Have you just embarked on your entrepreneurial journey and are wondering how to find your first clients? We’re sharing several tips to help you build your professional profile, make connections, and attract new clients!
Where can I find clients?
The network
To start finding clients, the simplest and surest way is, of course, to tap into your network. Family, friends, former coworkers, shop owners, acquaintances… Any means is a good one to get your name out there! Don’t hesitate to talk about your business with those around you. It’s quite possible that someone in your circle knows exactly the kind of person who could use your services. Does the magic of word of mouth ring a bell? Don’t overlook this superpower. The more people who know about your business, the more clients you’ll have, and the more you’ll be recommended. The biggest advantage of this strategy is that you don’t have to do anything except talk about your work to those around you—and, of course, do a great job when you’re contacted. Then, the client comes to you directly. This is a much more relaxing and reassuring situation than having to go out and find clients yourself.
Freelance Platforms
There are several websites dedicated to connecting freelancers with clients, such as Malt and LesBonsFreelances. Each platform operates differently, so you’ll need to choose the ones that work best for you. For example, on some sites, you might simply need to fill out a profile and wait for a client to hire you, while on others, you’ll respond to various job postings from clients and hope they select your application. Depending on the platform, clients and service providers may be able to contact each other directly, while on other platforms, such direct contact is kept to a minimum. You can also check to see if there’s a platform specifically dedicated to your industry. Whether free or paid, you’ll often find several options available to boost your visibility and increase your chances of landing new projects. The advantage of this system is that it allows you to strengthen your online presence across various channels—sometimes even for free.
Social Media
Social media has become essential in 2022 for promoting your business and finding customers. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Snapchat and TikTok—all of these platforms can be useful for building your online presence. But if you’re just getting started, you’ll need to lay some groundwork for your digital communication strategy. There’s no need to be on every platform—you’ll need to choose the one(s) that work best for you and, most importantly, where your target audience is! If you want to offer your services to professionals and business leaders, building a presence on TikTok won’t be very effective, whereas LinkedIn will be much more beneficial. After that, you’ll need to post consistently and share relevant content that resonates with your community. While social media has the advantage of being free and reaching a wide audience, it’s also time-consuming and highly competitive. On the other hand, if you manage to build a small community that aligns with your target audience, you’ll lay a very solid foundation for growing your business over the long term!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Whether you have a website and/or a blog, SEO is a powerful ally in growing your business. SEO helps you become more visible on search engines like Google and, as a result, attract many more visitors. Not only does SEO bring in visitors, but more importantly, it helps generate qualified traffic! In fact, internet users conduct web searches because they have a specific need. When they come across your site, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to meet that need. For example, if you’re an electrician in Lyon and you have an SEO-optimized website, people who search for “electrician Lyon” may find your site and will likely hire you! But how do you optimize your site for SEO? There are several aspects to consider, ranging from technical optimization to link building and content creation. We strongly recommend working with a professional at this stage of your web project to develop an effective and profitable long-term strategy.
Prospecting
Yes, this word scares a lot of professionals, but it can also pay off big time! When you’re just starting your business and don’t yet have a strong enough network, you may needto go out and prospect to get your name out there and find potential clients. To ensure success in this endeavor, there are several factors you need to work on and take into account. Avoid cold calling if you don’t feel comfortable on the phone—it can do more harm than good. On the other hand, if you believe that making connections is truly essential for your business, the phone can be a good opportunity. In that case, prepare your pitch in advance, along with your answers to questions you might be asked, and then practice with a few friends to avoid unpleasant surprises and awkward moments. Do you prefer reaching out via email? It’s essential to craft your message carefully so that it’s short, engaging, clear, and effective. Cold outreach requires patience, but it can bring you valuable customers who’ll stay with you for the long haul!
How do you turn a prospect into a customer?
Now that you know how to reach and engage your target audience, the next step is to turn them into customers. The idea? To put them at ease and make them want to contact you and work with you.
Showcase Your Expertise
Whether you’re having a conversation via email, on social media, or on your website, any means is a good way to showcase your expertise. Here are a few things you can do to achieve that:
- Talking About Your Skills and Your Work
- Sharing past experiences and projects
- List the companies you have worked with in the past
- Highlight positive customer reviews
So don’t hesitate to highlight not only your expertise but also the results it can bring to your client. For example, as a sophrologist, you bring calm and a new sense of serenity; as a graphic designer, you strengthen a brand’s image; or as a fitness coach, you help people feel better about themselves. In addition to demonstrating your expertise, it’s also a good idea to reassure prospects by explaining your approach, how you support clients, and what your values are. This is a highly effective way to set yourself apart from your competitors and convince visitors to contact you.
Making it easier to get in touch
Never forget that, no matter how you go about finding clients, your goal is to make contact. Everything should therefore be designed to make that initial contact as easy as possible. Planning to attend a trade show? Bring business cards with your contact information and a photo of yourself. Are you active on social media? Regularly engage with your community, answer their questions, encourage them to comment, and—most importantly—regularly encourage them to reach out to you. Similarly, on a website, the entire conversion funnel must be carefully designed to encourage visitors to contact you. Highlight call-to-action (CTA) buttons in strategic locations, along with your contact information and contact page, while also refining the contact page itself… All these elements must be carefully crafted to streamline the process of getting in touch. And to truly win over your prospect, why not entice them with special offers? A free first consultation, a complimentary 2-hour call, a free audit, a complimentary estimate, and so on. It’s up to you to find the one that works best!
Preparing for Your First Date
You’ve made it—the prospect has reached out to you and wants to learn more about your service. Congratulations! This is the final step before finalizing and signing the quote. Now is the time to definitively convince your future client that you’re the right person for the job. You must therefore demonstrate your professionalism during your meeting. First, do some research on the company or person who contacted you. Next, prepare your presentation, an explanation of your services, and the process for how you’ll support them. Above all, prepare questions to ask your prospect. Not only will this reassure them that you’re taking every detail of their project seriously, but it will also give you all the information you need to create a relevant quote—a sign of professionalism and reliability. Likewise, it’s very important to let your contact speak and not monopolize the conversation—remember that this is a dialogue. And even if it’s a professional meeting, don’t hide your true self! It’s always more reassuring to work with a service provider you get along with well.
There are several ways to find customers in 2022; the most important thing is to identify the ones that are right for you and will work based on your industry, your competition, and, above all, your target audience. Have you tried these tips? Do you know of other ways to find customers? Share your ideas with us in the comments!
