Hi!
I've seen a lot of posts from people about local clients/customers is the best way to start off. Well, How do you approach these local customers?Do you email then?Send them Snail Mail?Call then?or visit there business?What sort of things should you start off with and how in general should you approach them? Saying that your cheaper and better then there current host?or what?

Shed some light please!

Thanks,
Chris

Chris,

The best thing to do to market local customers is probably call them.

Before calling though make up some marketing and "answer scripts". Basically think of the questions they would ask you and have answers already printed in front of you. This will help to keep your answers all uniform as well as quick. Be sure to add questions and answers to your script as customers ask you new ones.

Instead of marketing your company as simply having lower pricing be sure to talk about all the positives that you and your company can offer them. Get them to trust you and your ideas rather than just bash your competition or their current host. A lot of potential customers will see you bashing their current host as bashing them since they chose the host they are with.

Also be sure to always follow up with potential customers. You will rarely get a sale with the first call. Setup reminders in outlook or get ACT. Another thing you should do is get their email address and setup automated follow up emails.

These things should help you be successful in marketing and getting new customers.

There is no better sales method than one on one. Go out and personally visit the businesses to explain your product.

You use two spaces inbetween sentances, that really catches their attention.

Originally posted by DanX
You use two spaces inbetween sentances, that really catches their attention.

Actually, it is no longer considered standard to use two spaces between sentences. Just one is sufficient.

That was rather random Dan!

DoMeric is quite correct though; using either one space or two spaces following a full stop (aka 'periods' for my US friends) is equally correct and valid. Personally, I prefer 2 spaces but that's just how I was taught.

Kevin

Setting up a script is a poor way to try to recruit customers. No matter how hard you try you sound like you pulled your messages out of a can. You need to find out what your customer's needs are and how your business can handle these needs. Selling is much easy if you do your home work and get whoever you are trying to sell to involved in the conversation by asking questions and involving them.

Derrick

I would suggest you look into local networking groups as well. We belong to a group called thinkreferrals.ca and they provide us an opportunity to meet other business people and build business relationships thus growing our sphere of influence.

Greetings Chris:

“Saying that your cheaper and better then there current host?”

Even in a down economy, business owners are typically looking for value rather than price as their #1 or #2 concern.

Over the past eight years, local businesses have seriously questioned if cheaper means more than squat dirt in value.

So, please do be careful as to how you price yourself in the local market (too cheap can be as devastating as too expensive); compete on value, not price.

I still remember a lost development bid in 1998 when we were charging $100 per hour for programming; they went with a company charging $160 per hour thinking that we had no clue what we were doing because we were so cheap.

In any event, we have found that “in person” networking at various business events brings in the most quantity of quality business.

Most business clubs are starving for speakers. While most give you specific instructions that your speech to their club cannot involve selling, if you present your facts well enough and show you are credible, you will have business owners coming up to you asking if you can help them with their problems.

Thank you.