Top 10 Ways to Create Your Own Business Deals
Sometimes, if you're lucky, the money will come to you. Most of the time, however, you must go get the money. There is no top secret weapon to help you generate business, but if you put in the work then you will begin to notice nice deals coming your way. Here are some of my suggestions on how to generate leads, develop business and keep yourself busy with projects. Remember, the harder you work, the luckier you'll get.
1. Schmooze. See my exploration of schmoozing strategies.
2. Relationship Marketing. Write down 100 people who will take your call, follow up for no reason. Do you know 100 people? Keep a list. Keep that contact list warm and active.
3. The Rags. Follow business and industry publications. Really read them.
4. Become the Expert. Write articles and speak on topics you know the most about. Start a blog. It doesn’t matter if you are the best at what you do, as long as you are better than most. Plus, most people are too lazy to actually get off their ass and become the expert so the competition really ain't that bad.
5. Other People’s Sales Forces. Real partners who help co-sell can multiply your outreach. What you are offering is exciting, but make it more exciting by offering additional value brought by your partners. They'll do the same for you.
6. Walking Billboards. Turn your clients into walking advertisements for your offering. Satisfied clients will share your business card or brochure with leads they run into. Tell them specifically how you want them to help and make it easy. Plus, ask if you can quote them and use them as a reference. Overly document every positive client project with case studies.
7. Cold Calls. If only 1 in 100 will result in work, then you’d better make 100 calls right now.
8. Go Vertical. Choose a niche and dive deep.
9. Competitor's Clients. Watch client lists on the websites of your rivals to learn who's buying.
10. Google It. Search job postings. Who's hiring? Search venture capital lists. Who's got the funding? Who has budget? Find local successes and add them to your target list.
1. Schmooze. See my exploration of schmoozing strategies.
2. Relationship Marketing. Write down 100 people who will take your call, follow up for no reason. Do you know 100 people? Keep a list. Keep that contact list warm and active.
3. The Rags. Follow business and industry publications. Really read them.
4. Become the Expert. Write articles and speak on topics you know the most about. Start a blog. It doesn’t matter if you are the best at what you do, as long as you are better than most. Plus, most people are too lazy to actually get off their ass and become the expert so the competition really ain't that bad.
5. Other People’s Sales Forces. Real partners who help co-sell can multiply your outreach. What you are offering is exciting, but make it more exciting by offering additional value brought by your partners. They'll do the same for you.
6. Walking Billboards. Turn your clients into walking advertisements for your offering. Satisfied clients will share your business card or brochure with leads they run into. Tell them specifically how you want them to help and make it easy. Plus, ask if you can quote them and use them as a reference. Overly document every positive client project with case studies.
7. Cold Calls. If only 1 in 100 will result in work, then you’d better make 100 calls right now.
8. Go Vertical. Choose a niche and dive deep.
9. Competitor's Clients. Watch client lists on the websites of your rivals to learn who's buying.
10. Google It. Search job postings. Who's hiring? Search venture capital lists. Who's got the funding? Who has budget? Find local successes and add them to your target list.
Labels: business, schmooze, Todd+Tibbetts
posted by Todd at
10:08 PM
1 Comments:
Nice, Todd. Good steps. I would just add one more: Gratitude. Saying "Thanks" for even the simplest of things... or even just for the friendship or association can go along ways. A tool I use for that is a program called Send Out Cards. A super easy way to send cards via the US Mail (the what?).
Check it out and send a card on me:
http://www.sendoutcards.com/offyonder
Better yet, send me your address and I'll send you one, just because. It's really a no brainer to me for photographers, artists and designers as you can print cards "on demand" (you don't have to buy a block of 500 or 100) - you can just send one card, personalized, whenever you want.
Ciao!
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