How do I attract new clients?
After a year and a half of work with marketing efforts in social media, web development, and registering a trade name, the work load is still low due to the saturation of audio engineers. I realize businesses don't grow over night, but this is frustrating. What steps do I need to take?
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Oct 9, 2015
Contact your previous clients and ask them to write their recommendations on professional networks ( LinkedIn ), a review on Google Business and on your web platform, ...
- Register and join a local professional network ( BNI GroupeReso ...)
- Use social networks to be a blogger influencer ,
use social networks facebook, Google+ , twitter ...
Stay in touch with your customers even when the work is completed, in order to control their satisfaction over time and to show them that you are always there for them
Buzz will make the work !!
Jun 22, 2015
If this is a crowded market, you should determine a sub-segment where you can differentiate yourself, either in effciency, reliability, cost or experience. Preferably make a strong statement about your being at par with the best in the business. Make sure you have some basis, data or background to support your claim. Then you have to see if the size of the segment is big enough to support this smaller group of niche service providers and if the demand is growing. If the market is too small and even the specialized ones are many, you may have a real problem. Make sure you do not price yourself low just because this is initial phase you may be under pressure to get business. When it comes to services, people prefer to go to the expensive as they associate that with quality. They may then negotate if necessary. Hope it triggers some thinking.
Jan 26, 2015
You need to be good at your job, people will always refer you on, visit your local chamber of commerce with your portfolio.
Jan 12, 2015
Charge your regular fee, but to make the client/friend feel special include a discount % in your offer. That should make them understand the value of your services and make them feel special at the same time.
Jan 9, 2015
Next step - increase sales!
Easiest way - let the targeted customers get your benefits as soon as possible.
Free services is good approach but you need to make sure the "free" is for converting customers (marketing) and not a sales model.
Now - if you can't really add value to your customers, the "free" approach will just burn your pocket
Jan 9, 2015
In an economic climate where hiring someone online at a discounted budget is truly the easiest thing in the world to do, you have to define your specific value proposition and then assign the monetary value to that. If you work with clients who value your ability to come into the office, then make that a part of your service package. You didn't happen to mention what industry you are working on, and some industries struggle with marketing and social media, and others think they know everything and you're just telling them something they already know. Work with people that value your work, and list all the work you've done for free as experience on your LI profile, as a case study on your website, or on your portfolio site.
Jan 9, 2015
Don't forget about good old fashioned face to face networking. Get out there and shake someones hand, start making actual relationships with businesses and see if you can partner with a local company for exclusive rights. Google local trade shows in your area and start selling your behind off. You can have the most amazing website in the world, and a million 'friends' on Facebook, but you need to target your clients for something like that.
Jan 9, 2015
S.G. what I can recommend to you is started working on building a network. Some I ideas that I can think are:
Going to different live music venues as and when you can.
Introduce yourself to local musicians/bands, local music teaching institutes, etc
Go and meet other audio engineers and try to learn how do they get their business and about their contacts and try to tap in.
Get the phone numbers of all the music industry professionals, music companies, A &R, etc, etc and call them right away and tell them why they should do business with you.
Personally I recommend calling people and knocking on every door you think that needs your service. ROI is exceptional.
Social Media. etc are excellent but they all are kind of form of ad where in you are waiting for someone to see you and that of those someones, few might need your service.
For a niche that specific and limited audience it is always better to reach them rather than expecting them to reach you.
Call them up, right now!
Jan 9, 2015
In my experience...You mention "saturation." If you haven't already, determine what you do differently (or better) than everyone else and highlight that. The market may be saturated with good audio engineers, but not with "great" ones or with ones who specialize in ________.
Talk to everyone. I'm not suggesting you lead with your elevator pitch or that a conversation will even get around to "what do you do?", but sometimes they do. At a minimum, you had a nice conversation with someone. Best case, you handed them your card.
Along the same line, I recommend you get some hats and shirts made. In the course of a day, you may run across hundreds of people. Now when you stand in line at the coffee shop or hardware store, you give people something to talk with you about.
Finally, be patient. Easier said than done when there are bills to pay, but I've had people contact me months (and in a few cases years) after I originally spoke to them. I figured that when I didn't hear from them right away, it was a wasted effort. Instead, I realize that I was planting seeds.
Jan 8, 2015
First, format your business. Define what you offer, what differentiates you from your competitors in the space, how you are unique.
Second, Cultivate relationships with your potential market. People are not interested in pain points. they are interested in value points. Frame your value in context of THEIR outcomes not yours.
Third, Do not define price until you full understand what your potential client wants to achieve.
Fourth, NEVER compete on price. N-E-V-E-R.
Fifth. Always compete on value ONLY.
Sixth, list in detail your understanding of what the prospect wants
Seventh, Review the list with the prospective client.
Eighth - Define exactly on your list what the prospective client wants most and define in within the context of what you estimate will be the length of time required to deliver expected value.
Ninth - review the Eighth with the prospective client
Tenth - Offer the client a price range. If the client likes your offer but wishes you do discount the price. NEVER discount price. Decrement the value. In other words "for the price you are willing to invest, you will receive this range of value. More value, the higher the investment.
Once your prospective client accepts your offer, begin NO work until a down payment is paid as earnest money. No down payment, no work. Make certain the payment clears your bank. Once payment is cleared begin.
Document every minute detail leading to the engagement. Deliver the work in detail. Keep copious notes on any changes made.
Take this approach and assure you are paid. People will respect you as a business person. You get paid and anything you give for free happens ONLY in context of the agreement/contract signed by both you and the prospective client. DO NOT BEGIN WORK without all of your documents signed and returned to you.
Format your business. Format your value. Format your payments and you will not only get business but you will also receive referrals and repeat business. Stand firm on this and never deviate if you want to eliminate free and be paid for your service.
Celebrate after the check clears your account. Celebrate after the work is completed. Celebrate after the client provides you will final payment and a testimonial compliant with Federal Trade Commission guidelines on testimonials.
Hope this helps.