Any ideas on how to get clients in a more proactive way than networking?
117272
If you have money to invest you can advertise yourself (in a local radio or newspaper). But you can have yourself recognized using public relations and networking (if you use it right you can have great results) as well.\n\nMoreover, there are companies that can organize local outdoor campaigns (face to face direct marketing) and they get paid only for the customers that they bring you.\n\nOther ideas are: Be sponsor of a local event, distribute flyers and brochures, get some clients write testimonials about your service and products and let word-of-mouth work for you.\n\nFor more proposals you need to be more specific and include more details about your field and your company…
1097812
Adress the demands by priority. State that is how you will be handling their issues in order to "serve them best".\n\nI suggest writing down the demands and speak with them about each until the order in which they will be handled is agreed upon. This lets them know you are focusing on their issues and not leaving anything out which in turn will make them calmer clients.
1047398
when your customer speaks, shut up and listen\nCommunicate with your customers and your employees\nUnderstand that nothing just comes to you, you have to get off your butt and get it.\nLong hours?  Try long months\nThe rewards are internal.
441826
The best is to understand where your current clients are coming from and do more of it. Learn what is working in your marketing efforts and what can be improved. \n\nYou might also try a referral program - you can offer existing clients to refer friends... and reward them for it. The reward can be free special lessons or whatever else they might want.\n\nSurvey your current clients and find out why they choose your services. What do they like best? Can you turn that into your unique selling proposition? Also look at any suggestions, comments that point to things you can improve upon.\n\nResearch your competition - analyse their strengths and weaknesses. What's good about them that you can incorporate into your service? What's bad about them that you can avoid? \n\nLook at tying up with your local music store perhaps they can offer a free lesson for customers that buy music that fits in with your dance classes.\n\nHave a demonstration/lesson day... promote a day or time where people can drop by, watch a demonstration and join in a introductory lesson. Offer them an opportunity to sign up at the end and if they don't at least attempt to get their contact details for ongoing marketing purposes.\n\nThe most important thing is to position yourself as different from your competition, so that your customers don't even compare them with your services. You want your market to think of you as the only solution.\n\nThis answer is a little messy, but hopefully it gives you some ideas to try.
1125764
The best way to attack is not by threatening!\nMost likely, if you can manage to be your friends so that you supply them, then they will depend on you and eventually they will turn to your clients => friends!\nStates are difficult to be extinguished, especially when they are supported by the world leaders.
683762
There is nothing as successful as actually getting on the phone, and pitching to clients direct. This obviously only works if you are pitching corporate though. If you are aiming at B2C business (business selling to general public) then it is good firstly to have a website, and then to make sure that website is visible to your target audience. Think about where people would shop to find your product... where would they look?
246651
Find your niche market.  Once you've figured out what kind of clientele you want to target, promote yourself within that market.  Go to Small Business Association and Chamber of Commerce meetings and network!  Go to their bulletin boards and answer web related questions.  Always include a signature when posting to bulletin boards / answering questions online / sending out emails.  Make sure to include the URL to your portfolio in your tagline.  I'll put mine in the tagline to show what I mean (I usually don't sign my answers on this site).  \n\nadded note: get business cards!  hand them out everywhere.  \n\nGood luck!
845983
Insist you be paid. Call your clients yourself and explain without too much details and without being catty. If you let it slide, he will keep on doing what he is doing and do it to someone else in the future as well
649995
Network your current employees...\nThey obviously have friends that they could get contact details for..\nWith all those pyramid type business building schemes, it is best to start within the already forged group and resouce from within - then with those new contacts - you do it again, and again and again!\n\nI'd appreciate 5% of profits for this information ;)
556525
One of the best ways would be to develop a system whereby a steady stream of prospects start coming to YOU rather than the other way around...there are some proven Internet marketing techniques to make that happen, check out this site for more info...\n\nhttp://networkmarketing.sitesell.com/carey.html
761755
Paypal is one method that comes to mind *IF* you fell that you are able to truly counsel a client without any body language clues, without any intonation hints, without the benefit of understanding if a pause lasted 2 seconds or 29 minutes.\n\nSure you could use webcam and mic to get around SOME of this, but I would be fasincated to know how the dynamics of this are going work, both from a personal and also a professional point of view.\n\nDo you have suerpvision in person - or are you happy to receive supervision "online" too?  Both responses generate further questions as I am sure you might imagine.\n\nThe payment side seems easy - Paypal is available to most people - it is ensuring that you AND your client are able to both operate effectively. I wish you well and please do no harm.
908559
good luck with this one!  From personal experience...put up a sign by your door..."have not had coffee, don't cross line unless your ready to battle angry lion!"  Got some laughs, and people took it seriously after the first casualty (that's all it usually takes).  As for spam messages...get a good blocker and set up your outlook (if you use it) to prioritize your messages for you.  For example, those coming from your direct supervisor should be marked highest, with clients, customers, co-workers, family, friends coming in some sort of order after them.  (sms) don't know what you mean, but I think you get the idea.  \n\nI own my own home based business and you would think I would be able to get alot of work done...however, friends and family believe that now I'm more available for THEM!!!!  I've had to set very strict guidelines with them.  Now if the dog would just learn to cross his legs until MY break time all would be well in my world! LOL\n\nSeriously, YOU have to set the boundries.  Set aside time each day to handle all the "time wasters" and when that time is over, then go back to more important and productive stuff.  \n\nGood Luck and don't spend so much time on Yahoo Answers! Just kidding! ;-)
790383
Attracting clients when getting started in any business can be a challenge.  In Southern California there is an organization called BNI :  Business Networking International.  They have groups that meet weekly in different communities with the sole purpose of meeting other professionals and discussing needs and talking about their specific businesses.\n\nI understand that they only have one of each profession in each group, so your challenge would be to find a group local to you that would have an opening for an attorney.  \n\nCheck the BNI website and then see if there's a group near you where you can visit or get information.\n\ngood luck
921252
You can approach events and exhibition companies. They may have qualified leads in your area of business. That will satisfy your management desire for instant action. That said, spam mail are not welcomed. Best is to have personal follow-ups. The other method is to harvest it yourself. It only takes some patience and a bit of resourcefulness.
862563
2 to 3 hours "networking" :)
680865
I suggest contacting your software vendor for the names of other clients, or they may know of a user group.  Also, try Googling the name of the program and "user group" and you may get a hit.
156101
software jounals\nmessage boards\nclients that have connections-ask!\nconventions relating to your field