~by Haley Lynn Gray~
One of the most overlooked ways to get clients is from your current clients. What’s more, referrals by word of mouth are one of the least expensive ways to get new customers or clients. The only way of getting clients that is less expensive is getting your current clients to become repeat clients.
So, what do you do, you ask?
How often do you follow up with someone for whom you’ve performed a service, and ask them to become a client again? Or, do you ask them if they have a referral they can send your way?
You need to make this a part of your regular business. Go through your sales cycle, then follow up and ask how things are going. If the person is happy, then ask for repeat business or referrals. That is how it’s done.
Why don’t more people ask for those referrals if it’s such good business?
I’ve actually had sales employees who couldn’t be bothered to follow up with former clients and ask them how things were going, much to their own detriment. When we followed up on those clients ourselves, we found that a non-trivial percentage of them needed services again, or they had referrals for us. Maybe it felt odd or awkward, or pushed their buttons. I’m sure it was all of the above.
If you are an entrepreneur, you are in sales, whether you know it or not. If you don’t get it in your ahead and accept the fact that sales is a massive part of your business, then your business is much less likely to succeed. Why? Because you won’t have customers or clients, and you certainly aren’t going to have repeat customers. I’ve heard it said that if you build it, they will come. In business, that is rarely the case. Many times you have to build it, and then tell people about it several times in order for them to come. By repeating, and asking, and reaching outside of your comfort zone, you’re much more likely to get lots of clients and customers, which means more money for you. And that means being able to live the lifestyle you’d like to live, but only if you ask.
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Meet the Author: Haley Lynn Gray
Haley helps female entrepreneurs create a strategy plan for their businesses – so they can make enough money to spend quality time with their family, pay for their children’s dance lessons, pay bills – and not worry about where the next client is coming from.
Haley is a serial entrepreneur and founder of Leadership Girl. She helps other entrepreneurs build their businesses by sharing the benefits of her business education and experience through Business Coaching.
Whether you want to get a new business off the ground or expand an existing business, Haley can assist you.
Connect with Haley:
- Work with Haley: https://leadershipgirl.com/work-with-haley/
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Leadershipgirl
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleygray
