network , and develop valuable thought leadership in your area of expertise , you can and will draw clients to you . However , building your recognition - your brand - takes time so start investing right now !
So what can you do right now ? Since there are fewer opportunities out there , you need to have more up-front (“ top of sales funnel ”) conversations . And , you need to widen your lens on how you define an opportunity so that you see more of them . That is : think of yourself as being in the business of helping your clients achieve their most important goals , period – not just ( repetitively ) providing a specific solution for a specific problem .
Create more upfront conversations to uncover new opportunities
Stay in touch with current and past clients
Right now , your clients may be firefighting and not willing or able to talk about their future priorities . That ’ s understandable - and , there may very well be short-term needs you can help them with . Yet , don ’ t forget that notwithstanding the current environment , you need to regularly speak with your current clients in order to step back from the day-to-day work and explore their agenda of key priorities , needs , and goals . Think of it as getting off the dance floor and taking a “ balcony view ” of their business .
If clients are busy and / or just unresponsive , send them an email or a note - or leave a voice message - every few weeks . In it , share two or three ideas for dealing with a challenge you know or think they face , and / or a story about another client who has successfully tackled it . Send out enough of these emails , sprinkling ideas over time , and you ’ re bound to catch some interest . It ’ s a question of suggesting something that happens to resonate with your client on that particular day or week .
Get referrals and other warm introductions to prospects
Always strive to get a warm introduction to meet a prospective client . Most senior executives will only meet with a new provider if a colleague or friend has recommended them . This may be harder
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If you publish , speak , network , and develop valuable thought leadership in your area of expertise , you can and will draw clients to you . However , building your recognition - your brand - takes time so start investing right now !
to do in the current environment - that is , to win over brand-new prospects - but you should still try where you see a great fit .
Start with an online relationship
An online relationship can be an effective prelude to a face-to-face meeting . You can comment on someone ’ s blog or LinkedIn post , for example , and set up a dialogue . You can post a review of a book or article they ’ ve written . Or , just message them or email them .
Ask your leadership or CEO to set up a meeting
If you work with a firm , you can sometimes get a meeting with an elusive executive if one of your top leaders makes the approach .
Start with a non-commercial relationship
Some of my best relationships with senior executives have started this way . You might connect with an executive through a nonprofit organization , by involving them in a research project , by interviewing them for an article or book , and so on .
Create a tailored event for that person
( Note : right now , you ’ d have to be creative in terms of how this idea could be executed in an online environment ).
When I suggested to a client of mine that they create a custom dinner event for a CEO they wanted to meet , they responded that she would never agree to attend . I said , “ Remove all constraints . What would interest her in attending ?”
They admitted that they had heard the CEO was a huge fan of a particular author , a well-known historian . I asked them : “ What would it be worth to your company to build a relationship with this CEO ?” They admitted it would be a priceless connection to have . They got the point , and hired the author to speak at a small , intimate dinner with just five clients . And , the CEO agreed to come .
Write or call with a unique idea
Many top executives have told me that they are quite discerning about making room in their schedule to hear a pitch from someone they don ’ t know . The first exception I just mentioned - when that person is recommended to them . Another exception they cite is if the individual appears to have an intriguing , new idea . “ I ’ m always open to hearing an interesting idea ,” many CEOs have told me .
Bring them some potential business
A great way to start a relationship is to bring a customer or business proposition to your prospect or client .
tOne of my own clients , for example , came up with a business idea which involved forming a joint venture with a large multinational . The idea was successful . They created a new stream of revenue from the joint venture , and their partner in the new business became a major client for their services .
Dr . Clifford J . Ferguson is the Managing Partner of Rainmakers , and Board Member of Glad ’ s House Kenya . You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at : Drcliffordjferguson @ me . com .