Getting the right client is the target of every business. But it is also a challenge. Rather than look for some secret that would help us find the right client every time, one should instead focus on keeping the fundamentals correct.
For example, something as simple as answering your phone would be excellent practice. No one likes it when they have to speak to an answering machine. Speaking to a live person enhances the connection with between two potential business partners.
Secondly, by showing a professional attitude, your potential client will know that they are dealing with a serious individual. Potential attitude can be reflected in both the attire, punctuality, meeting timelines as well as something as simple as having a professional email address. For example, few would consider a hotmail, gmail or yahoo email address as professional. Those may be great for personal uses, but not business ones. Keeping a strong list of testimonials of graphic designs you’ve made is also critical as you can always refer to your existing clients for a good word.
There are many further benefits to having a ‘business’ email address. For one, you would like your clients to see your company name as much as possible. If your correspondence is done heavily through emails, you would be getting free marketing every time your email address with @yourcompany.com emerged in the potential client’s email.
Secondly, a business email address increases your credibility. The client knows you are capable of performing your tasks and being able to meet their requirements. Having a unique business email also gives you the ability to build a brand name. When it’s your business email on your visitation card or in the client’s email box, you are building up the reputation for your business. Finally, the free email accounts have limitation on how much you can use them. For example, some free emails only allow you to send files no more than 10MB. If your client was expecting a graphics presentation, you shouldn’t end up being unable to send it to them because you did not have a better email service.
All the above practices mentioned are meant to keep you prepared with clients. You should remember that people want to do business with people they know. Graphics designing may not be a cost-intensive exercise for those wanting a webpage, but like any other business involving monetary transactions, people want the best for their money.
Being familiar and trustworthy with the client increases the comfort and trust levels so essential for a smooth partnership. So it is important that whoever you meet, you make sure to set an excellent first impression.
To get more referrals, you shouldn’t only be seeking to target those who can be your potential clients. You should also be aware and draw connections with people who are in a position to find you the clients you seek. For example, you could find a client looking to build a flash website by talking to the owner of a kiosk in a local mall you visited.
It is not a sign of poor salesmanship to ask for referrals. Everyone loves to give referrals. You should be confident enough about your organizational skills and abilities to ask people for referrals. However, before this you must take the person giving you the referral into confidence. This has two benefits. For one, the person who may give you a referral needs to be confident that you are not a mass-marketing junkie who would hound their relative till the end of time. Secondly, if you are able to convince them of how you do business without being intrusive, the referral you get maybe someone very close to the person you’re speaking to. The closer the relationship, the more likely you’ll be seen as trustworthy and win over the contract.
If you’re at a dinner party and you find out that the person next to you knows a potential high value client, ask him directly if his relation may be interested in the graphics design services you provide. It is also important to not lock out the contact who has given you the reference. If you can, get the contact to talk directly to the potential client on your behalf. For example, have a letter or write-up ready explaining your services and how you go about achieving them for the person to email or speak to his/her relations.
Keeping the contact as the intermediary in the initial stages can be an effective way to gradually prepare the client for locking the business deal.
While there are many ways of getting more referrals and just as many more new techniques claiming to have perfected the art of gaining them, there is only one real way to build upon your reputation. You must maintain a credible standing among those you speak to. There is always a reason to maintain that reputation whether a potential client accepts your proposal or not. If they reject it, you should try your sincerest best to find out why it was unacceptable to them. This will give you a far better understanding of yourself and give an opportunity for the potential client to become a potential contact.
However, if you manage to close a deal, it is vital that you do everything possible to build the confidence of your client. This client will be your most valuable referral source.
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