There's one in every dog park. Amid all the German shepherds, Dobies and spaniels is that one scrappy little terrier. He's about eight inches tall, but he's convinced he's the biggest dog in the park. That little terrier may be tiny and annoying at times, but he's got confidence. The same confidence you've got to show when you want to kick up your marketing leads and get more information technology (IT) sales.
Your IT company may be a terrier among the big dogs, but with the right attitude and techniques you can get potential clients' attention. The problem occurs when you're standing around in the middle of the pack. Jump up, run around, and nip some heels (metaphorically speaking, of course). Once you've got their eye on you, do everything you can to make them want to take you home.
Show How You're Better
If you're as smart as you think you are, you've studied your competition and know what they have to offer. If you haven't, stop reading this and get to work, slacker!
Ok, now that we're all on the same page, start to figure out how you're different and better than everybody else. There are pluses and minuses to every business; no one is a complete underdog. Do your competitors have a lot of clients? You've got the time for more personalized service. Do they have an elaborate website to attract visitors and employ virtual assistants to do more work? You're frugal, and won't waste the client's money. Find two or three items that may seem like disadvantages and turn them around so you end up looking better. No company is entirely unique, but you should be able to dig up enough differences between you and your competition that potential clients will see a marked difference between you.
Be Your Brand
Think of a motivational speaker, the 4-Hour Work Week, and a female southern chef. It's easy to predict what pictures you've got in your head. Only the best can pull this off: Tony Robbins, Tim Ferris, even (heaven help us) Paula Deen. The key is easy to do, but hard to keep doing, but those who pull it off reap great results. Put your face and your personality in front of people and connect it with your company. Do it every single day. This is not a metaphor; you have to literally do it every day. The internet has the memory of a 2-year-old. Posted something last week? Well, unless it's as embarrassing as what Donald Sterling did, no one's going to remember it today. You need to market yourself and your business every single day until all your potential customers confuse you with your company. When they think of your niche, your picture automatically floats into their brain. You are your brand. The logical next step is to hire you, of course.
TANSTAAFL
A science fiction author used to use this as a futuristic cuss word. It stands for There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. Make this your watchword in everything you do. If a potential client wants some free samples of your work, get something else in return—such as free editing services or whatever it is he does. When it comes to negotiating for a new client, everything has to be quid pro quo, for two reasons.
- Your first negotiations set up your entire future relationship you'll have with this client. If you start out slavering all over him, eager to hand off free work just to get him to like you, he's going to expect even better treatment once you're in a working relationship. You're setting yourself up for a lopsided relationship, and not one with you on top.
- You've got limited time on your hands and no guarantees this person is going to sign with your company. Every hour you spend creating free work is an hour you can't spend on your paying clients. If a potential client won't understand this, you don't want him. He'll end up costing you money in the long run.
Talk—Don't Sell
Would you rather read an algebra textbook or watch an exciting comedy show? Ok, there are some weirdos out there who are crazy for math, but the normal rest of us would hop all over that comedy thing. That's the difference between forcing information on someone and making a personal connection. Sure, you've got a lot of topics you want to hit when contacting a potential client. But the most important part of your first meeting is getting her (or him) to like you and want to spend more time with you. It's more first date than job interview. Ask about her business and needs. Talk about shared past experiences, or acquaintances you have in common. Treat her like an interesting human being, not just a potential paycheck. This happens so rarely you may shock her, but she won't be unhappy.
Educate Yourself
Sure, we know you know everything there is to know about your business. After all, you built it from the ground up. Oh, how we all wish that were true. The fact is, the business world online moves so fast it's almost impossible to keep up. In terms of your competition, if you're not improving and moving forward, you're actually falling behind.
- What changes to Google’s algorithm are rolling out this month? (They've probably got something planned to mess up your business, and you know it)
- What new method is your competition trying out in test markets?
- What's trending in all the niches you represent for your clients?
- Better yet, what can you learn or try to stick your head above the crowd before everyone else?
You can't represent your clients if you don't know enough to do the best and most effective work. Being obnoxiously current on all things media and IT will help to convince potential clients that you're the company to go with. Just like a terrier.
