Product category:
Telemarketing
News Release from: 1stop Telemarketing Services | Subject: Winning new business
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 30 January 2008
Ten 'must dos' to bring new business in
When you advise someone on how to catch fish, you would think the first obvious thing to tell them would be 'Use a very big net' , when in fact the best advice would be 'Find a pond with fish in it'.
So it is when fishing for new business, argues Darryl Gould, Chartered Marketer and Managing Director of 1 Stop Telemarketing Services The key factor is to find out where your potential clients are and then how to get at them
This article was originally published on Marketingservicestalk on 5 Feb 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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With this in mind there are 10 key steps to follow that will help any business bring new clients on board.
1 Work out who your prospective clients actually are: there are lots of companies out there.
If you cast a broad net you get many fish, lots of which you won't want and won't be able to deal with.
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Identify what it is you are offering and exactly who will be interested in buying from you.
You can then segment the whole market and only target those contacts who you believe are most likely to buy from you.
2 Find or develop a list of your potential clients: the key to the success of any fishing trip is the quality of fish that you bring home.
Too small, or too hard to eat then you're disappointed.
The key here to find a pond with the right sort of fish in it.
In business terms its buy or develop a database which contains the right sort of contacts.
3 Develop your sales message: what are you going to say to them to make them want to buy, what bait are you going to use? This may simply be details of your services, how you win over the competition or perhaps a promotional offer.
4 Choose the right method to deliver your message: - Do you use a rod or a net? Marketing has moved on since the days of only door knocking or sending letters.
With telemarketing, email, MSN Messaging, and many other techniques available, business owners now have a range of marketing tools to help them get their messages in front of their target audience.
In many cases an integrated approach using a range of marketing tools may be best.
5 Ensure you deliver your message properly: if you are catching fish with a net, make sure you take the net with you.
If you are using direct mail make sure you put stamps on the envelopes, or actually put the letters in the post box.
Sounds simple, but in many cases it doesn't happen.
It's the same with telemarketing, make sure you are phoning the right people and actually have their phone number? And it is the same with all the other marketing tools available, they're all great if used properly.
6 Once you have sent your message follow it up: once you have thrown your net in the water, always make sure you pull it out again.
Similarly once you have sent your letters etc always, always, always follow them up.
Contact the person you sent them to, make sure that they have actually arrived and start to sell your services to them.
7 Once you have an enquiry, act on it? If you are fishing with a rod and you get a 'bite', it makes no sense at all to ignore the fish on your line.
You'll rush to pick your rod up and reel your catch in; it's the same in business.
When you get an email response or a phone enquiry etc, it to makes no sense at all to ignore it or to take the enquiry and do nothing with it.
You need to treat your enquiries like gold dust; they are the lifeblood of your business.
Once you have an enquiry ensure you deal with it straight away, send a quote, phone a response etc but always get back to your contact as soon as you can.
8 Follow up again: once you have sent your quotes out, keep following them up.
Create a new contacts database that will help you ensure that no lead is ever lost and all potential business is professionally handled.
9 Look after your catch: once you have a client on board you must do everything you can to keep them with you and to encourage them to re-order.
New business from an existing client is three times less expensive to obtain than new business from a new contact.
10 Make your life easier: look for the fish that actually jump in your net or are very attracted to your bait.
Once you have identified the type of clients you attract most, you segment your whole market and specifically target this type of contact only.
So making your marketing life a whole lot easier.
Marketing is a key skill within business and is much more than simply 'producing brochures'.
Used wisely it can create a tailored approach to new business generation that will actually make new business acquisition a whole lot easier.
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