How You Can be a Girl Boss( or Guy Boss!) too!
I’ve had clients sitting across from me as we work on a second or third project ask, “How do I know you? Did we call you?”, or “This looks great, I can’t remember, who introduced us?” It sounds crazy, but I’m used to it actually. Why? Because I go after companies that impress me or that I see has a need and potential. This can work for just about any entrepreneur willing to cold call. Cold calls sound terrifying, I mean after-all, I’m an artist/designer, not a salesperson. But, if you’re passionate about what you do and you give it and your business the best that you have to give, you can’t do anything but succeed! So how am I getting not only in front of business owners I didn’t know before our first project and not only work with them, but became their go to Designer? Not a Designer? That’s ok, whatever you’re great at or are passionate about, this technique can work for!
Lists. Emails. Social. Towns. Talk.
What’s awesome about my technique? Anyone can do it! But you have to provide great honest service once you’ve got their attention, or it was all for nothing.
Lists | I Google different types of businesses I want to work with Bakery, Dairy, Restaurant, and so on. I email at least 30 of them.
Email | This email is the first impression. Don’t go in like a car salesman. Introduce yourself. Be friendly(I hope you really are)! Say what you like about their business or industry and how you can help. Call to action. Not car salesman. Let’s Have coffee and talk about how I can help you?
Social | It’s never been easier to present a professional image, no matter the budget, to keep top of mind presence with clients. Using social wisely, don’t post too much and don’t post too little. Don’t shout Buy Me, show them why they want your service or product. Make sure to share the human side of your business, how is your product made, how or why do you do what you do.
Towns | Pick a place you like and get out there and meet people! I often pick a town, walk around meeting shop owners, checking out what they do and leaving them with one of my postcards that show my best work. I never interrupt business owners interacting with customers. I’m patient and wait. If too busy, I leave a card behind. I make friends more often than I make a new client, but don’t clients really want someone they can trust?
Talk | Word of mouth was the beginning of my of business. If I didn't give my clients great service for a fair price it would have been the end of my business. When you do good work, word spreads.
I’d love to hear from you on what techniques you’ve found that work and if anything I’ve shared helped your business.