Week Four – Who can you offer your services to and where can you find them?
Lesson Eight – Who do you already know?
The last lesson was designed to remind you that you are in fact connected to many, many people.
We looked at the groups you belong to.
Today, I want you to consider who you know individually. Take a look at your address book, or your phone contact list. Or the contacts section in your Outlook program. Wherever you keep this info.
First, notice how many people you know, even if you’re an introvert or a hermit.
Second, ask yourself, how many of these people might in fact be the kind of people I am looking for?
Third, ask yourself, how many of these people do I think I maybe could reach out to by phone or mail or email to ask for help finding the kind of people I am looking for?
Take a breath, I am not asking you to do anything yet. We’ll reach out in another few weeks.
Just notice that you already know quite a few people. And if they don’t need your help, they might know someone who does.
(Yes, I know, you aren’t sure you have the courage to ask them. Don’t worry about that yet. Just notice how many there are and who they are to you.)
Your step today:
Review any database you use to keep track of the people you already know. Take deep breaths and consider the possibility that you could find new clients reaching out to these people.
Ok, now, make two lists:
1. Who do you already know who might be a good candidate for your services?
2. Who on your list knows and loves you well enough that they might be willing and able to tell others about what you do?
Lesson Nine – What about your list?
Do you have a list of past clients and/or prospects potentially interested in your work?
If you have an email list, you have a valuable resource for finding new leads, or for reactivating former clients.
Even if you don’t do much online marketing, I strongly recommend having a system for maintaining a list of past clients, and prospective clients, and secure permission to contact them on an occasional basis.
If you don’t have a list, but do have some contact information, make a list of past clients you would enjoy doing more work with.
If you don’t yet have a list, I’d encourage you to start creating one, whether it’s an email list, or whether it’s a snail-mail based list. Gather addresses, phone numbers, or emails of past clients in one place. Past clients are one of your best sources for new business! If you can, figure out a systematic way you can ask for permission to be in touch from time to time.
If you do have a list, but haven’t been in touch, now is the time to re-engage before making an offer. For an email list, send an update, ask an engaging question, send a useful resource. Remind people that you are on their radar. (Just don’t apologize for having been quiet. First, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, and second, they probably didn’t notice.)
For a snail mail list, either send something simple, if you can. A postcard, for example. Or for now, just look over your list, and mark down the clients you would be most interested in re-engaging with.
Your step for today:
Look over your list of past clients and/or prospects. Identify the top contenders you would be most interested in doing more work with.
If you have an inactive list, brainstorm a few ways you could reengage before making any offer.
Lesson Ten – Remembering who you know through social media
Are you on Facebook or Twitter? Linked In?
These can be great places to find leads. I’ll be showing you how in a few days.
For now, I just want you to recognize that this is another pool of people you can reach out to for potential clients.
Your step for today:
First, review your social media centers. Notice how many friends or followers or connections you have. You may want to scroll through your list and notice who you know, who you know well, maybe who you don’t know at all. You may notice that there are some people you are connected to through social media who might be potential clients.
Make a mental picture of all these people connected to you. Know that we will be looking at graceful, easy ways to reach out and see if any of these folks might be interested in your help.
As a warm up, if you have been less active on social media, today would be a good day to do some non-strategic, connection-oriented outreach. Post something about yourself, post a thought or insight. Take some time to respond to others posts. Get back on people’s radars as you prepare for more strategic outreach.
As we finish Week Four, here’s what you’ve accomplished:
1. You identified the qualities of people most likely to say yes to working with you. This will make a huge difference.
2. You identified groups you are a part of where you can look for prospective clients: your personal data base, your email list, groups or organizations you belong to, and your social media connections.
3. You have made a list of people you already know who you can talk to about working with you (or helping you find people you can work with).
4. You have looked at warming up your list or social media contacts before taking more strategic action to generate leads.