Start up businesses need clients — any clients. Mid-level businesses need more clients and more money. Established, successful businesses need fewer, better, higher-paying clients.
But how does a business owner go about getting clients? How do you get your first client? How do you get more clients? How do you get better clients?
If getting clients were easy, marketers would be out of business!
There is a lot of fluff online about client attraction — some people think it’s magic. That you can just sit there and wish for clients and that they will appear. Or that by putting out the right energy, miraculously you’ll attract clients who will come find you.
But seriously, it doesn’t work like that. You have to work to get clients. Client attraction is just a special phrase that refers to the strategies business owners use to get more clients.
So to help you with your client needs, here are 8 marketing tips to help you attract the clients you need:
Client Attraction Marketing Tip 1: Be sure to talk to at least three people every day about your business and what you do
You can not just sit behind your computer every day and expect that scads of people from all over the world will magically find you and invest their money in your products, programs, and services. Too many entrepreneurs rely on the HAP Method of attracting clients (Hope and Pray) and it simply doesn’t work. Hiding at home in your jammies and posting fiendishly on social media sites may get you a few clients, but it’s not going to sustain a six figure business. You must get dressed and get out of the house! If you can commit to talking to at least three different people about your business everyday, you’ll be amazed at the change you’ll see in your clients, your stress, and your income.
Client Attraction Marketing Tip 2: Get out from behind your computer. Know where your target market is hanging out and go where they are
Talking to three people a day about your business is great, but only one of those can be electronic communication! You need to do your research, find out where your ideal clients go to network, learn, and grow their businesses — and you need to go there too! If your ideal clients/customers are designers, you need to go to design oriented events, conferences, and meet-up groups. If your ideal clients are authors, you need to go to author groups, literary conferences, and book expos.
Client Attraction Marketing Tip 3: Be ever present on your social networks, join in the conversation, and provide value and help
Lurkers don’t get clients, don’t build reputations, don’t get remembered, and don’t get referred new business. Social media is a long-term marketing strategy with a long lead generation cycle. Typically people will follow you on Twitter, or be friends with you on Facebook for months or even years before they finally decide to hire you or buy from you. That’s why you need to be ever-present on the social networks you can commit to. Be there with great, valuable, helpful content, answer questions, assist others, join in conversations, be engaged. Sporadic, infrequent posting dilutes the trust your network has in you.
Client Attraction Marketing Tip 4: The fortune is in the follow up. It’s where the magic that turns connections into clients happens
Failure to follow up is one of the most common ways that entrepreneurs and business owners sabotage their own success by simply not collecting the money on the table. Millions of dollars are lost by businesses around the world every year simply because they get busy and they fail to follow up with leads from networking events, conferences, social media, email, voicemail, referrals, and more. If you want or need to make more money, fix your follow up and you’ll see an increase in your bottom line.
Client Attraction Marketing Tip 5: There are a lot of people trying to reach the same consumers you are. Offer them something free to pull them to you
First let’s be clear, there are free offers and there are opt-in offers. Neither offer requires you to spend money, but one requires you to give your email in exchange for the item, so it really isn’t free. I believe you need to have BOTH types of offers available on your website. Provide instant access, no opt-in required resources to build trust and credibility to strangers, and provide opt-in offers for those who feel like they know you and are ready to give you their email address. But no matter what, make sure you’re giving something away of value, something people really want, something that’s so good you thought that maybe you should charge for it … otherwise your offer is just taking up space.
Client Attraction Marketing Tip 6: Prospects want to see you have the solution to their problem and that you offer multiple choices for them to engage
When new prospects are visiting your website, they want to see that you understand what they are struggling with or need help with, and that you have the solution to their problem that they have been looking for. Visitors want to be reassured that they are in the right place by reviewing your offers and seeing that you have multiple options for them to engage with you at different price points. If you can provide testimonials with or near your offers, you will help communicate the results and benefits they can receive when working with you.
Client Attraction Marketing Tip 7: Be able to communicate all the important details about your business in 30 seconds or less
We’ve all been there. You ask someone about their business at a networking event and they respond with an explanation that goes one forever. They never seem to stop talking and all you want to do is get away! It is imperative that you are able to communicate the core aspects of your business to a stranger in 30 seconds or less in a way that makes sense. Here’s a quick formula to help: I help ____________ achieve _____________ so they can ______________.
Client Attraction Marketing Tip 8: Ask for referrals and be very clear about who would be a perfect fit for your services, products, and programs
Your happy customers and satisfied clients want to give you referrals! They want to hep their friends and contacts who are struggling find the same success they have … but sometimes they may think you don’t need their referrals (Crazy, I know!), or they aren’t sure how to refer people to you, or they aren’t sure who would be best to refer to you. Help them out by making the ask! Reach out to your clients and customers, share with them your ideal client profile, and ask them if they know anyone who fits that description and who would benefit from working with you.
What about you? Do you have any additional client attraction marketing tips? Have you tried any of these strategies with success? I’d love to hear about it below!
About Jennifer Bourn
Are You Forgetting About Vendor Service?
Live Events Inspire, Motivate, And Empower
Marshmallow Sculptures and Marketing
How to Market with Benefits Instead of Features
Why Do I Need a Big Vision Road Map for My Business?
There are designers that can make it pretty, coders that can make it work, and marketers that can make it sell — at 
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While I do believe that an abundant mindset helps massively with one’s business, I don’t think that ALONE will get you a full client list. So I totally agree, one must have a plan and work that plan. Having a very clear vision about what you do and what problem it solves for people is such a powerful step in attracting clients to your business. Your tips are right on!
Thinking about it and wishing for it and focusing on it will only get you so far! You’ve got to take action too!
Jennifer,
Taking action on your tips would help any business improve their client attraction results.
Follow up and referrals are the critical ones I see many people not pay enough attention to.
Mitch
This post is fabulous, Jennifer! Clear, no nonsense advice that we all need as business owners. The toughest one for me to get on top of is consistently talking to three people every day about my biz. Some weeks, I am totally on that! Other weeks, uh, not so much. Thanks for the reminder, it is so important!
Pamela – You and me both! I know it sounds simple … but it’s harder to do than it looks! Sometimes I get in the groove working and I realize that I haven’t left the house in several days … that’s when I know, I really need to get out from behind my computer!
Jennifer, many thanks for an excellent post! I’m printing it and placing it next to my monitor so I’ll see it often. Of course, getting away from that monitor is a major issue and talking with three people every day about my business is a huge challenge. Thank you for the shove!
Jennifer, this should be required reading for any business owner. It is golden, timeless advice – and I’ll be referring back to it frequently. Thanks a million :))
Thanks Miriam!
Favorite one here? “Get out from behind the computer.” Nothing beats real life face time and making that in person connection with someone.
Deb – You’re right! Face to face, in person meetings accelerate the know, like, trust factor and help you build stronger relationships.
I’m learning so much from you, Jennifer. I love the idea of talking to at least 3 people per day about what I do. That’s a tip I want to start implementing immediately.
Warmest wishes to you,
Mia
That is wonderful news Mia! Happy to help!
Well, it’s no wonder when I visit your post, there are 98 frickin’ tweets already:) You are just FULL of great info. I went back through to see which was my fave but I just kept thinking, “oh that one…No that one…Ooooh, that’s a great one.” They’re all pertinent to succeeding. There’s no magic in any 1 thing. It’s fully the amalgam & consistency of all of it. Great post, Jennifer:)
Kerry – Thank you so much!
Marketing Tip 7: Be able to communicate all the important details about your business in 30 seconds or less SO IMPORTANT. Most people don’t have a clear statement about what they do and what they need.
AMEN Jessica! That is exactly why we have the free resource available “How to get your prospects to say yes in one sentence!” It works wonders for quick exchanges and helps you clearly communicate everything someone needs to know about your business to take action!
When I started my business, I thought it was “build it and they will come.” Uh, that didn’t work well at all!! Lol! Sitting behind a computer with “HAP” doesn’t work. It’s only in implementing the strategies you’ve outlined that you begin to see your client base grow.
Doreen – Doesn’t everyone start out their business that way? I know I did! The HAP – “Hope and Pray” method never works as well as we’d like it to!
Jennifer,
LOVE these solid tips to marketing and business success. There has to be a plan and clear action steps for each project or “part” of your business. I think people over-complicate the process and underestimate how important it is to be clear, consistent and compelling.
I often say that marketing is all about building relationships and your 8 tips will help people do just that.
Write on!~
Lisa Manyon
Lisa – YES! There Must be a plan … otherwise you’re just taking action with no way to measure the results and know what is working and what is not.
Great tips, Jennifer. Tips #1, #2, and #4 are ones I’m constantly telling my clients and community because they really are very important to your business success. If you do nothing else, you must follow those three. I am saddened by the number of folks who think they can build a successful business by staying at home behind their computer. As I always say, you have to build relationships in order to build your business. That means you need to actually connect with people and nurture the relationship, whether they are potential JV partners, referral sources, or clients.
Tiffany – I’m right there with you! I’ve got zero sympathy for the complaining business owner who wants to make more money, but hasn’t left their house in months. If you want more business, you’ve got to go out and get it!
Great tips for any business owner. I especially like #8. As someone who gets most of her business through referrals, I have to remember to simply ASK for referrals and it is my responsibility to let people know just what makes a good referral to me. I think the clearer we can communicate that, the more it helps those who want to help us!
Deanna – Same here … sometimes it’s just a matter of remembering to make the ask!
Very substantial advice Jen. I love that #5 of having an opt in AND giving away something that is of value and truly FREE! You are a real expert in building business!
Thanks Sheila!
Excellent list! Referrals are a big part of my business and all my current clients are told that I offer a referral bonus (after they have been working with me for a few weeks). But I like the idea of reaching out to all my contacts and asking for referrals – thanks!
The other two top ways I attract clients are speaking and having a book.
Trudy
Trudy, I’ve found that a referral letter with news about what’s new in your business works wonders!
Excellent tips, I love them all! Especially ask for referrals and be Specific about who would be a good fit. So many times, I think clients don’t refer, simply because they don’t know who would be a good fit. It’s kind of like matching up two friends for a date. The more you care about someone, the less you want to mess it up. By telling them who would be a good match, you lessen their stress about it.
Nice post! Thanks!
Wendi – Exactly. It’s hard to refer business to someone if you’re not sure who would be a good referral!
Jennifer, LOVE this article! Even if you don’t get out of the house each day (I know I don’t – too much work to do!), it doesn’t stop me from talking about my business to everyone from my neighbors, cleaning lady, personal trainer, lady at the post office… Because you never know who they know. Just last week my trainer said she was talking about me to her friend who is a radio personality in town and was interested in an interview. And I really like the concept of free “for real” and not requiring an opt-in. I need to do more of that.
Way to go Lisa! And … definitely try the truly free gift. I works AWESOME!