The Client Letter
August 24, 2011
Sedona Arizona
RE: How to slow cook clients.
During a phone interview yesterday with a well known internet entrepreneur, I was asked to explain my process for getting clients.
You could sum up the way I get clients in one word:
SLOWLY
I used to send out email newsletters, but frankly, we all get too much email. It just doesn’t make the impact I’m looking for.
That’s why I send out direct mail.
My first real clue that direct mail worked came early on in my copywriting business. I send out hand addressed envelopes, so they tend NOT to get thrown away with all of the other mail people don’t want.
I still remember the phone call way back when during which my client said, “Yeah, my secretary would have thrown away your letter but she thought it was personal, so she delivered it to me.”
That single letter to that single client ended up being worth somewhere between $13,000 and $17,000 in revenue.
My “client getting system” is a whole lot like developing a solar system of potential clients that are orbiting around you.
Every now and then, one of them gets sucked in by the gravitational pull and comes crashing into planet Jason.
How do I get them into orbit?
I pick them out and put them there.
Some clients do come to me out of the blue, but because I can’t control that process, it’s smart not to depend on it.
Once my prospective clients are “in orbit” I start mailing them things. Yes I do use a blog and I do send emails, but I really don’t view those as primary sales tools. Believe me, I’ve tried, but they are just too common these days to be effective.
I mail things that are interesting, creative and valuable.
I’ve done this off and on throughout the years and always kick myself when I stop.
This time around, I don’t plan on stopping.
Getting 10, 20, 40, 60 or more prospective clients “in orbit” helps you build momentum.
If you are mailing to a list of hundreds of targeted prospective clients, that’s even better.
I have to warn you, this system is slow. It’s more of a tortoise than a hare and I’m OK with that.
That’s because I know that MOST people will never do something like this. So that’s a huge competitive advantage.
This system builds a relationship in the proper way. It builds a relationship slowly. And it builds a relationship by giving value first.
The goal of my mailings is to sell slowly by providing real value.
I prefer my clients to come to me when the time is right for them. I know sales wizards might disagree, but I’m not just interested in “closing the sale,” I’m interested in building the strongest relationship possible.
That makes “closing” just a bit irrelevant.
If you don’t have a consistent system for generating clients, today is the day to start.
And take your time.
Everybody wants more clients tomorrow. I’m not saying that can’t happen, but think long term. You make better decisions that way.
The worst thing you can do is sell in a rush. The more patience you have, the better off you will be.
For me, I basically put prospective clients in the “slow cooker” and start delivering the value.
Patience grasshoppuh.
See you tomorrow,
Jason Leister
Clients Suck
Creating Success for Independent Professionals
ClientsSuck.net