Is your client roster looking a little thin?
You’ve done the research, you have all the skills, and you are finally making the move into starting your own business! Congrats! You’re all hyped up and ready to get started and… crickets. There is one crucial component you still haven’t quite figured out yet: clients.
No matter how skilled or hungry you are, your company can’t get off the ground without clients! After years of sourcing my own clients through dozens of methods, successful and otherwise- I have gained a bit of insight on the process!
Here are SEVEN tried and tested ways to get new clients:
So simple- yet so effective! For a modern-day businesswoman like you, these websites are a must-have for finding clients (and so much more). Make sure your profile is current, clean, and sleek, with every last bit of relevant information and experience. There are even special options to let people know you are actively looking for work. LinkedIn has an “Open to Work” option that will put an icon on your profile picture to let prospective clients know they can reach out.
Keep in mind, rarely will a high quality lead just appear in your inbox. Monitor the new job listings and consistently pitch yourself to possible clients who are in need of your skills. Show off the self-starting spirit that will make you a successful entrepreneur!
Recruiters
Indeed and Mighty Recruiter are a great (and free) place to start if you are new to recruiting services. You can also search Google for a recruiter more specific to your skill set. Most recruiters send out daily job listing emails, making your work easy! Apply as the job description sounds right, keeping in mind that in many cases you are paid by the recruiting company but work for the client.
Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is the most effective free advertising you can get! Get the word out about your company organically; tell all your friends, your relatives, your next-door neighbor. You never know who will surprise you by needing exactly what you can provide, or have a close friend who does. Networking events (a dime a dozen in business Facebook groups- more on that later) are also a great way to go. Come into it with a community mindset, i.e. how can we all grow from each other’s expertise, and watch your business community grow!
Reach Out to Past Contacts
Put your old business connections to use! Maybe your old boss has a few too many projects and couldn’t take on the latest client that came in looking for the skills you provide. Maybe they didn’t have a budget for a large company, but are the perfect size for a new, up and coming businessperson like yourself. Even if they don’t have anything for you right away, your old coworkers or boss can keep you in mind if anything like this comes up and recommend you right away.
Facebook Groups
There are THOUSANDS of Facebook groups for every facet of business, covering everything from startups to financing to outsourcing. Plenty of these are B2B, want-ad style groups. Spend an afternoon researching and joining these groups, and see where your business can fit in to address the demand. Depending on the groups rules- and they are all unique- you can pitch yourself by answering ads and posting your own. You can also find networking events specific to the type of business wants and needs you have in these groups! They provide a lot of resources, mostly from other entrepreneurs. Some of my favorite groups to keep tabs on are Societygal, Rising Tide Society, & Business Babe Community.
Entrepreneurship Companies
Check out some of the many online platforms made for self-starters like yourself! I personally love Create & Cultivate, which is all about helping female and female-identifying entrepreneurs come together to inspire and share resources. And bonus- they have a weekly jobs listing email!
Social Media
Whether it’s paid Facebook ads or Pinterest posts linking back to your website. The obviousness of using social media doesn’t negate how necessary it is! Your business’s social media presence should be clean and up to date always. Show off your abilities and happy clients on your social media platforms and let potential customers know what you are all about!
With the right combination of persistence, consistency, and the right timing, the clients will start coming in.
Of course, there will be rejection, it’s never just that simple- or everyone would do it! I could fill a whole other blog post with my own trials (and errors) in the pursuit of new clients. However, when you stick to your guns and invest in your own talent, the sky’s the limit!
Now get going, you have new clients waiting for you!
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