Attracting prospective new clients

Attracting prospective new clients Understand what makes your prospective new clients tick and you're on the way to doing business with them.

One of the most common complaints I hear from soloists is “I have tried to approach a particular prospect but I just can’t get the chance to speak to them”.

Maybe it’s not their response that is problem but your stimulus! Too many soloists adopt a standard approach and so generate a standard response.

I suggest that you identify the personal and business ‘hot buttons’ of the prospective new client. This will allow you to construct an approach relevant to the prospect that increases the chances of getting them to engage with you.

The business angle

From a business point of view, whilst newspaper articles and the Internet give great information, this same information is available to everyone else. My advice is that there is nothing better than experiencing the brand for gathering pertinent information and identifying hot buttons.

For example if I was approaching a car company, I would take a trip to the local dealership, talk to the sales team about their issues, look at what models are coming out, find out who they are targeting and note what approach is being used in advertising and promotions.

The personal angle

From a personal point of view, I would map out (on paper) all potential links into that prospective new client, for example:

Do I know anyone who works there?
Do I know anyone who knows someone who works there?
Do any of the players at my sports club work there (check email lists)?
Do I know anyone who works at their advertising or PR agency?
If not, do I know anyone who works in advertising or PR that may know someone who works at their agencies and so on. You get the picture!

From my contacts, I would want to identify the decision makers, their role, their history, their interests. Do they have kids? How old are the kids? Do they prefer football or the arts? Which team? What performer?

Tailor your approach

The more information you can find on business and personal hot buttons the more you can tailor an approach to a particular new client that is likely to cut through and receive a positive reaction.

The information can be used either to invite the person to an event that they are interested in (so they are more likely to respond to your invitation) or invite them and their children to an event the children are interested in. After all, happy child equals happy parent!

Or the information can be used in an initial letter, phone call or a more creative approach where:

You attract their attention
Give them a brief outline of how you can help them
Show your credibility through how you have assisted others

So do the research, be prepared, and turn your approach from cold to hot!

Richard Woodward works with individuals, teams and organisations helping them become effective at developing business. His key focus is working with organisations seeking sponsorship and funding and businesses looking to attract more clients.

5 comments | Add your own

I agree with this. I do identity design for medium sized companies and gradually build up a kind of 'profile' file on companies I want to approach. It may be months before I contact them, but by the time I do I know so much and can comment knowledgeably about their business. The fact I've put in the legwork impresses clients...it also leads to longer term relationships I've found. Ian Knowles from Perth Australia
This is all well and good but where do you draw the line between legitimate research and privacy invasion? If I was approached by someone who'd found my email address from my gym, for example, I'd consider that spamming and be very angry with my gym for releasing my details!! What do you think? Great site btw, back today after a week. It's good to see new stuff goes up. Mike Peters from Chatswood, NSW
Your site is really very interesting. Pesho from UK
I found the idea of using your prospects children to gain access uncomfortably like stalking, though the remaining research tips were valid. The business angle was useful too. Denise Kosmina-Dixon from Melbourne Australia
Very nice and informative website. Payday Loan from USA

5 comments | Add your own

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