According to Forbes Magazine, more new start-up businesses are being launched than at any time in the past decade. If you are a new business owner you will be keen to secure clients and new sales or orders.
But with many industries now competing within a worldwide marketplace. Competition can be fierce to get lucrative handshakes from a new client.
Here is some pro advice that will help you to impress potential new customers with your start-up.
Take Your Time
One of the biggest mistakes a new business owner can make is trying to run before they can walk. You may have lots of experience within your chosen field and a host of excellent contacts that can help your business thrive, but you still need to do the groundwork.
If a new client looks you up online and sees an under-construction notice or no details listed in company directories then they will be wary of signing a contract with you. Take the time you need to design an eye-catching website, develop your brand, and ensure you have the legal paperwork in place before approaching new clients.
You want to ensure that you launch when you are ready for your first customers. By factoring in preparatory time into your business plan, you will be viewed as a professional outfit and be more likely to secure high-value clients.
Address
Many businesses start off in your own home. Apple famously originated in a garage. However, having a professional presence in the heart of a city can help your business have status and gives your company professional visibility amongst the competition.
Consider engaging virtual office address services to immediately appear more professional to your prospective clients.
The Approach
The approach is when you send that tentative inquiry email or make that first phone call with a potential new customer. Sending out ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ emails to thousands of mailboxes may require less work than personalized approaches, but it makes it much more likely that your email is placed in the junk folder.
Make sure your email looks professional, and do a couple of test emails from your inbox to ensure the mail looks the way you want it to when it is read. If you are phoning the customer be prepared with an elevator pitch that lets them know why you are phoning within a couple of sentences.
Following Up
After any meeting, always follow up with another email or phone call. Recapping your discussion points allows you to go into more detail on any outstanding questions they may have had.
A phone call will allow you to build a personal connection and gauge if the client is interested in your pitch. An email can be more detailed and can allow you to get into the finer details. Select your method of follow-up, depending on how your initial meeting went and what method of communication you think the client would prefer.
It is wise to wait a couple of days before following up, but any longer than a week and a client may have moved on to other business, meaning you might need to start with the pitch all over again.
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