Networking– Networking is a must if you are just starting out! I don’t mean the Chamber of Commerce meeting where you wander around collecting business cards to add to your spam list. I mean really networking. Getting to know other business people in your area. Finding out what they do and what you can do to help their business. Get to know these people on a personal and business level and find ways that you can help each other. Having a strong network is crucial for survival as you start out. I have found people to bounce ideas off of, to refer clients back and forth, and even to partner with in new business ventures.
When I first started my business I had a large network of people I knew from my previous job. I made the announcement that I was branching out on my own and had instant support from my network. People I had helped in their business became my first clients. So how do you find places to network? For the price of lunch (you are going to eat anyway, right?) you can sit down and get to know other business minded individuals in networking events.
- Chamber of Commerce events
- Independent Networking groups (ask around on Facebook or friends)
- BNI (BNI.com)
- Ask your family and friends if they know of any business groups in the area.
Once you attend a few of these meetings people will start to let you know about others. The number of meetings you could be attending is insane. I recommend to visit as many as you can when you are first starting out and then choose a few that fit your personality and schedule the best. Once you have chosen a few to really commit to, invest the time it takes. You need to sit down with other members of the group and learn what they do and explain what you do. DO NOT PITCH YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE in this type of meeting. You are not there to “sell” the person you are meeting with but rather inform them of who else would be a great contact for you so they can make a referral if they see fit.
***Please note that chambers of commerce and BNI will want you to “join” and that has a fee associated with it. You can visit both of these types of groups a few times to see if they are a fit before you have to make a decision or pony up any cash. With that being said I have found value both in joining chambers of commerce and BNI; however, don’t shy away from visiting just because of the price tag.***
Volunteer– Find volunteer opportunities that can showcase your skill set. Obviously, my passion and skill is marketing. I found two openings where I could volunteer my services to help with promoting an event and increasing awareness of a new nonprofit. While I knew going into both of these adventures I wouldn’t be getting paid for my services it did not cost me any money, just my time. I got in, worked really hard to market for these “clients,” and in both cases people noticed. I landed an ongoing paid gig to promote a large local event several times each year. With the nonprofit, other business owners that were involved started to ask who is doing the marketing for you and were referred to me as prospective clients.
Find a way to volunteer your time in a way that may not translate to money now but give you an opportunity to show what you can do. This stands out so much more than your competitor who is paying for advertising to “tell” people what he can do. So how do you do this?
- When you meet with someone who you feel is your “ideal client” but the truly cannot afford you remember them. Make a list of these individuals and over time you will see where you could add value to them and build a reputation for yourself.
- Reach out to groups that you are already apart of and offer your services (if they are aligned) to the group for free.
- Watch for announcements of organizations needing volunteers for great causes and offer your services to help.
***Remember that you are running a business. You cannot take on every client who can’t afford you as “volunteer work.” You need to choose carefully where you spend your time as well so that you aren’t using up the only commodity you have when you don’t have much cash.***
Facebook/other Social Media– Right now there is no charge to have a Facebook business page. Set up a great page (if you don’t know who to do that CLICK HERE) and start putting useful content on there. This is one of the main focuses of my business. Using Facebook for business doesn’t have to cost you money. You can develop a following and even run “ads” completely for FREE. You do want to make sure that you follow the rules so that you are not labeled a spammer, but there are many ways to get your passion and purpose out to people who really want to read it. So where do you start?
- Build a great personal profile and Business page on Facebook
- Join groups- make sure that they are relevant groups ex. your networking groups, local info/classified pages, etc.
- Spend some time in the groups and on Facebook as a person.
- Put out a message that people are asking for or want to hear.
- Follow up with interested parties who ask questions or comment on your posts
Pound some Pavement- Nothing can replace some good old fashioned pounding of pavement. Social media has made the “cold calling & door knocking” era change completely but there is still something to be said about getting up and marching out to prospective clients. While no one likes to be “sold” people do like to be “educated” especially if you are offering a new product or service. To make the most of your time where do you start?
- Make a plan!
- Know who your ideal clients are and do research on them. (If you are in B2B check out their website look for them on social media and learn what you can about the culture they have.) Understand too that NOT EVERYONE is your ideal client, no matter what you are selling.
- Target an area. Your time is very valuable so get the most out of each day by mapping out where you will be starting, a path to take, and where you will end up.
- Know what you plan to say and what you will leave behind.
- Sketch out what your follow up procedure will be to make sure you have the info you need before leaving.
- Follow up but don’t annoy. Remember that your prospective clients are just as busy as you are and didn’t plan to have you drop in. Touch base with them a few times but do not harass them. It is ok to say, “If you are not really interested just let me know, I don’t want to be bothering you.”
