A stable reputation
A lot can be said for a stable reputation of an established brand or company. When a company has a well-known brand, it can be so much easier finding new clientele and keeping current clientele. However, if your brand or company isn’t as established as your competitors, you may have a difficult time landing clients, as many feel more comfortable with companies that they’ve heard of previously. So, how do you break this cycle and attain great clients for your new brand? Here are six ways to establish that much-needed credibility and nab clients.
1. Offer a Seminar or Workshop – Depending on the nature of your business, you can offer a class or professional instruction to potential clients. You obviously don’t want to give away all of your professional secrets. Otherwise, why would they need to hire you? Instead, teach a seminar or workshop that is related to your industry but isn’t your exact business. If you’re a real estate agent, for instance, you could hold a class on how to negotiate with a buyer/seller, find the right brokerage company, or how to see a property’s true potential.
2. Team Up with Other Complementary Businesses – Teaming up with related businesses can mean you have access to their clients, too. It also means that you’ll attract more potentials because you’ve taken out some of the legwork of finding multiple great businesses. But don’t partner with just anyone. Make sure the other businesses are relevant to yours and ones with great professional reputations.
3. Offer a Free Service – Who doesn’t love free? Offering a free product or service will probably get you more interest in your company than anything else. It doesn’t have to be big or expensive. It could be as simple as an informational whitepaper or an entire free month of a service. Because people love free things, you can be sure that your offer will be passed around on all the popular social networking sites and blogs. And that means free advertising.
4. Get the Word Out! – Do everything you can to get the word out about your company and the services you offer. Attend conferences, get your website up and running, pass out business cards, and get out there and talk to people. No one is going to talk about your company unless you give them a reason. It comes down to fierce networking.
5. Volunteer – Give back to your community by volunteering your services for local charities, schools, or religious organizations. Giving back will also boost your professional reputation and encourage those you help to pass your name and information along. Not to mention it’s a great way to boost your professional portfolio and get some more experience under your belt.
6. Go the Extra Mile – Always give a little extra, go the extra mile, when it comes to running your business and providing the best service possible. This will ensure you keep your current clients happy and loyal and they will be more willing to use you as a referral to their personal and professional connections.
A worthwhile effort
Being an unknown doesn’t mean you can’t be successful. It just means you may have a little more work ahead of you. That effort is worth it. Soon, your name and your brand will be passed around until you’re a staple in your industry and the professional world. You should hold your credibility and reputation as most important. When you do, everything else will fall into place, including securing new clients.
