Monday, December 9, 2013

First thing to do to get new clients

Build a website with SEO keywords 
One of the top priorities for finding new clients is to create a website of at least five pages. With a professionally designed and written website in place, potential clients can actually find you through specific keyword search terms like "San Francisco personal trainers," "New York City fitness coach," or whatever location you're in.  
 
Use one page to tell prospects about yourself and your background. Use another page to list your services. Use testimonials to show potential clients what your current and past clients have said. And add a contact page that makes it easy for people to tell you about their needs.
 
Broadcast your successes in social media 
Write a brief bi-weekly email newsletter with a valuable information that your audience will enjoy, then link it to a one-sentence summary on your Facebook page, on Linked In, on Twitter, and on any other social media network that you use. This kind of social media marketing has resulted in ongoing business for tens of thousands of personal trainers worldwide and hundreds of thousands of new clients.  
 
Ask your current clients for introductions 
About 10 years ago, I started training a client who owns a very successful car warranty business and he knows half of the city of Tampa.  After I asked him to introduce me to his peers, he referred me to at least 3-4 prospective clients per month. Each became a client of mine for months or even years!
 
Network through word-of-mouth referrals - Ask trusted clients for word-of-mouth referrals to people you want to meet in certain industries or companies. The more specific you are, the better your referrals will be. Networking has become a huge part of my business success in finding new clients.  
 
For example, if you train a doctor, have them introduce you to a couple of their doctor friends.  If you train a wealthy business owner, have them introduce you to their peers.  Ask and you shall receive.  Don't ask and the answer will always be "no". 
 
Create a great "infomercial" 
No, I'm not talking about a Shake Weight or a Thigh Master.  I'm referring to somewhat of a script that works well for you in regards to selling prospective clients personal training.  Once you have it down, use it at the appropriate time when you are doing consultations and/or meeting someone at a networking event.  
 
Everyone needs an elevator speech to use when people ask, "What do you do?" Make it 20 to 30 seconds long and make it interesting so they'll ask you for a business card or for more information.  At that point, if you play your cards right, you will have a new client very soon but it's up to you to close the deal.
 
Form strategic "power partnerships" 
Maybe you're great at what you do but you're not great at marketing or selling your services.  Try forming a partnership with a local business owner, doctor's office or some other professional group where they can send you their customers, clients or patients.  
 
"Shake Hands and Kiss Babies" 
Any of my coaching clients are very familiar with this term.  Shaking hands and kissing babies was a term used in regards to politicians many years ago that were trying to butter people up and get them to vote for them.  Later, it was adopted by professional salesmen in regards to building rapport with prospective clients or customers.  
 
This basically means that you talk to people, build rapport, get them to like you and trust you and can establish a relationship with that person.  In this case we are most certainly talking about professional relationships with potential clients.  
 
Smile, make good eye contact, speak clearly and get people to like you as a person before you try to sell them anything...or at least build very strong rapport with them.  
 

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