Finding Clients / Meeting Notes May 2017
At our Hamilton meeting in May 2017, we discussed different ways of finding clients. Some of the methods that have been successful for us include:
- Speaking to former employers and co-workers
- Volunteering
- Talking to people everywhere you go, including weddings, funerals, the gym, etc.
- Referrals from past and current clients
- Blogging (as though you’re writing directly to your ideal client)
- Local networking groups
- Donating a free service to a silent auction or other event
- LinkedIn profile
- Participating in groups on LinkedIn and Facebook
- Networking within the VA industry, both locally and online
- Public speaking
- Media coverage
- Watching social media for people expressing a need
- Listings in specialized local and industry directories
- Through our clients’ clients
At the end of the meeting I shared the following exercise.
Clearly Identify the Client of Your Dreams
Before you can land the right client, you need to know exactly who it is. And if you find yourself quipping, “someone who pays,” you are in trouble (or heading there at top speed).
First, you need to know how much you want the ideal client to pay. If you’re swamped with work, turning away business right and left, it’s either for one of two reasons:
- You are fantastic – at the top of your field!
- Your rates are much lower than your competitors’
If you’re offering deep discounts on your services, you’re undervaluing yourself, and harming your fellow service providers at the same time.
There’s a Universal Law that the less you charge, the more your people will demand, so setting your rates too low is a sure way to attract difficult clients.
Sit down, right now, and focus on the Client of Your Dreams. Be specific, and write down five to ten attributes you want her to have.
For example: “My ideal client…
- Honours my terms
- Communicates in a direct and positive manner…”
Take it one step further: Identify five to ten traits you don’twant her to have (perhaps ones you’ve had to deal with already from existing clients).
Then turn each statement 360° into a positive. For example: Turn…
- “Never pays on time” into:
- “Pays promptly and is able – and happy – to do so”
When you specifically and clearly identify your ideal client, especially when you commit these traits to paper, it subtly changes your focus, and you end up attracting better clients who more closely fit your vision.
Photo by Sarah Pflug from Burst