so...how do you find clients???

[arbonne_tonya]

ANYONE?? For me...I talk to people in McDonald's or WalMart, anywhere and everywhere!!!

[sahm629]

I don't have a job where I find clients, but just an idea that I want to share is to go to,or start a playgroup, where you can network with other moms. Plus your kiddos will have fun too!

[Andrew M]

Trolling for clients and potential business partners at Walmarts, McDonald's etc is very Amway 1980-1990's. Sorry, don't take this personally but your time is valuable so I would start generating your own leads online so you find high quality targeted prospects. Prospecting at malls etc is and act of desperation so you want to attract people to you.:)

Have great weekend!

Andrew Murphy

[Audrey]

Andrew,

I disagree with you. I believe everyone can be a potential customer or team member.

I do not at all believe that speaking to people locally is 80's and 90's.

[Andrew M]

Audrey,
That is fine if it works well for you but the home business/network marketing industry has had a bad rap for years because of people prospecting by "trolling" and hitting up anyone. Every business must find their target market and therefore will save time and money on advertising. I am just saying that by using the internet and generating leads online is far more productive. However, I firmly believe that you must have phone and face to face encounters with your customers and business partners to build a long term business. :D

Andrew

[Alan]

Here is something to consider from an established client base...

"The generous soul will be made fat: the one who waters will be watered as well."

As I have learned: To know, I must be known; take great care of the field you already have, whether great or small, and it will continue to produce a harvest...

(HINT: Referrals may be likened to a king's smile).

[Audrey]

Alan,

Have I mentioned how happy I am to read your posts?

[Lori]

I have an opt-in list for FreelanceMom, but I don't sell to the list currently. I send out a newsletter and keep in touch with them. I have an extremely low opt out rate so I know the list is loyal and full of warm leads.

But FreelanceMom earns its keep through advertising revenue and I'm so busy with my 'real' business (http://www.outsourcingideas.com) that I haven't completed any products to sell... yet!

My clients for ROI are almost all from word of mouth. I cringe when my business partner/husband bids on work at elance because we have so much work already -- and he seems to always win whatever jobs he bids on. But we do get clients that way as well.

Lori

[Alan]

I hear a lot about lead generation tools via the internet.

What about the effectiveness of offline techniques such as customer base referrals, follow-up service questionnaires, thank you letters or phone call, etc.?

[kevinw1]

You could try going to places online where people hang out who tend to use VA's, find out if they have a cheap advertising option, and use it. (MY cat just noticed the animated characters beside the post editing window, so I am typing blind as he parks himself in front of teh screen).

For example, visit the Warrior forum (http://www.warriorforum.com) where there are lots of internet marketers who like to outsource some of their work, go to the Classified Ads section, and post an ad for $20.

Kevin

[arstringfellow]

For me, it's a little different than in the direct sales industry, because I work as a marketing communications consultant. I use sites like Craigslist, elance, and guru, from time to time, but mostly it's about networking and building up a brand online to get potential clients to come to me. For others in a similar profession as myself, I also recommend just checking out some businesses or websites that interest you and approaching them about their needs that you might be able to fill. A final strategy is that I use a portable employer of record - a company called MBO Partners - and they have master service agreements with a lot of big name companies, which I'm already an approved vendor for since I work with MBO. So, I have one foot already in the door with those organizations. The most important thing to remember is to always continue marketing and looking for new business, even when business is plentiful, because slow times will always come again!

[SGoodknight]

I'm not a 3 foot rule person at all. I know tha works for some but its just not my style.

I find my business partner and members by generating leads on and off the internet. I find that the lead you generate yourself is by far the best way to go as you are directing individuals to your site and if they like what they see they will let you know.

Leads are an ok to go to use as a filler but they are generic and not geared toward what you are offering. So, I only turn to those as fillers. I also refuse to purchase an expensive lead. I go for the CHEAP ones because to me a lead is a lead when you buy it because they will all have bad phone numbers, people saying they didn't request info etc... So, I go for the one's under 50 cents!

[Queen-of-Mangosteen]

I have found that the 3 Foot rule works pretty good for me. If I'm in line at the store or where ever, I always have business cards to leave in the rest room or to pass out. The fact is anyone can be a potential client!

[cin0242]

I check the free job boards and the free online classifieds. Works good for me, at least up to this point!

[Queen-of-Mangosteen]

Well I to be honest with you get leads by using the 3 foot rule and I also do cold calling from the leads that I purchase or get off line. It really works well for me too. I guess I'm just used to talking to people and plus I believe in my product.

[Audrey]

Courtney,

You go up to total strangers and start talking to them about your business?

[NevadaVa]

Hi All! This is an older post but a very common question! How do you find clients? And as common as the question so is it common for the answer. Some people are very comfortable going up to strangers to pitch their services and/or products and to making cold calls. Others that are not so comfortable speaking to strangers do well in just casual conversation to other mothers at soccer practice or standing in line at the grocery store.

The common denominator to getting clients is to get your name and/or your business out there. It all depends on you and what your 'client' is... are your clients limited to within your community or online?

I have found clients right here at my front door (small business owners doing my lawn, wanting to sell products to me); I've found clients through forums and membership sites such as www.VAnetworking.com where I respond to RFP's that are part of the VAinsider membership.

Getting clients is only challenging if you are sitting back in your home office and waiting for them to solicit services from you. You have to be willing to make the effort to find the clients and then convince them that you have Their solution!