The fundamentals of business are supply and demand; if you have something to offer, there is usually demand for it. Many people have taken advantage of eBay in order to sell anything they can get their hands on purely because there is pretty much always someone willing to pay for a product or service; the trick is finding that person and convincing them to purchase or avail of your services.
From a services perspective, clients are the lifeblood of the business. Obviously, in order to sustain the business, you need them. In a competitive market, there are many factors to be considered from both parties before coming to an agreement. We will look at the ways a business will be able to win clients over their competitors.
Ask Yourself, Are They Worth It?
Not everyone is going to be worth your time and effort, and likewise, you may not even be worth their time. Be realistic. Will you be a good match? Can you offer them as much as they can offer you? Preparation and research is the key to this, as you should be pursuing leads that you deem to be worth time and effort in the long run. Believe me, they will be asking themselves the same questions of you.
Begin by creating a profile of the type of client you would like to acquire to see if they would be profitable further down the line. Invite them over to your offices?which should be well-run and efficient (think about using tech such as conference booking software to ensure meetings go smoothly), and qualify these leads with your own criteria to see if they match yours.
Pick Your Battles
You don?t gain clients overnight. It can be a lengthy process, and you don?t want to spend time and resources only for either party to pull out last-minute because of differences. Interests from larger companies shouldn?t immediately mean you drop everything and attend to them; in fact, you should maybe exercise caution due to the likely amount of competition. There is no shame in playing it safe while building a business. It is a marathon, not a sprint, and is usually better in the long run at that.
Build Your Brand
What makes your brand special? Why should they choose you over a competitor? Building a brand name and image takes time, but it can be lost in the blink of an eye. Remember, appearances count for a lot and everything you do personally is representative of the business as a whole. If your website is shoddy or your offices are neglected, what impression do you think a prospective client would get from this? Obviously, not a very good one. Take pride in appearances and be known for sticking to your promises and going above and beyond what is required. Trust me, word gets out faster for bad news than it does for good news.
Following these tips of ways to win clients, regardless of whether you are an individual freelancer or a large business, will help smooth your growth and help you work more efficiently and effectively.