There are so many ways for you to market your business, some of your favorites might be social networking, doing videos, or blogging, and any of these may bring you some clients. What I want you to be clear about is that the shortest and most certain path between you and a full client base is referrals, networking and speaking. It’s a three-part winning strategy that has worked for all of my clients and myself, time and again.
Networking is where most business owners start. A client recently told me she goes to a networking meeting every week. Here are a few ways to make sure you are getting the most value. Be sure to only go where your potential clients or referral partners are gathered. Always get there early and stay late to ensure you can meet the most people. Focus on building relationships, not just meeting people.
Referrals come from people and/or other organizations that you have cultivated relationships and alliances with. Be sure to put attention on connecting with other business owners who have the same ideal clients as you but provide different products or services. Formalize your relationships and strategize together how you can support each other.
Speaking is the best of the three strategies because it includes all three. It builds your network, results in referrals, and allows you to reach dozens of potential clients all at once and, then again, over and over with each speech. Each speech also builds your influence with those that are in your audience.
Make sure you only present to groups where your ideal clients are gathered. This will have the audience be highly interested in what you are going to talk about. Deliver a talk that is crammed with value, not sales.
Be sure to have an “Easy Yes” offer—exciting enough to attract the interest of everyone in the room, affordable enough so people buy your service before they leave.
You can do fifty different things to get clients. I encourage you to always be adding new ways. Do not do anything though until you have a plan for these first three and are pursuing them consistently. After you have mastered them you will always be certain you have a solid business because you can network, take care of your referrals and give a speech with massive value.