Last week I shared with you the first five strategies that I have used to maintain and grow my database.
Here are the next five:
- Network your pants off! The key here is network in circles that are going to advance your profile rather than surround you with others like you looking for potential customers to market to. Living on the Gold Coast, I can spend 7 days a week morning, noon and night attending networking functions. The key is to be selective – go where your target customers go, not just where people like you go looking for potential customers to market to.
- Pound the pavement – yes this is about getting out into the streets and areas where your potential customers may be lurking. Get out there and look around for places where your potential customers hang out. Send others out on your behalf. Incentivise people to bring you qualified leads which you can then add to your database.
- Ask friends, family, customers, colleagues, and suppliers for referrals or contacts – it’s amazing how many people you can tap into just by asking those around you for leads of people they know! I was astounded when I did this for the first time. I added hundreds of records to my database that I could then contact and mention the name of the person that gave me the lead. I instantly had a foot in the door!
- Go to the library and research – I have mentioned this strategy before and if you haven’t explored the resources available to you, what are you waiting for? There is a wealth of information just waiting to be uncovered!
- Form alliances and mutually beneficial relationships – take a look at existing customers, suppliers, or complimentary businesses to your own that sell to clients that could be targets for your products or services. Form relationships where you promote their products and services to your customers and the do the same for you.
So there you have ten key strategies that I have used and still use to maintain and grow my database.
Oh, and here’s a bonus one:
Engage a prospecting professional – there are businesses out there that specialise in prospecting for potential customers that might just become customers of yours. For a fee, you can have someone doing the hard work for you in terms of identifying and locking in opportunities for you to get in front of your ideal type of customer. Not a bad investment when you consider the alternatives – doing it yourself or hiring the wrong person!
Build massive momentum!
