Be A Giver - Be a person of value and share it. Pro bono work can help get your name and value off the ground and gaining momentum.

Be An Opportunist - Look for opportunities to share the value of your offering.

Be A Collaborator - Partner with other businesses for marketing efforts and events.

Be A Volunteer - Join organizations to give your value and connect with other volunteers.

As a business coach I don't think it matters if you are a new business or not. Many people here offered excellent advice. There are many many ways to find clients. The real key is having a system to keep them. Only then can your business grow to a level where you will find a career and not a job. Think long term and who would buy it when you want to retire? Who would buy it next year just to get rid of the competition? Who would buy it as a great investment? But continual growth is one method to get to those places. Growth that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Ask, and find new methods to grow your business. Blessings~ Steve Sapato - the most famous unfamous speaker in America and damn fine business coach.

One word: Advertise. This is not rocket science. Because you're new, your available market does not know about you, right? So someone needs to TELL them. And YOU are the most motivated person to do that.

You first need to figure out: 1. WHO your most likely target market is; 2. WHERE those people can be most effectively and efficiently and frequently reached; and then 3. HOW you can get your message in front of them frequently! And put out a message that DIFFERENTIATES you from all your competitors.

At the same time, you need to put up a strong, very professional-looking website -- because THAT'S where people are going to go first to assess how good, professional and established you are.

Anyone who does these basics will be miles ahead of the other guys, and much faster.

Al Shultz

I like your honest question.

When you're the new guy (girl) on the block it can be tough.

May I suggest starting by building a good portfolio of your work and get some references. If you are so new you haven't got those yet, then do three projects for free with the request of a reference once completed. These projects need be featured on your website and Facebook Page before any marketing or selling takes place.

As a newbie compared to the established businesses you have the advantage "the new restaurant on the street" syndrome. Look for customers that are dissatisfied with their existing provider and offer to do a better job. Don't sell yourself cheap, but you may have to buy the market at first.

Bottom line is you have to have the basics first before any promotion takes place. As they say, "get your ducks in a row first". Online marketing or advertising too soon can do unrepairable damage.

Judy, I don't know much about photography, but I do know marketing. How narrow is your niche? If you speak to everyone, no one hears. I believe there are people that are meant to work with you. Those that hear what you have to say, feel what you feel, and resonate with you so completely that they won't work with anyone else, regardless of price. You are the perfect answer to their problem or challenge.

I would recommend you take the time and open-mindedness to ask yourself these three questions.

1. What is your absolute favorite thing to sell? Is it a wedding package, headshots, baby pics? Define EXACTLY the best, most favorite thing of all you do.

2. What service to you you make the most money at? Not in terms of selling price, but profit margin? Even if you only sell one a month, but you make money hand over fist when you do.

If the answer to one and two are the same, you've hit the jackpot. If not, there's still room to grow.

3. What is it you hate about your profession? It's the opposite question of "what do you stand for?" Everyone stands for blah, blah, blah, so if you do as well, you're a me-too business. What pulls your chain? What pisses you off about the photography industry?

If you really take the time to sit and think deeply about those three questions, you'll find your niche, and be able to focus all of your energy, time, marketing and future on that niche, becoming the master of that segment of the marketplace.

Here's a bonus question for you if you have gotten this far.

"Do you have the strength, fortitude and staying power of saying NO?" By this I mean that if someone came to you and was outside your niche, demanded a discount or rubbed you the wrong way, could you say No to them? Sticking to your niche is difficult, but if you can, the world is your oyster. You can charge what you like because you are THE one to choose.

There are many ways for a new business to obtain new clients. One very effective method is to create relationships with other businesses who have your customer base, but do not offer your product/service. An example: A florist can get referrala from a wedding planner, and can give referrals to a wedding cake shop.

If you would like more information on this subject, drop me a line. I would be glad to get together for coffee and go over some other methods - strictly complimentary.

Barb

[email address]

You asked a good question, Judy.

You've received a wealth of time-tested methods. What interested me most was your responses to some of the suggestions.

You raised three red flags in my mind:

- You do it all.

- You are not a new business

- You have everything you need

With all due respect to you as a member of Alignable, I am compelled to ask YOU a question: what is the true purpose of your question?

Strictly curiosity on my part, Judy.

Kindly,

Ellen

Now that you have had the benefit of your fellow business owners' helpful and insightful advice, how about we meet online and chat a bit. I would like to get to know you and your business better. I can send you my calendar if you like so you can select a time that works for you...

Letter your vehicle.

I always recommend startups to take their vehicle to a sign shop. I used to paint a vehicle magnet with automotive paint to match my truck. Then I lettered over that so the lettering didn't look like a magnet stuck on the truck. Magnets can be removed when you want to take off your business hat.

Website. (A professional looking one!)

Find someone who can help you with your website. Is your web developer available in an emergency? Your niece may know how to build a page but will she feel like helping when your site goes down? Create an "about us" on your website. Even though everyone is buying for their needs and not yours, it is wise to add a bit about you and how you got started. I like to know who I am buying from and their story.

Billboards

Well here is my plug. :) Look into billboard advertising. Check for Junior Posters. Sometimes these are called "8-Sheets". They are smaller billboards that may range from $100 - $350 mo. depending on the market. This will give you 30 days of constant exposure. Ask if they move the vinyl around town to other locations to keep your message moving. Don't be swayed by "Bigger is better." Most independent operators like myself hate being played, but if someone is genuine, our hearts connect with startups and we sometimes help with pricing or an added billboard. Check around with all the billboard companies, especially the independents.

I think each advertising medium is effective. If they weren't, they wouldn't be around long. One radio station locally is great because it is the only signal that is strong enough to be used in our factories. Talk about a captive audience.

Facts and figures can be dazzling and confusing. Sometimes stats can even be manipulated. Think about what local products you know about and ask yourself, "Where did I see or hear about them?" Ask your friends where they saw company branding. YOU are the expert if you just take time to think.

Be frugal but not cheap.

There is nothing worse than some amateur and cheap looking flyer stuck to your window that you have to find a place to throw away. Be professional and clean with your layouts. Be creative & unique.

Here's hoping everyone is having a super week!

Branding and networking are keys for a new business to establish itself. Your marketing strategy should surround these two important elements for a new business starting out.

Now that you know that time to do your homework. Research your competitor in your same industry and see what they are doing to establish themselves locally or globally based on the level of your business.

OK now that's done. Great! You want to now make out your marketing strategies based on that and look for ways to improve on your marketing for your business.

Now here are some forms of branding that will help you get the Q-ball in your head spinning:

Product branding Ex. Kellogg's Different cereals under one name with various catch phrases.

Personal Branding Ex. YEA! Trump. That's right you hear that name and you automatically think Trump towers and real-Estate Icon.

See where I'm going with this. You are your business. and you must establish that you and your business is the best deal on the block. that you offer what your competition can only hope to accomplish.

OK. NO! I have not forgotten about networking. See once you establish how you want to brand yourself then you want to begin networking you! the brand to the world. Hey! here I am brand X. This is how I'm going to change your life or solve your problem.

The firewall to all this is knowing how to get in front of the audience in the market segment your looking to attack. This is where your various marketing platforms come in and determining which will work best for you.

Marketing platforms? Alignable is a marketing platform. LinkedIn is a marketing platform and all the other online media network.

Thing is it's not the platform your on. but know how to use them and implementing the right marketing tool and techniques on them. It is here where most people hit a brick wall.

Thus is why you get individuals talking about how such and such platform don't work for them.

STOP! and think a moment. If Facebook or LinkedIn was terrible platforms. Why they still around? Why is the Multi! million and billion dollar profits coming out of them. Let that sink in.

John Deese

Deese Marketing Association