1. Tap into old business for new business. Begin to ask your existing clients for more business when they are buying from you; e.g., remind them of all the products or services you have that they might need. Ask satisfied customers for new referrals - everyone knows people you don't know.
2. Pitch a stranger. Let strangers know who and what you are about. Always be prepared to showcase your company without forgetting about meeting the needs of the new prospective client.
3. Be direct. Don't waste time "warming up" clients. Know what you're going to say - be well-prepared. People will appreciate you are getting to the point intelligently and quickly. If you are communicating via email, make sure you get to the point sooner than later. You only have about ten seconds to get their attention and keep them reading.
4. Discuss your failures. What? My failures? Yes, discussing your failure actually builds credibility. Everyone makes mistakes so being able to admit your mistakes and failures shows clients you're human. Telling a client how or why you lost a customer and what you learned would be a welcome change to the norm.
5. Create a "loss-leader." Creating a loss-leader helps relationships build over time. Allowing clients to get to know you through loss-leaders helps develop trust.
6. Get sold yourself. Visit your most successful competitors and allow them to sell you. By playing the customer you can learn what and how their approach works. As you are being the customer, be aware of how you feel and what techniques are most effective. In the auto industry this is a common practice - buying a car or truck and going over the vehicle with a fine-tooth comb results in lots of great information.
7. Pitch an enemy. Seek out someone who is very disagreeable and pitch to him or her. By doing this, you will find out if anything you said made a difference or if any of their negative comments had any merit. Don't defend anything - stay detached. This exercise will show you what you or your business might be lacking.
8. Create an email newsletter. This is a great way to reach out to your customers on a regular basis. Develop a newsletter that "you" would look forward to receiving. Don't always be trying to sell them something, instead, give away lots of information.
9. Share testimonials. Ask your satisfied clients to share their experiences of your business. These testimonials also add credibility. It's best to use the full name of the person. "JO from Chicago" is not nearly as credible as "Jon Owens" from Chicago."
10. Ask questions. This cannot be emphasized enough in growing and developing a business. The act of allowing people to share their needs make them happy and lets them know you are listening.
It may seem strange, but we get so caught up in "doing" our businesses that we overlook simple strategies that are right in front of our noses. The better you take care of the client in front of you the faster your business can attract new clients and grow.
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