Effective Online Lead Generation Strategies

Published on: 05:31 0

Online lead generation is an Internet marketing term that refers to the generation of prospects and potential customers who are interested in your business’ products or services through the Internet. Leads can be generated for any number of reasons – to build an email list, for newsletter list acquisition, or to get access to a free or paid membership program.

Prospective customers will enter their name and email address into your lead generation optin form on your website or landing page to receive more information on what you have to offer. Your offerings can include freebies like webinars, an e-book, training, consultations or video demonstration.
The Online Lead Generation Formula

Before we get into the sources of online leads, I want to share with you the formula for making money online:

    Drive traffic (via content, ads, search engine optimization)
    Capture emails through a high converting lead capture page
    Build and develop relationships via regular email marketing & social engagement
    Add tons of value (support, give, serve way before asking for anything in return)
    Sell great products
    Rinse and Repeat as much as possible

Online Lead Generation Strategies
The Importance of A Lead Generation System

Generating quality leads online is useful for email list building and creating a database of customers you can follow up with on a continuous basis. The ultimate goal for generating leads online is to build relationships, improve sales and increase profits for your business by expanding your exposure and expertise through promotion and marketing.

For affiliate marketers, network marketers and home based business owners, implementing effective online lead generation systems will allow for the automated process of building a pipeline of quality prospects through targeted marketing methods. Through the optimization of specific marketing and campaigns, leads can be directed to the next phase of the sales cycle and exposed to your product offerings.
What Are The Benefits of Online Lead Generation

Generating quality leads through an online lead generation system is more effective than cold calling, the 3 foot rule or other prospecting methods. Any prospective customer you capture through the Internet self-qualifies themselves as they flow through your sales funnel. Those that are interested, stay on your email list and buy when they are ready. Those that are not interested in your products or services, remove themselves from your marketing communications. This puts your business prospecting on automation. You save time, money, and energy which makes building a successful and profitable business easier.

Throughout the sales process you are continuously giving value in the form of information, entertainment and education. When your prospects are educated before making purchases, they tend to be happier and you make more money. An informed customer understands exactly why they are spending their money and know what to expect because you have primed them through prior communication.

Online lead generation is a very efficient and low cost marketing strategy for receiving, qualifying and weeding out fresh leads which can ultimately result in a sale or partnership.
Strategies for Online Lead Generation

There are a number of ways to  generated quality leads online. From attraction marketing to social media marketing, paid advertising to content marketing. One common feature of all the online lead generation strategies is that the goal is always to attract the ideal prospect, customer or client. Each online lead generation strategies aims to get someone’s attention. Online marketing methods include:

1) Blogging and Content Creation

Publishing content via a blog, newsletter or information product, such as an ebook or free report, is a great way to add value and provide your prospects with solutions to the challenges they regularly face. If your blog posts offer value, your readers will readily provide their name and email address in exchange for receiving additional information from you in the future via an email newsletter or by attending a webinar. Providing free e-books, reports, or e-courses have a way of grabbing people’s attention. The more intriguing, compelling and results-driven your free offerings are, the more readers you’ll be able to convert to leads and subscribers through your online lead generation system.

2) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization is a key marketing strategy for attracting leads online. By creating keyword rich, relevant content, search engines, such as Google, YouTube, Bing and Yahoo reward you with higher rankings which results in an increase in the amount of leads you will receive through organic web searches. The more visibility you get the more targeted traffic you will receive. Search engine optimization is not just used for blog content. Optimizing your videos, images and audio content can also result in a massive influx of new leads.

3) Online Lead Generation through Social Media Marketing & Networking

Social media is a powerful platform for generating HOT leads on the Internet. Social media marketing is a useful strategy to improve your online leads. By engaging with your audience, growing a social community and building relationships with the fans of your community, you can drive targeted traffic to your business.  Popular social media networks include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and GooglePlus.

4) Lead Generation Websites and Landing Pages

Your website, particularly the landing page, is a great way to attract targeted traffic. The number of visitors you convert to leads will be determined by the the solutions you promise to deliver and the congruency of our offer. It is important to design your website and landing pages in a way that highlights the solution you will provide if a visitor were to opt in to your online lead generation system. To maximize your lead generation use attractive, high converting lead pages and opt in forms, strategically place them on every page of your website either at the bottom of your pages or on the sidebars. To increase conversions simply ask for their email address.

5) Creating Online Marketing Video Tutorials and Viral Videos

Video marketing is a powerful media for driving high quality, targeted leads online. Publish and share your videos to video-sharing sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion. Your video should be information filled, useful and it should speak directly to the audience that can benefit from your products and services the most.

6) Paid Advertising and PPC (Pay per click)

Whether you are using Facebook PPC, YouTube PPC, Google Adwords or Bing PPC, this form of advanced online lead generation can be lucrative is you know how to properly implement the methods.  PPC is a results driven online marketing strategy were you can control your ad budget, the volume of traffic and the flow of online leads to your landing page. A PPC ad lead generation system is also a great way to test future product offerings and marketing campaigns prior to committing a lot of time and money to building out the project. Running PPC ads can help you pinpoint the right marketing message, determine winning ads that convert and help improve the effectiveness of your marketing and sales strategies.

7) Solo Ads

If you want to build an email list in a hurry, solo ads are one of the best ways to build a list fast and generate online leads in record time. When you use solo ads, you purchase “ad space” on the mailing list of other successful marketers who hopefully have responsive, buying customers. Solo ads can be expensive and it is important to test high converting lead capture pages and ad copy that allow you to get the best return on your investment.

When it comes down to picking an online lead generation system that will work for you, the best advise if to test, test, and test some more. Determine how many leads you need to make a sale, how much money you are willing to spend (or not spend) to achieve your desired results and which marketing methods give you the best return on your time and effort. You should also consider the quality of the leads you attract alongside the conversion rate. Be willing to implement new online lead generation systems and try new combinations of strategies to improve your results.

Online lead generation is an Internet marketing term that refers to the generation of prospects and potential customers who are interested in your business’ products or services through the Internet. Leads can be generated for any number of reasons – to build an email list, for newsletter list acquisition, or to get access to a free or paid membership program.
Prospective customers will enter their name and email address into your lead generation optin form on your website or landing page to receive more information on what you have to offer. Your offerings can include freebies like webinars, an e-book, training, consultations or video demonstration.

The Online Lead Generation Formula

Before we get into the sources of online leads, I want to share with you the formula for making money online:

1. Drive traffic (via content, ads, search engine optimization)
2. Capture emails through a high converting lead capture page
3. Build and develop relationships via regular email marketing & social engagement
4. Add tons of value (support, give, serve way before asking for anything in return)
5. Sell great products
6. Rinse and Repeat as much as possible

Online Lead Generation Strategies

The Importance of A Lead Generation System

Generating quality leads online is useful for email list building and creating a database of customers you can follow up with on a continuous basis. The ultimate goal for generating leads online is to build relationships, improve sales and increase profits for your business by expanding your exposure and expertise through promotion and marketing.
For affiliate marketers, network marketers and home based business owners, implementing effective online lead generation systems will allow for the automated process of building a pipeline of quality prospects through targeted marketing methods. Through the optimization of specific marketing and campaigns, leads can be directed to the next phase of the sales cycle and exposed to your product offerings.

What Are The Benefits of Online Lead Generation

Generating quality leads through an online lead generation system is more effective than cold calling, the 3 foot rule or other prospecting methods. Any prospective customer you capture through the Internet self-qualifies themselves as they flow through your sales funnel. Those that are interested, stay on your email list and buy when they are ready. Those that are not interested in your products or services, remove themselves from your marketing communications. This puts your business prospecting on automation. You save time, money, and energy which makes building a successful and profitable business easier.
Throughout the sales process you are continuously giving value in the form of information, entertainment and education. When your prospects are educated before making purchases, they tend to be happier and you make more money. An informed customer understands exactly why they are spending their money and know what to expect because you have primed them through prior communication.
Online lead generation is a very efficient and low cost marketing strategy for receiving, qualifying and weeding out fresh leads which can ultimately result in a sale or partnership.

Strategies for Online Lead Generation

There are a number of ways to  generated quality leads online. From attraction marketing to social media marketing, paid advertising to content marketing. One common feature of all the online lead generation strategies is that the goal is always to attract the ideal prospect, customer or client. Each online lead generation strategies aims to get someone’s attention. Online marketing methods include:
1) Blogging and Content Creation
Publishing content via a blog, newsletter or information product, such as an ebook or free report, is a great way to add value and provide your prospects with solutions to the challenges they regularly face. If your blog posts offer value, your readers will readily provide their name and email address in exchange for receiving additional information from you in the future via an email newsletter or by attending a webinar. Providing free e-books, reports, or e-courses have a way of grabbing people’s attention. The more intriguing, compelling and results-driven your free offerings are, the more readers you’ll be able to convert to leads and subscribers through your online lead generation system.
2) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search engine optimization is a key marketing strategy for attracting leads online. By creating keyword rich, relevant content, search engines, such as Google, YouTube, Bing and Yahoo reward you with higher rankings which results in an increase in the amount of leads you will receive through organic web searches. The more visibility you get the more targeted traffic you will receive. Search engine optimization is not just used for blog content. Optimizing your videos, images and audio content can also result in a massive influx of new leads.
3) Online Lead Generation through Social Media Marketing & Networking
Social media is a powerful platform for generating HOT leads on the Internet. Social media marketing is a useful strategy to improve your online leads. By engaging with your audience, growing a social community and building relationships with the fans of your community, you can drive targeted traffic to your business.  Popular social media networks include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and GooglePlus.
4) Lead Generation Websites and Landing Pages
Your website, particularly the landing page, is a great way to attract targeted traffic. The number of visitors you convert to leads will be determined by the the solutions you promise to deliver and the congruency of our offer. It is important to design your website and landing pages in a way that highlights the solution you will provide if a visitor were to opt in to your online lead generation system. To maximize your lead generation use attractive, high converting lead pages and opt in forms, strategically place them on every page of your website either at the bottom of your pages or on the sidebars. To increase conversions simply ask for their email address.
5) Creating Online Marketing Video Tutorials and Viral Videos
Video marketing is a powerful media for driving high quality, targeted leads online. Publish and share your videos to video-sharing sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion. Your video should be information filled, useful and it should speak directly to the audience that can benefit from your products and services the most.
6) Paid Advertising and PPC (Pay per click)
Whether you are using Facebook PPC, YouTube PPC, Google Adwords or Bing PPC, this form of advanced online lead generation can be lucrative is you know how to properly implement the methods.  PPC is a results driven online marketing strategy were you can control your ad budget, the volume of traffic and the flow of online leads to your landing page. A PPC ad lead generation system is also a great way to test future product offerings and marketing campaigns prior to committing a lot of time and money to building out the project. Running PPC ads can help you pinpoint the right marketing message, determine winning ads that convert and help improve the effectiveness of your marketing and sales strategies.
7) Solo Ads
If you want to build an email list in a hurry, solo ads are one of the best ways to build a list fast and generate online leads in record time. When you use solo ads, you purchase “ad space” on the mailing list of other successful marketers who hopefully have responsive, buying customers. Solo ads can be expensive and it is important to test high converting lead capture pages and ad copy that allow you to get the best return on your investment.
When it comes down to picking an online lead generation system that will work for you, the best advise if to test, test, and test some more. Determine how many leads you need to make a sale, how much money you are willing to spend (or not spend) to achieve your desired results and which marketing methods give you the best return on your time and effort. You should also consider the quality of the leads you attract alongside the conversion rate. Be willing to implement new online lead generation systems and try new combinations of strategies to improve your results.
- See more at: http://andreabolder.com/effective-online-lead-generation-strategies-easy-ways-to-find-qualified-leads-online/#sthash.dW7mTlYh.dpuf

Online lead generation is an Internet marketing term that refers to the generation of prospects and potential customers who are interested in your business’ products or services through the Internet. Leads can be generated for any number of reasons – to build an email list, for newsletter list acquisition, or to get access to a free or paid membership program.
Prospective customers will enter their name and email address into your lead generation optin form on your website or landing page to receive more information on what you have to offer. Your offerings can include freebies like webinars, an e-book, training, consultations or video demonstration.

The Online Lead Generation Formula

Before we get into the sources of online leads, I want to share with you the formula for making money online:

1. Drive traffic (via content, ads, search engine optimization)
2. Capture emails through a high converting lead capture page
3. Build and develop relationships via regular email marketing & social engagement
4. Add tons of value (support, give, serve way before asking for anything in return)
5. Sell great products
6. Rinse and Repeat as much as possible

Online Lead Generation Strategies

The Importance of A Lead Generation System

Generating quality leads online is useful for email list building and creating a database of customers you can follow up with on a continuous basis. The ultimate goal for generating leads online is to build relationships, improve sales and increase profits for your business by expanding your exposure and expertise through promotion and marketing.
For affiliate marketers, network marketers and home based business owners, implementing effective online lead generation systems will allow for the automated process of building a pipeline of quality prospects through targeted marketing methods. Through the optimization of specific marketing and campaigns, leads can be directed to the next phase of the sales cycle and exposed to your product offerings.

What Are The Benefits of Online Lead Generation

Generating quality leads through an online lead generation system is more effective than cold calling, the 3 foot rule or other prospecting methods. Any prospective customer you capture through the Internet self-qualifies themselves as they flow through your sales funnel. Those that are interested, stay on your email list and buy when they are ready. Those that are not interested in your products or services, remove themselves from your marketing communications. This puts your business prospecting on automation. You save time, money, and energy which makes building a successful and profitable business easier.
Throughout the sales process you are continuously giving value in the form of information, entertainment and education. When your prospects are educated before making purchases, they tend to be happier and you make more money. An informed customer understands exactly why they are spending their money and know what to expect because you have primed them through prior communication.
Online lead generation is a very efficient and low cost marketing strategy for receiving, qualifying and weeding out fresh leads which can ultimately result in a sale or partnership.

Strategies for Online Lead Generation

There are a number of ways to  generated quality leads online. From attraction marketing to social media marketing, paid advertising to content marketing. One common feature of all the online lead generation strategies is that the goal is always to attract the ideal prospect, customer or client. Each online lead generation strategies aims to get someone’s attention. Online marketing methods include:
1) Blogging and Content Creation
Publishing content via a blog, newsletter or information product, such as an ebook or free report, is a great way to add value and provide your prospects with solutions to the challenges they regularly face. If your blog posts offer value, your readers will readily provide their name and email address in exchange for receiving additional information from you in the future via an email newsletter or by attending a webinar. Providing free e-books, reports, or e-courses have a way of grabbing people’s attention. The more intriguing, compelling and results-driven your free offerings are, the more readers you’ll be able to convert to leads and subscribers through your online lead generation system.
2) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search engine optimization is a key marketing strategy for attracting leads online. By creating keyword rich, relevant content, search engines, such as Google, YouTube, Bing and Yahoo reward you with higher rankings which results in an increase in the amount of leads you will receive through organic web searches. The more visibility you get the more targeted traffic you will receive. Search engine optimization is not just used for blog content. Optimizing your videos, images and audio content can also result in a massive influx of new leads.
3) Online Lead Generation through Social Media Marketing & Networking
Social media is a powerful platform for generating HOT leads on the Internet. Social media marketing is a useful strategy to improve your online leads. By engaging with your audience, growing a social community and building relationships with the fans of your community, you can drive targeted traffic to your business.  Popular social media networks include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and GooglePlus.
4) Lead Generation Websites and Landing Pages
Your website, particularly the landing page, is a great way to attract targeted traffic. The number of visitors you convert to leads will be determined by the the solutions you promise to deliver and the congruency of our offer. It is important to design your website and landing pages in a way that highlights the solution you will provide if a visitor were to opt in to your online lead generation system. To maximize your lead generation use attractive, high converting lead pages and opt in forms, strategically place them on every page of your website either at the bottom of your pages or on the sidebars. To increase conversions simply ask for their email address.
5) Creating Online Marketing Video Tutorials and Viral Videos
Video marketing is a powerful media for driving high quality, targeted leads online. Publish and share your videos to video-sharing sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion. Your video should be information filled, useful and it should speak directly to the audience that can benefit from your products and services the most.
6) Paid Advertising and PPC (Pay per click)
Whether you are using Facebook PPC, YouTube PPC, Google Adwords or Bing PPC, this form of advanced online lead generation can be lucrative is you know how to properly implement the methods.  PPC is a results driven online marketing strategy were you can control your ad budget, the volume of traffic and the flow of online leads to your landing page. A PPC ad lead generation system is also a great way to test future product offerings and marketing campaigns prior to committing a lot of time and money to building out the project. Running PPC ads can help you pinpoint the right marketing message, determine winning ads that convert and help improve the effectiveness of your marketing and sales strategies.
7) Solo Ads
If you want to build an email list in a hurry, solo ads are one of the best ways to build a list fast and generate online leads in record time. When you use solo ads, you purchase “ad space” on the mailing list of other successful marketers who hopefully have responsive, buying customers. Solo ads can be expensive and it is important to test high converting lead capture pages and ad copy that allow you to get the best return on your investment.
When it comes down to picking an online lead generation system that will work for you, the best advise if to test, test, and test some more. Determine how many leads you need to make a sale, how much money you are willing to spend (or not spend) to achieve your desired results and which marketing methods give you the best return on your time and effort. You should also consider the quality of the leads you attract alongside the conversion rate. Be willing to implement new online lead generation systems and try new combinations of strategies to improve your results.
- See more at: http://andreabolder.com/effective-online-lead-generation-strategies-easy-ways-to-find-qualified-leads-online/#sthash.dW7mTlYh.dpuf

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How To Win Clients with Time-Tested Sales Techniques

Published on: 04:14 0

I would never call myself a salesman. The word brings to mind a host of stereotypical, manipulative, sleazy jerks I’ve encountered who have very transparently tried to pad their wallets through coercive tricks. I have, however, worked some sales jobs over the years (reluctantly) and each provided lots of sales training, tips and tricks. Frankly I hated it, but when I left the world of sales to pursue a creative career I was surprised to find that my sales training comes into constant use when dealing with clients.

Below are five sales techniques that I find helpful for gaining and keeping clients and, more importantly, that I feel I can use in moderation and still look myself in the mirror.

A Bug In Their Ear

This is a trick from retail sales where you walk past a customer with you hands full of papers and say, in passing, something really positive about the product they’re looking at, then walk away. After giving them a little time you pass them again, this time not looking as busy. The idea is that they’ll stop you and ask you questions. You then start to sell.
I don’t personally feel comfortable with the above technique and have never used it as such. There is, however, an important principle at the bottom of it that I feel I can comfortably use. “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” While Newton was talking about physics, it can also apply to psychology. “We tend to retreat from aggression and pursue the elusive.”
As a freelancer this leads to an easy, soft sales approach. Pick a client you would like to work for and mention an idea to them casually (“It’d be great if your website had…” or whatever) that pertains to what you do. Do not, at this point, mention the idea of you doing the work. Make yourself casually available for them to ask further questions of. If they like your idea, they’ll probably ask you to do the work.
The best thing about this technique is that it takes next to no time and costs nothing. Do this with many potential clients and wait; the worst thing that happens is they take your suggestion and hold you in high regard for it.

The Emotion Scale

A boss I once had presented the staff at a sales meeting one day with a chart of emotions. At the bottom were the negative emotions, progressing up into neutral emotions and at the top were positive emotions (unfortunately, I do not have the original chart, but the principal works regardless). He told us that people cannot relate to someone who is not within two emotions on the scale (ie. a depressed person will not relate to cheerful behavior).
If a client is showing negative emotions then carefully place your communication at just above theirs on the emotion scale. That is to say an angry client is best met with a tone of boredom or calm reserve. Without them realizing it, this will bring their emotions closer to yours. Keep moving up the scale each time they get closer and eventually you will have them neutral, if not happy. This will put you in a better position to create a positive resolution to the conflict.

F.A.B.

F.A.B. stands for Feature Advantage Benefit. It is very easy to fall into the habit of selling by listing features at length (“I can build you a website that does X, Y and Z!”). We must remember that while the reasons one wants those features seems obvious to us as experts in our industries, the client may not be as familiar with the terminology as you.
The F.A.B. technique suggests listing the services you’re offering as a feature followed by the advantage of that feature and how it benefits the customer. This will ensure that the client sees the real value of the work you’re proposing. For example if you are a copywriter you can say something like, “I have already worked for other clients in your industry (feature) so I already have some knowledge and know where to begin my research (advantage) which means I will take less time to write your brochure and we won’t need to make as many revisions (benefit).”

Be Santa Claus

Do you remember in the movie Miracle on 34th Street when Santa refers customers to different stores and the storeowner is angry until he realizes that the store is packed with customers who are lined up to see his Santa? Well, it turns out this really works.

Keep a list of other freelancers and businesses that you know will treat them well and don’t be shy about giving it out.

It can be tempting as a freelancer to try to accept as much work as possible, even if it is outside of your strengths, but sometimes giving your clients a referral to somewhere that can do it better (or cheaper?) can result in them coming to you first next time. Keep a list of other freelancers and businesses that you know will treat them well and don’t be shy about giving it out. The client will love you for it and maybe the other freelancer/business will return the favor.

Ask For The Sale

It’s silly, but I’ve seen many sales not go through because the salesperson never asked “So, would you like to buy it?”. It feels like such a taboo to flat out ask someone if they want your services. Most of us tend to stall and answer questions hoping they’ll hire you. Find a not-too-pushy way of asking the question “do you want to hire me?” or “so, should we move ahead with this project?” and don’t be shy to ask it. If you don’t ask, they may go talk to someone else who will.

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8 Ways To Get New Customers

Published on: 04:08 0

That said, there is no shortage of clever, inexpensive ways to drum up new business. Here are my top eight ways to get new customers.

1. Try a new marketing technique: Like any small business, you likely have some marketing tricks that work. And, also like most small businesses, I bet you use them again and again.
No wonder they get stale.
If you try something new, you will reach new people, and that increases your chances that someone new will check you out.
Print a flyer. Create a coupon. Have a sale. Start a direct-marketing campaign. There are many powerful marketing ideas that will generate more business .

2. Launch or offer a new product: Again, the idea is the same – if you keep doing the same thing, offering the same old products (and marketing them the same old way) it is the same old people who will notice them.
The trick is to get different people to check out your wares. Offering a different product, or product line, and letting people know about it, does that.

3. Get more clicks: While you can’t man the business 24/7, your URL can. Whether yours is a fully-empowered e-commerce site or simply an e-brochure for your business, the secret to converting that Web site into money is all in the numbers. The more people who visit, the more purchases may occur.
The good news is that getting more people to your Web site is actually a fairly easy thing to do. Check out Microsoft adCenter for starters.

4. Launch a PR campaign: Advertising is great and can lead to new customers for sure. The problem is that it is inherently biased; it is you tooting your own horn.
Far better: Have someone else hype your business for you. That is where public relations comes in.
By getting a TV or a radio station, or a newspaper or magazine, to do a story on your business creates immediate third-party, trustworthy, validation of your business. That you can use that story again and again is icing on the cake.

5. Ask for referrals: My dad had a huge sign in his carpet warehouse that said, “Our word of mouth advertising starts with you!” He then gave all referrers a $100 discount on future purchases.
Creating an incentive referral program is simple and it can yield great results. The key is to give people a reason to refer business to you (aside from being a fine establishment) and to thank them for doing so. People like to be appreciated.

6. Smile and dial: Sometimes new business is simply a matter of prospecting. Whether it is making cold calls or sending out proposals, every so often you just gotta do it. Do some search engine research, get a list of potential leads, and get to it.
The important things I have learned when prospecting are two-fold:

• 1. Don’t take no personally.


• 2. Remember, it’s a numbers game. Keep on going!

7. Revamp your Web site: Did you know that 80% of Americans now spend as much time online as they do in front of the television? That means that you have to have a top-notch site.

8. Get (social) networking: More and more, people are going online to check out and chat about business choices. Indeed, according to a poll I just read of “active Internet users”:

• 72% of respondents checked out a company’s reputation on chat boards before buying.


• 74% based their buying decisions, at least partially, on what they read.


• 81% thought that blogs, online rating systems and discussion boards gave them valuable feedback.

What this means is that you have to nurture your online reputation.
The upshot of this all is that new tricks create new customers.

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5 True Facts on Blogging to Win Clients

Published on: 06:30 0

When you’re trying to win clients or connect with customers using a blog, it’s important to remember that this strategy is a form of advertising — much like traditional media.
But instead of a newspaper or TV ad, blogging becomes a platform to connect with potential clients in a much more personal way. You can display your ideas and skills in a conversational way, which is way more appealing to people.

Here are five true facts when blogging to win clients:
1. Showcases Your Work
I use my blog as an online portfolio to showcase my knowledge, expertise and ideas in a particular area. This sets me apart from all the other freelancers out there, since it keeps potential clients from guessing what kind of services they’ll receive — it’s already out there for them to see.
Having a first class blog already puts you several steps ahead of your competition. But beware; just like having an epic blog will help you get ahead, a bad one can set you way back. Don’t let your blog be an afterthought — treat it like the important deal-closer it is.
2. Helps You Learn New Skills
This is probably one of the most important benefits to having a blog. Maintaining a blog is a lot like maintaining a small business, where you’re responsible for multiple facets of keeping the business going.
You’ll learn skills related to technology, social media, community interaction, marketing, research, public relations and much more. All of these skills are in high demand for any type of business or client, so adding them to your pool of assets is essential.
3. There’s No Limit to Opportunities
The online world features many massive networks of like-minded people, so it’s very easy to make connections that lead to other fantastic opportunities. You might reach out to a certain clientele in the beginning, and then find yourself drawn to another demographic.
You could start working on a consulting basis that morphs into a book deal or speaking opportunity. There’s no limit to the connections you can make online, and therefore no limit to your opportunities.
4. Takes Hard Work and Dedication
Many people think starting a blog is as easy as starting a site with a simple design and slapping up some content. But if you want to successfully connect with paying clients, it’s much more than that. You can’t just expect clients to come pouring in the moment you hit “publish.”
As I mentioned, having a blog is like having a small business, both of which take dedication and hard work to keep going. It might take months or even years before you start seeing a good ROI (return on investment) versus time spent. But it could really pay off in the end!
5. Not Everyone Will Be a Fan
If you’re brave enough to put your work (and yourself) out there on a blog, you have to realize that not everyone will find value in what you offer. You’ll land big clients that work out great, but you’ll also get burned when a gig doesn’t work out.
This is something that comes with blogging to win clients — there are major ups and downs to going public with your expertise. However, the good thing to remember is that the clients you do connect with will be big fans of you and your work!

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Praise Your Competition to Win Clients

Published on: 06:27 0

I recently started receiving newsletters from Sales Engine - a company started by a Booth professor, Craig Wortmann.  One of the points the most recent newsletter made was to “Praise your competitors’ strengths.”  After being a little surprised by the counterintuitive statement, I began thinking about how we do things at matchist.  On our calls, we often talk about competitors like oDesk and eLance.  What I realized is that I often praised these competitors.  Why?  Well there were a number of reasons:

1)  It’s better than saying nothing.  When our clients bring up other freelancing sites like oDesk, there are three ways to go – to praise the competitors, disparage the competitors, or say nothing at all.  Saying nothing makes it seem like you have something to hide – or worse, that you aren’t aware of them.  We are well aware that freelance developers have other options, and that our clients have other options.  We want our clients to know that we are aware of their other available options.
2) Disparaging your competition makes you seem weak.  While you could disparage your competition, many clients will this as a turnoff.  During Craig Wortmann’s class, he asked to do word association with the term “salesman”.  Some words were nice, but others, like “liar,” “smooth talker,” and “scumbag” all came up.  This is what you are when you insult your competition.  Insulting your competition makes you are worried about them, and clients will be less interested in working with someone who is so negative.  Which bring us to why you should actually praise your competition:
3) Praising your competition helps differentiate your brand.  Other freelance sites like oDesk and eLance do a great job of delivering freelance work at a discount.  They also have huge networks, so your web apps, mobile apps, and API integrations will get more views from developers on those sites.  Why do I mention this?  Because it helps matchist show how we are different than them in the market.  It gives merit to our claims of quality, stronger results, selecting the perfect developer for your project, and giving you the proper customer service required to do so.  It’s much more believable to make these claims when you give them context.

At the end of the day, it is your competition that defines who you are in the market place.  Appreciate them for what they do, and you will recognize what makes you shine.

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